Blues 2019
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Michael Little! But I assume he still has Japanese commitments..
I think Rieko is good enough to play 13 most of the time at SR level and move back to the wing for the ABs. It's probably the best use of resources for the Blues.
When SBW is out? I have no idea. The NPC might advance some of the fringe players chances Tua, Manu, Leger or maybe even Plummer. No standouts there. So maybe Collins by default? Bleh
Little would solve that
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Just heard through my contact that both Ioane boys have resigned with the Blues,but for only the 2019 season,apparently the NZRFU got involved.
Much will depend on how Blues perform next year if both brothers are to stay with the Auckland franchise.
Akira apparently feels his game is being held back and to develop further a change a scene was on the table,which in my opinion is a fair assessment .
Says a little more out the coaching or non coaching..
What I am quite interested in,now that they have signed Leon McDonald..Is Alister Rogers still in the mix and is Steve Jackson worth persisting with..?
Personally I would have Tom Coventry as my forward coach given what I have heard from several players. -
@steven-harris said in Blues 2019:
is Steve Jackson worth persisting with..?
No
There's been no accountability with the head coach. We can at least hope for a clean out of the rest of them
(I would only keep Afeaki) -
@steven-harris BTW, any idea if Cameron Mather (University 2017 coach) is still involved in coaching rugby? His Linkedin profile states that he is still National Sales Operations Manager at Independent Liquor NZ.
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@steven-harris said in Blues 2019:
..Is Alister Rogers still in the mix and is Steve Jackson worth persisting with..?Both these 2 are goooone I believe
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Heard something interesting a few weeks ago on Scotty Stevenson's podcast, The Short Ball:
He stated that Steven Bates (a coach with the Blues and North Harbour) had been really enthusiastic about Karl Tu'inukuafe and really rated him highly, before this season started. Yet the Blues didn't even put him in their dev squad ...
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I assume they must have analysis of guys that have come through thier dev programmes and and gone on the full blues contracts (or elsewhere as well) be interesting to see how many have come throuhg they have genuinely lost (I hear the odd media commentator mention how they 'lost' Jack Goodhue, but from what I have heard, he was always going to Uni in Christchurch)
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2019:
I assume they must have analysis of guys that have come through thier dev programmes and and gone on the full blues contracts (or elsewhere as well) be interesting to see how many have come throuhg they have genuinely lost (I hear the odd media commentator mention how they 'lost' Jack Goodhue, but from what I have heard, he was always going to Uni in Christchurch)
Yep, every team loses players - the Crusaders lost BBBR, that is bigger than any loss the Blues have had in recent times.
And yep, sometimes, like in Goodhue's case, players are just going for other reasons.
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@nepia @taniwharugby This situation was a little bit different. The Blues hired Tu’inukuafe's NPC scrum coach (Afeaki), needed props (they correctly did not retain loosehead Sam Prattley) meanwhile Tu’inukuafe wasn't even given a development squad spot.....such a Blues outcome.
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I thought it was interesting about the Mitre 10 Cup coaches involvement. A good sign for sure.
The best teenage rugby talent in the region will attend the annual Blues Under-18 Camp over the July school holidays. Fifty players from 21 schools have been selected from 230 nominations put forward from schools in the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland rugby regions. They will go into camp at Mt Albert Grammar from Sunday 8 to Thursday 12 July before fielding two teams to take on the Hurricanes at Owen Delany Park in Taupo on Sunday 15 July. The players will receive tuition from all the Mitre-10 coaches in the region including Derren Witcombe and George Konia (Northland); Tom Coventry and Dan Halangahu (North Harbour); and Alama Ieremia, Filo Tiatia and Tai Lavea (Auckland). Current Blues players including Jerome Kaino, Sonny Bill Williams, Patrick Tuipulotu, Scott Scrafton, Dalton Papalii and Otere Black will also present at the camp. -
2019 Squad breakdown: Hooker
Parsons' form really dropped off after the Blues miserable performance against the Chiefs at Eden Park. This is a position they really need an improvement in.
Leni Apisai was signed for 2018 and 2019, and apparently Matt Moulds is signed up for next year too. Unless Apisai is de-listed then just one more hooker is needed. Moulds looks to be the front runner, but his lineout throwing, and possibly scrummaging, needs to improve. Parsons "passion" has really dropped off, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go after the NPC.
It's pretty clear that there aren't many top quality players off contract this year, and big changes at the Blues are unlikely until a new coach is signed for 2020 (combined with plenty of player turnover post World Cup). Possible signings include:
James Parsons, Ross Wright, Kurt Eklund, Nathan Vella, Liam Polwart, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Steven Misa, Samisoni Taukei'aho, James O'Reilly.
Polwart might be the best prospect for 2019 there. Hard to be optimistic about Apisai. It might come down to who in the Blues catchment area plays best in the NPC, or a player from a team like Manawatu showing surprisingly good form.
How long is Asafo Aumua contracted for?
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@tim at the start of the season Jordan Olsen, the Northland back-up rake was in Blues dev side and played in the 10s I think, is a mobile 2 as I think he (like Moulds) was a former loosie.
I've never had issues with Moulds scrummaging, lineout has always been an issue.
If Wright can keep his form up this year, he is a good shot at a utility given he can play prop and hooker.
