Crusaders 2019
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Midfield depth looms as a potential issue with Timanivalu and Bateman going. Ennor can cover centre, but I wouldn't want him to be the main back up option there unless he plays there for Canterbury this NPC and nails it. There are young locks around to cover any losses there (Dalzell, Dunshea and Will Tucker), and with Crocky gone we still have two AB loosehead props. We'll have Sanders back in the loosies come 2019 but I'd like to see Blackadder and HBC also signed up.
I love the few weeks preceeding the NPC and then the competition itself as the reveal period for new talent. This is when young guys I might have read about in club footy reports, guys who may or may not have been NZ U20 players come through.
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As for outside backs, Bridge, Dagg, Ennor, and Havili'i are a good start, but as Chris B rightly says, the latter two could end up in midfield. I could take or leave Macilai mainly due to not having been able to prove himself at SR level, while I went right off Mataele on Friday night when he was made to look like Matt Dunning as he got mowed down by a 32 year old white boy, WITH EASE. I'd like to see Will Jordan get back on the field sooner rather than later. Pity Alaimalo re-signed with the Chiefs as it'd be nice to see a Bedean running around for the Crusaders rather than the Chiefs (two) or Highlanders (they have three of them).
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@shark Mataele has been pretty good otherwise - but, it was interesting to see BFA win that race pretty easily. Mind you, I reckon he'd run down Big Seta equally easily.
Interesting thing about Havili is how young he still is - still just 23 - even though he's in his fourth season of Super rugby and has racked up 50 appearances. Quite reasonable to think that he could re-convert to the midfield as Crotty's eventual replacement - though ideally he'd add a bit more bulk before then.
Alaimalo was a bit of a miss by the Canterbury/ Ta$man/Crusaders scouts - at least Ta$man has gone a little way down the path of rectifying that!
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@chris-b not sure it was a miss by Canterbury scouts, Dale MacLeod was involved in age group stuff down there and got him up here soon after he started with Northland, and when Dale was elbowed out the door, Alaimalo went to your rag tag bunch...if Southland had been able to pick MacLeod up sooner, I wonder if Alaimalo woulda followed.
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@taniwharugby Going to Southland would be a pretty big call for anyone to make these days - no matter how loyal to a coach you might be.
Looking like a useful pick-up by Leon - as long as Hansen keeps his grubby hands to himself.
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@chris Rameka has done his ACL and will miss most of next season. A shame as he’s a great kid
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@chchfanatic that’s really dissapointing to hear
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He is already being talked about as an All Black coach – and sooner rather than later – and will have suitors lining up around the world should he hint he would like to explore different opportunities, but he's not interested in playing those sorts of games, telling the Herald he wants to sign an extension to his contract, which runs out next year, and stay with his family in Christchurch. "I've always wanted to stay here," Robertson said. "I love it. There will be a review after the season is finished – that's part of the contract stipulation – and talks will start next year about hopefully how long they would like me for." One could easily imagine Robertson staying at the Crusaders until he is All Blacks coach. Should Steve Hansen call it quits after the World Cup next year, as he has said he will, then Robertson will be at the front of the queue to succeed Hansen's successor. He freely admits he is still learning and developing as a coach and wouldn't be ready to take over next year, but another three or four years could see him ideally positioned to go to the next level. "It's like anything in life. Opportunities come up and if the timing is right you look at them," he said. "I've been coaching for quite a long time. I'm 43 and I started at 32. That's 11 years, and I've had some great mentors and great coaches to learn off – people I trust.The Crusaders want him to stay, and so too will New Zealand Rugby.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12100639
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@shark said in Crusaders 2019:
One of many articles today on Stuff on the Crusaders talks about how many of the squad are contracted for 2019. Reads as though only Crockett, Samu and Timanivalu are off.
In terms of ‘frontliners’, that’s about right.
Seta is the biggest loss because I don’t think we have a like for like in the squad or on the horizon like him. He had been excellent for us this year. He created many try scoring opportunities with his running and passing game. He just made very good decisions whilst being a tough cover for opposition defences.
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@act-crusader You'll probably be able to pick from Tumua Manu, Salesi Rayasi, Joe Ravovo, and Matt Vaega.
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As I've done for the other NZ franchises, I've now also added a blog post to the front page for the Crusaders 2019 Discussion: 2018 squad, additional players, who are leaving, who are definitely staying etc.
You can find it here: https://www.thesilverfern.com/2018/08/05/crusaders-2019-discussion/
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@act-crusader said in Crusaders 2019:
@shark said in Crusaders 2019:
One of many articles today on Stuff on the Crusaders talks about how many of the squad are contracted for 2019. Reads as though only Crockett, Samu and Timanivalu are off.
In terms of ‘frontliners’, that’s about right.
Seta is the biggest loss because I don’t think we have a like for like in the squad or on the horizon like him. He had been excellent for us this year. He created many try scoring opportunities with his running and passing game. He just made very good decisions whilst being a tough cover for opposition defences.
Yeah probably not a direct replacement for his line breaking ability but Brayden Ennor is also a wing-cum-centre and may well end up being a better player.
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@stargazer said in Crusaders 2019:
As I've done for the other NZ franchises, I've now also added a blog post to the front page for the Crusaders 2019 Discussion: 2018 squad, additional players, who are leaving, who are definitely staying etc.
You can find it here: https://www.thesilverfern.com/2018/08/05/crusaders-2019-discussion/
Heiden Bedwell-Curtis will struggle to get another contract based on that, since Whetu Douglas has already signed as replacement for Samu presumably.
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Yeah so Douglas for Samu, but HBC could still make the wider squad couldn't he?
We're obviously well-served at loosehead with Moody and Perry.
At wing for Timanivalu we could select Ennor, Dagg, Mataele or Will Jordan and I'm sure someone will emerge in the NPC to take his squad place. -
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@shark said in Crusaders 2019:
@act-crusader said in Crusaders 2019:
@shark said in Crusaders 2019:
One of many articles today on Stuff on the Crusaders talks about how many of the squad are contracted for 2019. Reads as though only Crockett, Samu and Timanivalu are off.
In terms of ‘frontliners’, that’s about right.
Seta is the biggest loss because I don’t think we have a like for like in the squad or on the horizon like him. He had been excellent for us this year. He created many try scoring opportunities with his running and passing game. He just made very good decisions whilst being a tough cover for opposition defences.
Yeah probably not a direct replacement for his line breaking ability but Brayden Ennor is also a wing-cum-centre and may well end up being a better player.
We’ve definitely got decent players to play wing and cover centre, but Seta offered a point of difference in our attack that I’m not sure Ennor could provide next season. Ennor has been a good impact player this season and your man Mataele was pretty good also
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On Mataele, I read somewhere today that he'd had some injury problems this season. I don't recall what that was or when, but it would help explain the remarkable difference in his early season form vs his last couple of appearances before he was usurped by Ennor.
