Magpies v Northland
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Don't bother with the tackle training. Put out the B team against Canterbury
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How good was Marino Mikaele-Tu"u! They should keep him at 8! I know Evans prefers 8 as well, but Marino at 8 and Evans at 7 is better than Marino at 6 and Evans at 8. And Cridge did well at 6, so all in all, tonight's loose forward trio went better than previous combo's.
Also liking what I see from McClutchie. A few mistakes ("that kick" in the 2nd half), but otherwise made good decisions and he's more elusive than Falcon (possibly due to McC being a midget) when he makes a break. It will be interesting to see what they are going to do when Falcon comes back from injury. Will McC get a place on the bench? Or will they stick with Tofilau & Buckley on the bench? I frankly don't see any reason why they would do that. They could shift Falcon to 12 in the 2nd half when McC comes on.
I don't know who took the decision to take the kicking off Taulagi - whether it was JJ himself, or Weber - it was a good decision. Didn't know Weber could kick. I just hope that McC works on his kicking as well. I've seen him kick, so he can do it, but maybe he just prefers concentrating on the rest of his game. In many of the Hastings Boys games, Toala did the goal kicking, so that's another option if/when they decide to give him a run.
Jonah was great on defence, but I wish he got the ball more often. He's such a strong ball runner and isn't given the opportunity enough. Must admit, that Taulagi is much better (particularly on attack) than I expected at the start of the season. Emerson also isn't getting enough ball, but his defence is terrible. Can't help being a midget, but he also takes bad decisions.
Our midfield is reasonable on attack, but we don't have an experienced communicator and organiser and that shows on defence. We're missing Buckman badly; I'd say, give Toala a go in the midfield. No experience to offer, but I don't doubt that he has more talent than our current midfielders. Combine him with Lowe at centre, and maybe put Buckley on the right wing.
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I think the big thing we are seeing with the magpies is that they are getting quicker ball at ruck time. Looking at the stats compared to other games the quick ball stats have been much better therefore McC has more time and front foot ball.
This comes from the carries of Marino and also less turnovers by holding the ball then taking an extra phase -
Just back from the aftermatch.
Marino Mikaele-Tu'u was Magpies man of the match.
It was the Magpies highest ever score against Northland, and most ever tries against Northland.
Expect a decidedly second string team to take on Canterbury on Sunday. Some frontliners will be rested after playing a lot of minutes in both games over the last four days and a home semi-final is now all-but secured, so kinda makes sense. But the scoreboard could take a pounding against Canterbury on Sunday....
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Just guessing, but that could mean:
Long, Power and Rakete-Stones starting, with Apikotoa, Devery and Tavita-Metcalfe (if fit) on the bench
Cridge and maybe Ulufonua starting, with a Saracens player on the bench or Allardice with little game time (he has played fewer minutes than Parsons)
Flanders to start at 6 or 8, Kaifa at 7, not sure about the 3rd loosie. Tremain if fit; if not, Selesele or Funaki or Brighouse (if fit)?
Fakatava to start, Weber on the bench and only to come if needed
McClutchie to start, unless Falcon is fit again
Buckley to get a start, Tucker maybe on the bench for his debut. Not sure what their preferred position is, so not sure who they would replace. Toala to get a run, maybe even a start (instead of Taulagi)? Tofilau and Dunn have been rotated, so one of them will probably start or be named on the bench. Not really sure players like Emerson and Lowe need a rest; Lowe looks super fit and Emerson has been struggling. -
That sounds about right. I think they will give Lowe a rest and also Stacey Ili who have played every single minute so far. Sebastian Visinia? Ellery Wilson?
Heard Falcon is out for rest of the season after getting scans, they thought it was going to be 2/4 weeks but apparently 6/8 weeks. -
@Stargazer MMT was great - it was a real "I'm here" performance. I think I'd prefer Flanders starting in the loose forward trio than Cridge, it's time for Cridge to start at lock. Evans looked a wee bit out of sorts in this match, probably due to the workload he's had. Maybe he should have a rest.
McClutchie has looked assured, of the young Hastings guys he was the one who I thought might struggle to make the transition to senior rugby but he's looked less scatterbrained that Falcon. Agree on Yellow Card, he's annoyingly too casual but I can see how he has had Super spots in the past. Emerson is such a dumb defender, he comes out of the line way too much - he's the Maumalo/Kata of the Magpies. Agree that it's definitely time to move Lowe to the midfield, he's just wasted on the wing never seeing enough ball. Next years backline could be good - it might be:
9. Weber (Fakatava), 10. Falcon/McClutchie, 11. Emerson, 12. McNicol, 13. Lowe, 14. Toala, 15. Dagg (He doesn't make the RWC squad but is put on standby so remains in NZ). Few too many Lindersfarne players in there
but that is pretty good Bay of origin backline.All in all I'm happy with the w in the column even if we were pretty awful in that first half.
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Stargazer said:
@nepia If MMT keeps on playing like this and gets sufficient opportunities with the Landers and plays well in SR, he may just take Akira's spot in the ABs.
Well he is the odd man out of the Highlanders loose forwards, every one of them except him is an AB. A few goods outings on the bench for him next year and hey presto he'll be an AB.
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D Duluth moved this topic from Magpie Rugby on
