Blues 2019
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@Machpants said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Dolamite Who will? Highlanders were second to last, but still had double the Blues points - that's a big improvement!
It comes down to derby games mainly. If you don't win enough of them you will drop way down irrespective of how you perform against non-NZ sides. Reverse the two Blues/Highlanders results and the picture is very different.
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@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Machpants said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Dolamite Who will? Highlanders were second to last, but still had double the Blues points - that's a big improvement!
It comes down to derby games mainly. If you don't win enough of them you will drop way down irrespective of how you perform against non-NZ sides. Reverse the two Blues/Highlanders results and the picture is very different.
Yes, absolutely. That's our challenge for the year - finish above the Highlanders as a non-negotiable, and then look to get in front of the other three is possible.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
I think winning at least one derby game and putting up a respectable home record would be the goal this year.
Yeah, not conceding 60+ points to a team like the Sharks at home would be a great step forward. I was at that game with my boy. Had to cover his eyes to avoid permanent psychological damage.
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@No-Quarter said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
I think winning at least one derby game and putting up a respectable home record would be the goal this year.
Yeah, not conceding 60+ points to a team like the Sharks at home would be a great step forward. I was at that game with my boy. Had to cover his eyes to avoid permanent psychological damage.
how about a trigger warning fella
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Blues Rugby
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Highly respected sports director Don Mackinnon is the new Independent Chair of the Board of the Blues Super Rugby club. Mr Mackinnon takes over from Tony Carter, who has been in the role since the Blues became a standalone organisation in 2013. Mr Carter, who announced his intention to stand down in the middle of 2018 season, has remained on as the interim Chairman to guide the organisation through the change of shareholding late last year. “With the new Board in place and working well now is the right time to complete the transition to a new Chairperson” said Mr Carter. Mr Mackinnon is highly respected in the sports industry, currently a Director of New Zealand Cricket and Chair of its High Performance Committee and also Chairs the Integrity Vetting Panel for International Athletics. He has been a Director of Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand and Netball New Zealand. He was also Chair of Netball New Zealand. He is a partner at SBM Legal and a specialist in employment law and industrial relations. Mr Mackinnon is a passionate supporter of rugby having previously played and coached in the Auckland and North Harbour regions. Mr Mackinnon said “I’m honoured and excited to be taking on this role at such an important time in the Club’s development. There’s a real sense that rugby in the Blues Region is starting to head in the right direction and I’m keen to do all I can to assist that progress. There’s a lot of work ahead but it’s an exciting time to come onboard.” Mackinnon also thanked Mr Carter for his outstanding leadership over the last five years. The Independent Chair is appointed by the Blues shareholders. -
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
I think winning at least one derby game and putting up a respectable home record would be the goal this year.
That would be a good start
MacDonald basically has a free pass this year. A new coach, with a squad he didn't pick, following a disaster of a season.
At this time of the year there are plenty of puff piece articles (every squad is the fittest they've ever been! high profile player x is in top form!) but I do like the comments about MacDonald/Coventry so far. Players praising both the detail and clarity of the instructions.
I would like to see some tries scored because players were put into space by a team mate. Not just tries from opposition errors and individual brilliance.
I would like to see a coherent exit plan after receiving a kickoff for the first time in half a decade.
I would like to see us defend a 5m lineout
I hope they've been talking to Auckland coaches to steal their ideas. Particularly the turnaround they made on defence.
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@Duluth said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
I would like to see some tries scored because players were put into space by a team mate. Not just tries from opposition errors and individual brilliance.
are you suggesting that 'throw the ball around and hope for an insane line break leading to a try' is not a viable strategy at the top level? FFS, man, that's what the success of the Blues has been built on for the last decade
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@Daffy-Jaffy was that the start list from the practice game the other day that you posted and deleted?
If so, there were a couple of interesting observations (even with the danger of reading too much into pre-season selections)
Perofeta started at 15. Could have been a little experiment to tuck away should they decide to try a tactic similar to the ABs with BB/DMac? Black at 10 and Perofeta at 15 in some games?
Umaga is listed before Coventry
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From the Northland Rugby website:
Blues team vs Chiefs.Hodgman
Parsons
Mafileo
Goodhue
Olmstead
Robinson
Matich
Sotutu
Ruru
Plummer
Faiane
Aumua
Clarke
Nanai
PerofetaReplacements.
Li
Apisai/Moulds
Renata/Tamoaieta
James Tucker
Riedlinger-Kapa
Choat
Jack Grooby
Black
Telea
Tele'a
Aoake
Collins -
Its good to see James Tucker involved with a team. I thought he was excellent for the resurgent Waikato team last season and was surprised he wasn't picked for one of the wider squads at least. Although I guess it means Scrafton will not be playing from the outset. I don't know a lot about Jack Grooby but he is about the seventh Halfback involved in training with this team so I don't know what is going on there (Ruru, Pulu, Nock, Kitto, Gjaltema, McNaughton). I know Gjaltema is with the team in Northland but not named. Young loose head prop Rob Cobb is also with the team in Northland but not named.
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@Daffy-Jaffy The picture you posted lists Lua Li as replacement loosehead.
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