2020 All Blacks Squad
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@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
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@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
They have an opportunity to build a relationship that could be very good in 4 years time
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@antipodean said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Bones more than half of those tries have come against Japan, Baabaas, Italy, French invitational.
I can think of an Argies test and one of the BIL tests that I thought he was okay. But his distribution game is limited and I think that’s where he’s been bypassed as a ball playing option during games and it’s been noticeable.
For 2020, I'd be happy enough to shelve the idea that we need an entire backline of small guys who pass real good but can't generate any go forward
So ALB and Goodhue it is then. Consider 2019 shelved!
I really like Jack and ALB and, IMO, they could be the AB midfield pairing for the next 5 years. My issue with those guys is that they're a bit "samey" and they're both kinda 'tweeners. Neither is a massive big bruiser in the Nonu / De Allende / Mortlock mould (I think it's fair to say that, in the last 10 years our first-fives have looked at their absolute best when having a bruiser - generally Nonu or SBW - alongside them to hold the defence or bail them out if needed). But neither is exactly a really skilful or silky midfielder in, say, the Horan / C Smith / O'Driscoll mould.
My main concern with having them both, therefore, is that our midfield might lack a bit of balance. I think it's probably fair to say that both are at their best playing 13, while ALB is probably only a serviceable 12.
Jack G is taller than ALB, and could be bulked up a bit, at the cost of speed.
Surely he's big enough?
Quite a decent sized unit. 6'2 I'd say.
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@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
They have an opportunity to build a relationship that could be very good in 4 years time
@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
They have an opportunity to build a relationship that could be very good in 4 years time
@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@ACT-Crusader said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@junior I think their skill strengths are quite different. Goodhue is a genuine centre that runs good lines and hits the line quite hard. ALB is more a stepper/footwork guy in attack but has a bruising defensive game and probably hits the tackle as hard as Tana did. Don’t think size is a problem when both are north of 6’1 and 95kg.
They have an opportunity to build a relationship that could be very good in 4 years time
Saw both of them last week. ALB is shorter and stockier.
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@cgrant said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Big does not mean good as far as midfielders are concerned. Speed and technical abilities are what counts most.
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
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@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@cgrant said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Big does not mean good as far as midfielders are concerned. Speed and technical abilities are what counts most.
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
Laumape is a smasher. He needs to expand his game, he has the potential. Nonu didn't develop until quite late, he took a long time to win many posters over
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@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@cgrant said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Big does not mean good as far as midfielders are concerned. Speed and technical abilities are what counts most.
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
Laumape is a smasher. He needs to expand his game, he has the potential. Nonu didn't develop until quite late, he took a long time to win many posters over
Well I saw him in a few games early in the NPC season and I've been impressed with his subtle skills, vision and support throughout the year. He throws a sweeeet skip pass a la Nonu and has a finely tuned short kicking game.
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@Bones said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@cgrant said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Big does not mean good as far as midfielders are concerned. Speed and technical abilities are what counts most.
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
Laumape is a smasher. He needs to expand his game, he has the potential. Nonu didn't develop until quite late, he took a long time to win many posters over
Well I saw him in a few games early in the NPC season and I've been impressed with his subtle skills, vision and support throughout the year. He throws a sweeeet skip pass a la Nonu and has a finely tuned short kicking game.
He’s been one of the form midfielders in Super rugby for a couple of years now. He needs a decent opportunity to stake his claim
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@canefan said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@pakman said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@cgrant said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
Big does not mean good as far as midfielders are concerned. Speed and technical abilities are what counts most.
I've always liked one bigger to run crash ball as required matched with one leaner/faster. Osbourne/Robertson, Nonu/Conrad, etc..
Laumape is a smasher. He needs to expand his game, he has the potential. Nonu didn't develop until quite late, he took a long time to win many posters over
I posted in support around the time Dan was moving full time to first five.
Tried to recover it but seems lost in the sands of time!
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looking at our best mid-fielders over the past 10-20 years, they tend to hit thier straps around 27/28ish...which bodes well for the likes of Laumape, ALB & Goodhue, probably Rieko and Jordie too.
While our wings seem to fall off a cliff at that age, our centres mature.
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ALB reminds me of Walter Little as much as anyone.
On size - you have people like Tuilagi listed at 114 kgs vs someone like ALB listed at 96 kgs - so giving away nearly 20 kgs. And most forwards north of 110kgs - plenty more than 120 kgs.
It's tough to win the collision when you're giving away that much size.
Jack's a bit bigger at 100kgs, but I wouldn't mind seeing him a bit heavier still. Nonu and SBW listed at 108kgs seem ideal for the "broadsword" in midfield.
What starts to become problematic is when you have three little guys in the backs - Smith, Mo'unga and Reece - and the rest of the backline are only moderately sized - Beauden, Bridge and the two midfielders.
You're starting to lose a lot of collisions! If you're n the back foot, who do you give it to to smash forward and get some front foot ball?
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@Chris-B agree to a point, but there were concerns with our small backs v SA in pool play, but it didnt affect us.
I expect Jack could put on a few more kgs easily enough without affecting him.
there arent too many big bruisers playing the mid-field in NZ presently who look like they will make the step up in the next year or 2...
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@Chris-B said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
If you're n the back foot, who do you give it to to smash forward and get some front foot ball?
Maybe they should rely on innovative superior skills (and hopefully speed) rather than trying to bash and smash your way through to see some dividends paid.
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@Chris-B said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
On size - you have people like Tuilagi listed at 114 kgs vs someone like ALB listed at 96 kgs - so giving away nearly 20 kgs. And most forwards north of 110kgs - plenty more than 120 kgs.
It's tough to win the collision when you're giving away that much size.When does ALB loose collisions often?
Is this one of those Fern things (like England were apparently always unbeatable) that gets started and then people just start believing it for no good reason?
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@Nepia How many did he win against England?
From what I saw England were mainly able to plough forward and our dominant hits were few and far between.
I'm not pointing the finger at ALB - but, I am saying that collectively, the size of our backs division was a problem.
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@Chris-B said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Nepia How many did he win against England?
From what I saw England were mainly able to plough forward and our dominant hits were few and far between.
I'm not pointing the finger at ALB - but, I am saying that collectively, the size of our backs division was a problem.
This is the reason i think Frank Bunce is the best centre i ever saw. It didn't matter what the ball was, or what the rest of the team was doing, Frank was almost a guarantee to generate quick, front-foot ball. A fucking hero.
He also liked to absolutely level blokes in tackles. I love Frank.
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@Chris-B said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:
@Nepia How many did he win against England?
From what I saw England were mainly able to plough forward and our dominant hits were few and far between.
I'm not pointing the finger at ALB - but, I am saying that collectively, the size of our backs division was a problem.
I think there’s some truth in this, and we let Tuilagi and the other backs get too much room all day. I think much of that is due to our defensive system, which was very passive, so we made our tackles (mostly) but also gave up ground. In the final, SA got around this by using an accurate rush - Manu hardly saw the ball.
We are a bit over reliant on Cane, Savea, and BBBR to make impact tackles around the ruck and towards midfield pods. One player who can help out in the future may be Moli, who was hammering guys around the ruck in the Wales game. Frizzel could develop to be this guy, and I think both Jacobson and Paps can bring it too.
In the midfield, I hate to say it, but I actually think the weak link is (or was) Mo’unga. We’ve been trying to find ways to hide him, as he tends to give up ground even if he makes his tackles. With him defending in or around the midfield plus a passive line, we can get in huge trouble - that was a key strategy England used all day. I think he has to defend closer to the ruck where he can get more help, and simply put, improve his defense.
I do agree that we were a bit small our wide, but putting back Rieko helps that, although with Dmac back we may get smaller (but more dangerous) at FB towards the end of games.
If we do want size/collisions in midfield, then the argument for Laumape gets stronger, but our two best midfielders are ALB and Jack. I think the secondary problem we had this year is that ALB has been really effective at 13 for the ABs but hardly played 12 for us, and just couldn’t be as effective without a bit more help from SBW or Crotty. His quick feet in traffic get more effective when we can use him a bit wider, so getting that balance right is a key challenge - having a bigger winger or ball running forward to do some of the in-close dummy running or hit-ups may be needed, so that ALB can get to the fringes with Coles and a winger, where he can cause havoc.
I can’t wait for next year.
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@gt12 Laumape is only listed as a kg heavier than ALB...
