Chiefs 2020

Tim

Bovidae

CHIEFS 2020 SQUAD (first full-time contract with the Chiefs)
FORWARDS: Nathan Harris, Bradley Slater, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ryan Coxon, Nepo Laulala, Atunaisa Moli, Reuben O'Neill, Aidan Ross, Angus Ta'avao, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Tyler Ardron, Michael Allardice, Laghlan McWhannell, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Brown, Sam Cane, Pita Gus Sowakula, Luke Jacobson, Mitchell Karpik, Dylan Nel.
BACKS: Lisati Milo-Harris, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Brad Weber, Aaron Cruden, Tiaan Falcon, Damian McKenzie, Kaleb Trask, Orbyn Leger, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tumua Manu, Alex Nankivell, Bailyn Sullivan, Solomon Alaimalo, Sam McNicol, Kini Naholo, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Quinn Tupaea, Sean Wainui.

Bovidae

@Stargazer McNicol is in the Chiefs squad.

Yeetyaah

What a fucking midfield.

Bovidae

So Milo-Harris is the 3rd halfback. I don't know much about him other than he is from Taranaki but was schooled in Auckland.

Disappointed the Chiefs needed to sign a loose forward from Otago (Nel).

gt12

@Bovidae

No Finau?

Bovidae

@gt12 I'm sure he'll be in the WTG with the likes of Vaa’i.

I honestly haven't seen enough of Ah Kuoi to comment but in the Wellington games I watched he didn't get much time off the bench.

cgrant

Ah Kuoi is not very tall. He's another Brown or Ardron. So, with the notable exception of Allardice, the Chiefs have a collection of smallish locks. Lineout could be an issue.

Bovidae

@cgrant Just checked. Listed at 1.96 m, I thought he was taller. 2 m locks aren't easy to find but I would have selected Vaa'i myself.

Judging by Neil Barnes comments Jacobson is a good bet to be the no.8.

Stargazer

From the pdf in the general thread:

Bovidae

My guess at the likely Chiefs XV.

Moli
Harris
Laulala
Ardron
Allardice
Brown
Cane (c)
Jacobson
Weber
Cruden
Alaimalo
Nankivell
Lienert-Brown
Stevenson
McKenzie

The loose forward mix might be different if Jacobson plays at 6 and ALB's position will depend on whether Nankivell or Manu start.

Bovidae

@Stargazer That graphic is also wrong. Tupaea is a midfielder and Sullivan probably more a winger in this squad.

Stargazer

@Bovidae Yeah, the more I look at it, the more mistakes I find in that pdf. Don't know which idiot made that pdf.

ARHS

I must be hard to please I guess, but am disappointed at some of the signings. I just do not get why some local talent gets ignored and they seemingly take big punts on outsiders. Where is Tupo Vaai? Ah Kuoi did not impress me much in NPC. Looks like we were well beaten by Blues on Narawa and Tucker, and Zane Kapeli and Jesse Parete also signed elsewhere, so we are left with Kini Naholo and Dylan Nel (why?), who seem riskier options to me. Sorry to see Judd and Stratton go, and was expecting Hauiti-Parepare to be picked up. Never considered Milo-Harris. Also thought Matt Garland and Mitch Jacobson unlucky again. Surprised Coxon chosen ahead of Norris, but maybe a year early for him. The plus is that Chiefs seem the most stable squad. Hoping that Sam McNicol comes good, as he had huge potential, and maybe Tiaan Falcon will come through.

Nepia

Is Kini Naholo up to Super Rugby?

@ARHS The core squad (and Cruden) look decent but I agree the new signings look a bit vanilla.

Should do some damage if they can get a relative top side out there frequently, and Cruden has some form, and DMac returns to his best. The top backline looks lethal.

Yeetyaah

@Nepia My only issue is locks. Prop's are good, loosies are good, if Cruden can pop off then we'll be sweet. Midfield is stacked. Alaimalo needs a good year.

What gets me is that Tupaea is named as an outside back and Sullivan as midfield. Is the plan to chuck Tupaea on the wing? Hope not.

Nepia

@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs 2020:

@Nepia My only issue is locks. Prop's are good, loosies are good, if Cruden can pop off then we'll be sweet. Midfield is stacked. Alaimalo needs a good year.

What gets me is that Tupaea is named as an outside back and Sullivan as midfield. Is the plan to chuck Tupaea on the wing? Hope not.

I think if Adron and Allardice stay fit then locks wont be an issue but if those two go down the Chiefs are stuffed.

You have to assume it's a round the wrong muddle up in the listing.

Hooroo

Is DMac going to be ready for the beginning of the season?

sparky

@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2020:

My guess at the likely Chiefs XV.

Moli

Harris

Laulala

Ardron

Allardice

Brown

Cane (c)

Jacobson

Weber

Cruden

Alaimalo

Nankivell

Lienert-Brown

Stevenson

McKenzie

The loose forward mix might be different if Jacobson plays at 6 and ALB's position will depend on whether Nankivell or Manu start.

Wow! So many very good players. An incredible backline. Gats will be chomping at the bit. If everyone stays fit, that team wins the title.

Bovidae

@ARHS said in Chiefs 2020:

I must be hard to please I guess, but am disappointed at some of the signings. I just do not get why some local talent gets ignored and they seemingly take big punts on outsiders. Where is Tupo Vaai? Ah Kuoi did not impress me much in NPC.

Yes, I mentioned earlier that I don't agree with this selection. We don't know how early some of the players like Tucker were signed as he was involved with the Blues this season.

I do find it strange that Parete and Nel swap regions. I don't rate Parete that highly and thought no.8 was a problem for the Chiefs.

Surprised Coxon chosen ahead of Norris, but maybe a year early for him.

Coxon was brought in as an injury replacement this year so it was between him and Mafileo for the 3rd LH spot. Coxon is a Cambridge boy so a local as such, and was a former U20 rep. Norris has a big future but showed his inexperience in the M10 Cup in the scrum. The Chiefs have a number of 19/20 yr olds in their system so as long as they are signed there is no reason to rush their development.

The Silver Fern

Chiefs 2020