Northland 2020
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@Duluth very much so, but there is some tough games on the horizon , including , Harbour , Auckland & Waikato to come in terms of premiership teams and 2 tough away games this Friday against the Magpies and the following week against Otago ..a win this over one of these teams is required , a win over the Magpies , I will probably be drunk for days ..😂..
On the down side , Northland will lose Temo Mayanavanua either after the Magpies game or at stretch the Otago Game and that will probably be the last time we see Temo in Northland colours again, he is joining the Fijian national squad for the Autumn games in Up North ..and the word is his agent is looking for an oversees deal .
And Northland will not only be looking for 1 lock next year , but possibly 2 as Sam Caird has signed a 3 year deal with the Waratahs .
The union sensed this may happen,hence the signing of NZ Secondary schools lock Allen Craig , former Whangarei Boys and St Kentigern college , got really good size .. -
@Steven-Harris said in Northland 2020:
The union sensed this may happen,hence the signing of NZ Secondary schools lock Allen Craig , former Whangarei Boys and St Kentigern college , got really good size ..
I've seen a bit of Craig up close and he is rated the top school lock but he isn't as tall as you think. His profile says 1.95 m which seems about right. Good that Northland can get one of their own back.
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@Bovidae One thing Northland is really driving towards is getting as many home grown kids to come home after they have done their education piece ..they would dearly love to a get a Rivers Reihana back ,also these 3 Boys that were in the Whangarei Boys High School team ,Max Brunker who has a similar build to Damien McKenzie and like D-Mac can shift and is very intelligent , Also Josh Beehre and lock/6 very athletic , saw him play 7s , but I believe he was offered a scholarship from Hastings Boys High and Jordon Dwight a number 8 who the Blues rated ,but went down to Otago University..
Northland have also being trying to sign a couple of kids that are schooling down here in Auckland , but have run into a road block , namely Dan Bowden who is running locking up all the talent , much of these kids end up getting no game time and end either giving the game away or going to another province that is not in the Blues Franchise.
Really frustrating, you just wish the Blues would get involved . -
@Steven-Harris Does Bowden work for Auckland or the Blues? He was one of the Blues U18 coaches.
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@Bovidae said in Northland 2020:
@Steven-Harris Does Bowden work for Auckland or the Blues? He was one of the Blues U18 coaches.
Auckland skills coach
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@Steven-Harris didn't Brunker sign for naki then did his knee in 7s?
Be good to get Tamaiti Williams back from Canterbury too, but he has found the gate to that well trodden path that often leads to a black jersey, don't expect he would come back.
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Josh Beehre the Whangarei Boys Lock/6 ..very athletic and aggressive in contact has just been signed by Dan Bowden for Auckland , when asked about it , and why they are not looking at talent in such a massive catchment , just basically said , that’s the way the cookie crumbles..what happens many of the these talented kids get stock loaded in Auckland academies , then get frustrated and end up at province outside the Blues catchment ..this is nuts , they should be working together .
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@taniwharugby not coming back anytime soon , signed with Canterbury for another 2 years .
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@Steven-Harris. So frustrating. Can’t build a team when the pathway is jam packed with Auckland Academy players. Don’t have the money to buy a team.
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Northland Development beat NP East Coast 43 - 19 on Saturday.
