Players to build the team around?
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@Nepia said in Players to build the team around?:
@gt12 said in AB MOTM v Argentina I:
I think Rieko is similar to Akira (and is further along), he has the potential to be one of the best players in the world, but he appears to be too much of a cock to be the person to build the backline around. I wonder whether he is committed to be a great All Black , from my perspective, he seems more about being a career rugby player, which will get you a good life and income but not a great All Black. In that respect, he reminds me of early Nonu, and if he can iron out some flaws, he has tools that could make him a great 13.
You're one of the good eggs around here and your posts are always good reading so I'm surprised you've got Ioane Syndrome.
How on earth did you come to the conclusion in bold?
He was a superstar for two years and in that time never looked like he was in it for the income. Then last year he had to watch as he lost his place to a guy, let's not forget, who scored less tries, ran less metres and beat less defenders in a far superior team. He did this while carrying an injury. Then he had the misfortune to play in the Perth test and that was his starting chance gone.
Then this year he switched to centre and was the form centre most of the comp. I know there's been some revisionism to suggest PUJ was the form centre all comp, but in reality PUJ didn't start catching the eye (outside of Wellington fluffers Winger and Canes4Life) until at least half way through the comp.
He got a chance at centre early on but he's probably not there yet at test level.So I'm really unsure how that translates to only wanting a career. Both the Ioanes could be earning big coin up north and representing Samoa every few years/RWCs if they were just about a career. I'm also unsure how he's any more of a cock than other ABs?
I think Rieko comes across as a bit of a cock, but who cares - certainly less so than Dane Coles, Scott Barrett, Jordie Barrett, TJ.
However:
Rieko was great, then he wasn't. He played poorly and lost his spot - maybe that's injury-related, and team always has an impact - but whatever, it's still very much true that his standards dropped a lot from his previous heights. Blaming the wingers for Perth was weird, but he had played pretty crap all year. Pretending that never happened is revisionist.
And form centre for the comp? As opposed to who? Sio Tomkinson? The injured Ennor? Quinn Tupaea? Jack Goodhue is the best centre in the country, he was one of the few who stood up against the poms, and he's been pushed to 12 and has been passable only since then. ALB has been playing 12 and was mediocre all super season but has been far, far better than Rieko at centre for the ABs.
At this point he can't pass, and he runs people out of space. He's undoubtedly fast and elusive. Which all screams fucken wing. Maybe he'll make a good centre in the future, but he isn't one now, and now is when we're playing the game.
Anyway, that's a bit off topic.
Build the backs around clarke, ioane, beauden then jordan, goodhue at centre, ALB at 2nd, mounga, smith then fakatava. mckenzie on the bench.
Build the forwards around sotutu... um yeah, that's the problem isn't it. aumua, lomax, laulala, vaai, akira, frizzel, robinson maybe? they're all fucken maybes. whitelock is great, coles too, but both getting on. so too taylor and moody. pat and ardie aren't world beaters against the big boys that i've seen, and they and sam cane are all 1 WC left at best, and cane is highly likely to be invalided out.i know it's something of a joke, but jordie probably should move to 12. he's a very good player, but he's never going to demand a spot in our back 3 because he's simply not fast or athletic enough.
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I'm doubtful BBBR will come back as the player we remember from pre 2019, he is now 29, next time he suits up for the ABs he will be the same age Sam was at the start of 2019 when there were plenty of people questioning his form and ability to keep going.
I know BBBR was rushed back from injury, but he was poor after he did, and as they say you are only as good as your last game....
Similarly Aaron Smith, he is 31, while in some form, at some point, it will start to wane, and the gap after him is hugemungus as, am hoping Fozzie (cos he aint going anywhere and you know it) is looking for suitable replacements, Weber (29) and TJP (28) are not the answer.
You need world class players spread through the team:
A front rower - Aumua?
A lock - ?
A loosie or 2 if you are lucky - Sotutu
at least the 9 or 10 - Mounga?
and then a mid-field or outside back - Clarke -
@reprobate said in Players to build the team around?:
i know it's something of a joke, but jordie probably should move to 12. he's a very good player, but he's never going to demand a spot in our back 3 because he's simply not fast or athletic enough.
I couldn't agree more. I rate JB as a rugby player, but I don't think wing is possible - he'd be a decent 15.
If we pick him, we need to use the big boot, contests in the air and his size. Wing is not that spot.
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@taniwharugby said in Players to build the team around?:
I'm doubtful BBBR will come back as the player we remember from pre 2019, he is now 29, next time he suits up for the ABs he will be the same age Sam was at the start of 2019 when there were plenty of people questioning his form and ability to keep going.
I know BBBR was rushed back from injury, but he was poor after he did, and as they say you are only as good as your last game....
I humbly disagree. he got smoked playing well, and then came back early from the injury because of the RWC. After that, all bets are off - you just don't know if he'll come back from his injury like post-Japan Kaino, or like post-UK McAlister
Edit: but to write off one of our greatest locks ever at 29 is not happening.
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@nzzp not writing him off, just doubtful he will come back as the dominant player he was, and if he does, for how long?
We still have issues behind him, and for now, Whitelock.
Tuipoluto isnt dominating like a guy of his size should, Scott Barret is full of brain farts, Vai'i, while looks a handy player, not sure will rise to become a great.
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How do you accurately judge a players discipline? Was Ardie unlucky when he got pulled off his feet and landed on the wrong side giving away a penalty? Or should he not have made the play?
It seems a very fine line at times, do players intentionally pull down mauls, enter from the side, off their feet, pancake etc. Is it poor technique, poor game knowledge or just unlucky.
On the weekend we got smashed with those soft penalties where the player should have known better. When you aggregate all these penalties it certainly stopped us building pressure and allowed Sanchez to build points.
Can you coach those stupid plays out of players or are some more prone to it than others?
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@chimoaus well a penalty conceded is a penalty conceded, the slip of a bind at scrumtime equals the same as a dumb little slap.
SOmetimes pulling down a maul is deliberate, hopefully just a penalty to stop a try...but alot of the times a foot slips, a player lets you go, pulls at you...
Just unfortunate.
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@taniwharugby said in Players to build the team around?:
@nzzp not writing him off, just doubtful he will come back as the dominant player he was, and if he does, for how long?
We still have issues behind him, and for now, Whitelock.
Tuipoluto isnt dominating like a guy of his size should, Scott Barret is full of brain farts, Vai'i, while looks a handy player, not sure will rise to become a great.
AWJ ain't doing to bad at much older
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@taniwharugby said in Players to build the team around?:
Tuipoluto isnt dominating like a guy of his size should
This is true, and I wish they would use him to hit the ball up in the middle of the park, and target guys for hits with a rush defence close in too. Don't think he suits the go wide quickly and short passing game plans they use.
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@nzzp said in Players to build the team around?:
@reprobate said in Players to build the team around?:
i know it's something of a joke, but jordie probably should move to 12. he's a very good player, but he's never going to demand a spot in our back 3 because he's simply not fast or athletic enough.
I couldn't agree more. I rate JB as a rugby player, but I don't think wing is possible - he'd be a decent 15.
If we pick him, we need to use the big boot, contests in the air and his size. Wing is not that spot.
I know it’s a small sample so far but Jordie’s kicking game from the back has been all over the show during this years tests. Has been one of the problems. Was it much better during SRA?
I also believe he is a natural midfielder.
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Listen to this shit from Jeff whathisname of Sky Sport:
The solution to the AB physicality problem is Liam Squire? WTF? He's fucking near 30 and been out of the game for ages. And you are a professional who gets paid for this shit? Jesus.
Parsons rightly points to Akira, thank god. FFS, he's there and he's a unit. He's a fast unit. He's an aggressive unit. He's ready. Just fucking run him out and tell him this is his chance.
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@Bones sorry are you counting missing overseas players? Vito? (or has he retired?)
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@nostrildamus said in Players to build the team around?:
@Bones sorry are you counting missing overseas players? Vito? (or has he retired?)
Sure, we need good, solid locks. Cruden and TKB are sorely missed.
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TKB played well for the ABs in the tight last minutes. Cruden might have fancied his chances. But I can't think of any young-enough locks overseas that might be worthy of a return. Please no one say Isaac Ross (even if he is back).
