Highlanders 2021
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@kiwiwomble I'm not surprised. He has expressed before that he didn't really want to go overseas. Obviously, he may have changed his mind about that, but he has ambition enough to want to play at the 2023 RWC. As our quality halfback stocks aren't exactly overflowing, I'm glad he's staying.
You're right about Fakatava. He's a very smart guy, who is starting to realise his worth. There's no certainty that he'll want to play for NZ or Tonga, but he'll definitely want to be top dog in a team. The pathway needs to be there, or he'll be gone, esp. because the Hurricanes (TJP - end of contract 2021) and Crusaders (both Hall - 2021 & Drummond - 2022) have halfbacks at the wrong side of 25 and near the end of their contracts, and may have a vacancy soon.
And then there may be Moana Pasifika ...
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Will Fakatava want to stick around for that long being behind Smith? He'd be smarter to head to another franchise, any other franchise I reckon he'd walk into the starting line up. Crusaders or Blues would probably be his best option if he wanted to start.
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@yeetyaah i think short answer is youre probably right,
i think there is an argument to be made that the highlanders and smith have a proven path too the top, smith was behind cowen for his first couple of years...but whether fakatava would buy into the long term path or if he'll want faster results
It might come down to whether Fakatava thinks he can actually overtake smith if he was to move or if he sees hims self as a successor nd so spending another couple of years training with him as a good option
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that cant be a good sign, if we couldn;t land him before resigning the one guy standing in front of him then....
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I know who he’s been in talks with. 🪒
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@chchfanatic congrats
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@chchfanatic well now you have to tell us, that's how it works.
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“But for us Aaron Smith is pretty determined to give him the leg up that [former All Blacks No 9] Jimmy Cowan gave him"
you'd hope nuggie is in his ear like hes a ref
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@winger said in Highlanders 2021:
@bones said in Highlanders 2021:
one getting it right seems to be Holland
Not really. It took him a lOng time to select PUJ. And then after he made the AB's dropped him as a starter for the first match this year
Wasn't he out for most the week as his kid was being born? I think "dropped" is more than a stretch.
Not that I think much of Hollands talent recognition/development capabilities either
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@winger said in Highlanders 2021:
@bones said in Highlanders 2021:
one getting it right seems to be Holland
Not really. It took him a lOng time to select PUJ. And then after he made the AB's dropped him as a starter for the first match this year
Wait what? That wasn't me
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@bobily2 correct, PUJ wasn’t dropped he was away for the birth of his first kid. Expect him to start this weekend.
On Fakatava, hope he comes back to the Canes and teams up with his old mate Flanders. Could be the future AB 8-9 combo.
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@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@chchfanatic said in Highlanders 2021:
I know who he’s been in talks with. 🪒
Hopefully a barber
He is one himself 😂 according to a bloke that cut my hair a couple times. Reckons he did a few of the Magpie boys haircuts this past season.
To be fair, everything he'd see in the mirror is pretty standard.
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@delicatessen I love the nickname Mark Ozich gave him after seeing his mullet: "Ramen Noodles".
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