Northland 2021
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Great to see Rene Ranger appearing in NPC again. You hardly see long serving players appearing in the comp anymore - makes you nostalgic for the old days - pre professional - when the provincial squads were a lot older then than what they are now.
He debuted in 2006, so he must be the longest serving player in this year's Bunnings NPC?
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@number-10 said in Northland 2021:
Great to see Rene Ranger appearing in NPC again. You hardly see long serving players appearing in the comp anymore - makes you nostalgic for the old days - pre professional - when the provincial squads were a lot older then than what they are now.
He debuted in 2006, so he must be the longest serving player in this year's Bunnings NPC?
Liam Messam will be playing for Waikato again this season. Debuted in 2003.
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@taniwharugby I don’t know much about the new loose forwards from Waipu? Looks a solid enough team maybe a bit light for pace out wide. Hope Macalai is fit given he has had no game time. You would think that Matich has a lot to add to the squad in any sort of role. Someone they should keep in touch with.
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@kev I think I saw waipu play the least this year, maybe only 1 game, and that was round 1 or 2.
@Steven-Harris will agree that Matich was excellent in the final on Saturday, one huge try saving moment in the 1st half that he had no right to stop, but did through sheer determination.
Massive, massive engine.
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@taniwharugby Matich was sensational in the final on Saturday , he looked in excellent shape ..had a quick word to him and he was available, for the 2021 ,but I guess the Taniwha coaches have seen otherwise .
He’s a good bugger as well, and he would be more than handy if they have injuries.. -
@steven-harris said in Northland 2021:
Matich was sensational in the final on Saturday , he looked in excellent shape ..had a quick word to him and he was available, for the 2021 ,but I guess the Taniwha coaches have seen otherwise .
Strange decision. I also thought it was weird that he missed out on the starting XV so often in 2020.
Any idea what the logic is?
Is it that bullshit about wanting a larger player? He's more effective than most of the loosies selected and thats all that should matter
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@duluth yeah very strange decision not to include him, probably one of my favorite players of the past few years, so consistently high in effort, play and accuracy, I think at this level he is fine size wise, for super, maybe a few extra cm and kgs woulda helped, but I think he made a good fist of his limited minutes there too.
As I said above, the Sharks pack has been a strength this season, and Matich has been a huge part of it, no more so than the final!!
This coaching group continue to make some interesting decisions, so who knows what's going on!
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@duluth it’s definitely a case of going for more size , Isi Manu & Jonah Mau’u have got in on the back of really good club form , and the fact that Kane Jacobson has had to retire until his HIA is no longer a problem, so the back 7 to Kara Pryor has gone to Mau’u ..Manu will give them a more explosive number 8,Mc Namara’s development has been a little slow ..Fano Funaki deserves his place as he has hung around the union and been part of the development team and when he has filled has looked good ..more of a 6 than lock , but has sensational skills in the air ..
There’s a couple of players with a bit to prove in terms of Rob Rush and Sam McNamara …The more I think about ,Matich definitely unlucky .. -
@steven-harris Funaki def looked better for Kamo in the loosies (was at 8 I think) than when he was lock.
Just seen some training images, a front row of Uluilakepa - Wright - Tu'ungafasi has some size to it!
Is Jacobson still contracted? I think he signed early in the year but spent most of him time coaching at Kamo, such a shame, a classy player.
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@taniwharugby Jacobson was going to be offered a PUDC ..player union development contract , but much of that depended on where he was with his head knock ..
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Have heard Tom Robinson could be gone for the season after his ginger missile on Zarn Sullivan yesterday. Bloody disappointing for the big guy, hope he recovers well.
I know it’s the way he plays and everyone in an opposition jersey is fair game, but really in a pre-season game that means nothing you’d think you’d just get through the game. Viewing the hit from a good vantage point yesterday I believe it was a bit unnecessary, he had Sullivan lined up and could have easily completed a conventional tackle..but as I say, Tom is Tom and that’s how he goes!
I think minus Tom we still have the team to give it a good nudge again this year, especially if we use most of the side that started against Auckland yesterday. Rivez Reihana was outstanding and needs to mortgage that 10 jersey. I’d be inclined to use one of the Coopers at 15. I make no apologies when I say Hawkins time is done in a blue jersey. Great dude and fearless defender etc, but really he’s had his day and shouldn’t feature this season barring injury to the others.
I must say also I was really impressed with Fritz Rayasi in the B game, he would have to be knocking on some doors.
Up front we may have to switch Hallam-Eames into 6, he was very good again yesterday. I’d probably be on the phone to Matt Matich now, he’d be my pick to come in to the squad.
If we have to put out the side that closed the game yesterday we are in for a world of hurt unfortunately.
My staring team for Wellington ( not taking into account Sam Caird, if he’s there he starts)
15: Noah Cooper
14: Jordan Hyland
13: Tamati Tua
12: Scott Gregory
11: Jone Macilai
10: Rivez Reihana
9: Sam Nock
8: Sam McNamara
7: Rob Rush
6: Isi Manu
5: Josh Goodhue
4: Liam Hallam-Eames
3: Coree Te Whata-Colley
2: Jordan Olsen
1: Leka Tuungafasi/Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (injured??)Bench.. not sure yet.
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@j77 could swap McNamara and Manu too.
Yea I still can't get my head around how they can make a call like that on Tom so soon...obviously his health is priority 1, 2 and 3 so guess we will hear more this week.
Yeah Rayasi and Vatuinaruku looked like they have some spark and more importantly, gas.
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@taniwharugby actually yeah, swap those two. Manu is a natural 8 I think.
Well all we can do is hope for a miracle with Robinson, but it looked quite bad and he had the space cadet look going on afterwards when he was walking around.
It’s hard to gauge how long he will be gone for, I think everyone is basing it off how big the collision was and not what’s actually going on inside his head, only a specialist will be able to figure that out this week.
Yep Rayasi and the other dude looked sharp, albeit against a very average NPEC team..
