Northland Rugby 2022
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@taniwharugby said in Northland 2022:
@machpants ha...I thought he was already signed, last year or even late 2020?
Nope there was just talk. All irrelevant anyway, don't even see ABs, but Stan obviously had money to burn & bad rep to bury
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@machpants I don't think a signing like this ends up costing us much at all, for the very reason he won't likely Play for us.
I think it was confirmed he was coming up some time back, but maybe his Auckland contract only expired now.
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@machpants said in Northland 2022:
@taniwharugby said in Northland 2022:
@machpants ha...I thought he was already signed, last year or even late 2020?
Nope there was just talk. All irrelevant anyway, don't even see ABs, but Stan obviously had money to burn & bad rep to bury
I think you've got the wrong Semenoff...
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Haha, shots fired by Nock
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@taniwharugby said in Northland 2022:
@steven-harris I just wish they'd waited until at least midway through the club season to sign Hawkins again...I feel for Cooper.
You really have to ask yourselves about our coaches. Couldn’t believe this. Leopards don’t change their spots and on this signing alone you wonder about our Coaching setup for 2022. On this forum there has been talk that Hawkins runs trainings etc. Our backs have been dreadful, near incompetent. Then you watch Gregory running around for the Highlanders it’s like night and day - and you wonder about inability to select and develop players.
I love Hawkins commitment to the team, courage on defence and he has experience, but he is slow speed wise and with his kicking game which lacks distance, and runs sideways for his first few steps.
The worst thing is we take Reihana or Cooper and put them at fullback leaving Hawkins at 1st….please no.
As to loan players from Auckland. Call time on this - come play for us and earn your stripes. None of this last minute call up from Auckand. Build a team.
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Northland club draw which starts from the later date of 23/04 (think it was due to start this weekend or last weekend originally)
Just 1 full round of everyone playing one another once, then semis and finals.
Pick of the opening round will be last year's beaten finalists Mid Northern vs Old Boys-Marist, who were knocked out in the semis last year, but have been in the top 4 the past 3 years I think.
Several teams have picked up a few good players in the off season, and I know plenty have been putting in the work too.
Really looking forward to watching some club footy again!!
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@steven-harris said in Blues vs Moana Pasifika 2022:
@tim Northland have contracted 28 players only 7 spots to fill,1 x hooker,1 x prop,3 x loose forwards,1 x halfback and 1 outside back
I'm still pretty dark about 2 of those 28 being signed before club footy, on the fence for a couple others too.
As to the other spots, I'd let the hooker one go to Wright, and the prop, either Davies (who I know has been working his arse off in the off-season and in good shape) or a young buck that comes through.
3 loosies is tough, ideally Matich, Matiu and another, unsure if there are any big munters at 8 out there.
No idea on the 3rd 9, are a few that have been knocking about for a couple of seasons now, but not had alot of chances and when given, havtn taken them as well as they could have.
An outside, again, no idea, but Aseri Vatuinaruku would be top of mind for me (unsure if he is about still though)
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SIGNINGS
The Semco Northland Taniwha have retained Johnny Cooper (First Five), Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (Prop), Blake Hohaia (Midfield), recruited Bruce Kauika-Petersen (Hooker) and Jarred Adams (Prop) for the 2022 NPC Season.
Johnny Cooper (14 caps) and Blake Hohaia (39 caps) have been retained in 2022 after an impressive continuing off-season programme. Both players bring experience and will be looking for a strong start for their respective club teams in Northland.
Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (9 caps) is a regular starter in Super Rugby Pacific for the Fijian Drua, playing both sides of the scrum for an ever improving Drua team who are in their first year of the competition.
Bruce Kauika-Petersen had relocated from Wellington in February where he has had two years NPC experience with The Lions. Bruce has had injury cover opportunities with The Blues and Hurricanes in 2022.
Jarred Adams is currently playing Top League 3 in Japan for the Manukata Sanix Blues and will join the HP squad in mid June. Recruited as a prop who can comfortably play both sides of the scrum Jarred has had previous NPC experience with Auckland and Manawatu.
In total 28 players have been contracted for the 2022 NPC season with further contracts open through the Northland club season which kicks off on the 23rd April.
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Adams is a good addition. Still only 25 too
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@taniwharugby
There are definitely a couple who need to deliver given the coaches have given them a lot of opportunities in the past and have made the squad based on fitness KPIs that have been put in place across the whole squad ..I would like to think that when we get to the pointy end of the season that both players are primarily in the squad as injury cover ..
Would like to see others given an opportunity and stuck with -
@steven-harris well not just those ones.
Hopefully with them being super fit, they will carve up at club footy this year.
I see Hallam-Eames is back up here now too.
Any more news on Cairds recovery?
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@taniwharugby should be good to go next week, but hearing he might be coming back via club rugby in Dunedin .
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@steven-harris Is Hallam-Eames going to play club footy up here, or staying with Grammar-Tech?
I see many of the contracted players were doing fitness testing yesterday, so hopefully these guys can keep it up.
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With much of the squad being common knowledge
Thought i would throw up the 28 contracted players thus far , as previously said , just 7 spots up for grabs although if both Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Jack Goodhue are involved with the All Blacks there will be a couple of extra spots for another prop and and an outside back.
Former Counties Manukau and Highlanders winger Tavita Nabura has been mentioned but much will depend on his injury rehab..
I have heard a winger from the South Island ..’sorry got to keep you guessing ‘ has reached out to the Taniwha , so he is also an option.Also a current Fijian Drua player as a loose forward option .
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@taniwharugby staying at GT
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@steven-harris Should be playing in Northland then. Need guys like that playing club rugby up here to lift the overall standard
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Stunning day for the opening round of Club footy in Prems, and several close games too and no blow outs!
Went along to Kamo-Waipu.
Pretty good game really, Kamo received a RC right on halftime just before Waipu scored as Kamo lead 15-12 at the break.
Waipu had a wind at ther back in the first spell, and as they turned at the spell, the wind did as well, giving them the wind for 80 mins.
Kamo did well in the 2nd spell with 14, a touch finder into the wind was left to bounce by Pisi Leilua, regathered nicely by Jayden Laupepe, superb off load to Blake Hohaia at pace who drew and passed to put Tamati tua in space to gallop 50m to score.
Waipu hit back with 2 quick tries to then take the lead, with about 15 to go, but then a nice 40m surge by flanker Kobe Walters and a nice cut out pass inside to Blake Hohaia put Kamo back in the lead 25-24 which was the final score.
For Kamo, Tua was the stand out back, pace, power and good defence, Nikau Graham is a superb running 10, but has poor kicking game, Kobe Walters and Lyrik Joyce were probably the pick of the pack.
For Waipu, new Northland signing Bruce Kauika-Peterson is very busy, good throwing, good at the breakdown and loves to run with the ball. Tom Strachan (son of Ant) looks a tidy 9 for Waipu too, Pisi is rocks and diamonds at FB, showed some serious gas to open Waipus season, but twice in the 2nd half let a kicked ball bounce, once lead to a Kamo try the other time he ended up knocking it on inside his own 22 with less than 5 on the clock.
Kamo's RC was due to a swinging arm that hit the head, Waipu received a YC with about 10 to go for a cynical play.
I see a spritely David Holwell was running around for the MN reserves today too!
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@taniwharugby good report, cracking day up here.
I had brunch at the same Cafe as some of the Waipu lads in Kamo... Thought it was still preseason though, not actually club already.
If the schedule had allowed, would have been great to get along to a game
