Highlanders 2023
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@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
I wonder if MMT has an out-clause in his NZ contract this year if he doesn't make the ABs that allows him to switch to Manu Samoa for the RWC?
With Ardie overseas in 2024 you'd think he'd wait at least one extra year with a new coaching staff to see if he could crack the ABs.
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@Kiwiwomble What was the result of the Bravehearts-Crusaders Dev game?
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@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
@Bovidae no idea, they posted the teams on the social but havent seen a result....@Canes4life , your mate able to post the result?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
It's a NZ rugby contract so I presume for most of them (not the odd silly foreigner ones) that you're also signalling your eligibility for NZ?
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth That sucks. Both a very big loss for the Landers. The Highlanders don't really have anyone who can replace them like for like. MMT is a big unit who's still pretty fast for a big guy and can hit hard. Nareki has an explosive speed that none of the other outside backs have. It will give the coaches some selection head aches.
MMT also has a decent work ethic from the few games I have seen of him. If not for Ardie I'd have guessed he'd have been in AB contention.
I wonder if MMT has an out-clause in his NZ contract this year if he doesn't make the ABs that allows him to switch to Manu Samoa for the RWC?
With Ardie overseas in 2024 you'd think he'd wait at least one extra year with a new coaching staff to see if he could crack the ABs.
Maybe but he's turning 26 this year so may opt for the NH coin and Samoa international. (I'm just speculating).
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
You don't have to be available for NZ to play super, many PI players have and do play super as well as the odd Pom/Argo (Matera for Crusadersetc) have played super.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia does super contracts mean you need to get out of them to play for another country? i didn't think signing a super contract effected who you could play with internationally
@Bovidae no idea, they posted the teams on the social but havent seen a result....@Canes4life , your mate able to post the result?
41-40 to the Crusaders Dev side right on the final whistle apparently.
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hmmmm, when i thought of Gilbert in the midfield i always as 12, to give TUJ a rest
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@Kiwiwomble Don't really care how they format it, but they need to try something. TUJ and Timu don't work as a midfield at this level, even if both have been decent individually. Need some pace and finesse... if you want TUJ could play 13.
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@friedrugby i think i would be most likely to give him a rest after one more game, as he's had injuries before and try 12 Gilbert 13 timu
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I'm all for Gilbert going into the midfield. He is probably the quickest in tbe squad. So, would be an interesting move.
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@cgrant one of the issues for me is we're just not playing well enough to get our outsides into the kind of space needed to work as a second playmaker (in the case of Gilbert) or to make meters in the case of our wings
im starting to think we need to get Gilbert where the action is (12) and this work well with the idea of projecting TuJ a little
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The spanner in the works could be the fact Gilbert went off injured at halftime on the weekend. If we move Gilbert to the midfield, I'd be tempted to keep Timu in the team, on the wing. In reality, all these changes are hardly going to help the side turn the corner.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
The spanner in the works could be the fact Gilbert went off injured at halftime on the weekend. If we move Gilbert to the midfield, I'd be tempted to keep Timu in the team, on the wing. In reality, all these changes are hardly going to help the side turn the corner.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
The spanner in the works could be the fact Gilbert went off injured at halftime on the weekend. If we move Gilbert to the midfield, I'd be tempted to keep Timu in the team, on the wing. In reality, all these changes are hardly going to help the side turn the corner.
no...but without this type of discussion this whole thread is just us being sad about losing again....
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Well, another week, now we are highly likely to see another re-jigged squad. Players likely to be injured for next week; Burns, Hunt, Ma'u, Tu'u Parkinson, Nareki and Gilbert. Unsure about Lowe, Timu, Thwaites and Gregory.
There will be some very green faces running out next weekend. At full strength we would have to work hard to compete, our line up next weekend is a long way away from what could be our top line side. I think the Force should be going into next weekend quite confident.
My guess at the next squad;
de Groot
Marshall
Ainsley
Holland
Dickson
Frizzell
Harmon
RentonOverall the forward pack can hold its own against pretty much anyone in the competition.
Smith
Millar
Dawai
Umaga-Jensen
Timu/Te Hiwi
Lowe/Bogado
Connor Garden-BachopApisai
Johnstone
PJ Sheck
Will Tucker
Withy
Fakatava
???/Faleafaga/some provincial rugby battler who isn't in America?
Te Hiwi/not sureThe backs and the replacements are looking really dire.
