Highlanders 2023
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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.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
The backs and the replacements are looking really dire.
Might be worth going for a 6/2 split? Could get more value out of the extra forward?
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@Duluth said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
The backs and the replacements are looking really dire.
Might be worth going for a 6/2 split? Could get more value out of the extra forward?
Yeah can get another of Lentjes or Broughton on the bench. They'll be better than Mr question mark
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@SouthernMann Has PJ Sheck been called into the main squad now? I saw he played for the Bravehearts yesterday.
Scott Gregory is out for another 6-8 weeks unfortunately.
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@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann Has PJ Sheck been called into the main squad now? I saw he played for the Bravehearts yesterday.
Scott Gregory is out for another 6-8 weeks unfortunately.
I would assume he is training with the squad and available if he had a run with the development team
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The news on the injury front is more positive.
Pari Pari Parkinson is out after leaving the field visibly groggy against the Chiefs, while No 10/No 15 Freddie Burns is in doubt, which means Southland-born playmaker Cam Millar could be in line for a Highlanders debut in front of a home crowd.
Mitch Hunt, Sam Gilbert, Jonah Lowe and Josh Timu are all a chance to play, and Billy Harmon will captain the team.
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i was away over the weekend, havent watched the game and not sure i want to...all seems too painful, glad i thought twice about suggesting PPP in the Bolters thread
probably jinxing it...but god id love one of those once in a generation performances where someone just comes out and redefines a position (DC 2005 v lions)...millar to score +30
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I think the Highlanders should be bringing Otago and Southland together to work out what to do with the number of players Otago has stacked up at 10/15, and work out whether a loan deal might assist in player development.
For the NPC later in the year; Otago will have Josh Ioane (is he around this year?), Cam Millar, Villi Koroi, Ajay Faleafaga, Finn Hurley and Sam Gilbert competing for spots at 10/15 and some even able to play at 12 (Gilbert, Ioane and Faleafaga).
I think it would be worth considering whether some of the guys originally from Southland should be loaned back to them (Hurley and potentially Millar) to ensure they get game time. While putting load management conditions on the loans. In saying that, Koroi has probably well and truly slipped down the pecking order.
We need all these guys playing rugby to get a good understanding of their levels. If they are all locked up with Otago during the provincial season, it may be difficult.
We will be facing a similar issue with the young loosies coming through as well. Just not to the same level.
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@SouthernMann in principle, yeah, maybe
practically though, Voroi plays 4 time on the wing for every time he's at 10/15, Hurley and Faleafaga will be getting bench time at most t ease them in
so, really we have Gilbert as prefered 15 and Ioane and millar playing for 10...one or two injuries and we'd be in trouble or having to rely on kids
lets not get to cocky and just see how we go
Ioane cant hang around much longer, he's not originally from otago and NPC cant be enough to keep him hanging around
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
Ioane cant hang around much longer, he's not originally from otago and NPC cant be enough to keep him hanging around
That's why I would be of the mentality it is a loan deal. Go down there and we can pull you back, if and when needed.
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@SouthernMann What is happening with Nareki?
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@SouthernMann Millar is our best 10, Gilbert is our best 15. Falefaga as the third string 10 at his age is perfectly fine, keep Ioane round as the 2nd choice for one more year, Koroi to cover the outsides.
Finn Hurley is way too small IMO, so if Southland want him, they are welcome to him.
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@Stargazer if you read a few posts back you'll see the thread took a small tangent to otago based on how so of the highlander are playing
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From the article below:
Five weeks into the Super Rugby season and injuries among the five New Zealand franchises are starting to mount up.
The Highlanders are currently without 13 of their original squad ...Things aren't much better at the Highlanders. A third of their squad is unavailable, with Saturday's clash with Fijian Drua inflicting more pain.
"We've had a couple of guys who've gone down to injury," Highlanders forwards coach Tom Donnelly said. "Martin Bogado and Jake Te Hiwi have both sustained injuries we'll need further information on." -
More complete list of injuries and some good news:
Meanwhile, Highlanders forwards Shannon Frizell and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u are back in training before the game against Moana Pasifika on Friday.
However, the unavailable list is still lengthy, with the following 13 players out of contention this week: Marty Banks, Martin Bogado, Freddie Burns, Josh Dickson, Scott Gregory, Fabian Holland, Luca Inch, Vilimoni Koroi, Rhys Marshall, Jona Nareki, Jake Te Hiwi, Josh Timu and Jeff Thwaites. -
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