Highlanders 2023
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
It is a tough one. We should be looking to fill from the top and empty from the bottom. Meaning all the players we potentially bring in have a higher ceiling than what we have at the moment, while we focus on getting rid of players who are at the bottom of the pile.
In the backs the players who are on the way out should be, Paea, Gregory, Koroi, Banks, Dawai.
In the forwards any of the hookers and apart from them, I think most of the forwards can justify their places in the squad.
But the question is; if we are getting rid of at least five backs, who is going to replace them. We know one is Jake Te Hiwi, but who else?
On this, an interesting post on IG by Jona Nareki, captioned the last home game for a few of these boys... in the image was Paea, Dawai, Koroi, Frizell and TUJ (and Manu and Nareki, but they won't be going anywhere).
Wouldn't be upset if they all departed. Despite what some people have said, sitting at the game I thought Frizell was woeful last night, and I'd have hooked him at 50. Three really bad missed one on one tackles, and it didn't feel like he carried it that well.
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Anyway, next season focusing aside for a minute - HOW GOOD WAS LAST NIGHT?! That was easily the best home game this season, and I'd think the best crowd. I actually thought emotional frustration aside, when I reflected on it, barring a poor opening 10 minutes (Where I think equally the Reds were very good so credit to them), it was just a good game between two equally matched sides.
Did we make mistakes, of course, but that is to be expected, especially with the lack of skill of some players. Harmon and Renton were immense, Nareki was absolute class, Mitch Hunt's best game this season by far, and the Fakatava try to win it was movie shit.
Not overly bothered about whether we make the playoffs, just pleased that we finally stopped kicking the ball away, and tried to run it! The fans enjoyed it not just because we won, but because we battled hard and played a good brand of rugby. Even if we'd lost, I think I would have gone away somewhat happy.
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@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
It is a tough one. We should be looking to fill from the top and empty from the bottom. Meaning all the players we potentially bring in have a higher ceiling than what we have at the moment, while we focus on getting rid of players who are at the bottom of the pile.
In the backs the players who are on the way out should be, Paea, Gregory, Koroi, Banks, Dawai.
In the forwards any of the hookers and apart from them, I think most of the forwards can justify their places in the squad.
But the question is; if we are getting rid of at least five backs, who is going to replace them. We know one is Jake Te Hiwi, but who else?
On this, an interesting post on IG by Jona Nareki, captioned the last home game for a few of these boys... in the image was Paea, Dawai, Koroi, Frizell and TUJ (and Manu and Nareki, but they won't be going anywhere).
Wouldn't be upset if they all departed. Despite what some people have said, sitting at the game I thought Frizell was woeful last night, and I'd have hooked him at 50. Three really bad missed one on one tackles, and it didn't feel like he carried it that well.
I'd only be sad to lose TUJ just on the basis he never really lived up to his potential. I almost feel he gained too much weight when returning from injury, three years in a row.
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@SouthernMann TUJ is an interesting one. Was signed with so much promise, and was this mythical answer to all those problems for a solid 2-3 seasons whilst he was out injured. He has only missed two games this year, and the fact is we have been bad as ever. By no means am I saying this is his fault, but I also don't think he is quite as good as any of us want him to be.
As I said the other day, an ideal player you'd like to have kept for squad depth, but not sure he has the ball skills or the defensive game to be a starting 12.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2023:
@friedrugby
Scott Gregory should also be in that picture.
100% agree. Sadly, I think like Hunt, Gregory is viewed as a good team man and it will keep him running around for another year.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2023:
@friedrugby
Scott Gregory should also be in that picture.
100% agree. Sadly, I think like Hunt, Gregory is viewed as a good team man and it will keep him running around for another year.
The only reason Gregory (and Koroi) are still there, is because they both got four year contracts when initially signed. This is what somewhat concerns me with giving some of those youngsters three year deals. Like Haig sure, but Michaels may be no better than a battler, Te Hiwi the same.
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That doesn't match up. Koroi signed a three year contract in 2019 for 20, 21 and 22. Of which 20 was written off for sevens. Gregory initially signed a two year deal. Both players look like they are on the one year deals post their initial contracts. With Haig and Michaels, I have full faith in those two. Both seem to have a lot of upside. Te Hiwi makes me nervous. I don't know where his x-factor is.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
That doesn't match up. Koroi signed a three year contract in 2019 for 20, 21 and 22. Of which 20 was written off for sevens. Gregory initially signed a two year deal. Both players look like they are on the one year deals post their initial contracts. With Haig and Michaels, I have full faith in those two. Both seem to have a lot of upside. Te Hiwi makes me nervous. I don't know where his x-factor is.
Koroi: Three Years starting in 2021 (So effectively four) - https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/115777970/highlanders-sign-blues-fullback-michael-collins-and-rising-star-vilimoni-koroi
Gregory: Four Years - https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/northland-rugby-scott-gregory-signs-with-highlanders-and-all-black-sevens/DZWBNGIQLB3YXPK2CMTJRWMH5A/Michaels looks solid, and will ultimately be limited to very few minutes in his first couple of years you'd think, so probably a bit of a moot point.
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Not that I care about arguing moot points. But, two years for Gregory initially. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rugbypass.com/news/highlanders-confirm-first-signing-following-mass-all-blacks-exodus/.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
Not that I care about arguing moot points. But, two years for Gregory initially. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rugbypass.com/news/highlanders-confirm-first-signing-following-mass-all-blacks-exodus/.
This from the Herald article... conflicting sources I guess:
"With just four tournaments to impress selectors, Gregory would need to transition well from the 15 to the seven-a-side format. Despite the challenges ahead, Gregory said he was stoked to commit to the Highlanders for FOUR years and transition from the winterless north to the deep south."
I'll give the Landers the benefit of the doubt, and say they never re-signed him... because who'd be silly enough to do that?!
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@friedrugby first one down. I think that level of competition is right for Paea. Good luck to him.
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I think his career is now fairly set at the Landers while in NZ. Whether he likes it or not. In the last year most other franchises have set themselves up with younger halfbacks and will be bargaining on them. I still have high hopes he will flourish now he is injury free.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
Whether he likes it or not.
Why would he not like it? He's becoming the top dog and will get a lot of game time.
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@Stargazer dunners isn't exactly a tropic island
Smith also joined us along this joseph and brown and saw pretty steady improvement for a few years (forgetting 2013) and so i kind of got his commitment to us...fakatava hasn't as so might have been easier to lure away
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@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
Whether he likes it or not.
Why would he not like it? He's becoming the top dog and will get a lot of game time.
Two years ago he only stayed after his dad gave him the firm word. Quality players want to play around the best. He doesn't get that in Dunedin. Sure he gets a decent platform. But his backs for the next few years will continue to be a bit shit. Means defences know he is the no1 threat.
