Highlanders 2023
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Duluth really sums it up, for the first 2/3 of the seasons our attack was so predictable, it really was just through the hands and crash ball, id love to see those stats per game as it felt like we did better in the last few games with some variety...not much but a little
When you think Gilbert, TUJ, maybe Renton and Harmon were probably fairly high up individually on the defenders beaten list, it's pretty horrid.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
Without wanting to speak out of turn, my understanding was Vahaakolo was not at all liked by the coaches...
i think you can assume they didn't like him for some reason, i dont think his performances were worse than other they kept around so you assume it was somethigng else
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
- Gregory, I mean he could well stay, but I struggle to see why he would have had his contract extended. I know they are looking for backs, so can see him being dumped to free up space.
me too...but i struggle to see why we played him the first time so i think its a safe bet the coaches see something we dont
I'm not sure the coaches actually do though... the two things I heard were:
- The coaches/management in a hyperbole sense rated Smith, Fakatava and Gilbert. Nareki was injured at this stage, but can safely they assume they rate him, and believe Millar has a big future.
- Jonah Lowe was in no means the first choice, but they are targeting 2025, so wanted to get someone who wanted to commit long-term. My understanding is that certain guys would come, but only for a stack of cash on a one year deal and we weren't willing to do that - I don't have names, but I'm guessing Emoni Narawa potentially could have been a guy like that?
On top of this, going back to Gregory, my main point is really that they have to pick someone! I think the way they shuffled the deck chairs at the end of the season would suggest they don't rate Gregory, Lowe, Paea, Dawai, CGB, and all of the other guys who couldn't get a look in... I include TUJ in this as well. They'd love to rip the canvas up, but I think they sort of accepted that the market last season wasn't great, and were more keen to lock down local talent, with the idea of going to the market this year, where more guys are likely off contract and willing to move on. This is the biggest off-season since the balls-up of 19/20, and I won't be buying the excuses of players don't want to come. If you pay them enough, or structure it in certain ways, they'll come.
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@FakatavaAllBlack is this a good thing though? Who's likely to replace these guys? Can they afford to be losing guys so young, pretty worrying for the Highlanders.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:
@FakatavaAllBlack is this a good thing though? Who's likely to replace these guys? Can they afford to be losing guys so young, pretty worrying for the Highlanders.
@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:
@FakatavaAllBlack is this a good thing though? Who's likely to replace these guys? Can they afford to be losing guys so young, pretty worrying for the Highlanders.
Not really. The current lot are not very good.
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(Ignore my name I need to change it haha)
Is Lima Sopoaga actually a realistic option for the Highlanders next year as he is off contract with Lyon..
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2023:
@FakatavaAllBlack is this a good thing though? Who's likely to replace these guys? Can they afford to be losing guys so young, pretty worrying for the Highlanders.
Probably about as chaotic as if the canes lost Booth.
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@HLD2023Champions That is why I mentioned his name... my feeling would be is that he ends up in Japan, and he has also spoken of a desire to return to Wellington. All that being said, it is certainly a possibility with him departing Lyon. His next step will surely be either New Zealand or Japan.
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With only a few players futures seemingly still in the balance, just did the old Instagram check on TUJ, and discovered he follows the Shizuoka Bluerevs. Now, I'm not making any claims here, but seems a little random that he would follow them if there wasn't something going on there. Maybe he was always going to the, 'Blues' all along (Just a different team in Japan lol).
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@Canes4life my feeling...if we're going to have sub standard players...i'd rather have local sub standard players rather than feeling like we're paying a premium to bring these other guys down south and the dont give a shit, the guys we attract down need to first string...or we should look local in my mind
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@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2023:
(Ignore my name I need to change it haha)
Is Lima Sopoaga actually a realistic option for the Highlanders next year as he is off contract with Lyon..
on Twitter when he said goodbye/paid respects on 26 May to Aaron Smith he also said it was a great club and city, so, it doesn't sound like he hates Dunedin/Otago...
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2023:
Maybe the Leiua link? Or Bryn Hall, since he was probably pretty active amongst the players?
Tuialii is a coach there too.
My guess is Malo Tuitama, who was from Scots college?
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2023:
Has Jermaine Pepe kicked on? He looked like a decent winger when I watched him at schoolboy level.
Google tells me he and Wingham were loaned to North Otago last year.
I suspect both him and Jeremiah Asi will get opportunities for Otago this year. So should see where theirceilings are.
