Wellington Lions 2023
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@Canes4life Has Pek Cowan really retired? He was recently named in the initial Wellington Māori squad for 2023.
Te Upoko O Te Ika 2023 Initial Squad
The Initial Te Upoko O Te Ika Squad for 2023 has today been announced.
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@Stargazer an article came out last year of him retiring at the end of the season. He's been in the coaching setup for Petone and was going to be the next man up for the Crusaders if they had any further propping injuries apparently.
He's 36/37 now so he might step in for those easy Shield games but I don't think he'll feature for the Lions in the season proper unless things get dire.
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Riley Higgins out for 10 weeks with a broken wrist. An injury he sustained in last week’s McBain Shield.
This would put him out until at least midway through the upcoming NPC and Ranfurly Shield season.
Thankfully the Lions are well equipped in the midfield with Umaga-Jensen, Proctor and the upcoming Jack O'Brien.
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@Canes4life bugger. One player I rate and was wanting to see more of. Hopefully he's back before the NPC finishes
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@Bones now that’s one light weight player that had game.
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@Canes4life jeez high standards. I don't recall him being lightweight, seemed a similar size to Mils.
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Wider squad named for the first Shield defence. Plenty of club players in there.
Looks like Logan Henry has returned to Wellington.
Wellington Lions Name Wider Training Squad
Wellington Lions Head Coach Tamati Ellison has named his Wider Training Squad, to prepare for the first Ranfurly Shield defence of 2023 against Horowhenua-Kapiti in three weeks.
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@Canes4life what's your 23 with everyone available? (e.g. when Love and co are back).
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@foobaNZ with everyone available minus A Savea & Coles (ABs) and Higgins & J Savea (injured), I would reward mostly last year's players and go with the following 23:
- X Numia
- A Aumua
- PJ Sheck
- J Blackwell
- D Bird
- C Delany
- D Kirifi (c)
- P Lakai
- T Perenara
- A Morgan
- P Patafilo
- P Umaga-Jensen (Riley is out until mid NPC)
- B Proctor
- C Garden-Bachop (Savea is out until mid NPC)
- R Love
- O'Reilly / Gaulalofa (there are talks of O'Reilly making a return)
- B Chrichton (I can't think of anyone else)
- S Lauaki
- H Plummer
- T Plumtree / B Shields
- L Henry
- Sam Clarke or TJ Clarke (or someone else coming through the club scene)
- L Filipo
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Touch wood, but if that 15 stays together we should be able to go back to back. Possibly some question marks on the bench.
Morgan was disappointing during Super, but I think will go okay at NPC level. He's a pretty damaging runner against NPC level players, and his lack of a big boot won't matter so much. I'd like to see him improve his decision making this season.
Higgins is a loss for sure, him or PUJ on the bench would add a lot of strength.
Even with Jules fit I don't think he'd start for me over anyone in your back line.
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Blackwell, Shields and Delany missing in the forwards
Bird and Sheck the only 2 starting forwards from last year's final
The only starting back is Pepesana Patafilo. PUJ is also there along with Morgan
It will give the next level players game time. Including Hugo Plummer who hopefully impresses
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@foobaNZ said in Wellington Lions 2023:
@Canes4life what's your 23 with everyone available? (e.g. when Love and co are back).
It will be a strong starting forward pack. Hopefully injuries are few
Numia Aumua Sheck >> ?? ?? Lauaki >> O’Reilly might be a big loss
Blackwell Bird >>Hugo Plummer. Alos Delany.
Delany Lakai Kirifi >> Shields
Hopefully the team can find a strong backup LH prop and hooker
Backline could be very good. Hopefully TJ returns soon and Morgan can find better form at 1st than last year and SRP
TJ >> Richard Judd or Hauiti-Parapara
Morgan >> ??
PUJ >> Higgins when recovered
Proctor
Savea / Patafilo / Connor Garden-Bachop
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@Winger Gaulalofa is ready for the step up, he's been fantastic for Tawa this year. He's been a part of that awesome Tawa front row alongside Sheck and Lauaki for a couple seasons. Getting O'Reilly back will be a bonus though.
Overall we are covered in most areas which is great to see. Hopefully we can have another fairly injury free year and go back to back. I'm not saying it's a given by any stretch because of our history but we have the squad to compete for another title.
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@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2023:
@Winger Gaulalofa is ready for the step up, he's been fantastic for Tawa this year. He's been a part of that awesome Tawa front row alongside Sheck and Lauaki for a couple seasons. Getting O'Reilly back will be a bonus though.
Overall we are covered in most areas which is great to see. Hopefully we can have another fairly injury free year and go back to back. I'm not saying it's a given by any stretch because of our history but we have the squad to compete for another title.
Who was the LH and TH
And agree. Without injuries we will be in with a good shot to win it. Esp if Ellison is a super coach as he's being promoted as.
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I've named the squad by position as it's not very clear:
2023 Wellington Lions Wider Training Squad:
Forwards
Hookers:
Joyner Gaualofa (Tawa)
Louis Calvert (Old Boys University)
James Douglas (Johnsonville)
Penieli Poasa (Oriental-Rongotai)Props:
Ha’amea Ahio (Johnsonville)
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe (Northern United)
Solomona Sakalia (Northern United)
Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt Rams)
PJ Sheck (Tawa)
Nonu Tuia (Hutt Old Boys Marist)Locks
Dominic Bird (Upper Hutt Rams)
Anthony Pettett (Johnsonville)
Hugo Plummer (Tawa)Loose forwards:
Toby Crosby (Upper Hutt Rams)
Akira Ieremia (Tawa)
George Risale (Tawa)
Dominic Ropeti (Oriental-Rongotai)
Keelan Whitman (Marist St Pats)Backs
Halfbacks:
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)
Logan Henry (Petone)
Sam Howling (Pōneke)
Kyle Preston (Old Boys University)First fives:
Sam Clarke (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Aidan Morgan (Marist St Pats)Centres:
Losi Filipo (Petone)
Ollie Paotonu (Johnsonville)
Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
Ethan Webster-Nonu (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Joe Faleafaga (Paremata-Plimmerton)Outside backs:
TJ Clarke (Petone)
Zane Ainslie (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Chicago Doyle (Marist St Pats)
Luke Kapene (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Louis Northcott (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Pepesana Patafilo (Tawa)
Isi Saumaki (Tawa)
Jason Tuitama (Johnsonville) -
