Otago 2023
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Otago squad named.
Bit of a shock seeing Waisake named in there. Would have preferred some of the younger lads like big Oscar from Dunedin.
Looks like James Lentjes may not play for Otago again.
Vili Koroi not there at all.
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Interestingly last year they named Asi, Faleafaga, Haig, Hurley, Stodart and Wingham as development players. All, as expected in the full squad this year.
Harry Taylor probably in place of Lentjes. John Leslie's son Jack has made it after being out injured nearly all of the club season. Josh Whaanga is highly regard and is only 19.
Gone from 2022 are;
Bower (didn't play anyway)
Kolomatangi
Hohneck
Tamani
Hauaiti-Parapara
Ioane
Nu'u
Koroi
Vahaakolo -
@SouthernMann only Pole and Lopas… Wingham can play loosehead?
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Rohan plays tighthead now, but back in high school was loosehead and was even a hooker. As mentioned, Otago will be using a few players that even aren't the squad like last year and years before so players like Oscar could end up playing. The 3 replacement players will most likely play. Ollie Haig last year played after 2 weeks and was named in the academy squad so Ben Lopas for example could easily be named in the first few weeks looking at the low prop stocks. Jack Leslie will be interesting seem he hasn't played all season, but tbf Jake was the same and then played brilliantly last weekend. Wonder if James and Timu may be out for the whole season or we could possibly see them towards the end of the season. Waisake, who knows. Maybe he could end up having a stellar year and scoring 10 tries. Will just have to wait and see. Also will be a mentor role for the likes of Hurley, and Asi in the outside backs. Wonder how many games Tau will actually get to play for us. (doubt any)
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I'm interested to see who the captain will be. Sean Withy could be a decent candidate, good leader and will be in the side long-term. At loosehead, Saula Ma'u last listed at loosehead for Harbour recently.
Will Gilbert, Leslie and Hurley be the 10s to cover should Millar or Faleafaga go down?
The poorly written ODT article this morning said Lentjes was out for the season, and it was unknown how long Timu will be goooone for.
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I just hope Naholo is one of these guys that lifts his game the high he plays (if he hasn't even been locking in a club spot) otherwise ia bit of a waste, im sure other guys will get a shot but there is somethign to be said for being "named in the squad"
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I don't think Naholo is going to play a huge amount of rugby. Will be around the squad, may be a few games here and there, but more being a guiding hand to the likes of Asi and Hurley. I would have preferred we had another outside back there alongside him, but may be the budget didn't allow it.
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
I don't think Naholo is going to play a huge amount of rugby. Will be around the squad, may be a few games here and there, but more being a guiding hand to the likes of Asi and Hurley. I would have preferred we had another outside back there alongside him, but may be the budget didn't allow it.
i kind of hpe your wrong....i just dislike the idea of signing someone to a full contract if their not down for full commitment
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@Kiwiwomble Not sure, you tell me
This is what I have been told... that said, I had guessed this would be the case before being told, so hardly big info. The only other candidate off the top of my head was Henry Bell... the rest of them have little to no leadership experience/vibe to them.
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Those two are the logical options. Only other could have potentially been Jermaine Ainsley. The likes of Haig and Stodart are captains down the line, but not for a long time.
@Kiwiwomble in terms of Naholo, I think he is committed. I just think Otago will be leaning heavily on his intellectual property to assist in the development of others. Just think they will likely use Asi, Nareki and Te Hiwi ahead of him on the wing.
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Otago play Ta$man in 23 Days... could this be the 23?
- Abraham Pole
- Henry Bell
- Jermaine Ainsley
- Josh Dickson
- Will Tucker
- Oli Haig
- Sean Withy (cc)
- Christian Lio-Willie
- James Arscott
- Cam Millar
- Jona Nareki
- Thomas Umaga-Jensen
- Jake Te Hiwi
- Waisake Naholo
- Sam Gilbert
- Ricky Jackson
- Rohan Wingham
- Saula Ma'u
- Fabian Holland/Josh Hill
- Sam Fischli
- Nathan Hastie
- Ajay Faleafaga
- Jeremiah Asi
I expect them to start the season quite conservatively selection wise, especially with a couple of tricky fixtures to get us started.
- Ainsley and Ma'u very interchangeable
- Holland the best lock we have, but he will only just be coming to fitness, so expect him to be eased back into it
- Stodart likely to come into the fray as the season goes on, but he is only young... the starters are our best three by a margin IMO
- Hastie is probably better than Arscott, but conservatively, he has never actually played an NPC game
- Millar should be fit, if not Faleafaga will start and Hurley will take 22.
- Gilbert could/will be used in midfield as the season goes on, but conservatively, he should start the season at 15
- Waisake has the experience, and Asi has played all of his rugby off the left wing I believe... Hurley, has he ever played wing? Naholo should get first crack I'd think.
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Agree with the forward pack, I'm just tossing up between where Gilbert sees himself v where he is needed to play for Otago. I also hope they start Hastie, Arscott makes me as excited as a Farmers catalogue. Hastie looks a better player. I don't want to see Tossing up between Te Hiwi and Naholo on the wing, leaning towards Naholo if we give the midget Hurley the first go at 15.
I'd be leaning towards
9 Hastie
10 Millar
11 Nareki
12 Gilbert
13 Umaga Jensen
14 Te Hiwi/Naholo
15 Hurley21 Arscott
22 Faleafaga
23 Naholo/Te Hiwi -
would definitely feel less concerned about hurley's size if he has people like Naholo, Gilbert and TUJ in front of him
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Like the new jersey
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That is gutting to hear. Haig is one of my favourite young players. Top talent. Dickson could be interesting at blindside. Wouldn't want to push an entire season on someone like Stodart.
