Otago 2023
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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.
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Yeah, Haig is out, Te Hiwi and Hurley were also out for GI a couple of weeks back and apparently Finn isn't too good either
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@NateHill74 said in Otago 2023:
Yeah, Haig is out, Te Hiwi and Hurley were also out for GI a couple of weeks back and apparently Finn isn't too good either
Wonder if it could mean a chance for the Southern midget Mckenzie Haugh could get an opportunity with Hurley out.
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@SouthernMann Mackenzie Haugh would be an Otago player already but he keeps saying he doesn't like rugby that much and he doesn't want to play top level for Otago
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@NateHill74 said in Otago 2023:
@SouthernMann Mackenzie Haugh would be an Otago player already but he keeps saying he doesn't like rugby that much and he doesn't want to play top level for Otago
He's in the development squad, so should signal he is reasonably keen?
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Staggered when I saw that. Makes the injury replacement for Oli Haig quite easy. Interesting to see TUG listed at 13, indicating a potential partnership with Gilbert in the midfield?
Hope Lopas gives it a good shake at loosehead.
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I was trying to work out who was missing, and got to Pole and Lio-Willie...
They obviously want to give certain guys more time in the saddle I'd think, though intrigued McClea starts at halfback, as feel like the other two could have done with a half each. Also think they could have just let Taylor play the club final, because he will hardly get a look in this season I'd have thought
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Having a rough guess, I think this is the team which will play the second half:
- Wingham
- Bell
- Ma'u
- Tucker
- Hill
- Sanders
- Withy
- Stodart
- Arscott
- Millar
- Nareki
- Gilbert
- Te Hiwi
- Pepe
- Faleafaga (A little bizarre they wouldn't give him the start at 10, which to me suggests they plan on using him at 15/in midfield/in combo with Millar)
Leftover: Whaanga and Hastie... one of these two may start on the right wing.
And for Round One:
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Wingham
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Bell
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Ainsley
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Holland
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Dickson
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Sanders
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Withy
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Lio-Willie (Fischli)
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Arscott
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Millar
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Nareki
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Gilbert
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Umaga-Jensen
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Naholo
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Faleafaga
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Jackson
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Lopas
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Ma'u
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Tucker
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Fischli (Stodart)
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Hastie
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Te Hiwi
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Hurley
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I'd make a couple of changes. Just based on gut feel. I reckon Hurley to the back, depending on how he goes tomorrow. Faleafaga into the 22 jersey. This is based more on hope than any reasoning, but I want to see Hastie as the no1 halfback. Loosehead prop I reckon could be anyone.
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Going for a massive bolter for round 1.
Josh Whaanga to start on the right wing.
Should have seven debutants next Friday, Lopas, Wingham, Sanders, Hastie, Faleafaga, Hurley and Whaanga.
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@frugby said in Otago 2023:
And for Round One:
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Wingham
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Bell
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Ainsley
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Holland
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Dickson
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Sanders
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Withy
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Lio-Willie (Fischli)
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Arscott
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Millar
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Nareki
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Gilbert
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Umaga-Jensen
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Naholo
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Faleafaga
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Jackson
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Lopas
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Ma'u
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Tucker
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Fischli (Stodart)
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Hastie
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Te Hiwi
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Hurley
I think I'd be fairly happy to stick with this, though Gilbert and Faleafaga might be the other way around. I actually thought Ajay had quite a poor game, but to me, it seemed plan A was those two plus Millar. Nareki will take left wing, Arscott halfback, and TUJ centre. It is just who they go with on the right wing... hard to judge Naholo because he played in the shite team, but perhaps that was intentional, as they've been impressed by Whaanga prior to that game? If that was the case, he will start round one, but I'm expecting it will be Naholo, with Te Hiwi and Hurley on the bench. Don't forget, it was largely a Southland B side on in the second half.
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