Otago 2023
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Let's look at this fairly. We lost to Ta$man by the same amount Auckland did. Wellington, despite my ribbing are one of the best teams in the comp. It will be interesting on Sunday and a good gauge as to our standing when we play against Hawke's Bay at the end of their storm week.
The selections of Sanders, Hastie and the two young 10s have baffled me a touch. Same with Hurley. While I think Gilbert is long-term a 12. For the balance of this side his best position in it is fullback.
Our pack has generally been pretty good. The scrum very good. Sanders needs to be in there. Probably on the blindside. Holland needs to be starting.
Seems there are a few easy fixes.
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@SouthernMann I think the midfield is a big one. Has to be Leslie, Gilbert or Faleafaga at 12. TUJ, Te Hiwi and Whaanga are too slow to play as a pairing.
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@Kiwiwomble No, but Dev. team has been. The good news is it looks like Sanders and Hastie will be involved. Harry Taylor has dropped out, so it is only a question out of who out of Fischli and Sanders starts at 6.
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Better picked team played better, and probably deserved to get over the line had it not been for injuries and some 50/50 calls going against us - that's life. The big thing is we probably need to win 6/7 from here to make the playoffs. That means win the four home games (which we should be beating SOU, NOR, CM & TAR if we want to make quarters) Gonna likely need two Ws out of BOP, Harbour and Waikato which looks difficult - particularly with these injuries.
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From a player development perspective, every cloud has a silver lining. If Gilbert and Millar are both out hopefully we get to have a decent look at Faleafaga. Asi was quite impressive off the bench, if Nareki is unavailable, Asi may get a couple of starts. Playing Southland should be another opportunity for Finn Hurley to build some more confidence. I'd like to see Hastie get more of an opportunity. There is just something about him, has a bit of spark.
The forward pack has been bloody good. Plenty of competition for spots as well.
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does hurley play 10? cant help but think 15 is just isolating him and making his size more of a problem
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@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2023:
and making his size more of
He did in high school. Has since transitioned to fullback.
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@Kiwiwomble I would... you can't fight size - probably stuck with him until the rest of the season, but he just hasn't shown anything in these first three games that makes me think there is something worth persisting with.
Someone suggested he should go the 7s route, and I think that would be a great option.
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Cam Millar out for the season.
Here's hoping Faleafaga gets the first opportunity in the 10 jersey. It would seem silly to give it to Leslie.
'Huge loss': Ankle injury ends Millar’s season
Cameron Millar’s season is over. The Otago first five was supposed to have a breakthrough NPC campaign in preparation for an even bigger assignment...
Millar’s season-ending ankle injury ‘huge loss’
Cameron Millar’s season is over.
The Otago first five was supposed to have a breakthrough NPC campaign in preparation for an even bigger assignment with the Highlanders next year.That script will need a serious rewrite.
The 21-year-old’s troublesome ankle injury has resurfaced in an unwanted plot twist.
He was assisted from the field during the heartbreaking 33-32 loss to Hawke’s Bay in Napier on Sunday.
It looked bad at the time and assistant coach Ryan Bambry confirmed those fears in an interview with the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"He’s done," Bambry said.
"It is really frustrating for him. He has just had one of those years that a lot of professional players go through.
"He seems to be going through that this year. He won’t be playing.
"It is the same ankle he did for the Highlanders."
The team doctor was not available, but Millar will require surgery and is expected to be sidelined for four to five months.
Bambry said it was a "huge" loss for the team.
"This was the campaign where we felt we were going to get Cam Millar going and get him into the saddle to drive our game for us. Unfortunately, we won’t get that now.
"We’ll have to crack on and bring other boys up to speed who also deserve to be there."
Bambry said Millar was dealing with the setback as best as he could.
"I caught up with him this morning and he is obviously pretty disappointed. But he’s got character and he knows this is just part and parcel of being a professional player.
"He’ll no doubt show the sort of resilience that he has in the past and be ready to go next year."
Millar was not the only casualty from the game. Winger Jona Nareki and fullback Sam Gilbert picked up hamstring injuries and lock Will Tucker has a tailbone complaint.
Bambry said those injuries were still being assessed, but Gilbert needed assistance to leave the field and was probably the most in doubt for Saturday’s derby against the Southland Stags in Dunedin.
Gilbert filled in at first five during Otago’s opening two games when Millar was unavailable. Taking him out of the mix will further reduce Otago’s options.
There is still ample talent, however. Fullback Finn Hurley played first five at school and Ajay Faleafaga is another solid option. But perhaps Jack Leslie will get the nod.
He has been covering the midfield and fullback and has impressed in the opportunities he has had so far.
Leslie helped guild Southern to the Dunedin premier club title in 2022 from first five and has all the skills to succeed at the next level.
"Obviously the young backs in our environment will get a real big opportunity ... and we’re excited for this young wave of players coming through."
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Leslie looks a tidy player. But, we have invested heavily in Faleafaga.
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im just concerned they'll do the same thing with leslie that they did to gilbert...he's a good player so we'll stick him at 10 rather than where we obviously though he was better placed
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
Leslie looks a tidy player. But, we have invested heavily in Faleafaga.
I think the Highlanders have invested heavily in Faleafaga, but so far this year, he has been ranked below Finn Hurley, Jack Leslie, Josh Whaanga & Jeremiah Asi despite seemingly not being injured.
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@frugby said in Otago 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
Leslie looks a tidy player. But, we have invested heavily in Faleafaga.
I think the Highlanders have invested heavily in Faleafaga, but so far this year, he has been ranked below Finn Hurley, Jack Leslie, Josh Whaanga & Jeremiah Asi despite seemingly not being injured.
Considering he's a 10/12. I think it is rough to say he is rated below all those players. Probably just Leslie. Not the wingers, centres and fullbacks.
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
@frugby said in Otago 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
Leslie looks a tidy player. But, we have invested heavily in Faleafaga.
I think the Highlanders have invested heavily in Faleafaga, but so far this year, he has been ranked below Finn Hurley, Jack Leslie, Josh Whaanga & Jeremiah Asi despite seemingly not being injured.
Considering he's a 10/12. I think it is rough to say he is rated below all those players. Probably just Leslie. Not the wingers, centres and fullbacks.
Game One (Think he may have been injured)
- Gilbert played 10, not his preferred role, with Hurley at 15. Whaanga started 13, with Te Hiwi at 12 (The latter generally a 13) so I think you could argue these guys were picked over him
Game Two
- Hurley again at 15
Game Three
- Leslie in at 12, and Hurley and Asi both on the bench despite both being outside backs. Faleafaga should have been on there to cover 10 + the midfield, probably for Hurley.
Faleafaga can also most certainly play 15.
