Otago 2023
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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.
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I've never seen him listed at 15 since moving to Dunedin.
I'm not really too phased about the why or why not. I'm just keen to see the kid get a go.
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
I've never seen him listed at 15 since moving to Dunedin.
I'm not really too phased about the why or why not. I'm just keen to see the kid get a go.
Yep, so am I. I'm not disagreeing in that sense, I just can't understand how he hasn't played in the first three games.
I've heard Whaanga is battling a shoulder and Hurley a hamstring. Believe Whaanga is going to play v the Stags, but Hurley very 50/50, so seems highly likely Faleafaga gets a run... also seems likely that Caleb 'Autumn (apparently that his nickname)' Leef will be back on the bench.
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As it is team naming Thursday, here is the side I'd like to see this weekend:
- Pole
- Bell
- Ainsley
- Dickson
- Holland
- Sanders
- Withy
- Lio-Willie
- Hastie
- Faleafaga
- Nareki/Asi
- Leslie
- Umaga-Jensen
- Whaanga
- Pepe
- Jackson
- Wingham
- Ma'u
- Tucker
- Fischli
- Arscott/McClea
- Hurley
- Whichever fit back we can find.
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another week without seeing Ajay would be concerning
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From what I saw running around at training today
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Rohan Wingham
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Henry Bell
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Jermaine Ainsley
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Fabian Holland
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Will Tucker
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Josh Dickson
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Sean Withy
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Christian Lio-Willie
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James Arscott
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Ajay Faleafaga
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Jona Nareki
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Jack Leslie
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Thomas Umaga-Jensen
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Josh Whaanga
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Finn Hurley
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Ricky Jackson
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Abraham Pole
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Saula Ma'u
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Josh Hill
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Sam Fischli
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Nathan Hastie
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Jake Te Hiwi
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Maybe John Tapueluelu from what I saw or Jeremiah Asi
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After the way he played on the weekend I'd be disappointed if Asi didn't get another go. Thought he was outstanding.
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I was pretty close. Take out Te Hiwi and both Asi and Tapueluelu who are both wings which is a bit concerning. Then Tucker out and Sanders into 6
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Some improvements again yesterday, the forward pack went well for the second week running - which is to be expected with their quality, but it wasn't happening those first couple of games.
Halfbacks looked good, how McClea was rated above Hastie I'll never know. I suppose you'd just about go unchanged for the next game because of injuries, but once again I am really not seeing it with Hurley.
Felt he kicked away a lot of good possession yesterday, and that drop-kicking was just a nonsense. Dermody was a row in front of me with Dillon, and I think I heard him mutter WTF are you doing lol.
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Our season is basically dead. Donnelly not the man as head coach I'm afraid.
Thought Hurley took some better options for the most part in the last game, but overall there will still too many of those dumb dinky kicks when on attack. We were stuffing BOP in the forwards when we had the ball, but couldn't make the most of it.
Taking Nareki off with 7 to go was ludicrous.
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In the NZR review thread, I was discussing the idea of an amateur NPC model, where teams would play more of a World Cup style format, and teams would thereby be made up almost entirely of players playing for their home province... you'd have to see some rules on it, obviously, but thought it would be interesting to look at an Otago side made up of guys only from Otago, (with no All Blacks, not that this affects us):
Props:
Abraham Pole
Rohan Wingham
Jermaine Ainsley
Jackson DempsterHookers:
George Bell
Henry Bell
Ricky JacksonLocks:
Josh Dickson
Josh Hill
?Loose Forwards:
Oli Haig
Sam Fischli
Slade McDowell
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa
?Halfbacks:
James Arscott
Nathan Hastie
Bob MartinFirst Fives:
Cam MillarMidfielders:
Jake Te Hiwi
Josh Timu
Matt Whaanga
Josh Whaanga
Jack LeslieOutside Backs:
Finn Hurley
Michael Manson
?We really do need the imports
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Both Hurley and Millar are Southlanders.
I don't think it is realistic to have players be tagged to their province of origin. While we want our best guys to stick around people will always move.
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@SouthernMann Haha true, yes I forgot they are both from Southland... just shows city boys are big softies down south.
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Our greatest Otago players for the last 25 years, bugger all are from Otago.
Sadly the best ever player from Otago is a Canterbury and Crusaders legend.
Dunedin as a city doesn't produce that many top quality sports people.
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@SouthernMann after richie the list is short, Ben Smith...
