Highlanders 2024
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
@HLD2023Champions said in Highlanders 2024:
Hey guys, any new rumoured player’s potentially coming to the landers next year? Apart from Grindley.
Haven't heard any rumours about Grindlay, is there something happening there? Thought it was more just a name people were mentioning as an option.
The general consensus is that the hooker will be coming from overseas, and may even be at the World Cup which is why there hasn't been an announcement there. As for the midfielder, the talk ages ago was PUJ, but as nothing has been announced there, I think you can rule it out. They were looking for someone with a bit of experience, so I guess we will see, but last I heard there was no oil on anyone having put pen to paper.
I think the TUJ replacement will likely be Matt Whaanga. An experienced replacement who can play both 12 and 13. Which means we are still short a starting centre.
I don't think we are going for Matt Whaanga, I think it is more likely that we'll search for an out of the region player... that was where the Grindlay chat was coming from, but it may even be that we opt for another first five. I heard the other day that it is thought TUJ is likely done for the whole season, so they probably are looking for the guy who fills his contract in 2025. Hard to know how long his contract is, but if he is gone for the year, he might never play for the Highlanders again.
I can't imagine we will forgo a midfield spot for another 10. Midfield options as it stands are Gilbert, Te Hiwi and Timu. Timu hasn't played since what April? We have Gilbert who can slip in as a fourth 10 if need be.
Just an inkling... I think with Millar's injuries, we could be putting ourselves in a position where we are heavily reliant on Rhys Patchell/put too much pressure on Millar. If they could get a Cruden, or another quality 10 at short notice I think they would.
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Just looking quite weak in the midfield at the moment. Worrying that we will be carrying Lowe and CGB who are unlikely to play a lot. Could potentially do something from left field like try and make Bogado a centre
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
Just looking quite weak in the midfield at the moment. Worrying that we will be carrying Lowe and CGB who are unlikely to play a lot. Could potentially do something from left field like try and make Bogado a centre
The way they have built the squad, and played at the back end of last year points to the fact they are going to play Gilbert in the midfield.
There is always plenty of game-time to go around, but Nareki, Tavatavanawai, JRK and Bogado will be our four main outside backs outside of injuries, so unlikely Bogado gets the run there, though I wouldn't mind seeing it... did CGB have a year to run on his contract? I guess so, likewise Lowe (2)... they'll be planning ahead, and likewise, Timu won't be and TUJ is unlikely to be back for 2025, with one of those spots going to Josh Whaanga. Rest of it is a matter of working backwards as to what they were thinking for this year and next.
They'll have a long-term plan in mind, with a definitive target for 2025, which is probably why they were happy to settle on an older guy as a short term option for next year, and I'm guessing the idea was that this guy would be a 12, to serve as backup to Gilbert (which won't have changed)...
Whoever the 13 is, is going to have to be a starter, if they do anything wild, I think it will be Nareki at 13, with Bogado starting more games on the wing.
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Just want to rule out one player from the board now. We don't want Losi Filipo as our new centre
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How good would that be! JJ calling in the favour and the lad comes over. What is the Japanese schedule?
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2024:
JRK has talent, but was usually stuck on the wing for the Blues.
@Bones Gilbert has looked very average in some NPC games this year.
Yeah haven't seen any Otago games. But he's a proven super rugby performer rather than looking ok in NPC and then ordinary at super rugby.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2024:
JRK has talent, but was usually stuck on the wing for the Blues.
@Bones Gilbert has looked very average in some NPC games this year.
for someone thats been shuffled around three different position almost from game to game i think hes looked really good, if nothing else he gets picked on his kicking, conversion rate must be in the high 90's and has a huge punt that has regularly got otago either out of danger zone or in an attacking position
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@Kiwiwomble Gilbert had a shocker against Waikato, although he wasn't alone there. Him passing the ball into touch to end the game summed up his performance.
If you want Gilbert to play 12 next year you better hope he spends the off-season working on his tackling. His stats against the NZ teams were really bad this year.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble Gilbert had a shocker against Waikato, although he wasn't alone there. Him passing the ball into touch to end the game summed up his performance.
If you want Gilbert to play 12 next year you better hope he spends the off-season working on his tackling. His stats against the NZ teams were really bad this year.
You can't seriously hold that Waikato game against him... it was a team-wide shocker, and he was nowhere near the worst. We'll see on his defence, but I think it is improving, and also, straight percentages aren't always the best measure of how good someone is at defence.
Example being, if you aren't in the right position, sometimes you don't miss the tackle, you just miss the assignment.
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can you post a link? never sure where to find reliable stats
i do have to say some of this stuff get tiresome, otago and the highlanders obviously have issues, several...but gilbert is a long way down the list...perfect? far from it....but lots of things more pressing....so the constant (not just from you but lots of people) really feels like people just coming around to take shots
"hey, that guy you guys kind of like...he also shit...so suck on that"
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
can you post a link? never sure where to find reliable stats
Check out the ESPN stats. I did post them in the match threads for the Highlanders games against the Blues and Chiefs, in particular.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
so the constant (not just from you but lots of people) really feels like people just coming around to take shots
Reading this thread, Highlanders fans have been taking far more shots at their own players than non-Highlanders fans. Negative all the time, often over the top.
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If I was a Highlanders fans I would be pretty happy with Dunshea,JKR and Timoci Tavatavanawai, signings plus Saula Ma’u,Fabian Holland and Jack Taylor look like quality coming through.
Max Hicks is having a great NPC and you still have quality in Harmon,Ainsley,DE Groot and Nareki
Basis of a competitive team imo.
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@Stargazer thats kind of my point, we're far from rose tint glasses wearers...so taking shots at the few things we're kind of happy about just comes across like...taking shots for the fun of it
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@Kiwiwomble I don't think anyone is taking shots for the fun of it. You're just oversensitive, probably because the last few seasons of the Highlanders and now also Otago have been quite disappointing. Quite understandable by the way.
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@Stargazer of course, no way it could be a little of both, my bad
