Highlanders 2024
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann hmmm, could be a long season unfortunately.
The goal is fairly simple for mine have a positive win-loss ratio. Look strong against non-NZ teams. Win some home games against NZ sides. This side will never going to go out and blitz the competition. It is about having realistic and measureable goals.
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@SouthernMann because the playoffs are top 8 the Landers should be fine, probably a similar season to last year on the cards.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann thats probably not too far off, maybe Bogado at 14? was impressed last year
I want to say that looking at the forward pack...i think they compete with anyone and all the question marks are on the backs...and the backs are where we have made the most moves...but that feels optimistic...and i was optimistic last year.....
The peoblem with the backs is that if we have some injuries we could see a backline like... 9. Arscott 10. Faleafaga. 11. Lowe 12. Te Hiwi 13. Whaanga 14 Timu. 15 CGB. Our starting side isn't the big problem. It is the depth and while it has improved. It can still have quite a pronvical look to it
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann because the playoffs are top 8 the Landers should be fine, probably a similar season to last year on the cards.
No. As mentioned. There shpuld be improvement. This is a better side and the competition is weaker.
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@SouthernMann it's not a stronger side. You've lost two All Blacks and you're strongest centre in TUJ. Even the Rebels squad is arguably better.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann it's not a stronger side. You've lost two All Blacks and you're strongest centre in TUJ. Even the Rebels squad is arguably better.
Opinions are like body parts. We all have them. We have also got rid of a lot of dead wood. It is a stronger side.
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@Canes4life our last round robin game against the blues our 15 and 14 was Hunt and Gregory we failed to score a Try in that Game, this season we have Tavatavanawai and Kneepkens.. an upgrade, Nug is a loss obviously but honestly Frizell only turned up under Jase Ryan in recent years.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann it's not a stronger side. You've lost two All Blacks and you're strongest centre in TUJ. Even the Rebels squad is arguably better.
what is with peoples need to come in and continuously just point out were shit...always have been...always will be...and we're not allowed to be positive
We have lost some better individuals but i think the overall level has come up
champion team v a team of champions idea
smith is arguably the best half back in history...but we had to rest him regularly and he was a little prone to try and do everything himself when he wasn't surrounded by players as good as he was
TUJ is a fav of mine...disappointed hes gone...but he was injury prone
Frizzel is a dick who got overtaken by Withy for a large part of last season
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@Kiwiwomble we all want the Landers to be strong, I just don't think it's a stronger side to last year. Probably similar in strength to be fair when you take into account who's left, who's injured and who's come in. That's just my opinion.
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@Canes4life and your allowed to think that and you said that...but why just tell @SouthernMann they were straight up wrong like he'd said up was down? thats not just having an opinion
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@Kiwiwomble I was just arguing the fact it's not a stronger side but allgood. If you guys think it is then that's only a good thing.
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@Canes4life the middle bit is arguing your point....the start is just saying someone else is wrong and the last saying one of the hirtocially worst teams in the comp is better than us now is just a dig
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Last year the side was shit. Was from the outset. This side they have looked at their immediate weaknesses and longterm recruitment. We worked out a need to recruit outside backs, went out and picked up guys who have the potential to make an impact in Tavatavanawi and JRK. We identified some local talent to take us forward in the 10 jersey, and needed a betrer version than what we had last year with Burns, so got Patchell. Dubshea may be injured for a fair bit of the season, but was a smart pick up. I think Mr Wellington has a higher opinion on the value of TUJ than what he realistically provided. A few highlights, but generally lacked the allround capability. I'm interested to see what Tele'a can provide injury free. I find it funny that a few months ago I cracked jokes abour Wellington and the Canes, and you threw your toys. Yet you camp out in Otago/Landers threads to run our sides down.
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@Kiwiwomble the Rebels do arguably have a squad that's atleast on par with the Landers, if not better. They've recruited well. I don't know why that's so offensive. Just stating facts.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
Yet you camp out in Otago/Landers threads to run our sides down.
Bahahaha, okay. I don't make lame jokes like you do. I'm just being honest on the state of this side. Saying this year's squad isn't as strong as last year is just my opinion. Saying the Rebels look stronger is just my opinion aswell.
Are we not allowed to state opinions anymore without people getting offended?
The difference between me on Landers threads, and you on Wellington/Hurricanes threads is you're a complete troll. You even admit your distaste for Wellington even though you live in the bloody city.
I want the Landers to be strong so there's a difference.
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Not all Wellington teams. Quite like the Firebirds.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble the Rebels do arguably have a squad that's atleast on par with the Landers, if not better. They've recruited well. I don't know why that's so offensive. Just stating facts.
but theyre not facts...its all subjective and looking at individuals doesnt take into account game plan or combinations that we wont understand until the season starts
stating that players are shit as a fact is just an excuse to take digs and not "just my opinion"
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2024:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
Yet you camp out in Otago/Landers threads to run our sides down.
Bahahaha, okay. I don't make lame jokes like you do. I'm just being honest on the state of this side. Saying this year's squad isn't as strong as last year is just my opinion. Saying the Rebels look stronger is just my opinion aswell.
Are we not allowed to state opinions anymore without people getting offended?
The difference between me on Landers threads, and you on Wellington/Hurricanes threads is you're a complete troll. You even admit your distaste for Wellington even though you live in the bloody city.
I want the Landers to be strong so there's a difference.
You may want us to be strong. You just end up trolling. We know we have been shit. But guess what some of us want to yarn about the positives in a semi glass half full kind of way. We lnow Smith is a loss, that there ade some issues around depth. However, we are also looking to improve the lonf term furure of the club. We aren't going to land All Blacks. But the development of the lads under 25 is exciting for the fan base.
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@Kiwiwomble when did I say the players were shit? I said the side is not as strong as last year. Move on.
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The question has been asked, is this an improved squad on last year, and I will categorically say yes. Break it down position by position:
Prop:
- Same crop of players as last year, all of whom will be a year more experienced. Certainly haven't got weaker, and if Ma'u can kick on as he threatened to do in the NPC, this is an improvement
Hooker:
- Whilst we are young and inexperienced here, I don't think you could say we have got worse, because all three of our hookers were poor last year, hence why they have not been re-signed. Bell and Taylor both have potential, and are local, which is better than having old journeyman from elsewhere
Lock:
- Dickson is a loss, but he isn't better than Dunshea who has arrived to replace him. Holland a year older, Parkinson another year into his recovery from that huge knee injury, once again, you couldn't say we have got worse here, especially as we played the majority of last season without half of our locks anyway
Loose Forward:
- Frizell is a loss, but don't forget he was useless for the Landers for the majority of last season. Likewise, MMT was quiet and largely injured
- Sanders probably just another toiler, but with time in the saddle, Broughton could easily really kick on. Withy likewise, whilst Haig and Michaels have plenty of potential.
- We won't be much worse here, by virtue of the fact our most commonly used trio was Withy, Harmon & Renton. Hopefully Broughton and/or Haig can kick on straight away.
Halfback:
- No kidding ourselves, Smith is a loss not just for his ability, but also his experience... HOWEVER, he only played about half of our games last year anyway, and a lot of his strengths didn't really suit the Highlanders, because we lacked a running 10, so his strong passing was probably wasted on us
- With the security of being the outright best halfback, I expect Fakatava to have a big season. I think when he knows he isn't playing for his place, he is a better player
- Depth is a bit of an issue here granted, so I accept we have got weaker, but whether that eventuates, we will see
First Five:
- Banks was unsighted, Hunt not up to it, and Burns largely injured... so can we be much worse? Burns by the end of the season was really tidy, but you'd hope Patchell is an equal replacement
- Then Millar, hopefully can get himself fit, and if he does he will be fine. Once again, not really a drop off. Faleafaga won't play much at 10 unless there is injuries, but as a pure playmaker, there is plenty to like there
Midfield:
- Paea and Gregory are not losses. Te Hiwi might not be a superstar, but he won't be worse. Matt Whaanga I guess the like for like replacement (though obviously technically the TUJ injury replacement) and again, he couldn't be any worse than those guys.
- Is Telea'a as good as TUJ? I guess we will find out, but for all of TUJ's good ball carrying, there was reason he was dropped by the end of last season. If Telea'a can bring some extra speed to the team, it will be an upgrade, and most importantly, if he can stay fit, because both have had their injury troubles... put it this way, at the very worst we are still shit in midfield, but you can't get worse than shit. If all clicks with Gilbert and Telea'a, then it could be the best midfield in half a decade (not saying much granted)
Outside Backs:
- A big issue was a lack of spark from our outsides, JRK and Tavatavanawai are both game breakers, who can create tries from nothing, this will be a massive upgrade, because we have struggled for spark. Also, don't forget, in theory we will have Nareki all season, which he was injured for the majority of last.
I see a team who has largely upgraded by recruitment, or at the very least will be improving by natural progression. The pack went well last year, and has not got weaker.
The backs were appalling, and whatever you might think about the inside backs, having a back three of Nareki, Tavatavanawai and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens with Bogado in reserve to start the season, is a massive upgrade.
The Team which took on the Blues in R1 Last Year was:
- de Groot
- Marshall
- Ainsley
- Parkinson
- Dickson
- Frizell
- Harmon
- Mikaele-Tu'u
- Fakatava
- Hunt
- Garden-Bachop
- Umaga-Jensen
- Timu
- Lowe
- Gilbert
In my opinion, the team which starts in R1 v Moana Pasifika in 2024 will be quite comfortably better than that.
I'll tag in @Canes4life, who is totally entitled to his opinion, but I'm curious as to where you can definitively say this team is weaker.
We'll have a better season than last year, both because we have got better, but also because we'll probably get some luck, which we didn't get a lot of last year. Add in the fact that the other sides have all got weaker, and I expect we'll probably win at least seven games... and even if we don't, we shouldn't panic.
This is a 2-3 year project, and the majority of these players are signed up for that period.
