Highlanders 2024
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
@Stargazer am i imagining that players uses to be able too? have they moved the japanese season?
That happened a few years ago.
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@Stargazer so yes, cool, that make sense then
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More or less what we all expected really isn’t it. There’s a young squad with potential, but once again it’s retaining it and giving it time.
I was hoping we would see another late bolter, something along the the lines of Grindlay but let’s hope Tele’a can be our next Fekitoa.
There is a player im a big fan of that hasn’t been announced yet, Caleb Delaney. I noticed he isn’t in the hurricanes squad so I’m hoping JJ has swooped in and at least added him to our wider squad. Huge win if we could pull something like that off. Speaking of widers, does anyone know when those get announced?
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2024:
More or less what we all expected really isn’t it. There’s a young squad with potential, but once again it’s retaining it and giving it time.
I was hoping we would see another late bolter, something along the the lines of Grindlay but let’s hope Tele’a can be our next Fekitoa.
There is a player im a big fan of that hasn’t been announced yet, Caleb Delaney. I noticed he isn’t in the hurricanes squad so I’m hoping JJ has swooped in and at least added him to our wider squad. Huge win if we could pull something like that off. Speaking of widers, does anyone know when those get announced?
Delaney IS in the Canes squad
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If I was a Highlanders fan one area that would annoy is midfield. It continues to be problem area and I question whether the Highlanders do enough in that space.
I hope it works out for Tele'a but he's an injury prone midfielder with very poor distribution skills. Glass half full would say with regular game he will develop but I wouldn't hold my breath.
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@KiwiMurph definately, and i dont think there are many if any highlanders fans that would argue
i dont know how many better midfielders are out there that we would have any chance of luring down though
I still prefer gilbert as a 15 and the idea of having a couple of guys actually fighting for the spot...but i really hope he fires in midfield
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@Kiwiwomble so he is! Lol. My bad, completely missed his name some how. Wishful thinking on my part again😂
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2024:
If I was a Highlanders fan one area that would annoy is midfield. It continues to be problem area and I question whether the Highlanders do enough in that space.
No question. I still don't think we have ever replaced Fekitoa and he left six years ago!
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
I still prefer gilbert as a 15 and the idea of having a couple of guys actually fighting for the spot...but i really hope he fires in midfield
I think probably the issue with Gilbert is that he isn't quite good enough anywhere, and has looked good because everything around him is crap. Hasn't ever shown himself as a true game breaker, so don't think 15 is his spot.
His best chance of being a top level player is turning himself into a gun 12.
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@frugby we dont have to do this dance again, i know and disagree
you think he's looked good because the guys around him have been shit and i think we havent seen his full potential because he hasnt had the quality of player consistently around him to kick on, covering for a weak midfield doesnt exactly give him the best chance to shine
regardless of my feeling and preference he's obviously in line of midfield and i REALLY hope im wrong and we see the best of him
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I reckon the wider squad players will be hooker - who knows, although I suspect Aone Lolofie will spend some time with the squad. Wingham and may be Morgan Mitchell and Hunter Fahey. Lock, Ahio and Palmer will be around. Stodart as the loose cover. Jay Renton for halfback if he is around, thought he had an impressive NPC. Josh Whaanga, van Vugt and Finn Hurley covering the backs. Asi might be around the group too
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The WTG don't exist anymore.... the academy boys will train with them during pre-season, but outside of that, I think it is unlikely there will be extras as the whole squad barring de Groot (will presumably be covered by Wingham) will be there on day one.
Likely to be some injury cover at lock, and they could well be from outside of the region, but there won't be any backs I wouldn't think. Dom Bird could be one to watch in this department.
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And while not an official WTG. All those players probably except Morgan and Renton are part of the pathways group
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Also mentioned:
Dermody also said that new lock Mitchell Dunshea had been through surgery to fix his Achilles injury, and that he would continue his rehab in Dunedin with a view to being available in April.
Lock Will Tucker is also under an injury cloud, and the uncertainty meant that the Highlanders weren’t in a position to confirm their wider training squad on Thursday.
The Highlanders are weighing up if they need one or two locks to cover for Dunshea and Tucker, and whether they can fill those berths with players already within their system.
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Will be interesting to see who that might be. I think the management might be looking to get Lui Naeata secured.
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Fan Concepts are coming out…this would be awesome, exactly what I would do
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@Kiwiwomble CC Jersey is one of the best guys in the Instagram jersey collecting scene.
