Magpies 2024
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Now I know the season has just ended, but with the Shield to defend, and a provincial title to chase, it's good to talk about who may be coming or going. What I do know is that Issac Salmon, and Isi Tuangafasi won't be back. Not sure about the rest but I hope if we do lose more, we can cover them.
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Rumors are around about Tyrone Thompson having talks with the Newcastle knights about playing nrl.
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@kiwimatrix Geez, I hope not! I can understand that he'd like to play with his twin again, but he'll only go up in the All Blacks hooker pecking order in the next few years. Why would you throw that away?
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I'm not sure there's an article in the daily telegraph in Sydney about it but it's behind a pay wall.
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Yeah I would say that would be it.It would seem strange because I couldn't see an nrl club forking out big money for someone that's never played the game at any decent level.
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Yeah true and I'm not sure how much someone like Thompson would be on all up.I would think though with a super rugby contract and npc and possibly Nz Maoris,Nz XVs etc,he would be on at least $200k possibly more.Would an nrl team really pay $300k plus a year for an unproven rugby tight forward???
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@Nepia Yeah, and it would be a pretty stupid career move, too. It's pretty easy to get selected for the Kiwis, but international rugby league just isn't much. League probably pays better than SRP, but surely a potential All Blacks career would be attractive financially.
He isn't there yet, but his All Blacks XV selection shows he's on the right track. Coles is gone; Taylor probably won't make the next RWC, so there are probably two spots to fill. His main rivals for the 3rd All Blacks hooker spot next year are Asafo Aumua and George Bell, possibly injury magnet Brodie McAlister, too. Aumua, he's ahead of Bell and Thompson now, but will he be after the 2024 SRP season? His development has been pretty slow and also interrupted by injury. Bell will be a Ryan favourite, but he has the same problem as Thompson: he won't be a starter for his franchise. Unless Taukei'aho continues his form slump, Thompson may need to consider moving franchises to one where he can be a regular starter (Blues, where he should be able to push Eklund out of the 2 jersey? Highlanders, where he can pack down next to De Groot, but not a champions team?).
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Bell probably will start for most of the 2024 SR season with Taylor on a sabbatical,it will be his big chance to push forward.
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@Stargazer said in Magpies 2024:
@Chris So he has leapfrogged McAlister, or is McAlister still/again injured?
I think he has due to those injuries,McAlister was injured again through NPC and missed nearly all of it.
I am not sure if he has recovered as yet.
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@Stargazer Aumua has always been battling Coles for minutes and that must be hard for a hooker to get momentum, so next year is a big opportunity for him to claim that third hooker position. We know how good he can be, he just needs to show consistency at Super Rugby level. I'm pretty confident he'll rise to the occasion.
With Razor in charge I think Bell is now fourth in line and then probably Thompson.
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This post is deleted!
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Well it looks like Tyrone Thompson is going to the Knights. Geez we are losing a few. Hope the Bay Union are all over it. Although loose forward wise Cooper Flanders, and Liam Udy John's are not to bad as replacements. Jacob Devery as Hooker. Still going to need depth though.
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@Billsy111 So here's a list of players gone that I know of. There may be others.
Brad Weber
Tyrone Thompson 2025
Marino Mikalale Tuu
Isi Tuangafasi
Isaac Salmon
Brodie Retallick
Sam Wye?
Stacey Ili?Now that's am impressive list of players. I hope the Union are all over this.
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@Billsy111 Talking to yourself?
Several of the departures in your list haven't been confirmed, yet, by the way. Only (obviously) Weber, MMT and Retallick.
Only Weber and Thompson on that list will be hard to replace. As good as MMT has been for us, we have good loosie stocks, so I'm not too worried about that. Our propping stocks are low, but the Tu'ungafasi and Salmon were injured most of the 2023 season anyway (and are pretty average), so I'm sure they'll find some talent for the 3rd choice LH and TH spots.
