Highlanders 2024
-
not suggesting he's top of the list of this that need fixing by any means but from where we were behind the posts it was obvious there are things he could be doing differently that might help
charging up the middle looking for your retreating forwards too have made an opening is pretty route one and the rebels saw it coming (they were asking for him to do it by kicking down the middle rather than too the wing), we could see Nareki and Tawatawanawai holding wide that he could have worked too connect with better
same with getting beaten on the outside when he came infield too far, his connection with our wings could do with some improvement
none of that take away form bigger problems with defence like very few dominant tackles
-
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
charging up the middle looking for your retreating forwards too have made an opening is pretty route one and the rebels saw it coming (they were asking for him to do it by kicking down the middle rather than too the wing), we could see Nareki and Tawatawanawai holding wide that he could have worked too connect with better
Interesting point regarding teams kicking up the middle. I wonder if this is because we just don't commit numbers to the breakdown and our loose forwards don't carry, so teams are quite happy to look to isolate us there.
The other argument would be, is that we don't kick the ball very well, so teams are quite happy to put us in positions where they know we'll kick it back?
I just think as a general rule, I look at the majority of our issues and it feels like we aren't getting it right tactically. The argument (not suggesting you are making it) that if X player was better we'd be better only washes so far. 15(?) new players were brought in, so regardless of ability I feel like they should relate to a gameplan? If not, then at the very least the gameplan should be tailored to who we have?
I'm not suggesting sacking the coach(es) is necessarily the option, particularly in the case of Dermody who has a year to run, but it is hard to imagine that Jamie Joseph is going to sit around and accept mediocrity - further to that, it is hard to imagine he wouldn't want the job either which is why everything feels so much more high stakes. There are many reasons why things might be going wrong. It could be bad attack leads into bad defence or vice-versa.
It could be that legitimately both are just bad, or could be that both are good in their own right, but achieve competing things and aren't being linked together by the head coach.
It could even be, that the gameplan is actually all fine and the players are not executing what they want them to do... then in which case the focus goes on the forwards coach (Donnelly) and the backs coach (Smith).
Were Joseph and Brown just miracle workers?
-
@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
I just think as a general rule, I look at the majority of our issues and it feels like we aren't getting it right tactically. The argument (not suggesting you are making it) that if X player was better we'd be better only washes so far. 15(?) new players were brought in, so regardless of ability I feel like they should relate to a gameplan? If not, then at the very least the gameplan should be tailored to who we have?
i was really just pointing out something we saw in the ground that i hadnt noticed on TV that i think would be an improvement (we had talked before about Nareki having a quiet season)
I think it was more obvious for us as we couldn't help comparing to what we do at the club (went with guys from the club) and its the opposite, the highlanders were always trying to get midfield on the counter...we're always looking to find an edge and reset our shape
-
@Kiwiwomble maybe Withy at 13 then.
-
@Bones said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble maybe Withy at 13 then.
Chuck him on the wing. Nareki needs to bs shown how a real winger goes
-
-
@ruggabee said in Highlanders 2024:
at the Hurricanes midfielders Peter Umaga-Jenson, Bailyn Sullivan, Ngane Punivai are taking turns playing for the Hunters development team, why don't they come on down to the Southern city next season?
Sullivan has literally just returned form injury. Moorby is leaving at the end of the year so the Canes will want Sullivan to fill that 14 jersey in 2025. Umaga-Jensen I agree with as I've already said he should have gone south, don't think Punivai will return. I reckon the next step for him would be overseas.
If I were the Highlanders and knowing Ardie Savea's coming back to the Canes next season, they should throw a contract offer to Brayden Iose or Devan Flanders with the likelihood that one of them may not see many mins next season even though they've been playing the house down this year. As a Canes fan I hope they keep them both but players will look to move if they don't get an opportunity.
-
@Canes4life Iose can take over from Withy at 13.
-
Soul-searching for Highlanders who know they can be better
The attitude is positive, the mood is confident, the players are buoyant and the coaches are focused. Now the Highlanders just need to prove they...
-
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble maybe Withy at 13 then.
Chuck him on the wing. Nareki needs to bs shown how a real winger goes
Pretty sad what has happened to Nareki. He has never shaken off those back-to-back leg injuries. Him taking the ball into contact as opposed to the chip kick, is hopefully a step back so he can go forward.
-
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2024:
Jonah Lowe returning and Tele’a flying over. Never like to see injury but perhaps are defense may now improve 😅.
It has to be a win this week or a feel players could switch off and the season could get ugly.
I don't think the season turns ugly. Having the Force and Drua at home + Moana Pasifika (even in Tonga) should mean we do enough to sneak into 8th because of BPs... (depends if you term that ugly I suppose!)
-
really? the drua and MP are both above us, you have more faith than i do we can great results against them
i really regret going on the weekend as we looked so out of ideas/lackluster, watching players movement off the ball (which is harder to see on tV) it felt like there was little cohesion
-
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
i really regret going on the weekend
Seems a bit harsh. Sucks to see your team lose but a good stadium to watch rugby and Rebels played some great footy
-
You only need to be worried about playing the Drua away. Also the Force can't defend for shit, so as long as you can hold the ball, you'll win.
-
@antipodean said in Highlanders 2024:
You only need to be worried about playing the Drua away. Also the Force can't defend for shit, so as long as you can hold the ball, you'll win.
.......exactly
-
@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2024:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
i really regret going on the weekend
Seems a bit harsh. Sucks to see your team lose but a good stadium to watch rugby and Rebels played some great footy
im sure it would have been different if id gone with other highlanders fans, shared misery and all
maybe i need to go back and watch the highlights
-
I'm looking forward to our cripple fight with the Crusaders in a few weeks.
