Highlanders 2024
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
but basic news shouldn't be on the agenda
I'm not talking about basic stuff. All the basic content should be provided bybthe club, in partnership with other sponsors. I'm talking about indepth pieces. Player interviews. Announcements on signings. Analysis. The team is from the smallest population base in Super Rugby, it needs to be innovative with its income streams.
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i would call all of that pretty basic and all things i get from every other team i support for free...i mean, whats more basic than new signings?
we're obviously coming from very different directions, i think because we have the smallest fan base we need the best engagement, we need it make it as easy as possible for the few fans we have to be engaged and then get companies to pay us to advertise to those fans....not straight up ask for money from those fans (not even asking for money but asking them to give money to someone else
)...that will just drive an already disengaged fanbase further away IMO -
Reckon the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I personally like what the ODT offer, but in all honesty, press conferences are really just going through the motions. Rarely do you get anything ground breaking - likewise, the club itself is never going to release content where we get objective analysis of what is going wrong...
What I think they should look to do, is revive Highlanders TV because that was top tier content. Whether they got Joey Wheeler to come back as host again, or whether someone like Jack Taylor (has done it for Southland) with silly shit, that makes you feel more connected to the players. Doesn't even need to be high production.
The two best bits of content of the Highlanders this season, were the clip at the BBQ with Wheeler during pre-season, and the interview PD did with the back three. I really want to see personality.
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Had a feeling I’d open a can of worms posting that video. Should have learnt from last time mentioning the subscription stuff 😂
One thing I think we can all agree on is the more content we can jump on Facebook/instagram/youtube etc and view, the better. It seems the landers are making a conscious effort to make progress in that department.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
I can not wait for Saturday. A win all but wraps up a playoff spot, and most importantly it would be pretty much the final nail in the coffin of the evil empire.
Making the trip down from Christchurch for it, can’t wait!
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20th time lucky? We're going to have to win another derby at some point, there are few excuses I can offer them team if they don't get over the line this week.
Credit to the coaches, they have gone back to basics and the past two games we have been far better structurally, and from the selection front (for the most part) and with that came a good performance last week. Think we'll look to stick with something pretty similar this week:
- de Groot
- Bell
- Ainsley
- Dunshea
- Holland
- Haig
- Withy
- Harmon
- Fakatava
- Millar
- CGB (Bogado if concussed)
- Te Hiwi
- Tele'a
- Tavatavanawai
- Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
- Taylor
- Johnstone (Surely can't be DLB?)
- Ma'u
- Tucker
- Broughton
- Arscott
- Gilbert
- Bogado (If CGB is out then probably Faleafaga?)
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
20th time lucky? We're going to have to win another derby at some point, there are few excuses I can offer them team if they don't get over the line this week.
Credit to the coaches, they have gone back to basics and the past two games we have been far better structurally, and from the selection front (for the most part) and with that came a good performance last week. Think we'll look to stick with something pretty similar this week:
- de Groot
- Bell
- Ainsley
- Dunshea
- Holland
- Haig
- Withy
- Harmon
- Fakatava
- Millar
- CGB (Bogado if concussed)
- Te Hiwi
- Tele'a
- Tavatavanawai
- Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
- Taylor
- Johnstone (Surely can't be DLB?)
- Ma'u
- Tucker
- Broughton
- Arscott
- Gilbert
- Bogado (If CGB is out then probably Faleafaga?)
I would agree with majority of that. Possibly keep Ma’u starting due to Ainsley’s lack of minutes but would consider Ainsley for scrum time, feel like he has the edge over Ma’u there.
Completely agree with Johnstone over DLB. DLB just seems to have so many errors in his game this year for one reason or another and that’s before factoring scrum time issues.
I’d still rather Stodard on the bench over Broughton personally but the coaches seem to like Broughton.
Any updates on Timu? Would rather him have that 23 spot on the bench if available.
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@Landers92 Timu is fit, but he'd be a waste of a bench spot when Gilbert is there. Ideally you'd have an outside back on the bench, but 3/6 would be injured, and the other the other three would be starting!
Hurley - just no thanks.
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thats kind of the problem, Gilbert could cover outside back....but we need him for 10...unless we bring in Ajay?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
thats kind of the problem, Gilbert could cover outside back....but we need him for 10...unless we bring in Ajay?
I think you may as well have Faleafaga on the bench. Wouldn't rule out the 6-2 split either, but overall, you might as well cover the specialist 10, because otherwise you're having two midfielders or an inferior outside back.
If JRK got injured, Gilbert would come on at fullback. If one of the wingers went down, they'd either bring Gilbert on in the midfield and shift Tele'a out, or just stick Gilbert out there.
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exactly what im thinking, i think his straight running and confidence under a high ball actually makes him a good outside back option
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Reckon regardless of what happens in the weeks that follow, this weekend probably defines our season. Snapping the hoodoo in front of a huge crowd, and kicking on to finish 6th (or if not a close 7th) probably feels like you'd give this season a B- sort of grade (at a minimum).
Lose, and even if we limp into 8th, would feel hard to justify this season as anything other than a fail. Granted we've a young team, but going 0/6 in derby games, and making the playoffs only on the back of wins over Moana (2x), the Force, the Waratahs and probably the Drua would feel pretty underwhelming to me.
For what it is worth, I think either side of that three-game blip, we have definitely improved this year. I'm pleased that the coaches seem to have learned from their mistakes, and I'm expecting the boys to front up and get themselves over the line - and I think it would be deserved, and would justify that we are heading in the right direction... and gee, in a season which threatened to go totally off the rails, they'd be something really amazing about landing what would be pretty much the final blow on the Crusaders.
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How good was last night?! Was it perfect? Of course not (something really funny that it was two tries to four) but we played a sensible smart game, against a side which is still laden with All Blacks. Reckon the coaches once again nailed the gameplan so full credit to them... but these young boys, they stepped up, and this might just be the night things took a turn for the better.
Thought de Groot and Holland were awesome, whilst that might be the best game Nikora Broughton has ever played. Cam Millar I think probably does have limitations to his game, but if nothing else he is always going to be a great backup first five... ice cool off the boot, 27 points against the Crusaders is nothing to be sniffed at!
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@frugby i think a lot of NZ fans could learn something watching someone like millar...we need to stop comparing everyone to DC...hell...stop comparing to almost any AB 10.....as long as he plays to his strengths (kick for territory, kick is goals, if out of options take the tackle and secure the ball)...we can make that work, we just need a variety of gameplans depending on which 10 we have
