All Blacks 2024
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there has to be a middle ground between picking purely on form and ignoring things like the RWC cycle/planning for the future (ie picking someone like shields).....and ignoring form and just picking the same people over and over (the last few years under fozzie)
33 year old shields....if he not going to be around for the next RWC i dont want him...and if we're in a position where we're picking 37 loosies that only broke into the AB so late in their career...then we're fucked
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@Kiwiwomble fair call, I'm in the same boat with Sam Cane. Why pick him if he's not committed to the next World Cup. Let's blood fresh talent like Lakai or give a man like Billy Harmon a run at international footy. He'd go well.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Landers92 yeah he's eligible I'm pretty sure. Who do we select then if Finau and Blackadder aren't available? Razor isn't going to select Ioane, he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsistent. Razor may go with Grace but the ABs won't dominate physically with him there. Who else is there? I mean if we're still picking Cane then why wouldn't Shields be in the mix? He's one of the form blindsides in Super this year.
It might just have to be Ioane. I have no doubt Razor can get the best out of Grace but that boy hasn’t been the same since his run of injuries.
Knowing Razor he will still pick Blackadder and it’ll be Finaus jersey to start with. You could be looking at the bolter/apprentice selection for the 6 jersey. It’s definitely a position that we need to do something like that for. Keep in mind Harmon can cover all 3 loose forward positions so could work in his favor here.
There is no benefit of selecting a 33 year old Brad Shields to play a mid year series.
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@Canes4life at least Harmon COULD be around for the next world cup, might not be a long long term option but this cycle...and he's earn't consideration
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@Landers92 I get it, Shields is aging but he's still one of the form 6s in the comp and he offers the physicality required to step in if injuries strike. He's also playing the best footy of his career. Razor won't want to start his reign in a losing manner so surely you pick the best players available right now to get results.
It's a definite area of weakness for the ABs at the moment.
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@Kiwiwomble in saying that I would have Lakai infront of Harmon, so for Harmon to get a chance all of Papali'i, Savea and Lakai would need to be injured.
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@Canes4life fair...so can we at least stop talking about shields
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@Kiwiwomble yeah fair.
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Why the fuck would they pick Cane. His form has been a roller coaster over the last four years - especially when coming back from injury. He was immense in the quarter final - ok in the semi and then a pile of shit in the final. Cost us the game. If he was covering a position that had no depth I'd understand. But that isn't the case. There should still be a good core of experienced players in the team so his leadership isn't needed.
Also hope they don't pick Shields. If he wanted the jersey he should've stayed to battle it out. Just can't see how he's playing good enough to have this conversation.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsisten
Multiple MOTM efforts for the ABs. Didn't step up against the more physical sides. I'm not sure I'd pick him, but he is far from a failure in Black
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Brad Shields? How has his name even entered this thread 😂
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@Toddy said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Why the fuck would they pick Cane. His form has been a roller coaster over the last four years - especially when coming back from injury. He was immense in the quarter final - ok in the semi and then a pile of shit in the final. Cost us the game. If he was covering a position that had no depth I'd understand. But that isn't the case. There should still be a good core of experienced players in the team so his leadership isn't needed.
Also hope they don't pick Shields. If he wanted the jersey he should've stayed to battle it out. Just can't see how he's playing good enough to have this conversation.
There have been a lot of loosies starring in SRP so far. I agree, probably time to move on
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Kiwiwomble in saying that I would have Lakai in front of Harmon.
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@nzzp said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
he's crumbled under pressure so many times and is far too inconsisten
Multiple MOTM efforts for the ABs. Didn't step up against the more physical sides. I'm not sure I'd pick him, but he is far from a failure in Black
More that the tactic of positioning him in the wide channels failed against the Boks because almost none of the rugby took place there. He paid the price for low involvements caused by tactics
The way he was used by the AB XV last year is interesting. In one match he was exclusively in the wide channels but in the other he was in the centre of the field. Testing an A & B scenario?
The Blues have used him in a tight role this season. It works for this stage of his career. Not sure he has that same acceleration after all the ankle problems
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@Duluth Case in point being when he got the ball with space out wide in the first half against the Canes. In 2016 he probably goes the length of the field and scores. Today, definitely not haha.
He was better in the wider channels up until about 2022. He doesn't have the same athleticism to play wider anymore, so he has no choice but to play a tighter game that involves more contact.
It helps that he's playing under a coach domestically that can get the best out of him playing closer to the ruck.
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@Duluth said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Just my opinion I don’t think he will pick a real rookie HB in his first squad.
There's 3 experienced halfbacks?
TJ, Christie and ?
Fakatava or Ratima who Razor rates he tried to get both to the Crusaders they have more SR minutes under their belts than Funaki.
