Otago 2024
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Seems they have dropped the Otago squad rather quietly. As indicated by @frugby only new guy is Ale Aho, plus Coltman. Running a small squad of only 28. Southern No 8 Konrad Toleafoa, Kaikorai loosie Lucas Casey and Dunedin outside back Kyan Rangitutia are injury replacements. Pledger and Lolofie not listed, but only two guys at hooker and halfback named. No Australian outside back, at the moment.
Lock Aho only new cap in Otago squad of 28
University lock Ale Aho is the sole new cap in an Otago NPC squad featuring 28 players back from last year. There are also 21 players in the squad...
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Hopefully we name Pledger and Lolofie to development contracts but you would think they would be good enough for a full contract. I hope this isn’t a case of being snapped up elsewhere… seems odd to only name 3 specialist outside backs as well so as it states in the articles above it will be interesting to see if there are any developments there, definitely another one needed. Can’t rely on your inside backs to cover wing.
Overall, a fairly solid squad. No excuses for Donnelly this year, he’s had an underwhelming stint for Otago so hopefully he can turn that around. You get the feeling it’s now or never for him.
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im no coach but it just looks quiet unbalanced, light in key positions (hooker, lock, 9 and 10) but making up the numbers with loosies and midfielders that can cover multiple positions i guess
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The squad has three fewer players than previous years. I'd expect Pledger and Lolofie do end up joining in some capacity. Pledger has been named in the U19 side as well. Have to remember, he is still straight out of school. In previous years the injury cover young guys have ended up playing decent role.
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@Landers92 Pledger is in the Otago U19s. I'd expect he will spend a fair bit of time with the main squad though.
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@Landers92 said in Otago 2024:
Interesting to see A-One Lolofie in the Otago Metro Development side but no Dylan Pledger named. Here’s hoping he’s an inclusion into the full NPC squad…
Otago won't let this one slip... could be having a surgery or something, you just don't know with these things.
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Devlopment and Injury Squad:
Lucas Casey (Kaik) LF
Quinten Holland (Dun) LK/LF
A-One Lolofie (Zing) HK
Christian MacEwan (GI) LK
Stan McClure (Kaik) WG
Dylan Pledger (Kaik) HB
Kyan Rangitutia (Dun) WG
Max Ratcliffe (Dun) LF
Moana Takataka (Kaik) PR
Josh Tengblad (Dun) LK
Konrad Toleafoa (Sou) LF -
@Landers92 said in Otago 2024:
Any word on this Australian winger that was thrown around in here a few weeks back? Not announced in the squad or as development/injury cover…
Potentially Dwyer's negative feedback may have knocked it on the head.
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Otago team named to play its first pre season game against Southland on Friday.
Some interesting selections, looking forward to seeing the squad have its first run and build. Nice to see some boys rewarded for strong club seasons along with plenty of young guys getting an early chance.
Southlands Facebook page will be streaming this I’m pretty sure.
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@Landers92 Is that centre the same Levi Harmon that came from Bush to play for Poneke about eight or nine years ago? Fronted for my Axemen as well but got a bad injury pre-season that put him out for the whole year. Think he buggered off back to Poneke the next season before disappearing somewhere, at least I don't recall hearing his name mentioned in Wellington club rugby for a fair few years now.
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@Higgins said in Otago 2024:
@Landers92 Is that centre the same Levi Harmon that came from Bush to play for Poneke about eight or nine years ago? Fronted for my Axemen as well but got a bad injury pre-season that put him out for the whole year. Think he buggered off back to Poneke the next season before disappearing somewhere, at least I don't recall hearing his name mentioned in Wellington club rugby for a fair few years now.
I'm pretty sure it is. Seems like a player who had all the ability, but has just been wrecked with injuries. He scored a try in the club final on the weekend. In the report it was noted he suffered a major injury in the 2021 final. Took him a good couple of years to come back. Looks like a classic 'what if' kind of player.
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@Landers92 said in Otago 2024:
Otago team named to play its first pre season game against Southland on Friday.
Some interesting selections, looking forward to seeing the squad have its first run and build. Nice to see some boys rewarded for strong club seasons along with plenty of young guys getting an early chance.
Southlands Facebook page will be streaming this I’m pretty sure.
Seems an interesting mix between the main squad and the dirt trackers. The only guy missing from the club final is Hurley. Interesting Whaanga has been picked on the wing, while a guy outside of the squad is at centre. Geoege Bower will make a big difference this season. Is Liam Coltman even back in the country yet?
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@SouthernMann Yeah one of the first things I noticed was Whaanga on the wing, hopefully it’s just for a half or this game so coaches can see more of Harmon at 13. If Whaanga plays the next pre season game on the wing then I’ll be slightly concerned. I also noticed there was no Te Hiwi named, whether that’s just a test or pre cautionary I’m not sure.
I’ll be watching Hastie closely this season, hasn’t been able to get a good run with injury and with the halfback spots ramping up someone is going to have to take that step up.
I haven’t seen or heard anything around Coltman yet, he isn’t the most active when it comes to social media attention either so it’s anyone’s guess whether he’s back yet or not. You would think he was.
All in all it’s good to see a good mix but next weeks game will be one of more significance you would think.
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@Landers92 said in Otago 2024:
@SouthernMann Yeah one of the first things I noticed was Whaanga on the wing, hopefully it’s just for a half or this game so coaches can see more of Harmon at 13. If Whaanga plays the next pre season game on the wing then I’ll be slightly concerned. I also noticed there was no Te Hiwi named, whether that’s just a test or pre cautionary I’m not sure.
I’ll be watching Hastie closely this season, hasn’t been able to get a good run with injury and with the halfback spots ramping up someone is going to have to take that step up.
I haven’t seen or heard anything around Coltman yet, he isn’t the most active when it comes to social media attention either so it’s anyone’s guess whether he’s back yet or not. You would think he was.
> All in all it’s good to see a good mix but next weeks game will be one of more significance you would think.
That's the canterbury pre-season game?
Hastie is the most secure out of the three Highlanders, I believe. His contract still has two more years to run. Fakatava's runs out at the end of next season. Arscott's was to the end of this year. But must have been rolled over.
Asi apparently got injured in the club semi, same with Umaga-Jensen. Not sure on the severity, just read they went off before halftime. With Te Hiwi, I understand from one of the ODT videos he is carrying an injury as well.
I'd expect to see a fair bit of chopping and changing, especially in the backs.
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@SouthernMann Yeah mate the Cantebury one. It’s only a week before our first comp against Southland so you’d expect a pretty solid starting line up.
Ah nice, so an outside back injury(which we are already thin) and 2 injuries to midfields who will be expected to play a lot of minutes… great. Hopefully those injuries aren’t too bad.
I will be going along to next weeks game against Canterbury if the weather plays ball so hoping to get a good look at it all.
