Blues 2017
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Blues are building some real depth that's for sure. Only real question marks are the tight 5 and 10 still.
Goodhue looks like he could develop into a good lock for them. Others closer to the ground will know if that is likely to happen this year or take a little bit longer.
Manu should be a good signing for them and should hopefully prevent a repeat of the Ofa double penalty try debacle we saw this year ( Hard to believe he is on the ABs bench this weekend after that game)Wouldn't be surprised if the Blues are actually contenders over the next couple of seasons with the Crusaders in a bit of a rebuild phase, at least in the backs, and the Chiefs and Highlanders also getting new coaches who may take a while to get things flowing. Canes could potentially be stronger next year with a few promising guys replacing those who have left and BB and TJ continuing to grow/peak
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@pukunui said in Blues 2017:
Goodhue looks like he could develop into a good lock for them. Others closer to the ground will know if that is likely to happen this year or take a little bit longer.
Goodhue seems to have his head screwed on and isnt rushing himself, he turned down a contract with Northland in 2014 as he didnt feel he was ready for NPC and then he turned down a Blues contract for this season, as he didnt feel his body was ready, I think that alone will set him in good stead for being upto the level.
With fulltime training and playing the higher level I think he will come along hugely and quickly.
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I would assume Visinia is on his way out as Sumo mentioned during the Auckland v Otago game that Otago fullback Michael Collins is close to signing for us.
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Visinia would be a good pick up for the Crusaders. Doubt it will happen though.
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@Duluth Lam is a big unit and quick. He could be Hosea Gear like if he can stay fit.
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@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:
I would assume Visinia is on his way out as Sumo mentioned during the Auckland v Otago game that Otago fullback Michael Collins is close to signing for us.
I heard that, and it really surprised me. Collins has good stat's this year but he's a makeshift fullback and ain't at all quick. Plus I'm wondering if those stats are even up to much given the dominance Otago have had against other tier 2 sides and their struggles vs Canterbury and Auckland.
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Yeah from what I've seen he doesn't look like anything special. We've got players in our own region that are just as good, if not better than Collins.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Blues 2017:
@Duluth Lam is a big unit and quick. He could be Hosea Gear like if he can stay fit.
Actually, he would be more like Hosea Gear if he can't stay fit.
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Two young backline prospects from Taranaki and Otago will head to the Blues for next year’s Investec Super Rugby Championship.
Teenage first-five Stephen Perofeta, originally from Wanganui but playing for Taranaki, and Otago utility Michael Collins have signed to join the Blues, it was announced today.
Both players have represented New Zealand at age grade level, Schools and/or New Zealand Under-20, and have impressed in the Mitre-10 Cup competition this season.
Perofeta, 19, is a player for the future to join established pivots Ihaia West and Piers Francis at the Blues. He was a finalist for Heartland player of the year in 2015 after his debut for Wanganui as a schoolboy, scoring more than 100 points before scoring 58 points in three games for the NZ Heartland XV.
He moved to Taranaki and was selected for the NZ Under-20s for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
“He is a young player who is achieving beyond his years and we believe is an outstanding prospect for the future,” said Blues coach Tana Umaga. “We’ve been watching Stephen for some time and believe he has the attributes we need and the maturity even at his age to make a real contribution to the Blues.
“First five has been a priority position for the past two seasons and we have been working closely with some exciting young first fives coming through in the region, but they are not yet ready to blood at Super level.
Collins, 23, is formerly from Queenstown before moving to Dunedin where he captained Otago Boys and was selected for the NZ Schools in 2011 and New Zealand Under-20s in 2013.
He moved to the Otago team and last year spent the off-season playing for Llanelli in the Welsh competition as injury cover before returning for the Mitre 10 Cup.
Collins is a utility who can play midfield or in the back three, and has made his mark this year at fullback
“Michael is another to come through the national age group system. We believe he has the speed and skills required to cover a number of backline positions and will be a real asset to the Blues.”
The Blues will finalise their squad in the coming weeks with the announcement in early November.
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Tana has a pretty good eye for talent spotting. Maybe he has found the 10 that the Blues need and grabbed him early, even if he isn't ready yet.
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Just so it's noted, I talked up Collins years ago. When he was a centre. And disappeared into obscurity
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Im a Perofeta fan - good signing.
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Pretty uninspiring signings so far from Umaga, although it is a down year for free agents admittedly.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2017:
Im a Perofeta fan - good signing.
Watched him a couple of times last year and wondered why he was playing heartland rugby.
Looks to be a smart player and a good kicker.
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You'd hope Tana is showing Harry Plummer some love. It's early days yet, but if a player like him flourished elsewhere it would be a disaster for Auckland/Blues rugby
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@rotated SBW, Pulu, Manu and now Perofeta. Not inspired by Collins coming but I'd hardly say that it's been uninspiring recruitment so far.
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@African-Monkey Jimmy Tupou also a solid signing.
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@KiwiMurph Forgot about Tupou and Hodgman who is also a very good signing, he just hasn't had a chance to prove himself at Super level behind Moody and Crockett. Wouldn't suprise me if Hodgman starts next year.
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Did TNW end up signing?
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@pukunui said in Blues 2017:
Did TNW end up signing?
I try to keep up with all the signings, but as far as I know, he's still in Japan and hasn't signed with any SR franchise yet (or a team anywhere else).
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@Wurzel said in Blues 2017:
You'd hope Tana is showing Harry Plummer some love. It's early days yet, but if a player like him flourished elsewhere it would be a disaster for Auckland/Blues rugby
His names suggests he should be playing for England.
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Harry Plumer is an outstanding prospect, at least as a goalkicker. He was very good against the Aussie schoolboys.
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@cgrant said in Blues 2017:
Harry Plumer is an outstanding prospect, at least as a goalkicker. He was very good against the Aussie schoolboys.
He does look the goods doesn't he? I would assume someone has him tied into something. Needs a season of NPC but you'd be silly to let another team get him first if you had an option.
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Trask, who played for the NZ Barbarians against Fiji, showed a few touches of class in that game. I don't remember the name of the Waikato 1st Five who played in the NZ schools final but he is another one who has a big future ahead. NZ are blessed with very good 1st Fives, too many in fact as a good number will head north ...
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@cgrant said in Blues 2017:
Trask, who played for the NZ Barbarians against Fiji, showed a few touches of class in that game. I don't remember the name of the Waikato 1st Five who played in the NZ schools final but he is another one who has a big future ahead. NZ are blessed with very good 1st Fives, too many in fact as a good number will head north ...
However the Blues always manage to not find one of a high enough quality.
I hope for their sake that they get the early selection right this time around and they are locking in Barrett's rather than Bleyendaals.
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@cgrant Rameka Poihipi - the Ham BHS captain and 1st 5/2nd 5?
There is another 1st 5 from Waikato that has a big future called Matty Lansdown. He was the 1st 5 of the champion Waikato Junior team and trialled for the NZ U20s.
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Yes, I was talking about Lansdown (it wasn't the NZ schools final but the Hobbs tournament with Waikato vs Auckland in the final).
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These are the players signed for the Blues so far. Fill in gaps if I missed anyone.
Pauliasi Manu
Sam Prattley
Alex Hodgman
Charlie Faumuina
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Sione MafileoJames Parsons
Patrick Tuipulotu
Jimmy Tupou
Scott Scrafton
Josh Goodhue
Gerard Cowley-TuiotiJerome Kaino
Steven Luatua
Akira Ioane
Kara Pryor
Blake GibsonAugustine Pulu
Billy Guyton
Sam NockIhaia West
Piers Francis
Stephen PerofetaSonny Bill Williams
George Moala
TJ Faiane
Rieko IoaneMelani Nanai
Jordan Trainor
Michael Collins
Matt Duffie
Rene RangerHow many full contracts are we allowed? Last year we had 33 on full contracts and 9 on WTG contracts, but we were allowed to have a bit more due to 7s. If all the players above are on full contracts, we have at most one more full contract left, which would likely go to a hooker.
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As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
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@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:
As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
Pleasants-Tate?
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Isn't Pleasants-Tate with the Highlanders ?
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If we have offered GPT a contract, I think we'd have a good chance of getting him. He would make the 23 every week up here, but isn't guaranteed that at the Highlanders with Dixon and Coltman down there.
@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:
As long as Kurt Eklund is nowhere near the side I don't care who it is. Su'a and Moulds would be my guess behind Parsons.
With the way Eklund throws the ball, he should just go to the MLB, because his curve ball is something else.
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His contract with NH was for 2 seasons, from which they got great value out of him....assume the Blues one woulda been the same too?
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@Dice If Pleasants Tate is available then he walks into our matchday 23. Would be great value off the bench.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2017:
His contract with NH was for 2 seasons, from which they got great value out of him....assume the Blues one woulda been the same too?
Media releases are sometimes very unclear on that point. From the media release from March 2015 (below), I understand that he was available for ITM/Mitre 10 Cup for N Harbour from 2015, so if his contract with NH was for two years, than I assume it was for 2015 and 2016.
The same media release only says that he will return to the Blues in 2016 but doesn't say for how long.
http://www.allblacks.com/News/26798/rene-ranger-signs-with-north-harbour-and-the-blues
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Yeah he was available in 2015 but had neck surgery before he left France.
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