Magpies 2017
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Lewis Marshall has returned to Manawatu.
Did he play at all last year? Think he was injured all season?He played eight games for the province over two seasons.Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing about all those fine, new Magpie recruits ... [insert Tui ad here]
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He played just the first two matches - Wellington and Taranaki - and not selected for the third - Counties Manukau - due to concussion against Taranaki, and didn't appear again. Whether his non-appearance for the remainder was still due to the concussion or the coaches just preferred to stick with Marshall's replacement Matthew Garland, I don't know. He never appeared for the Development team, so maybe the concussion lingered?
Other provinces have announced signings already this year so it makes you wonder if the HBRU are actively recruiting at the moment? There definitely are positions where outside recruitment would be beneficial. Although in their defence, they had signed Brad Weber for four/five months before it was announced, so maybe they are just not into announcing signings this far out from the Mitre 10 Cup?
Based on last year, the first-choice 2016 starting players available to us in 2017 are:
1 ?? (R. Riccitelli gone to Taranaki)
2 A. Dixon
3 ?? (B. May currently not re-signed)
4 G. Cridge - currently injured, will he be available?
5 ?? (M. Abbott gone to Japan)
6 T. Boswell-Wakefield / H. Renton
7 T. Lamborn
8 F. Selesele
9 B. Weber - currently injured, will he be available?
10 I. West
11 M. Emerson
12 T. Falcon
13 ?? (R. Fruean gone to England)
14 J. Lowe
15 ?? (M. Garland gone to BOP; Lewis Marshall gone to Manawatu)Factor in, maybe: Michael Allardice (hasn't played since Super Rugby 2016), Sam McNicol (hasn't played since Super Rugby 2016 due to concussion), Brendon Edmonds (will he play again due to his injury?), Shannan Chase (unavailable for much of last year due to concussion but played on the weekend for Havelock Nth).
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@Number-10 Looking beyond the first choice starting XV, there's also very limited depth. We need to able to fill that bench, too! We desperately need props, locks, but also a couple of midfielders and outside backs!
I assume you can add Gareth Evans to the list of available loose forwards. Surely, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u will be there, too? Loosies are probably the only position where we don't have to despair unless the injury curse hits again. You'd think Will Tremain will make the U19s and maybe the HB Saracens? He and Hannon Brighouse have both played for the Canes U20 and Dev team. These players will probably be used when injury strikes.
I wonder what happened to Mason Kean? Will they add Pouri Rakete-Stones to the squad or the HB Saracens? Tim Farrell?
All that young talent is great, but we'd need experience, too! Damn, I so hope Bucky will return!
Although Tongia's short-term contracts (first with Bayonne, then Agen) have finished and he doesn't seem to have a new contract at the moment, I doubt he'll be back for Mitre 10 Cup.
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Just noticed on the Waikato twitter page a post with the line-ups for the first round of local club rugby. Apart from Zac Guildford, the squad of Hamilton Old Boys also includes a Sam McNicoll (with to "L"s) at 13. Is that "our" Sam or someone with the same name spelled differently?
Oh, and Michael Allardice is named in their opponent's (Melville) team.
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@Number-10 said in Magpies 2017:
According to Manawatu Standard club season preview, Mark Atkins (Magpie 2013-2014) has left PN OB Marist and returned to Hawke's Bay.
He didn't play for Manawatu at all in 2016 due to a broken leg and only played twice for them in 2015.
Mark Abbott has signed a two-year deal to play in Japan, and will leave after this Hurricanes season. Ben May is yet to re-sign with Hawke's Bay.
Mark Atkins is actually in Poverty Bay.
The only player with first-class experience who has arrived in the province this year is Tamati Samuels who has returned to play for Tech OB. He played for Tech OB before going to Wellington in 2014 and playing for Poverty Bay on loan in 2015 and 2016.
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@Number-10 said in Magpies 2017:
Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee has joined Japanese club Honda Heat with immediate effect.
The recruitment process for his replacement will start this week.
Wow, things are really going well at Magpies head quarters. Leaving the sinking ship.
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Having a look at the Japanese teams, I just discovered that Sanaila Waqa - who was injured the whole 2016 Magpies season - has signed with NEC Green Rockets (joining Peter Russell & Grant Dearns). (Former Magpie Tino Nemani has signed with NEC, too.)
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@Number-10 I'm not unhappy about that. He adds some much needed strength & weight to our otherwise light forward pack. Maybe not the best prop in the country, but those are very hard to find anyway. Our club props have been pretty average the last few years, so May is definitely a big step up and a good one to keep! Still keeping my fingers crossed for Edmonds, but I've not heard anything to give us much hope of a return to the field ...
From the Hawke's Bay Today:
"He really enjoyed his time with us last year and is keen to help our young frontrowers Mason Kean, Tim Farrell and Pouri Rakete-Stones push for Magpies contracts," Philpott said.I wonder how May can push these young frontrowers for Magpies contracts when he's with the Canes now, and will only turn up in the Bay when the ink on all contracts should be well and truly dry? Either he means a contract next year, or this is just badly worded and meaning to say that they are already - or nearly - signed and that he'll help them push for a spot in the 23?
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Had another look at the Japan Top League website. If Google translate does its job well, then Andrew Horrell didn't play a single game last season. He has also left Coca-Cola Red Sparks after one year of his 2-year contract.
コカ・コーラレッドスパークス、退団スタッフおよび選手のお知らせ
コカ・コーラレッドスパークスより、2016年度の退団スタッフ・選手について発表がありましたので、ご紹介します。 ● 弊社ラグビー部（コカ・コーラレッドスパークス）の退団スタッフおよび選手をお知らせいたします。 なお、20…
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@Stargazer said in Magpies 2017:
Just read on the Napier Tech FB page that today is Trent BW's last game for them. Please, don't tell me he's also leaving (or retiring)?
damn. I've always rated him, unlike the HB coach. It would be nice if he could leave on a winning note, but I also want my team (NOB
M) to stuff them, so conflicted... -
@Stockcar86 I think I'll go to the U19s tournament this year to watch our Bay U19s play, which - hopefully - will be stacked with Hastings boys and actually has a chance of performing well. I need something to keep my spirits up, because I expect- unless we get some good signings - the Magpies season is going to be a nightmare for fans. Wooden spoon kind of nightmare.
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32-5 to the good guys in green, sorry TBW
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@Stargazer If it wasn't for Ioane we might be wondering how many tries Lowe would be scoring for the Crusaders.
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@Stargazer Hahahaha, I like how you deliberately miss the point.
As for TBW, well that sucks. But the guy should have moved away from the Bay at the end of Philpott's first season at the Magpies. He was never going to get a fair go under him.
