Chiefs v Sunwolves
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Chiefs squad:
1 Kane Hames (16), 2. Hika Elliot (112), 3. Nepo Laulala (5), 4. Dominic Bird (19), 5. Taleni Seu (25), 6. Tom Sanders (17), 7. Mitchell Karpik (3), 8. Sam Cane (87)
9 Jonathan Taumateine (2), 10. Aaron Cruden (co-captain) (81), 11. Sam McNicol (14), 12. Stephen Donald (96), 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (32), 14. Solomon Alaimalo (3), 15. Damian McKenzie (41)RESERVES:
16 Brayden Mitchell (4), 17. Aidan Ross (1), 18. Sosefo Kautai (3), 19. Mitchell Brown (8), 20. Liam Messam (153), 21. Alex Nankivell (2), 22. Shaun Stevenson (15), 23. James Lowe (44)() = Gallagher Chiefs caps in brackets
Unavailable for selection: Brad Weber, Mitchell Graham, Nathan Harris, Glen Fisiiahi, Tim Nanai-Williams, Liam Polwart, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Toni Pulu, Charlie Ngatai, James Tucker, Michael Allardice, Johnny Faauli and Finlay Christie.
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On paper, are the Chiefs the weakest team in the NZ conference? I couldn't pick half of that team out of a lineup.
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@mariner4life really? I reckon I could pick 12 of the starting line up....and 2 of the bench.
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so 14 from 23, from someone who actually watches the NPC as well. That's hardly a ringing endorsement.
I could get maybe 13. Maybe. With help.
Compare that to some of the Blues 23s this year, and then look at the table.
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
On paper, are the Chiefs the weakest team in the NZ conference?
No.
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@mariner4life I always watch games involving Northland and then a few other ones, so not like Stargazer who watches everything
I recognize 21/23 of the names....only the starting 9 and Kautai I haven't seen before.
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
so 14 from 23, from someone who actually watches the NPC as well. That's hardly a ringing endorsement.
I could get maybe 13. Maybe. With help.
Compare that to some of the Blues 23s this year, and then look at the table.
That certain position, number 10, has a lot to do with the contrasting performance of both teams.
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@taniwharugby said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
I recognize 21/23 of the names....only the starting 9 and Kautai I haven't seen before.
You didn't watch the NZ U20s last year? Kautai was the starting TH prop.
The only players I hadn't heard of before in this 23 prior this season were Alaimalo, Nankivell and Taumateine.
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
On paper, are the Chiefs the weakest team in the NZ conference? I couldn't pick half of that team out of a lineup.
They're playing the Sunwolves, what were you expecting? It's a mix of starters and guys who are on the fringe of the squad.
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@mariner4life said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
so 14 from 23, from someone who actually watches the NPC as well. That's hardly a ringing endorsement.
I could get maybe 13. Maybe. With help.
Compare that to some of the Blues 23s this year, and then look at the table.
I've been pondering on this for quite a while. I think this has a lot to do with mindset/culture/the mental side of things.
The Blues have several quality players, but as long as they still play more as a group of individuals than as a team, I don't think they will get much higher on the table. It has improved since last year, but with some new ego's having been introduced this season, they're definitely not there yet IMO. I'm still waiting to be impressed by the coach, too. His selections sometimes seem quite haphazard, and reading the comments on the Fern, a lot of Blues supporters seem to have that impression as well.
The Chiefs play better as a team and that lifts all players, including relatively unknown/inexperienced/young ones. You see the same thing at the Crusaders with all their puppies/newbies.
The Canes have the big advantage of having the names and the team spirit (playing with and for each other and the team). They are a relatively settled team compared to the others, and it shows.
The Highlanders, I think, are a bit in the same position as the Chiefs/Crusaders, but - maybe because of the excessively long injury list at the beginning of the season, and - as I see it - coaching flaws that are difficult to grasp - they're not as good as last year.
The season is far from over (we're at 2/3rd after this weekend) and anything is still possible. I can see the Blues climbing a spot (or a few spots) on the table.
Anyway, the Chiefs line-up for this game has more than enough quality to smash the Sunwolves. Try fest?
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
@taniwharugby said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
I recognize 21/23 of the names....only the starting 9 and Kautai I haven't seen before.
You didn't watch the NZ U20s last year? Kautai was the starting TH prop.
The only players I hadn't heard of before in this 23 prior this season were Alaimalo, Nankivell and Taumateine.
Alex Nankivell is the big Ta$man 2nd Five who did so well in the last Mitre 10 Cup.
Kautai is a beast. At only 20, he has a bright future in front of him. -
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@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
Cruden is the backup halfback for this game.
Cane at no.8 is an interesting move. He's finished games there regularly in the past so it's not a new position but they could have played Sanders there too.
Funny how our AB number one and two opensides have been dabbling at eight which is where their captain plays.
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@Crucial said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
Cruden is the backup halfback for this game.
Cane at no.8 is an interesting move. He's finished games there regularly in the past so it's not a new position but they could have played Sanders there too.
Funny how our AB number one and two opensides have been dabbling at eight which is where their captain plays.
Not true. Todd has only played at 7 this season....
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@ACT-Crusader well played
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@ACT-Crusader said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
@Crucial said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
@Bovidae said in Chiefs v Sunwolves:
Cruden is the backup halfback for this game.
Cane at no.8 is an interesting move. He's finished games there regularly in the past so it's not a new position but they could have played Sanders there too.
Funny how our AB number one and two opensides have been dabbling at eight which is where their captain plays.
Not true. Todd has only played at 7 this season....
Todd who?
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Chiefs been guilty of a lot of red zone penalties this season..but get out of jail....you would have to question where the card or warning was
...Alaimalo I know as he played for NOrthland, and he also played in an earlier game for the CHiefs this year, and got a YC....
