Blues 2018
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@Stargazer Nope, but he's one of options I suspect will be available to sign. IIRC, Bovidae pointed out that there isn't room for him at the Chiefs.
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@Tim Matich is another that could be an option for the squad, has been in Blues dev system (and Auckland) heard he was very close to nabbing a super contract this year (not with Blues)
I'm a big fan of his, huge motor on him and accurate.
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@Duluth Taramai is gone apparently. Wouldn't be surprised if Nanson misses a lock/loose-forward spot.
Only thing I've seen about Fa'anana-Shultz was in this Australian article, which is hardly conclusive.
Rebels lose young star, Sydney Uni clash
Southern Districts will have to do without the services of Jamason Fa’anana-Shultz for the rest of the season...
The Waratahs decided against taking him on but two New Zealand-based Super Rugby clubs, believed to be the Hurricanes and the Blues, have swooped, with both the Wellington and Auckland-based clubs said to be keen on his services.
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@Duluth I have only watched two Ta$man games so far but I like the look of Shannon Frizzell. His brother plays for the St George Dragons and the Kangaroos I believe. If there is a spot open at the Blues and if he hasn't been picked for another franchise yet, they should look at him. He can play 6,8 and lock which is always useful in a squad make-up.
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Its a travesty when you think of some of the players that have been either playing in Auckland,wether it be at secondary schools or club level or in the case of players that were in the Blues squad.
Solomon Alaimalo who was in the Blues development squad last year,but was offered a wider training squad contract,hence he went to the chiefs..
God I could right a list,Taleni Seu same deal,offered a wider training contract,decided to go to the chiefs,watched him play for G/Tech back in Auckland club rugby back in 2015,you could see he was an outstanding prospect even then.Suia Halanukonuka is another example of a tighthead prop who also played for G/Tech who was told by the Blues he was too fat,and not fit enough,but considered one of the best tighthead scrummaging props in Auckland club rugby.went to the Highlanders via Counties Manukau & Ta$man.
Even Aaron Smith was in the Blues wider training squad in 2010,what a screw up that one was..
This is only a handful of examples from the Blues not having the foresight or ability to select a half decent player if they tried.
Just on the other side of the coin,I can remember when the Blues signed Toby Morland,and for Auckland,an Andy Dalton special..!,Morland was not even the starting halfback at Otago..signed the same year Aaron Smith was in the Blues wider training squad..
And what makes it worse,Ant Strahan was the high performance manager,you would think he would be able to spot a half decent halfback...!
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2018:
Its a travesty when you think of some of the players that have been either playing in Auckland,wether it be at secondary schools or club level or in the case of players that were in the Blues squad.
Solomon Alaimalo who was in the Blues development squad last year,but was offered a wider training squad contract,hence he went to the chiefs..
God I could right a list,Taleni Seu same deal,offered a wider training contract,decided to go to the chiefs,watched him play for G/Tech back in Auckland club rugby back in 2015,you could see he was an outstanding prospect even then.Suia Halanukonuka is another example of a tighthead prop who also played for G/Tech who was told by the Blues he was too fat,and not fit enough,but considered one of the best tighthead scrummaging props in Auckland club rugby.went to the Highlanders via Counties Manukau & Ta$man.
Even Aaron Smith was in the Blues wider training squad in 2010,what a screw up that one was..
This is only a handful of examples from the Blues not having the foresight or ability to select a half decent player if they tried.
Just on the other side of the coin,I can remember when the Blues signed Toby Morland,and for Auckland,an Andy Dalton special..!,Morland was not even the starting halfback at Otago..signed the same year Aaron Smith was in the Blues wider training squad..
And what makes it worse,Ant Strahan was the high performance manager,you would think he would be able to spot a half decent halfback...!
So @Steven-Harris do you reckon that selection and pathway issues are the root cause of the Blues problems (and now that has filtered back to Auckland as well?)
Is it poor selection abilities and lack of longer term planning or is it more that they struggle to see the wood for the trees?Edit: Looking at the latest Sec Schools selection I wonder if there are actually any trees as well
The region seems to be in a mess.
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2018:
Suia Halanukonuka is another example of a tighthead prop who also played for G/Tech who was told by the Blues he was too fat,and not fit enough,but considered one of the best tighthead scrummaging props in Auckland club rugby.went to the Highlanders via Counties Manukau & Ta$man.
An Auckland scrum with Halanukonuka, Tamoaieta, Hodgman, and Manu as the props would be rather more impressive.
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@Crucial Someone needs to remind all the so called people who have been involved in Blues & Auckland Rugby,that the games still starts up front.
You look at a team like the highlanders,not the biggest pack around,but they work their arses off when they have the ball,and even harder when they are in defence.
Takes a very good selector/coach to work what sort of player he wants,and how he could gel them together..
I suspect both the Blues & Auckland have missed a trick.Dave Rennie in his first year with the chiefs showed what an absolute genius he was picking a squad that had several players or more outside the chiefs franchise..and we all know how that season panned out..!
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@Steven-Harris The other one that gets me recently is having Michael Fatialofa get away to the Canes. The guy came back to Auckland (where he was an age grade star) for the specific reason to crack Super Rugby. Blues were in dire need of locks and this was in the leadup to Tana's first year. A woeful decision was made (I think prior to the NPC) to sign Hoani Matenga (an absolute journeyman who didn't even play NPC and biggest claim to fame involves being involved in Six60) which meant they did not have room to sign Fatialofa. Fatialofa goes on to have an outstanding NPC, look every inch a Super Rugby quality player, and goes on to win Canes rookie of the year honours. What the actual fuck.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2018:
Michael Fatialofa
Apparently he's with the Hurricanes next year too, sadly enough.
"I was stoked to even get a cap for the Hurricanes. I went down there not knowing if I would get an opportunity. To end up playing most of the games and starting in the finals was a big achievement for me. I enjoyed playing with those boys, guys like Dane Coles and Victor Vito," says the Ponsonby second-rower, who has two more seasons to run on his Hurricanes contract.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11702926
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@Tim Yep I don't see him coming back. Thankfully the Blues have a decent set of locks themselves now finally.
Blues need to throw everything at Enari for the 3rd halfback role - 3 year contract - whatever it takes. Cripes the kid is related to Michael Jones and Eroni Clarke.
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be interesting to know if they record detailed stats around players that go from Dev/WTG squads into fully contracted players from the Franchises (like those in the Blues Dev/WTG that go on to the Blues or if they go to which other teams, Chiefs Dev/WTG to Chiefs or which other teams and so on)
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2018:
be interesting to know if they record detailed stats around players that go from Dev/WTG squads into fully contracted players from the Franchises (like those in the Blues Dev/WTG that go on to the Blues or if they go to which other teams, Chiefs Dev/WTG to Chiefs or which other teams and so on)
Funny. After all these years when you Northland supporters pissed and moaned about your lot not making the Blues squad, you may actually have a legitimate argumant for the first time!
