What is the best AB Midfield?
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@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman as soon as someone dismisses Crotty as lacking physicality, it makes me start to think they don't really know what they're talking about. When they then throw in ALB in the lacking basket and promptly offer up Ngatai as the opposite, it confirms it.
Ngatai can do anything Bones. He's fucken AWESOME and he doesn't even need to play to prove this. Hes a SBW/Nonu/Crotty/Smith/ALB hybrid. Sometimes I wonder if you actually read the fern bro?
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@mn5 said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman as soon as someone dismisses Crotty as lacking physicality, it makes me start to think they don't really know what they're talking about. When they then throw in ALB in the lacking basket and promptly offer up Ngatai as the opposite, it confirms it.
Ngatai can do anything Bones. He's fucken AWESOME and he doesn't even need to play to prove this. Hes a SBW/Nonu/Crotty/Smith/ALB hybrid. Sometimes I wonder if you actually read the fern bro?
He's a bit overhyped, but to be fair to him he was carving it up in 2015 and 2016. SInce then the horror injuries have been terrible for him.
Remember, after Smith he was very much the 'heir apparent' to slot into the midfield. Seemed to have vision, defensive quality and a good distribution and kicking skillset along with some pace. Unfortunately it appears he is made of porcelain.
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Long term, I think Laumape looks like the second to play best off Barrett. He's the player I'd be really looking to develop - possibly even for 2019, but probably for 2023. Outside him, I think we have two good long term options in Barrett and Goodhue, plus over time I won't be surprised to see Ioane move there by 2023 (but not until after 2019 I hope).
I think that SBW is doing OK, but if I were dropping one midfielder, it would be him. He's not really adding much on attack (despite really upping his defensive safeness) with Barrett. Our midfield looked best with Crotty and ALB, and IMO we'd be more dangerous with SBW off the bench.
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@nzzp said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@mn5 said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman as soon as someone dismisses Crotty as lacking physicality, it makes me start to think they don't really know what they're talking about. When they then throw in ALB in the lacking basket and promptly offer up Ngatai as the opposite, it confirms it.
Ngatai can do anything Bones. He's fucken AWESOME and he doesn't even need to play to prove this. Hes a SBW/Nonu/Crotty/Smith/ALB hybrid. Sometimes I wonder if you actually read the fern bro?
He's a bit overhyped, but to be fair to him he was carving it up in 2015 and 2016. SInce then the horror injuries have been terrible for him.
Remember, after Smith he was very much the 'heir apparent' to slot into the midfield. Seemed to have vision, defensive quality and a good distribution and kicking skillset along with some pace. Unfortunately it appears he is made of porcelain.
Are you saying he gets shit on a lot?
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based on this and comments in other threads, is ALOT of expectation heaped on Goodhues shoulders now!
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@crucial said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@nzzp said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@mn5 said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman as soon as someone dismisses Crotty as lacking physicality, it makes me start to think they don't really know what they're talking about. When they then throw in ALB in the lacking basket and promptly offer up Ngatai as the opposite, it confirms it.
Ngatai can do anything Bones. He's fucken AWESOME and he doesn't even need to play to prove this. Hes a SBW/Nonu/Crotty/Smith/ALB hybrid. Sometimes I wonder if you actually read the fern bro?
He's a bit overhyped, but to be fair to him he was carving it up in 2015 and 2016. SInce then the horror injuries have been terrible for him.
Remember, after Smith he was very much the 'heir apparent' to slot into the midfield. Seemed to have vision, defensive quality and a good distribution and kicking skillset along with some pace. Unfortunately it appears he is made of porcelain.
Are you saying he gets shit on a lot?
This post deserves 100 likes
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@gt12 we have such a log jam of talent in the midfield for the next 5-10 years.
ALB, JBarrett, Goodhue, Laumape, Rieko Ioane (although he could be the next Umaga - wing until he loses some pace at about 27 years of age, and then a move into the centres)
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@crucial said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@nzzp said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@mn5 said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman as soon as someone dismisses Crotty as lacking physicality, it makes me start to think they don't really know what they're talking about. When they then throw in ALB in the lacking basket and promptly offer up Ngatai as the opposite, it confirms it.
Ngatai can do anything Bones. He's fucken AWESOME and he doesn't even need to play to prove this. Hes a SBW/Nonu/Crotty/Smith/ALB hybrid. Sometimes I wonder if you actually read the fern bro?
He's a bit overhyped, but to be fair to him he was carving it up in 2015 and 2016. SInce then the horror injuries have been terrible for him.
Remember, after Smith he was very much the 'heir apparent' to slot into the midfield. Seemed to have vision, defensive quality and a good distribution and kicking skillset along with some pace. Unfortunately it appears he is made of porcelain.
Are you saying he gets shit on a lot?
In some posts; in other's he's shitting rainbows while unicorns prance around and free beer is handed out.
Poor bastard just needs some injury free tie playing I reckon
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I would probably leave Reiko where he is for now ,
For no other reason than he is the best 11 in NZ , arguably the world , so that problem is solved
moving him has a bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul about it
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@kiwiinmelb Yeah. He's an extremely good winger and has proven it at every level. That is definitely not the case for him at centre. I can't understand why people are so big on moving him.
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@bones said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@kiwiinmelb Yeah. He's an extremely good winger and has proven it at every level. That is definitely not the case for him at centre. I can't understand why people are so big on moving him.
Agree. Maybe he could do a Tana as he gets older but at the moment his point of difference is his skills out wide. Why constrain him by moving him in and forcing him to make lots of tackles which will dull his attacking ability. At the moment he has the ability to gas defenders on the outside in two steps. That is pretty rare so why throw it away.
Once he hits the wall and another young freak comes along he can re-invent himself as a centre. -
@pakman said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@rotated SBW hardly has any cartilage left in one knee. I don't think we want all our eggs in that basket.
And the number of athletes in any sport who come back as good from a full Achilles tear is very low
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@pakman - A bit concerned that Owen Franks will have lost his pace when he returns.Yes he may not score so many tries for the ABs from now on..
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@nostrildamus said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
@pakman - A bit concerned that Owen Franks will have lost his pace when he returns.Yes he may not score so many tries for the ABs from now on..
Was he even in contention for the midfield though?
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Reckon we should nab Nonu before we leave France and get him to do an intensive course with Laumape on timing and pinpoint passing skill of his.
The future midfield combo looks more and more like it is shaping to be Laumape/Goodhue.
I just don't really think SBW/Crotty offers too much by way of a threat - or even a cohesive (despite the French 1st half) midfield anymore. Our wingers deserve a midfield that poses questions of the opposition. -
@crash said in What is the best AB Midfield?:
Reckon we should nab Nonu before we leave France and get him to do an intensive course with Laumape on timing and pinpoint passing skill of his.
The future midfield combo looks more and more like it is shaping to be Laumape/Goodhue.
I just don't really think SBW/Crotty offers too much by way of a threat - or even a cohesive (despite the French 1st half) midfield anymore. Our wingers deserve a midfield that poses questions of the opposition.Yes, Nonu would be great for masterclass. The young Toulon Frenchies rave about him.
Saturday was first time for a while SBW/Crotty didn't have to handle rush defence. I noticed in first half that our backline passing looked good.
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The 12-13 slot seems to have been jinxed by injury for years now - Crotty, Ngatai & Kahui before them have been injury magnets. Hansen has struggled to develop combinations to replace Smith/Nonu since 2012-3.
ALB looks the goods to me but needs a solid midfield general as a partner until he matures a bit. Could be Crotty or Ngatai but certainly ain't SBW.
