Blues 2019
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Also training with the team is young North Harbour lock Danny Dake. Its interesting that Coventry usually started Ben Nee Nee ahead of both Drake and Scott Pierce for Harbour but they both passed him into the Blues squad. I guess on youth and potential, they are 23 and 21 years old.
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@daffy-jaffy said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Also training with the team is young North Harbour lock Danny Dake. Its interesting that Coventry usually started Ben Nee Nee ahead of both Drake and Scott Pierce for Harbour but they both passed him into the Blues squad. I guess on youth and potential, they are 23 and 21 years old.
Have they though? Ben Nee Nee played for Samoa on Sunday morning (NZT), so has maybe just returned from the NH and need a break before he joins the Blues squad?
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@stargazer said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@daffy-jaffy said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Also training with the team is young North Harbour lock Danny Dake. Its interesting that Coventry usually started Ben Nee Nee ahead of both Drake and Scott Pierce for Harbour but they both passed him into the Blues squad. I guess on youth and potential, they are 23 and 21 years old.
Have they though? Ben Nee Nee played for Samoa on Sunday morning (NZT), so has maybe just returned from the NH and need a break before he joins the Blues squad?
Well Jacob Pierce definitely has - he is in the 38 man Blues squad and NeeNee isn't
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Two more 'development' players training with the team are Robb Cobb (NZ U20 prop) and Hawaii Ahokovi (young Pakuranga outside back who played preseason with Auckland).
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@hooroo wasnt there an AB prop who was/is very good at Judo.
Can't recall,, but I think it was John Timu back in the day used to do ballet training for strength and balance.
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@taniwharugby Don't know about Judo, but Joe Moody is a former NZ wrestling rep.
Edited to add that Moody won a junior Commonwealth Games bronze medal (freestyle wrestling) and competed at the world junior championships.
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@stargazer just asked Aunty/Uncle Google...
Was Steve McDowell, coulda gone to Moscow Olympics.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11209385
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@tim I see Lewis Gjaltema and Mike Tamoaieta there. Does anyone recognise the front row looking guy between Umaga and Mafileo?
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@daffy-jaffy Looks like Jarred Adams and Marco Fepulea'i might be in there? Be interested if someone could spot Lua Li.
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@tim I can't pick out Adams or Fepulea'i in the team photo. I have spotted Harrison Groundwater. I think the prop that I could not identify may well be Lua Li as you wondered. Seems to be a lot of 'extra' North Harbour players with the team this week.
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The 13 current replacement players are Mikey Tamoaieta (North Harbour), Luatangi Li (North Harbour), Danny Drake (North Harbour), Evan Olmstead (Auckland), Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa (Auckland), Matt Matich (Northland), Jono Kitto (Northland), Lewis Gjaltema (North Harbour), Jack Heighton (North Harbour), Harrison Groundwater (North Harbour) Hawaii Ahokovi (Auckland), Tomas Aoake ( Ta$man) and Mark Telea (North Harbour). In addition to the replacement group, two young players from the Blues Under-20s who have recently been selected for the New Zealand Under-20 training squad, will join the Blues for 10 weeks fulltime training as part of the Interim Training Contract scheme. They are Rob Cobb (Auckland) and Brad McNaughten (North Harbour). Scott Gregory (Northland) is currently with the NZ Sevens team.
