Blues 2019
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@daffy-jaffy said in Blues 2019:
@tim I will be happy to get Stevenson but the sad part is he will likely replace Trainor in the squad who has shown promise this year (after looking a bit frail and error prone previously) and has more pace and potential than Collins (Who should move to midfield cover, he is best at 12 where he started his carrier). Of course Trainor may be picked up elsewhere and is also only 21 years old so has time on his side.
Rumour of a Trainor/Stevenson swap?
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@kirwan It think it was Steven Harris a few weeks ago said he heard through his grapevine that Manu had signed with the chiefs. It would be a shame because the Blues are in need of a quality outside centre. I don't see Nonu and SBW starting together too often, rather I see them sharing the 12 shirt as they 'manage' SBW through to the world cup. That leaves a very green Tele'a as the only signed 13 that we know about.
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@kiwimurph said in Blues 2019:
Compared to Collins he would walk in and be a star.
Yes it's obvious why Blues fans would be happy with his signing.
Currently the squad has one specialist fullback and he's not really up to standard. He's a fringe SR player.. the type of guy who is useful to have around when there's injuries.
The only other fullback options in the current squad are primarily wingers (Duffie & Nanai).
Or a flyhalf who the jury is out on as a SR player (Perofeta)Stevenson would be a big improvement on the current situation. Another tick for Coventry if it happens. He should have been appointed head coach.
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@stargazer I think given the pay parity I would say Rayasi would be all over a super contract,to me the Blues were in too much of a hurry to sign Caleb Clark when you look at Rayasi he seems to have way more strings to his bow.
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@steven-harris Pretty much. It's hard for the Blues as they have so much media pressure on them to sign players otherwise you hear the same old garbage of how they've let yet another player slip through the ranks any time an Aucklander turns out for someone else but yes we have jumped the gun on Caleb Clarke unfortunately. Not saying he's not gonna be a great player, but he just reminds me of Tevita Li from what I've seen and needs to develop in the lower grades instead of being forced to learn on the job at Mitre 10/SR level because of the investment we've already put in him.
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@cgrant I don't think anyone is denying that. But in the mean time while your developing him a better player is out working 40 hour weeks or getting scouted by someone else. A 19 year old doesn't need 100k a year to develop. In Hoskins telea and clarke and others... it is the opportunity cost that hurts most as the blues need immediate results
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@duluth said in Blues 2019:
@kiwimurph said in Blues 2019:
Compared to Collins he would walk in and be a star.
Yes it's obvious why Blues fans would be happy with his signing.
Currently the squad has one specialist fullback and he's not really up to standard. He's a fringe SR player.. the type of guy who is useful to have around when there's injuries.
The only other fullback options in the current squad are primarily wingers (Duffie & Nanai).
Or a flyhalf who the jury is out on as a SR player (Perofeta)Stevenson would be a big improvement on the current situation. Another tick for Coventry if it happens. He should have been appointed head coach.
Can’t you and Kirwan agree to share the broken record award?
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@crucial said in Blues 2019:
@duluth said in Blues 2019:
@kiwimurph said in Blues 2019:
Compared to Collins he would walk in and be a star.
Yes it's obvious why Blues fans would be happy with his signing.
Currently the squad has one specialist fullback and he's not really up to standard. He's a fringe SR player.. the type of guy who is useful to have around when there's injuries.
The only other fullback options in the current squad are primarily wingers (Duffie & Nanai).
Or a flyhalf who the jury is out on as a SR player (Perofeta)Stevenson would be a big improvement on the current situation. Another tick for Coventry if it happens. He should have been appointed head coach.
Can’t you and Kirwan agree to share the broken record award?
I thought I had a shot with the Tongan but we all know Rancid is streaks ahead of any other contenders.
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@muddyriver said in Blues 2019:
A 19 year old doesn't need 100k a year to develop. In Hoskins telea and clarke and others... it is the opportunity cost that hurts most as the blues need immediate results
I agree but its a general problem across all NZ SR sides, not just the Blues
It seems in the last couple of years there has been more of a rush to lock in potential stars before they are poached. All franchises are signing players before they have delivered at NPC level.
Also the type of contracts young guys are getting is changing too - Billy Proctor with a five year deal. There's rumours of an unproven young player getting a six year contract (not for the Blues)The key thing is making the right choices. At the same time Clarke was signed, they also signed Dalton Papali'i. Other franchises were sniffing around.. you can imagine the headlines if he was lost to another franchise. Unfortunately Hanks, Umaga and Kirwan before them have made too many wrong bets
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I am not sure what the answer to locking into the latest current "hotshot schoolboy star" to prevent others latching their mits onto him. If they kid is not ready to put in a full shift at the next level frankly they should not be rewarded for that. We are blessed in NZ with an almost never ending supply of "hotshot schoolboy stars" emerging virtually every year. You might "miss" one one year but there will almost inevitably be another emerge in the not too distant future. Should you sign up a guy to a contract for two or three years you will night have trouble finding a spot for the next up and comer simply because there is nothing to offer them contract wise. They won't hang around waiting and will inevitably take any offer made to them by other NZ Super Teams. Almost a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation if you lose a guy that turns out to be a superstar elsewhere and face the scorn of your supporters for passing on that player. If only we had the ability to see into the future?
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@duluth It's a tough business being a Super coach and especially being the coach of the weakest franchise.
I think this is where the Exodus is hurting us.
If you're looking for talent among the Mitre10 Cup teams, there's virtually no experienced players who are up to Super rugby standard that aren't already signed.
So you're pretty much locked into either a well-timed poach from another franchise, or signing promising youngsters.
That's not all bad. I reckon a well-balanced squad will have 23 starting players - probably another 10 players with good experience as the rotation/injury cover - leaving, say, five spots for development/project players.
One problem with this theory is that there's a heap of derby games that are played at near test match intensity, so the 10 guys as injury cover aren't really enough. So the teams are either having to field their development players in games where they're out of their depth, or they're having to call up guys from outside the squad - as well as "over-using" key guys who remain fit.
Probably seeing this with e.g. Sam Whitelock and Codie Taylor, who look like they're running a bit on fumes to me.
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Watching Micheal Collins yesterday for Otago,he actually looked the slowest of all the Otago outside backs..
Thought even Faddes is deceptively quick...if the Blues can sign Stephenson given that I would imagine Alaimalo and McKenzie will be sharing the fullback duties,I would take SS if the opportunity arose. -
@steven-harris Scotty S. made a comment during the game today that Stevenson's future "was secured down the motorway" so I don't think he will be leaving the cheifs.
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He's a bit of a mixed bag is Stevenson. Has a massive boot though and will get better with age I feel.
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@african-monkey I actually thought Trainor outplayed him today. Trainors pace, positional play and support play are excellent. He gets out muscled occasionally due to being so slight but he is brave enough so this should improve as he continues to mature and bulk up.
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@daffy-jaffy Trainor's clean up work at the back this year has been fantastic so far. He's improved out of sight after he was horrendous for us last season.
