Chiefs 2019
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So it looks like Sam McNicol won't be in the Chiefs squad next season.
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@stargazer Sheesh that's rough. Medically cleared but not cleared. Good to see he's involved with the Magpies still this year even though he's not playing.
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@nepia said in Chiefs 2019:
@stargazer Sheesh that's rough. Medically cleared but not cleared. Good to see he's involved with the Magpies still this year even though he's not playing.
I think the reporting there may be a little mangled as far as the Chiefs 2019 goes.
Sounds to me like they have taken the HB quote that he won't be playing until ITM 2019 as meaning he won't be playing Super as well.
Makes much more sense if you think he has been given a full year to recuperate and work his way back under stronger medical/conditioning guidance at a pro level than he will get at provincial level.Pretty sensible approach really. If his situation happened to a kid of mine I would be advising him to pack it in. If the professionals are telling him that there will be no long term damage as long as he allows plenty of healing time and close monitoring then good on him for sticking it out.
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McNicol was in a really bad way after the Suva concussion. I doubt he'll be risked in the 2019 super rugby comp.
Need to sign Stevenson ASAP and likely Sullivan and Nanai-Seturo as outside back cover.
@cgrant Kautai is signed for next year. Graham is off contract and given he isn't going to be playing for Taranaki he should be the prop to miss out. Moli will be used more as a LH, as per the AB coaches wishes.
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I don't know whether there is surplus at loosehead. Hames is not sure to recover from his concussion while Tim Perry, though sound, is not a worldclass prop. That leaves Karl T and Joe Moody there, compared to the tight head where the queue looks longer (Franks, Ofa T, Laulala, JTA and maybe Fidow for the long term).
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@bones Hansen has made comments going back to the 2017 EOYT. I don't think Moli will be playing exclusively at LH but they seem to be indicating that want him to play there as well as at TH.
Let's see what happens with the Waikato team as Toby Smith should be the first-choice LH.
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@cgrant said in Chiefs 2019:
I don't know whether there is surplus at loosehead. Hames is not sure to recover from his concussion while Tim Perry, though sound, is not a worldclass prop. That leaves Karl T and Joe Moody there, compared to the tight head where the queue looks longer (Franks, Ofa T, Laulala, JTA and maybe Fidow for the long term).
Lindenmuth?
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@booboo said in Chiefs 2019:
@cgrant said in Chiefs 2019:
I don't know whether there is surplus at loosehead. Hames is not sure to recover from his concussion while Tim Perry, though sound, is not a worldclass prop. That leaves Karl T and Joe Moody there, compared to the tight head where the queue looks longer (Franks, Ofa T, Laulala, JTA and maybe Fidow for the long term).
Lindenmuth?
Agree with logic, but having two world class scrummagers is about all one can expect on each side. We have two/three at LH and one/two at TH. Laulala has NMS syndrome and Ofa and JTA are holding operations at scrum time.
BTW Franks has been a weapon since getting back to full fitness. Messed the Beast up properly against the Sharks. He will be badly missed.
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@cgrant said in Chiefs 2019:
Lomax is another THP who must be watched with attention next year. He has improved a lot lately after being rather "meh" in the early rounds.
Has he improved a lot lately? Genuine question.
I haven't taken notice of him since the Maori ABs tour last November where he and the Maori scrum were getting minced.
He was almost single handedly keeping alive the French scrummaging myth .....
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@bones said in Chiefs 2019:
@cgrant Franks will be off soon, JTA is not world class either and where the hell is Laulala...to be honest I'd forgotten about him.
Franks seems like he's been around forever, but he's only 30. Depending on whether he wants an overseas adventure, it's just possible he could do another RWC cycle.
