Hurricanes 2019 Discussion
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@canes4life I hope so, but the Canes don't have a good reputation in signing (and giving game time to) Hawke's Bay players.
Tim Farrell and Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe are two props who - hopefully - are in the picture, too; the Canes have three golden oldies players in their propping stocks with Smith, May and Eves that need to be replaced.
JGB has only one year on his contract left. Him being left out of the Maori ABs is possibly a sign they're finally discovering that he's not up to a higher level than M10 Cup.
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@stargazer 100% agree with you. Our props are journeyman and like it was last year our scrummaging will once again be our downfall again this year. Tim Farrell probably only misses out because he hasn't played all season, otherwise he would probably have been there instead of May.
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I suppose the selection of players like Bedwell Curtis, Prinsep, Henwood & Mitchell is that Plumtree is probably looking for an old-school, hardworking approach that reflects his coaching style. The only worry for me is that we may be a little undersized in our loosies and probably lack a bit of X-Factor if you take out Fifita & Savea. I think a guy like Teariki Ben Nicholas would have given the loosies more of a balance but after his public altercation a few years ago, I don't think our CEO is a fan.
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@stargazer He seems to be there to make up the numbers, mind you he has a super contract and that is more than any of Tuitama & Umaga Jensen so i'm sure you will be a little pleased.
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@canes4life He'd probably get more game time at Chiefs and esp. the Highlanders. He's a really good player, who just happens to be at the back of a reasonably random queue (he should be ahead of Goosen and probably even Lam).
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@stargazer Hmm i'd say he would still be at the back of the pack in those teams aswell.
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@canes4life Lowe is better than Matt Faddes, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Tevita Li, Tevita Nabura and Josh McKay.
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@stargazer Tevita Nabura yes, but I wouldn't have him ahead of the others.
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@canes4life You probably haven't seen as much from him as I have.
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@canes4life I'd have them all ahead of Tevita Li.
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@canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
I suppose the selection of players like Bedwell Curtis, Prinsep, Henwood & Mitchell is that Plumtree is probably looking for an old-school, hardworking approach that reflects his coaching style. The only worry for me is that we may be a little undersized in our loosies and probably lack a bit of X-Factor if you take out Fifita & Savea. I think a guy like Teariki Ben Nicholas would have given the loosies more of a balance but after his public altercation a few years ago, I don't think our CEO is a fan.
Marino-Tu'u could have given that backrow balance, instead he's down in the Highlanders fighting it out with 5 AB loosies for a spot. Not sure what coaches see in Prinsep, not rated enough by the Crusaders yet can tie up a spot at the Canes.
Re: Lowe. Not sure he's better or worse than any of those others, but if he was a Wellingtonian we wouldn't be having a discussion about whether he'd get a contract or not. TBH, he probably should have declared for the Blues when at school, instead of remaining with the Canes, he might have got more game time.
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@number-10 said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
Devan Flanders told me the three-year contract was : first year as development (covering him in the Under 20's next year) and years two and three are full contracts.
It is eminently possible that others like Kereru-Symes**, Fakatava** and McClutchie have something similar. From a Hawke's Bay perspective I hope so.
One's out already.
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@nepia Yeah I'm really worried how mediocre those loose forwards look. Henwood, Beidwell Curtis & Prinsep won't set the house on fire - I hope that they pull finger but I can see us getting outmuscled through the playoffs - if we make it.
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@canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@nepia Yeah I'm really worried how mediocre those loose forwards look. Henwood, Beidwell Curtis & Prinsep won't set the house on fire - I hope that they pull finger but I can see us getting outmuscled through the playoffs - if we make it.
Yep, how did the Canes not identify Marino-Tu'u a few years back and lock him up? Hell, the Canes got lucky even that Evans wanted to be closer to home. I think that Henwood and Bedwell-Curtis can do a job, as I already said Prinsep is the one who confuses me.
I guess we could be a few injuries away from Flanders getting gametime.
Any other players from the region who have missed out and shouldn't have? (I guess it's only really Wellington and the Poo).
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@daffy-jaffy He's switched from loosehead too.