Hurricanes 2019 Discussion
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@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
Who is the young kid behind Judd? (on the right)
Can't be 100% sure but it does look like a young guy by the name of Callum Harkin who has been playing at the Wellington Football Club for the last couple of seasons. People may recall watching him play at first five (but also equally adept at halfback) for the Wellington team at the Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament in Taupo this year. Originally out of St. Pats Silverstream and has also spent time at the Ulster Academy in Northern Ireland. Could this be the latest ploy in Wellington's attempts to keep hot shot HB players out in the cold?
That must be the case. McClutchie was one of the revelations of the 2018 M10 Cup season. They simply don't have a good excuse for not asking him to join them for preseason, if they let that Welly lad train with them. But hey, they also signed JGB and not Falcon, last year.
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@Stargazer surely they won't let someone like McLutchie slip through their fingers. He is already better than Garden Bachop and with B Barrett most likely taking a sabatical in 2020 means we need all the play making ability we can get. Like Mo'unga for the Crusaders, McLutchie looks to have that natural playmaking instinct of putting others into space with ease.
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There might be other considerations behind it though. Almost certainly Harkin will not be being paid (think he might be heading to University?) hence might be participating as an amateur and not costing the Hurricanes organization anything whilst he picks up skills and experience that might be useful to them (or one of their major shareholder - Wellington RFU) at some time in the future. McLutchie on the other hand might be working full time and unable (or not prepared to) to give up that income.
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Yeah i'd say they would start the season with 11. Lam 14. Aso 15. Barrett,
but wouldn't be suprised if Plumtree went more conservative through the playoffs (if they make it) and move Barrett to 12, with 11. Lam/Rayasi 14. Aso 15. Marshall. Milner Skudder could slot in there aswell if he finds his electric old self. -
Did Laumape take a shit in your weetbix?
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@gt12 said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
Did Laumape take a shit in your weetbix?
I'm struggling to comprehend how it's conservative to move a player to a position they've very rarely (if at all) played in SR, replace him with someone who's never been an AB and drop an AB.
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@Bones @gt12 Personally I hope J Barrett starts the season at 12 but Laumape deserves the first crack after a solid season with the All Blacks.
Yes Laumape is a punishing runner and can break a game open by himself but does he have the capability to tactically win a championship and do it against teams like the Crusaders? To me he doesn't and I think J Barrett, with his size, big boot, flat accurate passing ability and that cool, calm and collected demeanor is a better long term inside midfield candidate and could really unleash those Hurricanes weapons like Aso, Rayasi and Lam, something that the Beauden + Laumape combo have failed to do for two years now against stiff competition in the late stages of the competition.
Yes the tight five are to blame aswell but like Hansen said here
Beauden was probably held back by Laumape's lack of decision making and play-making ability where it really mattered.
So yeah if the Canes are serious about winning the title then my backline would probably look something like this: 9. Perenara 10. B Barrett 11. Rayasi 12. J Barrett 13. Proctor 14. Aso 15. Marshall with the likes of Laumape + Milner Skudder coming on late to break the game open.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
…... I think J Barrett, with his …...cool, calm and collected demenour …
You mean this cool, calm collected demeanour?
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@Canes4life sure, that's your opinion, but it in no way explains Plumtree being conservative by being slightly unorthodox.
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@Crucial His mistake was passing it to a Blues player.
The problem with Barrett is that he hasn't yet played in his most favoured position. He's said that he wants to play there and all the experts including Robertson, Hansen, Smith (funnily all Cantabs) have mentioned through various channels that 12 is most likely his long term position. Just a pain that a quality player like Laumape is preventing him from actually slotting in and getting experience.
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@Bones It's not unorthodox if 12 is his favoured position. J Barrett played age grade and provincial for Canterbury at 12 and showed his class - all I'm asking is that he gets a crack there for the Canes as I think it will be better for the team moving forward. Simple.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@Crucial His mistake was passing it to a Blues player.
I think you'll find he passed it to the ground (in a cool calm manner of course)
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@Bones It's not unorthodox if 12 is his favoured position. J Barrett played age grade and provincial for Canterbury at 12 and showed his class - all I'm asking is that he gets a crack there for the Canes as I think it will be better for the team moving forward. Simple.
Sure, makes sense. Bit like being conservative and playing Cullen at centre.
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@Crucial If he was playing 12 this would never have eventuated.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@Crucial If he was playing 12 this would never have eventuated.
So the plan is to hide him at 12 so he has less time to make dumb decisions and BB can skip pass him straight to Goodhue?
I can see the logic in that. He can use his calm demeanour to run dummy lines.
