AB EOYT 2018
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@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018:
@tim said in AB EOYT 2018:
I had to get up at 5am this morning, and I am not in the mood.
and with one comment, the Fern turned in to my marriage...
So, yesterday was selection whinge day. Lets actually look forward to the tour.
Anyone genuinely expect us to drop a game? The England game was being hyped for a couple of years, but that all dropped away, and now it appears Ireland are the big threat.
Will we turn in our almost customary dead-rubber fuck around v the Wobblies to kick everything off?
Selection-wise, will it be A Team; C Team, A Team, A Team, B Team?
And lets pick one player whose stocks will rise, and one whose will fall in the next month.
Excluding the extra 19 players and focusing on the 32-man squad:
Stocks will rise:
Patrick Tuipulotu.
He's shown signs of getting back to his best during TRC, and if he can get his ball security right I can see him coming on and wrecking some havoc in the final 20. He's an absolute beast of a man.Stocks will fall:
Aaron Smith.
Hurts to say it, but he's been on the decline recently, despite his bullet pass. I think TJP has all but surpassed him now.If I can expand that to more players:
Rise: Ardie, Goodhue, Papalii, Karl T, Ofa T
Fall: Crotty, SBW, Naholo -
@no-quarter said in AB EOYT 2018:
I think TJP has all but surpassed him now.
yea, not so sure about that. TJP still has that erratic as fuck pass. And the last thing our chosen 10 needs is even less time to make decisions (actually check that, maybe making him play off instinct only is the key). And A Smith is still our best organiser. And is still the more accurate kicker.
TJP is better if we are getting bossed at the rucks though, he's bigger, and has a good running game.
I like their one-two punch combo at the moment, especially now that TJP is way less excitable.
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@mariner4life fair call. I think A Smith struggled against SA (well the whole team did, but he wasn't helping). TJP probably more suited against them and I think potentially Ireland as well given I can see our pack taking a bit of a beating in that match. I don't think A Smith has really recaptured his pre-toilet form, at least not consistently.
TJP on the other hand has definitely been on an upward curve.
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Stocks will rise:
Akira Ioane: After all the other AB loose forwards aside from Read and Papalii are mass injured like the Royal Family being wiped out in the John Goodman movie King Ralph, and after every loose forward left in NZ is having an off season operation, Akira will be promoted and become a one man wrecking machine carrying four England defenders over the line for the game winning try and pushing an Ireland ruck from our 22 to their 22 and effecting a turnover at the next tackle to set up the winning try. Hansen will say he was adequate.Real pick: I'll have to go with @No-Quarter and pick Patty T. Since he's returned we've all seen why he was kept around when he had all his issues (that some were claiming would end his AB career permanently) and I think he's going to leap frog Barrett as our 3rd lock behind the two legends.
Stocks will drop: I'll disagree with @No-Quarter here as I think class is permanent and Smith will bounce back (to Smith I'd say just play, don't Flapanara - see how much better TJ has been since he stopped doing it). I can't really think of anyone obvious so I think it will be one of Jordie, SBW and Crotty. But in saying that all three could come good. I think SBW and Crotty's issue stem from being injured all the time, a good run of games for both could see them firing. Jordie came in with a lot of hype and hasn't always lived up to it (while getting an easier ride from the armchair fans than other youngish ABs) and his stocks appear to have already have dropped a bit. This tour will see whether they're in free fall or it was just a blip.
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@no-quarter said in AB EOYT 2018:
@mariner4life fair call. I think A Smith struggled against SA (well the whole team did, but he wasn't helping). TJP probably more suited against them and I think potentially Ireland as well given I can see our pack taking a bit of a beating in that match. I don't think A Smith has really recaptured his pre-toilet form, at least not consistently.
TJP on the other hand has definitely been on an upward curve.
I said at the time A Smith was terrible for the first 50 minutes, but he actually came good, and was the spark that started us going (some kicking accuracy really helped). Then TJ came on was perfectly what we needed
It's easier to be on an upward curve from a low base...
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@machpants said in AB EOYT 2018:
I reckon we'll lose the Ireland test, they'll be too tired and Ireland have the ability to smoother the ABs, otherwise we'll win the other four
Get fucked!
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@machpants said in AB EOYT 2018:
I reckon we'll lose the Ireland test, they'll be too tired and Ireland have the ability to smoother the ABs, otherwise we'll win the other four
We finished over the top of them in Dublin the last time they were fired up. Was a great test.
If we bring our A game, we win. Same as every week. The challenge is getting up for it, week on week.
They've got Italy and then Argentina as warmups. Goign to be tasty!
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Yeah if we bring our a game, when we the last time that happened? Boks in North harbour or maybe first lions test? ABs have been flat track bullies, really, and crap against smothering defence teams - Ireland are much better than the boks at that. I agree the a game will beat anyone, but we were supposed to bring that in SA...
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@machpants IReland still need to turn up with thier A game too.
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@taniwharugby said in AB EOYT 2018:
@machpants IReland still need to turn up with thier A game too.
I'll just leave this here.
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@nepia said in AB EOYT 2018:
Stocks will rise:
Akira Ioane: After all the other AB loose forwards aside from Read and Papalii are mass injured like the Royal Family being wiped out in the John Goodman movie King RalphJohn Goodman made a movie about Caleb?
...and Zara?
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@kirwan said in AB EOYT 2018:
Most concerned about Ireland. If we bring our cute game plan they could feed off our mistakes like in 2013
Yeah their pack, especially back row, will be a match for ours and they have decent enough backs. Murray is probably out so that weakens their halves. Will be a tight game I reckon.
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@machpants said in AB EOYT 2018:
I reckon we'll lose the Ireland test, they'll be too tired and Ireland have the ability to smoother the ABs, otherwise we'll win the other four
Taylor and Whitelock aside, the rest of our first choice forwards have not played a lot of footy over the last couple of months and should be pretty fresh. I don't think fatigue will be a factor this time around.
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If Akira was almost certain not to play and he has on-field work ons that the selectors have told him about, then I reckon him playing for the Maori makes a lot more sense than holding tackle bags.
Surprised a lot more hasn't been made of the completely left field selection of Cameron. I'm pretty ignorant of his potential but would've thought there were at least 2-3 guys ahead of him.
I picked Papalii as an AB after watching him play like the only Blues player that cared late season. Seems like a well rounded and versatile player, but perhaps more importantly one with a bit of mongrel and hunger too. Leadership potential?
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I reckon with Cameron they're playing the long game. Yes there are better players but only because of experience, maybe they see his future being brighter then those currently ahead of him. So maybe for next rwc cycle. Just a guess tho haven't noticed him at all.
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Re Cameron.
Was he an age grade "star" at all?
Don't follow a lot of age grade or school boy stuff (ie., hardly any except for under 20s tournies, and then I forget them ... ), but am wondering if he showed up as a kid?
