Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge
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I was thinking whilst watching.
You can see why the Blues struggle.
Parsons is Blues starter and he looked like a club player out there.
Taramai was constantly in the Blues 23 and he did nothing apart from knock a restart on.
With players like this and Collins the Blues struggle.
One of the big factors in coaching is being able to select well.
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@canes4life the ole Wiki only alerts to the announced signings,I think over the next couple of weeks the rumour mill goes into overdrive..if I had a wish list for the Blues,Rayasi,Stephenson and Olmstead would me on that list,not sure what the status on Robbie Abel is,but I would take him before Apisai ,but according to Wiki he has another year to run with the Blues..?
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Steven Harrisreplied to KiwiMurph on 14 Oct 2018, 03:12 last edited by Steven Harris 14 Oct 2018, 03:17
@kiwimurph just need a pack that works their arses off,the Blues pack always seems second or two behind at breakdown..
I think guys like Papalii and Gibson bring a ton of energy,that’s why I am big on Olmstead,perfect man to have in a squad situation..
Hopefully a better forward coach will help..
Sometimes it’s easy to look for answers and afford blame on players that are perceived as not quite being up to this level..
But dare I say it,I have seen many a player leave the Blues franchise and become world beaters at other franchises
Bryn Hall is a great example,he would always cop a lot from Blues supporters that I know,put him in a team that work their arses off..and he gets to develop his game.. -
Canes4lifereplied to Steven Harris on 14 Oct 2018, 03:13 last edited by Canes4life 14 Oct 2018, 03:13
@steven-harris The Blues should go after Waikato hooker Samisoni Tauke’iaho, he is a beast at ITM level and would be a far better pick than Apisai and Parsons.
Yeah Parsons is a battler. He tries hard but lacks the power and speed to really dominate at ITM. If the Blues are going to make the playoffs next year they need to bite the bullet and drop him as Captain.
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@steven-harris heard through the bush telegraph Rayasi may be plying his SR trade with the Canes.
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@nogusta Woohoo, he is a Wellington boy to be fair.
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@nogusta let the rumour mill begin..!
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@steven-harris Haha imagine commentating this front row: 1. TU'INUKUAFE 2. TAUKE'IAHO 3. TU'UNGAFASI
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@canes4life definitely a challenge,luckily I am surrounded by Tongan,Samoan,Cook Island and Irish next door neighbours..
I threw in the Irish,after 20 years I still can’t understand what he’s saying..! -
@nzzp said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
38-15 kick to come. Sensational day out
Was a great game to go watch, good crowd.
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With Leon Macdonald in as backs coach I wouldn't be surprised if Ruru starts at 9 for the Blues. He clearly outplayed Hall today.
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@nogusta said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
@steven-harris heard through the bush telegraph Rayasi may be plying his SR trade with the Canes.
Current (2018) Canes wingers/utility backs were Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Ben Lam, Jonah Lowe, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Peter Umaga-Jenson, and Julian Savea. Savea is obviously a scratching for 2019 so if the rumours are true then Rayasi must be a direct replacement for him. Wonder where that leaves Malo Tuitama who was paraded with great fanfare when earning a Lions contract whilst still a schoolboy.
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@nogusta Please don't upset me with news like that even if it's only a rumour haha
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@steven-harris said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
@canes4life the ole Wiki only alerts to the announced signings,I think over the next couple of weeks the rumour mill goes into overdrive..if I had a wish list for the Blues,Rayasi,Stephenson and Olmstead would me on that list,not sure what the status on Robbie Abel is,but I would take him before Apisai ,but according to Wiki he has another year to run with the Blues..?
This is correct.
The signing (and contract duration) of Shaun Stevenson has never been published.
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@higgins Is Lowe still signed? Minimal gametime this year and been a bit under utilised at the Magpies this NPC ... add to that we know the Canes will cut a Magpies contract pretty quickly (Renton). @Stargazer?
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@higgins Peter Umaga Jensen is probably more a midfield than outside, but has been ravaged with injuries so hasn't been able to prove his worth.
Some may call me crazy but I would prefer Tuitama to Lam. Tuitama is just as deadly with ball in hand but has a far higher work-rate. He has been Wellington's best this year on attack.
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@stargazer Yep, Chiefs or Highlanders would be a good fit if they had spots.
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@nepia Don't think so. He could fit well on that right Blues flank.
My wish list for the Canes wingers would be:
Aso, Milner Skudder, Rayasi, Goosen, (someone with a similar skillset to George Bridge)Purposely left Ben Lam out even though he will be signed. Guys like him don't win titles IMO. Too lazy off the ball.
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@kiwimurph said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
With Leon Macdonald in as backs coach I wouldn't be surprised if Ruru starts at 9 for the Blues. He clearly outplayed Hall today.
I'd start Ruru. He's been very impressive for Auckland.
I'd also sign Robbie Abel and start him. Olmstead needs to be in the squad as well.
Crusaders managed to shed Leon Fukofuka with a year still on his contract, so put in a phone call to the Ashburton District Council and ask Riach how it is done.
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@chris-b said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
I'd start Ruru. He's been very impressive for Auckland.
He passed reallyw ell today, very fast and hard Generally accurate, but speed is critical and impressive
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@chris-b said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
I'd also sign Robbie Abel and start him. Olmstead needs to be in the squad as well.
Abel has a year to go on his Brumbies contract.
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@canes4life Excellent. He's a beast.
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@canes4life Is it a surprise call up as the writer states if we're all predicting it?
Also, he's going to confuse the fudge out of the NH scribes, they'll be sharpening their pens for some poaching fun then they'll take a look at him and see that he doesn't quite look like the profile.
Also also, where does this leave, love of some on the Fern, Blake Gibson - he might not be able to get a start with the Blues next year.
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@nepia said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
@canes4life Is it a surprise call up as the writer states if we're all predicting it?
Also, he's going to confuse the fudge out of the NH scribes, they'll be sharpening their pens for some poaching fun then they'll take a look at him and see that he doesn't quite look like the profile.
Also also, where does this leave, love of some on the Fern, Blake Gibson - he might not be able to get a start with the Blues next year.
Dalton is a better six than seven, so we can play both.
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Dalton Papali'i has come on leaps and bounds during this Mitre 10 campaign. It was a master stroke to get Ted out of retirement and working again with talented youngsters.
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@sparky said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
Dalton Papali'i has come on leaps and bounds during this Mitre 10 campaign. It was a master stroke to get Ted out of retirement and working again with talented youngsters.
I give a lot of credit to Filo Tiatia. It’s fascinating watching so many players from the Blues so much better under these coaches.
Such a shame the Blues board didn’t get rolled before Tana got the pointless one year extension (dead man walking). Changing the coaches can have an immediate positive impact.
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@kiwimurph said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
That bloke playing 8 for Auckland is pretty good too...
Wouldn’t look out of place in a black Maori jersey
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@nepia said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
Also, he's going to confuse the fudge out of the NH scribes, they'll be sharpening their pens for some poaching fun then they'll take a look at him and see that he doesn't quite look like the profile.
Yeah, I immediately imagined in my mind - Stephen Jones spending a few hours writing a scathing piece, then sending it in, attaching a note suggesting the editor to search for a photo of the player in question to attach to the piece... and getting the phone call soon after... "Ah, Stephen... "
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Dalton Papali'i made 23 tackles and 47 metres with the ball in hand in this game. Dillon Hunt made 12 tackles, missed 4 and made just 6 metres.
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@sparky Papali'i was off for the last 10 as well.
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@african-monkey said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
Papali'i was off for the last 10 as well.
only made 1 tackle after he came back on though wasnt it, in the 82nd minute or so...slacker.
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@sparky said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
Dalton Papali'i made 23 tackles and 47 metres with the ball in hand in this game. Dillon Hunt made 12 tackles, missed 4 and made just 6 metres.
And one of those missed tackles was on an off balanced Akira, and cost his side a try.
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@kirwan said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
I give a lot of credit to Filo Tiatia. It’s fascinating watching so many players from the Blues so much better under these coaches.
Such a shame the Blues board didn’t get rolled before Tana got the pointless one year extension (dead man walking). Changing the coaches can have an immediate positive impact.
The last time Auckland had a home semi final was 2015 - the year before Nick White took over. The coach after Nick White also gets a home semi final
Not to shit on White too much, he's a very good scrum coach and maybe he'll be a head coach in the future.
(I suspect Geoff Moon was meant to hand hold White, but MAGs success in 2016 took him away from the Auckland team.. then the team got into a death spiral) -
10 games 46 points
That's the highest regular season total in the first division under this structure (since 2011)
The previous best was Canterbury with 43 points in 2015
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@duluth said in Auckland vs. North Harbour - The Battle of the Bridge:
10 games 46 points
That's the highest regular season total in the first division under this structure (since 2011)
The previous best was Canterbury with 43 points in 2015
So pretty much any other year Ta$man's 43 points would have topped the log.
Fucking Sir Ted! I hope his fucking Waiheke lawn is overgrown and the petrol has gone off in his mower!
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