Blues 2020
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@Tim While Hyland went OK when he was at the Highlanders last season it will annoy me if they've picked a 30 year old journeyman over young explosive prospects like Telea and AJ Lam or if it means Trainor misses out on the back three mix. Then we usually loose those prospects to other teams. Wing is the first position you should be punting on youthful speed and enthusiasm over experienced battlers. I wonder if Telea has returned to the Canes where he was as injury cover last season. I am also worried that they are going to do similar with the midfield. I know Coventry rates Groundwater but really he struggles to make any consistent impact at mitre 10 level and makes too many basic errors for me. As for Goodhue, I am not convinced that he has the drive to succeed at this level. I would pick Pierce, Whetton, Caird, James Tucker, Nee Nee all ahead of him in my team. I hope he proves me wrong.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2020:
While Hyland went OK when he was at the Highlanders last season it will annoy me if they've picked a 30 year old journeyman over young explosive prospects like Telea and AJ Lam or if it means Trainor misses out on the back three mix
Yeah, seems insane to me.
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The Blues had 5 locks that were selected in the 2019 squad
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti,
Josh Goodhue,
Jacob Pierce,
Scott Scrafton,
Patrick TuipulotuBaden Wardlaw I would imagine is a straight swap for Scott Scrafton..
If the James Tucker has been picked up and personally think he would be good signing ..really like the guys work rate ..it possibly means someone has been cut..unless they are going to carry 6 locks ..? -
@Steven-Harris what about Geoff cridge
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@Jonty-lean that would be a surprise..
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@Steven-Harris will he was unwanted cane he can play lock or flanker
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020:
The Blues had 5 locks that were selected in the 2019 squad
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti,
Josh Goodhue,
Jacob Pierce,
Scott Scrafton,
Patrick TuipulotuBaden Wardlaw I would imagine is a straight swap for Scott Scrafton..
If the James Tucker has been picked up and personally think he would be good signing ..really like the guys work rate ..it possibly means someone has been cut..unless they are going to carry 6 locks ..?Tuipulotu, GCT & Wardlow are confirmed
Maybe Pierce has been picked up by another team? That would be disappointing
Another possibility is that Tucker (if signed) is a replacement for Jimmy Tupou. Tucker played a few games at blindside for Waikato and would probably be best suited to that lock/loosie role
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@sparky said in Blues 2020:
@Tim Good idea. NZRU needs to forge closer links with NRL and learn from NRL in the next World Cup cycle
Umm ... why?
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Looks like Lam has been keeping up with Auckland.
The Blues and Auckland have now lost two young opensides(Choat and Havili) who've come through our system. We needed to at least keep one of them. We're now left with one very injury prone openside.
I have a feeling we'll pick up Dillon Hunt. Maybe Karpik will come home?
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@Jonty-lean Off to Japan. See https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/post/397074
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@Dice I agree that its frustrating to loose Choat, especially at 21 years old. I enjoy what he brings to the game and he was improving by the match and was super rugby ready imho. However I also understand his option. Even if he was included in the wtg he probably saw Gibson, Hunt, Papalii and possibly Matich being used at 7 ahead of him and then for future selection sees the likes of Niko Jones and Aleks Dabek coming up behind him. He is probably about to find a Scottish grandmother and will be playing 6 nations in about 12 months!
