Highlanders 2021
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@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
So he prefers a TU-J and Paea midfield over Tomkinson (and Collins). Sounds good.
Not sold on Paea, he didn't look all that flash for MP, but a good squad player. Would much prefer Collins to start based on form this year. Great to hear about TUJ though, with Tomkinson seemingly unwilling to change his red card ways. He'd be decent on the bench covering midfield and wing though if he sorted out his discipline.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
So he prefers a TU-J and Paea midfield over Tomkinson (and Collins). Sounds good.
Not sold on Paea, he didn't look all that flash for MP, but a good squad player. Would much prefer Collins to start based on form this year. Great to hear about TUJ though, with Tomkinson seemingly unwilling to change his red card ways. He'd be decent on the bench covering midfield and wing though if he sorted out his discipline.
If TUJ has turned himself into a beast, then a relatively smart player next to him like Collins might be a good pairing.
I think Collins is a bit shit at 15, but looks very serviceable in the midfield.
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@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
@Bones I don't think MP is a good measure of how good a player is, but generally speaking he is still reasonably inexperienced.
It's not just the MP game that has me unconvinced, but that was a level up and most of his moments were pretty ordinary.
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@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
Obviously, I really liked reading this; it might be bad news for Hammington:
Brown signalled that Hawke's Bay halfback Folau Fakatava will play a much greater role in the Highlanders’ campaign in 2021 after a brilliant Mitre 10 Cup season.
“In 2021 he's going to have a real impact on this team," Brown said.
“I know we've got Aaron Smith as our All Black and our starting No 9, but I think with the way that Folau is playing he's going to start putting a lot more pressure on Aaron Smith, and get a lot more game time.”Not that I want to encourage Hawke's Bay fans in any way but...
I think 98% of Highlanders supporters would be happy with Fakatava leapfrogging Hammington in the pecking order. I reckon I've seen Fakatava have as many blinders in the last two months as Hammington has produced in his entire first-class career.
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@Smudge said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
Obviously, I really liked reading this; it might be bad news for Hammington:
Brown signalled that Hawke's Bay halfback Folau Fakatava will play a much greater role in the Highlanders’ campaign in 2021 after a brilliant Mitre 10 Cup season.
“In 2021 he's going to have a real impact on this team," Brown said.
“I know we've got Aaron Smith as our All Black and our starting No 9, but I think with the way that Folau is playing he's going to start putting a lot more pressure on Aaron Smith, and get a lot more game time.”Not that I want to encourage Hawke's Bay fans in any way but...
I think 98% of Highlanders supporters would be happy with Fakatava leapfrogging Hammington in the pecking order. I reckon I've seen Fakatava have as many blinders in the last two months as Hammington has produced in his entire first-class career.
I agree with the first bit but the second but is a little harsh, Hammington has been bloody solid, not going to pull out Smith levels of magic but very rarely has a bad game
Fakatava has great potential though
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@Smudge said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
Obviously, I really liked reading this; it might be bad news for Hammington:
Brown signalled that Hawke's Bay halfback Folau Fakatava will play a much greater role in the Highlanders’ campaign in 2021 after a brilliant Mitre 10 Cup season.
“In 2021 he's going to have a real impact on this team," Brown said.
“I know we've got Aaron Smith as our All Black and our starting No 9, but I think with the way that Folau is playing he's going to start putting a lot more pressure on Aaron Smith, and get a lot more game time.”Not that I want to encourage Hawke's Bay fans in any way but...
I think 98% of Highlanders supporters would be happy with Fakatava leapfrogging Hammington in the pecking order. I reckon I've seen Fakatava have as many blinders in the last two months as Hammington has produced in his entire first-class career.
I agree with the first bit but the second but is a little harsh, Hammington has been bloody solid, not going to pull out Smith levels of magic but very rarely has a bad game
Fakatava has great potential though
Mate of mine calls Hammington "Heartland Hammington" because he reckons that's his level. I wouldn't go that far but I think he lacks any dynamism, which is fine for M10 level but not the next step up.
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@Smudge have to disagreed, think he does main job at super level well enough, gets to the ruck fast and makes the pass, puts in his tackles, runs support
yes, if we're chasing the game and need someone to put the pass straight out into midfield because they've seen a gap no one else has... we need smith and hopefully Fakatava...but if we just want to make sure a prop isn't having to pass it or to make the call to go to the backs or the boot rather than hit it up, Hammington seems comfortable
I might just be use to having to accept less than that and so am happy to have him around
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
but if we just want to make sure a prop isn't having to pass it or to make the call to go to the backs or the boot rather than hit it up,
Listen up all you young halfbacks out there! It may sound unachievable, but the lofty bar has been set.
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@Stargazer just walked by Folau Fakatava on Lambton Quay. Wonder what he's up to in Wellington? Definitely not for the weather atm. Maybe he's shopping around for a Canes contract for next season.
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@Canes4life still be stuck behind Perenara there though. Dude wants to start he needs to go to the Blues or the Crusaders, Chiefs maybe as Weber will be gone but who knows.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer just walked by Folau Fakatava on Lambton Quay. Wonder what he's up to in Wellington? Definitely not for the weather atm.
Ehh, you never leave your home town during your holidays? To visit friends etc?
@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer Maybe he's shopping around for a Canes contract for next season.
Only if they sign McClutchie, too.
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@Canes4life also, I saw Vince Aso in Manukau on Sunday, Chiefs contract?
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good to "hear" Brownie say some of the things we've been talking about
“I know we’ve got Aaron Smith as our All Black and our starting nine, but I think with the way Folau’s playing, he’s going to start to put a lot of pressure on Aaron Smith, and I think he’ll get a lot more game time, and potentially might see him coming on at the backend of games and being a real threat with ball in hand.”
Tony Brown hints at how the Highlanders will line-up in 2021 with new signings and returning stars
Other notable additions to the pack include Maori All Blacks prop Josh Hohneck, three-test Wallabies prop front-rower Jermaine Ainsley, and two-cap All Blacks lock Bryn Evans, both returning to New Zealand after stints overseas.
this is what they propose, not bad on paper
- Ayden Johnstone
- Ash Dixon (cc)
- Jermaine Ainsley
- Pari Pari Parkinson
- Josh Dickson
- Kazuki Himeno
- James Lentjes
- Marino Mikaele-Tu’u
- Aaron Smith (cc)
- Josh Ioane
- Jona Nareki
- Thomas Umaga-Jensen
- Fetuli Paea
- Solomon Alaimalo
- Mitch Hunt
Reserves: - Liam Coltman
- Daniel Lienert-Brown
- Josh Hohneck
- Manaaki Selby-Rickit
- Billy Harmon
- Folau Fakatava
- Michael Collins
- Vilimoni Koroi
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@Kiwiwomble who is Himeno, and what makes anyone think he'll be picked at blindside ahead of an All Black?
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2021:
Alaimalo won't be happy if he ends up playing on the wing. He's also more used to the left wing.
I would kind of love it if he was used at 14, because (1) fuck him [a little bit, for leaving]; and (2) it's probably his best chance of being an AB.
