Highlanders 2021
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@stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
So, question to the Highlanders fans who moaned about the Landers signing an old player like Bryn Evans .. have you changed your mind? He's become a frequent starter and has IMO been bloody good for the team (probably off-field, too). Necessary, because Josh Dickson has been quite disappointing.
“Moaned” is a strong word, I definitely thought we should have brought in one of the younger Otago locks like will tucker…but I can definitely admit to now seeing what I assume the coaches wanted him to bring, he’s brought some steel and experience and proven he’s got a big engine on him, think he’s probably played more minuets than might have originally been planned
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@stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
So, question to the Highlanders fans who moaned about the Landers signing an old player like Bryn Evans .. have you changed your mind? He's become a frequent starter and has IMO been bloody good for the team (probably off-field, too). Necessary, because Josh Dickson has been quite disappointing.
I was probably more disappointed that no one picked up Parsons as he surely deserved a spot. Then I was disappointed in hindsight that we didn’t play Evans more last year as those two and IWL on combo would have been awesome.
His form has been a revelation.
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@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark kind of surprised by how offended you seem by the idea, do you see it as some sort of punishment to play in midfield…players move around in the backline all the time, why are you so against it?
It’s been explained that if CGB was to sign then he might not be seen as first choice in the outside backs and rather than sticking him on the bench there might be a role in midfield he could fill
Between a potential need….and potential physical ability…not sure what other things are used to speculate on playing position…and this whole forum is fantasy, we don’t have actual control over selection and almost every thread end up with some sort of speculation on player selection
I'm not offended by it; I'd just like to see some justification for it other than "he's big-ish and we may not need him at 15". Its not beyond the realm of possibility that he could play 12, but nor is it that experimenting with him there could fuck him up completely. And aside from that, when is he supposed to play there given the Highlanders have four guys ahead of him and Otago will likely use High Shot and Eyeliner there.
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@stargazer said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark "High shot" I get. Who's "Eyeliner"?
Collins. Have you never looked at him and sworn he's wearing eye make-up?
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@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@southernmann said in Highlanders 2021:
Don't get me wrong.
I'd love to have CGB playing for his third province in four years. This time blue and gold.
But, I just want to see him playing rugby.
Although a backline of (if we could snag CGB) would be awesome.
Garden-Bachop
Vahaakolo
Tomkinson/Timu/Gilbert (I think with his size he could be a good midfielder)
Umaga-Jensen
Nareki
Ioane
Hammington21 Arscott
22 Koroi
23 Tomkinson/Timu/GilbertInjury free that would be the best Otago backline we've had in years.
Gilbert in midfield you mean? He's a 10/15.
people can change and given the option at 10/15 and with his size i can see what @SouthernMann is saying, he could punch some holes in midfield, could be a good 12 second 10 kind of player
Physical attributes are all well and good. But do you actually see something in his game that indicates midfield is a better spot for him? Or in his playing background (which would be a no, by the way). Otherwise it's just fantasy.
TBF if he can play 10 and is 6'3", 103kg, he can play 12.
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@smudge said in Highlanders 2021:
Lachie Munro
Back in 2014 the unnamed culprit was you then?
Is this the worst ever split lip? Rugby star Munro's horrific injury
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Lyon back Lachie Munro suffered possibly the worst case of a split lip that has ever been seen while playing against Narbonne.
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@stargazer will be plenty of motivation for the Highlanders if that’s the case with Ash ,..I suspect that same motivation will apply for Michael Collins being his last Super Rugby appearance not to mention a victory over a team he once played for ..
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@antipodean said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@southernmann said in Highlanders 2021:
Don't get me wrong.
I'd love to have CGB playing for his third province in four years. This time blue and gold.
But, I just want to see him playing rugby.
Although a backline of (if we could snag CGB) would be awesome.
Garden-Bachop
Vahaakolo
Tomkinson/Timu/Gilbert (I think with his size he could be a good midfielder)
Umaga-Jensen
Nareki
Ioane
Hammington21 Arscott
22 Koroi
23 Tomkinson/Timu/GilbertInjury free that would be the best Otago backline we've had in years.
Gilbert in midfield you mean? He's a 10/15.
people can change and given the option at 10/15 and with his size i can see what @SouthernMann is saying, he could punch some holes in midfield, could be a good 12 second 10 kind of player
Physical attributes are all well and good. But do you actually see something in his game that indicates midfield is a better spot for him? Or in his playing background (which would be a no, by the way). Otherwise it's just fantasy.
TBF if he can play 10 and is 6'3", 103kg, he can play 12.
Sure, guaranteed. Like a tall 8 or 6 can always play lock. Or a short lock can always play 6.
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@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@antipodean said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2021:
@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
@southernmann said in Highlanders 2021:
Don't get me wrong.
I'd love to have CGB playing for his third province in four years. This time blue and gold.
But, I just want to see him playing rugby.
Although a backline of (if we could snag CGB) would be awesome.
Garden-Bachop
Vahaakolo
Tomkinson/Timu/Gilbert (I think with his size he could be a good midfielder)
Umaga-Jensen
Nareki
Ioane
Hammington21 Arscott
22 Koroi
23 Tomkinson/Timu/GilbertInjury free that would be the best Otago backline we've had in years.
Gilbert in midfield you mean? He's a 10/15.
people can change and given the option at 10/15 and with his size i can see what @SouthernMann is saying, he could punch some holes in midfield, could be a good 12 second 10 kind of player
Physical attributes are all well and good. But do you actually see something in his game that indicates midfield is a better spot for him? Or in his playing background (which would be a no, by the way). Otherwise it's just fantasy.
TBF if he can play 10 and is 6'3", 103kg, he can play 12.
Sure, guaranteed. Like a tall 8 or 6 can always play lock. Or a short lock can always play 6.
The discrepancy between the two isn't as large.
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@stargazer I'd be interested to see how much game time Dickson got to be disappointing in, Vs Evans. Is Selby-Rickett injured?
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@antipodean Garbage. Just because a bloke can catch, kick, tackle and enter the line from fullback, doesn't mean he can create at 12. And in Gilbert's case, he hasn't even played 10 at first class level, let alone 12. So it's pure fantasy at this stage to suggest he could or should transition to 12. Further, I think the initial suggestion was that he could play in midfield which could mean 12 or 13, with 13 being an even greater stretch.
Lastly, most first-fives - some of whom can also play fullback - aren't 12 options. Of the current SR crop I'm looking at Hunt, Ioane, Mo'unga, Burke, Cameron, JGB, McKenzie, Trask, Gatland, Black and Perofeta.
The skills required to shift from 10 to 12 are more than most posess.
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@shark said in Highlanders 2021:
The skills required to shift from 10 to 12 are more than most posess.
I think we have seen how difficult 12 is to play, look how long it took Nonu to own that jersey and then at Goodhue, a classic centre who struggled to impose himself at 12 last year.
I dont see a 10 as a natural fit to move to 12 any more than a 12 could naturally move into 10 (obviously DC was an exception, but even then, it was more early in his career he did this)
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@taniwharugby yes, I believe we're on the same page.
I'm asking my Mexican mates south of the Waitaki to justify why Sam Gilbert should or could move into the midfield. Thus far it's because he's big and can play 10 and 15. When I say he can play 10/15, which they've leapt on, he probably hasn't played 10 since his 1st XV days so in that regard may find himself Josh McKay'd at first class level in that position.
