Highlanders 2021
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@KiwiMurph he was before getting injured, some of us were a but surprised because we thought Hunt was as good if not better when both 100%, he's not now and so will have a fight on his hands
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@macmanus said in Highlanders 2021:
@Stargazer Who will be in the WTG?
Tucker, Nu’u, Arscott, McDowall, Vahaakolo??
Nel and Charles Alaimalo also for loosies. Surely Timu is one the backs.
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Absolutely flabbergasted that the Highlanders and NZ Rugby would sign a 36 year old former All Black Lock who could not hold a place in the match day 23 for Hawkes Bay while a 23 year old by the name of Sam Caird who was outstanding for the Northland Taniwha , and I mean outstanding..has to go to the Waratahs to pick up a contract ..even Jack Whetton would have been a much better option ..
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Some snippets from the article below about Folau Fakatava, which is behind a pay-wall:
While he's loved his two years down south absorbing Smith's vast knowledge, Fakatava knows his path to a regular start is blocked. When the time comes to decide where to next, there will be no shortage of suitors for the future All Blacks halfback. "I have one more year with the Landers and we'll see what happens from there," Fakatava said as he prepares to link with Highlanders playmaker Josh Ioane for Moana Pasifika. "I'll look around for somewhere I can play some footy but I don't know yet."It's good to learn from Aaron but at the end of the day I need game time. You can't argue with that because he's the best but I'll hang around next year and see what happens. They reckon they'll give me more game time next year but we'll see.He seems to be interested in the new Pasifika team that might be joining the SR competition in 2022.
Liam Napier calls him a future All Black, and many of us would like to see that happen sooner rather than later, but it's still a big question which country he'll want to represent at test level.
The chance to represent Tonga, where Fakatava grew up before gaining a scholarship to Hastings' Boys High School, is close to his heart.Oh, and the mullet might go at the end of the year.
The next Aaron Smith? The rising Super Rugby star set to be in hot demand
Standout player will be in hot demand with NZ Super teams next year.
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@Stargazer if we loose him to someone like the Pasifika team then thats not bad, would be cool to see him head back to his roots, will be a bit disappointed if we cant put up as good an offer as other NZ teams, nuggy is getting on, surely we'll look to the future
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@Steven-Harris Yeah hate signings like that especially when there are plenty of locks out there without contracts.
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@African-Monkey the Jack Whetton one blows me away , I thought he did very well with the Landers , and was playing very well for Auckland pre his injury
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2021:
This is the trade off when you sign NMS. He's taking up a spot of a talented
youngsterplayer.FIFY
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@Steven-Harris Whetton want more game time. Brown want experience. I would like, Caird, Choat, Parsons or Lamborn ( he deserved the Himeno’s spot)
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@Steven-Harris said in Highlanders 2021:
@African-Monkey the Jack Whetton one blows me away , I thought he did very well with the Landers , and was playing very well for Auckland pre his injury
I thought whetton played well, really stepped up after Dicksons injury
hard to know if he was lured away to the tahs or if he found the gig after we said we didn't want him
I think we have to keep in mind, Evans might have been happy to play a secondary role where some of these younger guys might not and rather than healthy competition you just get some resentment
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I've been a bit slow catching up with up with all that has been written in the media around the squad announcements.
Maybe someone already mentioned this, but this cought my eye:The return of Thomas Umaga-Jensen – who Brown said had turned himself into a 113kg midfield “beast" – will give the Highlanders midfield more punch.
Brown told Stuff that Umaga-Jensen would start the preseason trials as the preferred No 12 with Paea his midfield partner.
Alaimalo will provide some size in the wider channels, and Brown said Alaimalo would be given every opportunity to nail down his preferred No 15 jersey.
So he prefers a TU-J and Paea midfield over Tomkinson (and Collins). Sounds good.
Also, he seems to prefer Alaimalo at 15, which would presumably send Mitch Hunt to the bench (ifJosh Ioane starts at 10). It could also mean that Collins will end up on the bench or out of the 23 entirely.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.”And this about the role of Bryn Evans:
Evans has returned to New Zealand after a long spell overseas and Brown said he wanted the former All Black to "mentor" the likes of Pari Pari Parkinson and Manaaki Selby-Rickit.
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Oh if Squire could jump and push in the scrum, at 1.96m he has a Brad Thornesque height and could model himself on Kevin Skinner in the lineouts..
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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
