Blues 2021
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@duluth no he isn’t and no he doesn’t. He lacks the intelligence and skill set required to be an international caliber centre.
Every time he makes a break he hardly ever looks to his outsides because he has the wingers mentality of having a crack himself. He’s been doing it all season.
By all means though the Blues should keep playing him there, they are less dangerous because of it.
He passes. Mostly very well too.
He is obviously trying to take a gap or skin someone when he doesn't. If there is a criticism it would be the decision making, just like most mid fielders. Laumape misses a few opportunities to pass as well.
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@gt12 obviously he passes the ball, what I’m getting at is the effectiveness of his passes and setting up players around him, most importantly his wingers. The fact that Caleb Clarke (one of the most destructive wingers in the game at the moment) hasn’t really made a mark on this competition through lack of ball tells me something.
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe it’s a tactical decision by the Blues not to feed their wingers. Odd to me though when you have someone like Caleb out there waiting to cause havoc.
OR maybe I’m wrong again and it’s actually Caleb not looking for work. I just feel if the Blues are going to get to that next level they must get that area right in their game because both players are potent and the Blues could make the very best teams look silly if they can sort it.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@duluth RIoane isn’t a centre for christ sake. He doesn’t pass the ball. Just look at how ineffective Caleb Clarke has been all year because of Ioane’s inability to turn his blinkers off. I wouldn’t even have Ioane in the AB 23 to be quite honest.
I think Clarkes problem had been he hasn't injected himself anywhere in backline.
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@dan54 said in Blues 2021:
I think Clarkes problem had been he hasn't injected himself anywhere in backline.
It looks like he has tried. The quote from Caleb himself says a lot about how heavily he is marked now. When he moves he is being watched very closely, and he is most likely not just outside Rieko, so blaming Caleb's lack of potency this year on Rieko seems wrong.
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@snowy still, Ioane is a hell of a long way off being an All Black centre, let alone a good one. I’d put my money on Clarke being more effective if he had someone with a few more brain cells creating space for him. Ioane is too much of a show pony.
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@snowy said in Blues 2021:
@dan54 said in Blues 2021:
I think Clarkes problem had been he hasn't injected himself anywhere in backline.
It looks like he has tried. The quote from Caleb himself says a lot about how heavily he is marked now. When he moves he is being watched very closely, and he is most likely not just outside Rieko, so blaming Caleb's lack of potency this year on Rieko seems wrong.
People seem to have short memories too. It's just a couple of games ago he looked sharp against the Highlanders and was popping up all over the field.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@snowy still, Ioane is a hell of a long way off being an All Black centre, let alone a good one. I’d put my money on Clarke being more effective if he had someone with a few more brains creating space for him.
He might be close to being selected as an AB 13 because we are running out of options.
As for having brains (a harsh term), that's mostly experience in the role to get it right. We have had midfield problems for years and it is frustrating because the coaches never settle on a combination. AB or Blues (Nonu / Smith excepted).
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@snowy Ioane is like Laumape for the Canes. They are both attacking minded and weapons in their own right but when they have been asked to step up in the ‘thinking’ department of their respective games I think they have fallen short. But hey, with the injuries at play they may both yet start for the All Blacks which would be a fairly interesting combination to say the least.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@snowy Ioane is like Laumape for the Canes. They are both attacking minded and weapons in their own right but when they have been asked to step up in the ‘thinking’ department of their respective games I think they have fallen short. But hey, with the injuries at play they may both yet start for the All Blacks which would be a fairly interesting combination to say the least.
Tough to defend against them both, on the other hand I wouldn't be convinced about our defence.
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@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
Seriously, though, I think Rieko's B+ and knocking on the door of the ABs. He brings solid defence and a speed opportunity that is rare. He's on the way up. Distribution took a step up again, and I'd say is one of the easier things for a good coaching group to keep improving. If you have to trade off an inexperienced 12 or 13 at the top level, I prefer ALB/RIoane to Havili/ALB... but ultimately it's up to the coaches.
Good summary. I think those three players will be in the 23. Havili/Ioane would also work but there's no way ALB misses out on starting
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@duluth agreed, ALB needs to start at centre. Whether they go with the all round game of Havili or the power of Laumape remains to be seen. I expect injuries to still play their part before the ABs even take the field.
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I am a Rieko fan, in fact I am beginning to think he is almost as good athlete as I was, but I agree with those who say he is not a good passer. Yet. Physically he has the skills, but he is still short of having the passing smarts that the AB 13 jumper deserves. Too many times this season have I seen him pass when he shouldn't and not pass when he should.
He is very similar to Ennor. But better.
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I think the bigger issue with Reiko's game that is more likely to get exposed at Int level is on defence, I think his pace and option taking on attack would be fine, but defence is much harder to get sorted at the next level.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:
I think the bigger issue with Reiko's game that is more likely to get exposed at Int level is on defence, I think his pace and option taking on attack would be fine, but defence is much harder to get sorted at the next level.
Yes his defence is more likely to be a problem than his attack. However he's defended well when partnered with an experienced 12 (TJ at the Blues and ALB & Goodhue at a higher level last year)
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So the Blues really need a good 12.
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The Blues should pick TJ when he’s fit
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@duluth and I think Reiko has shown he can adjust to a different defence pattern although, we know the mid-field is a tough place to defend, whereas I see Laumape more as a lone ranger type and seems to go missing a bit.
This is why I thnk the AB coaches tried to shoe horn Goodhue, as he is pretty strong defensively, and his defence at 12 wasnt really the issue, so obviously will be a good foil to whoever they slot in alongside him.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@gt12 obviously he passes the ball, what I’m getting at is the effectiveness of his passes and setting up players around him, most importantly his wingers. The fact that Caleb Clarke (one of the most destructive wingers in the game at the moment) hasn’t really made a mark on this competition through lack of ball tells me something.
Do you think Clarke went alright last year with Rieko inside him?
