Blues 2021

[Gunner]

@steven-harris I admire Nocks loyalty to his mates, but that’s shit from those guys to let him him take the fall, and a major fall it has been.

Some of them have gone on to bigger and better things, while Sam has been condemned to running the water.

[KiwiMurph]

@gunner Nock was in the form of his life right before then too.

[taniwharugby]

@kiwimurph was in great form in NPC last year too, IMO was shaded only slightly by Fakatava as the form 9 in the comp.

Just hope he has learnt from this and can move on to fulfill his potential, starting with a great NZ Maori series and then helping guide the Taniwha to the top of the Championship!

For me, this does highlight another issue, we see some of these guys signed by franchises straight out of school, likely earning 6 figures, are they getting the right guidance and support to deal with thier new lives, dealing with the public side of things, the disappointment when you go from schoolboy star to just another squaddie, the expectation on you in regard to beahviour at a time in your life when most of your peers are out boozing it up and shagging anything that moves without the watchful eye of someone keen to get dirt on a rugby player.

[cliff]

Heard somewhere emoni narawa could be leaving the blues perhaps headed to another franchise

[trodthesod]

Two Blues coaches Tom Coventry and Tana Umaga are involved with coaching Samoa for their up coming games against NZ Maori.

[KiwiMurph]

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:

For me, this does highlight another issue, we see some of these guys signed by franchises straight out of school, likely earning 6 figures, are they getting the right guidance and support to deal with thier new lives, dealing with the public side of things, the disappointment when you go from schoolboy star to just another squaddie, the expectation on you in regard to beahviour at a time in your life when most of your peers are out boozing it up and shagging anything that moves without the watchful eye of someone keen to get dirt on a rugby player.

Agreed - plus the Blues set up when Nock signed originally 4-5 years ago was a lot different to what it is now.

Back then there was private ownership (Bolton), different CEO (Redman or something?), different coaches, a different board/chairman, different back office (thinking Tony Hanks) etc.

Not to say what you mention isn't an issue now - but from the outside it seems a much better run organisation than it was back then.

[nostrildamus]

@steven-harris said in Blues 2021:

@kiwimurph same incident, had a plate inserted in his jaw from the punch ..

Sounds like some of those pub goers could add some forward starch to the All Blacks...

[OleOleOle]

@cliff that would make sense, hes probably behind a few players at the Blues

[cliff]

@oleoleole definitely blues prefer heem and telea and it seems lam is also ahead of him with ratumatuvaki kneepkens tipped for big things would be a good acquisition for the chiefs if they go for him has the talent and pace

[Daffy Jaffy]

@cliff not to mention Clarke, RTS, Sullivan and even Tanielu Tele'a also covering Narewa's positions of Wing, Fullback. So a sensible career move from him to move away for more chance of game time I think.

[Steven Harris]

Hold the phone on Nock moving to the Chiefs ,has another year to run on his contract and the Blues may enforce that ..which begs the question , why would you hang on to a player that you tried to get rid of ..?

[Kirwan]

@steven-harris said in Blues 2021:

Hold the phone on Nock moving to the Chiefs ,has another year to run on his contract and the Blues may enforce that ..which begs the question , why would you hang on to a player that you tried to get rid of ..?

Squad depth. Just because he's third in line doesn't mean they will automatically get rid of him. His replacement will need to be as good, or better (hopefully).

And it's up to Nock to leapfrog the other two. We watched CGT do it at lock, for example.

[Bovidae]

If Nock wants to move the Blues should let him. The Chiefs didn't have to release Laulala or Alaimalo, but did. The same for the Hurricanes and Tiatia.

[Kirwan]

@bovidae said in Blues 2021:

If Nock wants to move the Blues should let him. The Chiefs didn't have to release Laulala or Alaimalo, but did. The same for the Hurricanes and Tiatia.

Yeah, to be clear, I would release him and try to get an up and comer player

[OleOleOle]

@bovidae the change would probably be a good thing for both parties

[Dice]

I remember when the Chiefs didn't release August Pulu early to the Blues, even though he was clearly the third option at the Chiefs.

[Duluth]

@kirwan said in Blues 2021:

Yeah, to be clear, I would release him and try to get an up and comer player

There's a couple of good young halfbacks from the region. The problem is they haven't played much NPC yet.

Maybe the best thing to do is contract one of them starting in 2023 and have them around the squad in 2022 and playing for the Blues dev team

[Yeetyaah]

@dice was that what happened? I knew he left because he was third choice but didn't know the Chiefs didn't let him go.

[Dice]

@yeetyaah That's what was reported at the time.

Rennie doesn't seem like the type to want to help the competition. I can respect that type of thinking.

[taniwharugby]

@bovidae said in Blues 2021:

If Nock wants to move the Blues should let him.

TBF I am not sure he would WANT to move, he has grown up wanting to play for the Blues, but if Leon doesnt see him as a player he wants in his squad, then to get a decent shot regular gametime, then moving may be the best option for Nock.

IF the coach has tried to get rid of you, then that isnt really going to create a great environment for you to thrive...sure some players may be able to use this as motivation to show the but I'd say most people are going to struggle to produce the goods consistently if they know thier boss doesnt want them there.