Blues 2021
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@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.
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Two Blues coaches Tom Coventry and Tana Umaga are involved with coaching Samoa for their up coming games against NZ Maori.
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@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.
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@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...
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@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
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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 ..?
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@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.
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@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
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@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
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@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. -
@canes4life given he his relationship with McMillan I'd think the chiefs but you never know we will have to wait and see
