Highlanders 2022
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@smudge bit of a random on but I like evans so not too upset, makes me think we’re looking at some of our younger guys longer term so just need a couple of old hats to hold down the fort as it were
I’ll always remember evans playing two games in one day, away with the development squad, 80mins, come back to watch the frist team and we had a couple of injuries in warm up so throws the gear on to sit on the bench and then had to go on in the first 30min, a bit of a legendary shift
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@kiwiwomble yeah he's done a great job for us. Himeno isn't coming back right? Good replacement.
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@bones said in Highlanders 2022:
@kiwiwomble yeah he's done a great job for us. Himeno isn't coming back right? Good replacement.
unfortunately no, he's at least not coming back next season
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So our loose forwards will be
Harmon
Evans
Tu'u
Renton
Frizzell
LentjesWith still a question mark over whether Squire will return.
I would like to see Withy get included.
Hopefully we can grab Kini Naholo. He has been outstanding for Taranaki.
Still looks to be a spot or two open in the midfield. Would like to see Va'ahakolo in there. I'd probably prefer him to Punivai as the centre/winger squad utility.
The third hooker spot is still up in the air, especially replacing Dixon.
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2022:
So our loose forwards will be
Harmon
Evans
Tu'u
Renton
Frizzell
LentjesWho would you pick to start?
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Frizzell
Harmon
Tu'u/Renton- Evans
Depends what sort of style we want to play/who the opposition is.
Two strong defenders with harmon and Renton for potentially slow across the ground games. Tu'u for more expansive games.
I think Evans suits sitting on the bench, can come on and cover every position.
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2022:
Frizzell
Harmon
Tu'u/Renton- Evans
Depends what sort of style we want to play/who the opposition is.
Two strong defenders with harmon and Renton for potentially slow across the ground games. Tu'u for more expansive games.
I think Evans suits sitting on the bench, can come on and cover every position.
Thats a good hard working LF mix IMO.With Evans on the bench.
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good signings, looks like were really trying to avoid having mass exodus' again, i wide range of young and old
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Media release about these singings: https://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/highlanders-withy-and-mau/
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2022:
So our loose forwards will be
Harmon
Evans
Tu'u
Renton
Frizzell
LentjesIt's like the old Otago days when the team was full of players from the Bay.
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The focus on youth is really good.
You can see that the management has the makings of a team in their mind for three-five years.
De Groot and Mau as props.
There's the young Southland hooker who has been flagged as a player of promise.
Fabian Holland has been identified as a lock with a big future.
Sean Withy in the loose forwards.
Fakatava and Faleafaga in the halves. We have quite a few other options as well, with the young halfbacks in the region and the likes of Finn Hurley in the 10 jumper.
Midfield is interesting. I still want to see Thomas Umaga-Jensen get a injury free run. Not a lot of youth coming through there at the moment.
In the back three we have enough coming through. I would like to see Kini Naholo come in. I have a feeling for him to come down, we might need to sign a package deal with Naholo snr as well.
This is certainly the most forward thinking the Highlanders have been in a long time.
@Nepia Always good to welcome Evans back, who we all know debuted for Otago a number of years ago! While Ta$man loose forward Renton is such a good hard worker.
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2022:
Midfield is interesting. I still want to see Thomas Umaga-Jensen get a injury free run. Not a lot of youth coming through there at the moment.
Giovanni Leituala might be a player to look out for. He was in the NZ schools setup a few years back and was in this years Highlanders U20s.
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@stargazer you have more faith than i!
i would hope it at least means they're trying to re sign, that posted several ash dixon things after the season last year but before he resigned, fingers crossed
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2022:
Fabian Holland has been identified as a lock with a big future.
I'm assuming he wouldn't be eligible for the ABs for another 4 years? Or does he have a kiwi grandparent? Hopefully he sticks around and commits to playing in NZ long term, looks like a great prospect.
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Tracking the Highlanders squad on its website any player that isn't returning is taken down.
Ash Dixon
Josh Ioane
Sione Misiloi
Siate Tokolahi
Kazuki Himeno
Teariki Ben- Nicholas
Michael Collins
Nehe Milner-SkudderSo, I'd be under the impression that anyone still up there or being profiled on social media channels is staying.
On Holland, I would be really keen to see someone do a bit of a profile on him. He must have a cool back story.
