Blues 2022

[nzzp]

@Duluth said in Blues 2022:

One minor correction I made.. you said Aumua when you meant Riccitelli

Thanks. Brain fade last night clearly. Could have written 'the third hooker who couldn't hit the ground if they fell off a chair'

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Blues 2022:

MacDonald will have the vast majority of his squad back to build on this disappointment. He loses veteran lock Luke Romano and France-bound prop Karl Tu’inukuafe, but will gain test lock Patrick Tuipulotu back from his Japan sojourn.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300617799/blues-must-heed-the-super-rugby-pacific-lessons-after-tripping-at-final-hurdle

So Tu’inukuafe and Romano definitely leaving. Who else might be going?

Nock is almost certainly going now he's off contract

Suafoa and Plumtree are two off contract players that will be hard to keep

Plummer is off contract and is better than some tens contracted elsewhere. He also covers 12. He'll probably have other offers

Goodhue was another one with rumours about leaving (overseas)

Hopefully Riccitelli is gone

[Higgins]

@Duluth said in Blues 2022:

Plummer is off contract and is better than some tens contracted elsewhere. He also covers 12. He'll probably have other offers

Is this a not so subtle hint at Simon Hickey?

[Duluth]

@Higgins

I think he's better than several other contracted 10's - Hickey, Trask, Burke, JGB, Banks, Koroi etc. Plus he's competitive with a bunch of other 10's

[Tim]

From Instagram:

Blues POTY - Kurt Eklund

nib Blues POTY - Liana Mikaele-Tu’u

Backs of the year - Stephen Perofeta & Ruahei Demant

Forwards of the year - Dalton Papalii & Maiakawanakaulani Roos

Players Player of the year - Stephen Perofeta

ROTY - Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Team Toa POTY - Taufa Funaki

Clubman of the year - James Lay

Community player of the year - Kurt Eklund

[gt12]

@Tim said in Blues 2022:

From Instagram:

Blues POTY - Kurt Eklund

nib Blues POTY - Liana Mikaele-Tu’u

Backs of the year - Stephen Perofeta & Ruahei Demant

Forwards of the year - Dalton Papalii & Maiakawanakaulani Roos

Players Player of the year - Stephen Perofeta

ROTY - Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Team Toa POTY - Taufa Funaki

Clubman of the year - James Lay

Community player of the year - Kurt Eklund

Eklund (and Goodhue) were great all year until it mattered; winning that award like that was probably pretty bittersweet.

[mikey07]

I’ve got a feeling Alex Fidow might be a blues player next year given he’s signed for North Harbour.

Or Moana Pasifika if not.

[Higgins]

@mikey07 You are forgetting one thing, Alex Fidow is barely a Premier Club level player when it comes to propping ability.

[mikey07]

@Higgins oh well be someone’s problem then won’t it.

[Steven Harris]

@mikey07 gee I hope not ,Fidow for all his ability with ball in hand cant scrum to save himself ..

[Crazy Horse]

@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2022:

@mikey07 gee I hope not ,Fidow for all his ability with ball in hand cant scrum to save himself ..

I wonder if he would be capable of switching to hooker?

[Bovidae]

@Crazy-Horse I was thinking the same. Fidow is coming up 25, so maybe too late in his career to reinvent himself as a hooker. But if he could nail his lineout throwing the rest of his game is there, as his scrummaging wouldn't be such a problem in the middle of the front row.

[pakman]

@antipodean said in Blues 2022:

@tim that explains a few things

Always wondered why he only squatted with light weights. Think his knees also an issue.

[cgrant]

@Bovidae
Fidow played as a hooker for the NZ U20s in 2017. He did well, no problem with his throwing.
I don't think he weighs 130 kgs as we can see in his profile, he's more around 120 kgs nowadays so his size could fit with this spot.

[Tim]

@mikey07 said in Blues 2022:

Moana Pasifika if not.

Harbour does seem to be a popular spot for MP players.

[Bovidae]

@cgrant said in Blues 2022:

Fidow played as a hooker for the NZ U20s in 2017. He did well, no problem with his throwing.

It wouldn't have been in any of the big games. Aumua was the starting hooker in that team with JP Sauni on the bench. Fidow was the reserve TH prop.

[cgrant]

@Bovidae
It was during a pool game. Aumua was rested and Fidow was the starting hooker.

[Stargazer]

Okay, I looked it up:

Fidow was the reserve TH prop in 4 NZU20 games (one Oceania U20 game and three WR U20 Championship games, incl the SF and F). He started at TH in one WR U20 game (v Ireland) and was the reserve hooker in the WR U20 game against Italy (JP Sauni was the starting hooker).