Magpies 2022
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Cridge confirmed as leaving, but the way it's written makes it sound like hes leaving now.
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@kiwimatrix Yep, sounds like it.
We bid au revoir to Geoff Cridge, We are sad to see Cridgey head to France to take up a contract with Bayonne but wish him all the best. Geoff has been a great servant for the Magpies since arriving in Hawke's Bay to join our academy. Thanks for everything, safe travels and go well.
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Is he back with the Magpies this season?
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Looks like there is a live stream of the game from Tokoroa today. Try this, hopefully it is free of charge
Still no indication of the HB 23 (or will be it 46-50) that will be stripped for the fixture.
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@Stargazer You are probably right, It says on the Sky Sky facebook page under the studied at section "Madras Medical College" although he now conveniently lives in Auckland New Zealand! They then liked their own post announcing the live steaming. I will give it a miss.
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10 minutes to go
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Full time (I think) - victory to the good guys
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@Stockcar86 You were at the game? Any comments?
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@Stockcar86 how did chase Tiatia fair?
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They just said on the livestream of the Div 3 club final that the squad that played in Tokoroa today were mostly Academy players. Most contracted players are still away, although some of the SR players who are not playing international rugby have returned.
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@Stargazer There were quite a few super players in both teams. I was surprised just how many. But Kautai, Mitch Jacobson and McWhannell all seemed to develop injuries and head off - maybe it was just a test stretch for them,
I think Tiatia, Sapsford, Mikaele-Tuu, Flanders, Parsons, Rakete-Stones and the hooker were super players for HB.
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@ARHS Yeah, there were indeed a few (see my latest post in the NPC thread). I guess - because we have so many SR players now - that list is still quite a small number out of the total haha. The majority of our Moana Magpies are still with the Tonga and Samoa squad, and three others have only just left the MABs, so will be on their break. There also a few players out with injury (Lowe, Kaifa, and Devery for the season).
Did you see Lincoln McClutchie?
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@FakatavaAllBlack said in Magpies 2022:
@Stockcar86 how did chase Tiatia fair?
No sorry I was not at the game - a mate from Tokoroa was there giving me updates
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Magpies 2022:
Is he back with the Magpies this season?
Not sure who the commentators are for the Div 2 club final that is livestreamed right now. One of them is definitely either a coach or someone from the HBRU and he just said that Geoff Cridge and Brendon O'Connor (and obviously Ash Dixon) won't be back, this season.
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I just went through the 2021 squad list to look who hasn't been announced as a signed player for 2022.
Apart from the obvious players who won't return in 2022 - Ash Dixon, Tiaan Falcon, Geoff Cridge and Brendon O'Connor - there are still a few players left who haven't been named yet.- Lock: Elijah Martin (he may have been an injury replacement for Walker-Leawere, so may not be re-signed because Isaia is available)
- Loose forwards: Frank Lochore and Will Tremain
- Halfback: Brad Weber! (I haven't included Tusitala, who was brought in late as an injury replacement)
- Midfield: Dennon Robertson-Bartlett
New signings are Tyrone Thompson for Ash Dixon and Chase Tiatia for either Tiaan Falcon or Dennon Robertson-Bartlett.
So we still need: three loosies (Lochore, Tremain and O'Connor replacement spots), at least one lock (Cridge replacement), a halfback if Weber doesn't return, and one midfield or outside back (replacement for either Falcon or the Robertson-Bartlett spot, if the latter doesn't return).
I kind of expect them to (re-)sign Lochore and Tremain, and pick the openside from the RS game v South Canterbury (Sam Smith) as a replacement for O'Connor.
Halfback, surely Brad will be playing for us, if he doesn't get picked in the ABs Rugby Championship squad? He's committed to the Chiefs until the end of the 2023 season, so can't leave for greener pastures straight away.
Midfield/outside back spot: my guess this is will be either Paoraian Manuel-Harmon or Zach Simpkins, who were both used for the RS game v South Canterbury. I didn't notice Simpkins much, but Manuel-Harmon looked handy. I guess it depends how they are planning on using Tiatia. As a midfielder or fullback, and whether Manuel-Harmon can play fullback.
The biggest question is lock. I assume our starters will be Parsons and Walker-Leawere, with Bryn on the bench. I think I prefer them picking a young one instead of Martin. Lochore got the 19 jersey in the RS. Will he be in the squad as a lock or a loosie (that was Cridge's role too, although he was hardly used at 6 in recent years). Will they consider Tiaki Fabish (also a lock/loosie), who I think is 21 years old? If Lochore is picked for that role, we may need another lock/loosie.
Anyway, I understand the full squad will be named this week. Don't know the day.