Chiefs vs Crusaders
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I'm not going to bother reading through the thread, and judging by @mariner4life's comments, it's best I don't.
A couple of points from my viewpoint at the game, which I am sure have been mentioned often, and have been stated by Cane today. The Chiefs definitely lost the aerial kicking battle, and this is one reason I am not a fan of Trask at fullback. I still think Stevenson is the best option at 15. 1.90 m vs 1.80 m - a no-brainer.
The box kicking was also really poor, particularly from Weber, but also from Ratima at the end. They resulted in stupid penalties, field position, and eventually tries. These are easy to fix.
The turning point in the game was obviously Nankivell not passing early to an unmarked ENS early in the 2nd half. And then Reece scores not long after.
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Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
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@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
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@stargazer said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 He played his one test match in 2020, after an outstanding 2020 SR season. He only played 4 games in SR and no NPC in 2021 due to injury. So not many games to judge him on, last year.
Yep. "Written off" because he wasn't showing up not because of any other made up chip on shoulder reasons
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@crucial said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
Here is one example, from the Crusaders 2022 thread:
As for Grace - I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset. I'm sure he'll go well back at 6. Compare him to the other franchises 8's from this year - Sotutu, Jacobson, Savea & Himeno. They are all better ball players than Grace and that seems to be the role at the moment. I think Matera can do that role better than anyone else in the Crusaders squad
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crucial said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@cgrant said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Jordan was outstanding in every aspect of the game : attack, of course, defense and, surprisingly, turnovers. Mo'unga and LF rather quiet but the Crusaders forwards were collectively and individually superior to their opponents, with the notable exception of Taylor and Taukei'aho. Grace had his best game for two years. I also liked Brewis who was comfortable in the scrums against Mafileo. He is >> to Bower IMO.
Jesus, don't praise Cullen Grace. The Fern wrote him off already, not enough X factor, too pasty etc etc.
Making things up now.
He hasn't been written off here. He was just put in the same basket as all the other contenders as no one could see what the hype was about. As above, 'best game in two years'. That's pretty much true and it tells you why, whenever he gets mentioned by Saders fans everyone else yawns.
Here is one example, from the Crusaders 2022 thread:
As for Grace - I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset. I'm sure he'll go well back at 6. Compare him to the other franchises 8's from this year - Sotutu, Jacobson, Savea & Himeno. They are all better ball players than Grace and that seems to be the role at the moment. I think Matera can do that role better than anyone else in the Crusaders squad
@Duluth ’Grace likely a better six than 8’
Saders supporters ‘Everyone hates Grace, get out the armbands’
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@dan54 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crucial Agree mate, I was on Cullen Grace's wagon a couple of years back, and still am for future, but I reckon he has had one good game in last couple of years, and certainly would want to see a lot more before elevating him to far!
Funny how some guys - such as Keith Robinson - gain legendary status during lengthy injury absences, and others are considered to have played poorly whilst sitting on the couch.
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@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@duluth said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Saying "He'll go well back at 6" is writing him off
What a retard
Fuck off. You said: I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset.
Yeah, looked very lacking in skillset last week, for sure.
Even you will admit that the Crusaders didn't play a standard approach with the loosies last week.
All three were tasked with concentrating sloely on the breakdown.
No team plays like that week in week out as opposition will keep the ball freeand go into the game with a much better kicking game.
I'm not saying that he didn't play well just that it wasn't a game to judge an 8s allround skillset on. -
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@duluth said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Saying "He'll go well back at 6" is writing him off
What a retard
Fuck off. You said: I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset.
Yeah, looked very lacking in skillset last week, for sure.
Did he kick a drop goal..?
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@antipodean said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@duluth said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
Saying "He'll go well back at 6" is writing him off
What a retard
Fuck off. You said: I think he disappointed at 8 because he lacks the skillset.
Yeah, looked very lacking in skillset last week, for sure.
Did he kick a drop goal..?
He hasn't got a big enough oversized melon Head to start trying drop kick goals.
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@stargazer said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 He played his one test match in 2020, after an outstanding 2020 SR season. He only played 4 games in SR and no NPC in 2021 due to injury. So not many games to judge him on, last year.
Not arguing with that mate, just saying he needs to have a bloody good season this year before we elevate him again. It's not knocking him, but he's had one season and one average test, lets stop making players into something before they earn stripes.
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@dan54 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@stargazer said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 He played his one test match in 2020, after an outstanding 2020 SR season. He only played 4 games in SR and no NPC in 2021 due to injury. So not many games to judge him on, last year.
Not arguing with that mate, just saying he needs to have a bloody good season this year before we elevate him again. It's not knocking him, but he's had one season and one average test, lets stop making players into something before they earn stripes.
The thing is we don't get to elevate any one anywhere, that is up to the amazing people in charge of the AB's the people who know more than anyone.
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@chris said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@stargazer said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 He played his one test match in 2020, after an outstanding 2020 SR season. He only played 4 games in SR and no NPC in 2021 due to injury. So not many games to judge him on, last year.
Not arguing with that mate, just saying he needs to have a bloody good season this year before we elevate him again. It's not knocking him, but he's had one season and one average test, lets stop making players into something before they earn stripes.
The thing is we don't get to elevate any one anywhere, that is up to the amazing people in charge of the AB's the people who know more than anyone.
Of course it up to those in charge of ABs to elevate players. For all the crap we hear about AB coaches etc and all the expertise we read on forums,, I know who I think know morw about selecting and coaching teams. I would guess from waht I have read on may rugby forums I go into, most posters get their knowledge from reading forums, and watching games on TV.
Take my word for it , much as we may think otherwise, there is nothing to be learnt from posters on forums (who generally are under assumed names), and there is very limited stuff you can learn about players by watching a game on TV, there is a reason why selectors etc go to matches to see how players are going!
That is in no way saying we all can't/shouldn't have our opinions, just think we all need to realise most are really pretty uninformed! -
@shark said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@dan54 said in Chiefs vs Crusaders:
@crucial Agree mate, I was on Cullen Grace's wagon a couple of years back, and still am for future, but I reckon he has had one good game in last couple of years, and certainly would want to see a lot more before elevating him to far!
Funny how some guys - such as Keith Robinson - gain legendary status during lengthy injury absences, and others are considered to have played poorly whilst sitting on the couch.
Epic troll!
For every Robinson fanboy there were about 3 detractors.
Never let the truth get in the way of a Crusader crusade.
