Chiefs 2023

Bovidae

@ploughboy said in Chiefs 2023:

@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2023:

ALB was back training today.

i think he has been training for a couple of week, interesting he now has photos

Yeah, I am assuming he has started contact training this week. Maybe a game for Varsity on Sat?

ploughboy

@Bovidae i just have a feeling he may go straight to chiefs but if not yeah hoping he gets a club game. and donk has shown confirndance in the players so far

Bovidae

The plan will always depend on the nature of the injury. ALB wouldn't have been able to run until the ankle was fully healed so will be lacking some match fitness. It wouldn't surprise me to see him on the bench.

mikedogz

ALB playing is club rugby this weekend.

Yeetyaah

Bovidae

@mikedogz said in Chiefs 2023:

ALB playing is club rugby this weekend.

I might go along and watch the game. Moli is playing again too.

Bovidae

Josh Ioane isn't playing Waikato club rugby tomorrow. I would have thought he'd be needing another game. Simon Parker is the only other local player involved.

ploughboy

@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2023:

Josh Ioane isn't playing Waikato club rugby tomorrow. I would have thought he'd be needing another game. Simon Parker is the only other local player involved.

and no wrampling

Bovidae

Josh Lord is playing for Coastal.

Bovidae

ALB played only the 1st half. He was busy without having too many opportunities with the ball. The main thing was that he didn't appear to have any issues with the ankle.

D'Angelo Leuila was the most influential back on the field, for the opposition.

Yeetyaah

https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/damian-mckenzie-commits-to-gallagher-chiefs-for-another-two-years

Gallagher Chiefs centurian Damian McKenzie has extended his contract with the Chiefs Rugby Club and New Zealand Rugby through to 2025.

Bovidae

Great news. This should mean that Gatland won't be re-signed as Trask is returning from Japan for 2024. A question mark over Ioane and/or Reihana.

Yeetyaah

@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2023:

Great news. This should mean that Gatland won't be re-signed

Praying 🙏

Tim

@Bovidae Gatland would be a decent signing for the Highlanders, as he could put their tight five in the right part of the field. He may prefer to go to Japan though.

Bovidae

@Tim

Gatland left the Highlanders to join the Chiefs so I doubt he would want to go back there again. Perfect for a UK club.

Crucial

@Tim said in Chiefs 2023:

@Bovidae Gatland would be a decent signing for the Highlanders, as he could put their tight five in the right part of the field. He may prefer to go to Japan though.

I would suggest that Reihana should look to revive his career at the Landers.
Gatland and Ioane are Highlanders “rejects”

Bovidae

Assuming that Gatland does leave, the Chiefs need to keep one of Ioane or Reihana to provide some depth in the squad. Logic says Reihana as he is 5 years younger (23 next month). He needs opportunities to develop. Then get a specialist no.7 to replace the departing 1st 5 for squad balance.

Dan54

Don't forget there is also Trask that got sent to Japan for the year to get experience. He is who the Chiefs are looking at for future, so inagine Ioane and Gatland will be let go.

Crucial

@Dan54 said in Chiefs 2023:

Don't forget there is also Trask that got sent to Japan for the year to get experience. He is who the Chiefs are looking at for future, so inagine Ioane and Gatland will be let go.

It is an odd one. Trask is certainly coming back. That deal is well flagged.
Gatland is the number two 10 at the moment over Ioane it appears. Hard to see how he fits in as Trask seems to be being groomed for that role.
Gatland has the contacts and style to go north and earn well.
My guess is that Gatland and Reihana leave. I've said before that I have no idea whose bed Reihana shit in but he seems to be an outlier at the Chiefs for some reason.

Bovidae

@Crucial said in Chiefs 2023:

I've said before that I have no idea whose bed Reihana shit in but he seems to be an outlier at the Chiefs for some reason.

Reihana must have a long-term injury/health problem of some sort as he hasn't even played club rugby this year AFAIK. The Chiefs have been very quiet on his status and he's never listed on the "Players not considered due to injury" list. Reihana was on the field after the Crusaders game so is obviously still around the squad.

Trask is signed for 2024-25.

The Silver Fern

Chiefs 2023