Hurricanes 2023
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@foobaNZ said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life yup this could be great.
Which of our loosies are off contract end of this year?
I think Reed Prinsep is, so hopefully he heads to Japan or somewhere that isn’t Wellington. Ardie is on sabbatical next year so he might also come in for him.
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@Canes4life Not a step forward IMO, unless it's indeed instead of Prinsep and he mostly gets a mentoring role and doesn't get the starts. It's time for the new generation, not a guy who's close to playing golden oldies.
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@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Not a step forward IMO, unless it's indeed instead of Prinsep and he mostly gets a mentoring role and doesn't get the starts. It's time for the new generation, not a guy who's close to playing golden oldies.
I wouldn't say he's a step backwards either. Some players are reaching their prime at 31, I definitely wouldn't say that he's done his dash just yet. If he can come back into the environment with his wealth of experience and can compete for a position, then I'm all for it. We've got plenty of young guys in those loose forward positions, so it will be good to have that experience to call on especially when Ardie isn't there.
Brad achieved a lot in the Canes jersey and was probably one of the unlucky ones to miss out on the ABs. Having him back in the Canes setup is definitely a good thing IMO.
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@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
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@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
He’s at Perpignan because his English club went into administration, otherwise he would probably still be there. It’s probably more a case of Shields not wanting to finish his career out at a shit French club.
He’s only 31, we should be celebrating the fact such a quality player wants to return to NZ with three good years still left in him.
Yes he doesn’t have the best of hands, but physically he was one of the top blindside flankers in New Zealand before he left. He will bring some much needed steel back to the Hurricanes next year.
If he does sign I hope he plays for Wellington in the NPC.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
He’s at Perpignan because his English club went into administration, otherwise he would probably still be there. It’s probably more a case of Shields not wanting to finish his career out at a shit French club.
He’s only 31, we should be celebrating the fact such a quality player wants to return to NZ with three good years still left in him.
Yes he doesn’t have the best of hands, but physically he was one of the top blindside flankers in New Zealand before he left. He will bring some much needed steal back to the Hurricanes next year.
If he does sign I hope he plays for Wellington in the NPC.
You are overlooking they were not "shit" enough for him to accept their money when he had very little other options. By the way Perpignan have won four of their last five Top 14 games so perhaps their "shitness" (your words) is in the process of becoming something in the past.
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@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
He’s at Perpignan because his English club went into administration, otherwise he would probably still be there. It’s probably more a case of Shields not wanting to finish his career out at a shit French club.
He’s only 31, we should be celebrating the fact such a quality player wants to return to NZ with three good years still left in him.
Yes he doesn’t have the best of hands, but physically he was one of the top blindside flankers in New Zealand before he left. He will bring some much needed steal back to the Hurricanes next year.
If he does sign I hope he plays for Wellington in the NPC.
You are overlooking they were not shit enough for him to accept their money when he had very little other options. By the way Perpignan have won four of their last five Top 14 games so perhaps their "shitness" (your words) is in the process of becoming something in the past.
I don’t care about Perpignan, they are irrelevant to Shields signing for the Canes next year.
Shields is an upgrade to any 6 we have atm and he’s proven that over the 100+ games he’s played for the Canes. Having him at 6, Lakai at 7 and Flanders at 8 would be pretty bloody decent when taking into account Ardie’s departure next season.
I only see the Shields signing as a positive tbh even though you obviously think he’s passed it.
Have you even seen him play over the last couple years?
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@Canes4life I could throw that question back at you but yes, as a matter of fact I have seen him a number of times when he was at Wasps and he was not much different to when he was at the Hurricanes.
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@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life I could throw that question back at you but yes, as a matter of fact I have seen him a number of times when he was at Wasps and he was not much different to when he was at the Hurricanes.
So you're saying he was good then, because when he was with the Canes he was a bloody good player.
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This post is deleted!
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
He’s at Perpignan because his English club went into administration, otherwise he would probably still be there. It’s probably more a case of Shields not wanting to finish his career out at a shit French club.
He’s only 31, we should be celebrating the fact such a quality player wants to return to NZ with three good years still left in him.
Yes he doesn’t have the best of hands, but physically he was one of the top blindside flankers in New Zealand before he left. He will bring some much needed steal back to the Hurricanes next year.
If he does sign I hope he plays for Wellington in the NPC.
You are overlooking they were not shit enough for him to accept their money when he had very little other options. By the way Perpignan have won four of their last five Top 14 games so perhaps their "shitness" (your words) is in the process of becoming something in the past.
I don’t care about Perpignan, they are irrelevant to Shields signing for the Canes next year.
Shields is an upgrade to any 6 we have atm and he’s proven that over the 100+ games he’s played for the Canes. Having him at 6, Lakai at 7 and Flanders at 8 would be pretty bloody decent when taking into account Ardie’s departure next season.
I only see the Shields signing as a positive tbh even though you obviously think he’s passed it.
Have you even seen him play over the last couple years?
You were only too quick to describe that their apparent shittness was the reason why you thought he might be thinking of coming over to NZ. That statement cannot go unchallenged, particularly as they threw him a lifeline when he was unemployed..
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I see merit in signing Shields for one single season to cover the absence of Ardie, to provide some leadership, but it shouldn't stagnate the progression of younger players or they'll leave. I can see players like Brayden Iose and TK Howden look elsewhere if they don't get enough game due to the presence of someone like Shields.
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@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Higgins said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life Only for the players that love scrumming which there will be an increase in their number thanks to his somewhat butterfingers hands. Interesting that Perpignan are not moving mountains to keep the former English International on. I wonder why?
He’s at Perpignan because his English club went into administration, otherwise he would probably still be there. It’s probably more a case of Shields not wanting to finish his career out at a shit French club.
He’s only 31, we should be celebrating the fact such a quality player wants to return to NZ with three good years still left in him.
Yes he doesn’t have the best of hands, but physically he was one of the top blindside flankers in New Zealand before he left. He will bring some much needed steal back to the Hurricanes next year.
If he does sign I hope he plays for Wellington in the NPC.
You are overlooking they were not shit enough for him to accept their money when he had very little other options. By the way Perpignan have won four of their last five Top 14 games so perhaps their "shitness" (your words) is in the process of becoming something in the past.
I don’t care about Perpignan, they are irrelevant to Shields signing for the Canes next year.
Shields is an upgrade to any 6 we have atm and he’s proven that over the 100+ games he’s played for the Canes. Having him at 6, Lakai at 7 and Flanders at 8 would be pretty bloody decent when taking into account Ardie’s departure next season.
I only see the Shields signing as a positive tbh even though you obviously think he’s passed it.
Have you even seen him play over the last couple years?
You were only too quick to describe that their apparent shittness was the reason why you thought he might be thinking of coming over to NZ. That statement cannot go unchallenged, particularly as they threw him a lifeline when he was unemployed..
Stop bringing it back to Perpignan, he obviously didn't have many choices after the club went into administration. Pretty unfair to judge a player on the financial status of a club.
Maybe after slogging it out for over 100 games for the Canes you may have had a little more respect for a player like Shields. I should have known better though, you Hawkes Bay lot don't take much notice of anyone that doesn't come from your area.
The funny thing is he's better than any 6 that's come out of the Hawkes Bay in the last couple decades so whether you guys like it or not, I'm pretty sure he's going to be back playing for the Wellington Hurricanes in no time.
@Stargazer having Shields in the squad will provide competition which is only a good thing, also Iose isn't a blindside flanker. Howden is literally only 22, he will benefit from having someone like Shields in the squad. No point having a full team of early twenty somethings.
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@Canes4life You can't handle people disagreeing with you; as soon as HB supporters disagree with you, you start spewing venom at HB players. Not a good look. You can do better. This is not a Wellington v Hawke's Bay discussion; it's solely about Shields and what he can add (in a positive and negative sense) to the Canes' squad at his age and what effects it could have on other players.
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@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life You can't handle people disagreeing with you; as soon as HB supporters disagree with you, you start spewing venom at HB players. Not a good look. You can do better.
Lol give me a break, you guys love dishing shit out but when it's thrown back at you, you can't take it. If you can't see the Shields signing as a positive then I really question your loyalty to the Canes as a franchise. You obviously all have a chip on your shoulder with Wellington players for some odd reason but to question whether a 100 cap stalwarts return is a good thing or not, is just completely bshit. He's coming back at 31, not 35. He's got plenty left in the tank and he's more than proven he's a quality player.
You guys can do better.
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@Canes4life If you had properly read my comment ("I can see merit ...") then you would have noticed I'm quite open-minded about it. And again, this has nothing to do what province Shields plays for. You make it a tribal thing; not us.
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Great news, the Lions/Canes can certainly benefit from his experience/knowledge. Great player! and was part of a winning Canes environment prior to leaving and agree he was unlucky to miss out on a AB call up. I dont recall him being a player with bad hands? did drop the ball in a critical moment? so now hes scared for life? man some real athletes on here eh
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@Stargazer said in Hurricanes 2023:
@Canes4life If you had properly read my comment ("I can see merit ...") then you would have noticed I'm quite open-minded about it. And again, this has nothing to do what province Shields plays for. You make it a tribal thing; not us.
I was initally responding to Higgins actually, but you can't have a debate without the whole Hawkes Bay mafia joining in. Look, you guys bring tribalism into almost every discussion but anyway let's stay on topic. It's a little disapointing when the only intitial response to the Brad Shields potential signing is his handling, and the questioning whether it's positive or not. Really? He was a machine for the Hurricanes and was a big part of their success in 2016. Having a player like that back at the club can only be a good thing. Who gives a flying F if a young player doesn't get as many minutes, Shields has proven himself and if he can get back to his best, he would be one of the first on the selection sheet each week. BRING BACK BRAD.
