Final: Blues vs Crusaders
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@KiwiMurph said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@kev said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@KiwiMurph said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@kev said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
Nothing wrong with Nock
Nock has a history of underwhelming bench performances.
Obviously tonight had almost nothing to do with him - but he's a better starter than bench player.
I thought he played well when they played their B team and won. Didn’t get much game time other than that. Trouble is once you feature negatively in an Auckland centric Blues Silver Fern feed then your number is up on this forum. The criticism at the end of this game was just petty and reflected bias rather than what happened on the field.
I've long been a fan of Nock.
I really thought he was gonna kick on when in 2020 Super he started against the Stormers in Cape Town and had a blinder and then really seemed to have the Blues 9 shirt for a few games after that (post-Covid break).
Then he got in trouble off of the field and lost his 9 shirt and he has never regained the same form.
Watch his attempted tackle on Ardie in the Canes game this year. Watch his effort tonight. He's not a good bench player. Obviously makes no difference tonight.
There are parts to Nock's game that are class. But he has just never been able to kick on and devleop.
I have the same frustrations. But in the minutes he had played this year I have seen a different player. The full game he played as an example - won turnovers, good cover defence, running off the end of the lineout, one pass missed its mark…and SF got into him again. I think the competition with Christie has been good for him.
Not playing your reserve hooker and halfback leaves your team vulnerable. That’s on McDonald.
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May I use this opportunity to say Grace needs to be in the ABs squad. Error free, one of the defensive titans, links well, and as Sam Whitelock said, he is the lineout master/leader. Sotutu and him need to be battling it out for the ABs No.8 position for the future.
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@Bones I think you are stuck on this obsession of highlight reels to gauge players.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
May I use this opportunity to say Grace needs to be in the ABs squad. Error free, one of the defensive titans, links well, and as Sam Whitelock said, he is the lineout master/leader. Sotutu and him need to be battling it out for the ABs No.8 position for the future.
Ardie & Sotutu > Grace
Error free? Grace missed four tackles tonight, the most misses of any Crusader or Blues player. He’s a good player and plenty of very good players just miss the AB cut
I would like to see him move back to 6 post Matera. It’s the position he first made the ABs and it’s the position he has the best chance of making it back in
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@Bones I think you are stuck on this obsession of highlight reels to gauge players.
I don't think highlight reels change their hair colour but sure ok. Great call mate.
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That was bitterly disappointing to put it mildly.
Losing to the Crusaders in the final was always a 50/50 possibility as they are the benchmark and have been for years. But losing the final while playing your worst game of the season at home is something else altogether.
The line out? It’s not all his fault but Eklund may as well just thrown it to the Crusaders. Blues we’re just beaten all over the park but a much better Crusaders side.
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@Jailbreak7 said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
Ireland have named a pretty strong squad, and a decent scrummaging unit. At least we may get an insight as to what they will bring with the MABs first up on the 29th. Lets hope Fozzie is watching.
Nah he’ll be still out on the beers celebrating with the Crusaders…
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@Bones said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@Duluth said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
Ardie & Savea
Harsh
Ha, oops. Fixed the original post
Ardie & Sotutu
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@Bones
My bad!🤣 I didn't even say anything about their level of play!
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
May I use this opportunity to say Grace needs to be in the ABs squad. Error free, one of the defensive titans, links well, and as Sam Whitelock said, he is the lineout master/leader. Sotutu and him need to be battling it out for the ABs No.8 position for the future.
You cannot fault his endeavour. He is very active around the field and at set piece. His size and athleticism is a real asset at lineout time. But accuracy is still an issue in my view.
His game funnily enough reminds me a bit of Razors. I know Razor had his detractors but for the Saders he was very good.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
May I use this opportunity to say Grace needs to be in the ABs squad. Error free, one of the defensive titans, links well, and as Sam Whitelock said, he is the lineout master/leader. Sotutu and him need to be battling it out for the ABs No.8 position for the future.
Grace was v.good tonight but what’s always in the back of my mind is he’s playing behind a Crusaders tight-five so he should stand out. Harder for someone like Ardie or Mikaele-Tu’u
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@Duluth Nah, Grace has been very good at the business end of SR. The type of player at this stage of development would awesome coming on late in a tense test match. But at the moment, agree about Savea and Sotutu being ahead.
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@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@Duluth Nah, Grace has been very good at the business end of SR. The type of player at this stage of development would awesome coming on late in a tense test match. But at the moment, agree about Savea and Sotutu being ahead.
So what are you disagreeing about?
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@TheMojoman said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Final: Blues vs Crusaders:
May I use this opportunity to say Grace needs to be in the ABs squad. Error free, one of the defensive titans, links well, and as Sam Whitelock said, he is the lineout master/leader. Sotutu and him need to be battling it out for the ABs No.8 position for the future.
Grace was v.good tonight but what’s always in the back of my mind is he’s playing behind a Crusaders tight-five so he should stand out. Harder for someone like Ardie or Mikaele-Tu’u
Ardie is not your classic number 8. Rather have a guy that’s big in the collision zone for first 60, and then have his acceleration in the last 20. Or he goes back to being a 7.
