Highlanders 2023
-
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2023:
I think Thomas Umaga Jensen is a 12 who needs an absolute gun of a centre outside of him. Someone like Bailyn Sullivan would probably go well outside TUJ. Fast. If TUJ stays, you want someone who can take advantage of the space he provides. There are some other guys who are probably starters in a couple of years, but we may be able to guarantee them starts.
Timu is a heck of a decent depth player. Probably not a game breaker.
As for wingers, Nareki, Bogado and Lowe are all around for next year. Someone like Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens would be a cool addition.
What should be for sure is that this year should hopefully be the end of the road for Gregory, Banks, Paea, Hunt and Koroi.
Is TUJ a gun though? Yes he is a good ball carrier, but his distribution, kicking, defence and speed have been shown to be largely poor. Timu the same except his ball-carrying is worse and he can tackle... and both are massively injury prone.
If I was in charge of the Highlanders and there was a trade system, heading into next season these would be the only untouchable players:
de Groot, Ainsley, Holland, Withy, Harmon, Broughton, Haig, Fakatava, Millar, Nareki... I wouldn't be overly bothered if we lost anyone else who we aren't already losing. Obviously you can't get rid of everyone, but I said it at the start of the season, and I still sort of think the Landers need to move on from TUJ.
Is TUJ a gun? Probably not. Is he likely a better player than we have see this season. Potentially. Defenders know they just need to wrap him up. There is no threat either side of him. Interestingly Southland has announced the signing of forner Bay of Plenty first five Dan Hollinshead. I think it is quite likely he will end up in the 2024 squad. Nothing overly special. But should be able to hold the fort.
-
@SouthernMann Hollinshead has already played two games for the Highlanders in 2019 (as a sub). He's been playing for Vannes in the French Pro D2 competition for the last two years (but not too many games, only 16 games in two seasons).
-
An injury update on a couple of players in an ODT article
Big second-rower Pari Pari Parkinson has lost "a fair bit" of weight after battling a viral complaint and is not considered ready to play. Young Highlanders lock Fabian Holland has been diagnosed with a grade three hamstring tear and faces about 10 weeks on the sidelines. -
@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
Renton (Not signed yet, doesn't seem to be anyone else on the radar atm)
Weird that he hasn't been resigned, he's a bit of a glue player at the Highlanders.
Think that more so speaks of the strength of the Highlanders though - he is still quite limited, even if his effort can't be questioned. If I were in his shoes, seems a good time to go overseas because his stock will never be higher.
-
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
@Nepia said in Highlanders 2023:
@friedrugby said in Highlanders 2023:
Renton (Not signed yet, doesn't seem to be anyone else on the radar atm)
Weird that he hasn't been resigned, he's a bit of a glue player at the Highlanders.
Think that more so speaks of the strength of the Highlanders though - he is still quite limited, even if his effort can't be questioned. If I were in his shoes, seems a good time to go overseas because his stock will never be higher.
So much discussion about how limited so many highlanders are, methinks it might indicate a lack of imaginative coaching...
-
Highlanders stint challenges Burns
You will always get absolute honesty out of Freddie Burns. The Highlanders first five has revealed he has not completely enjoyed his experience in...
some interesting points, the fact he's disappointed with the crowds though is on him and shows how little thought some of the random signings give before signing, i dont think crowds have been any different to the last several years...hes also playing in dunedin so one of if not the smallest supporter base in the comp
-
@Kiwiwomble I can totally imagine him being disappointed with the crowds in NZ/Dunedin. It's spot on. Crowds here are disappointing compared to Europe where you regularly see full stadiums. In NZ, people rather watch from their couch. Unexpected? No. Disappointing. Totally!
-
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Kiwiwomble I can totally imagine him being disappointed with the crowds in NZ/Dunedin. It's spot on. Crowds here are disappointing compared to Europe where you regularly see full stadiums. In NZ, people rather watch from their couch. Unexpected? No. Disappointing. Totally!
of course the turn outs are shit, its just a pet peeve of mine, like someone the buys a house next to a bar of restaurant and complains about the noise...you want to play in front of big crowds....dont move to fucking dunedin
I think we can also learn from some of the english stadiums, half of them are less than 15k capacity and a few closer to 10k...rugby park in invercargill is 18k, too big stadiums make poor crowds look even worse
-
@Kiwiwomble He doesn't sound like he's complaining in that interview. Just a remark. Geez.
-
@Stargazer agree to disagree
-
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2023:
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2023:
@Kiwiwomble I can totally imagine him being disappointed with the crowds in NZ/Dunedin. It's spot on. Crowds here are disappointing compared to Europe where you regularly see full stadiums. In NZ, people rather watch from their couch. Unexpected? No. Disappointing. Totally!
of course the turn outs are shit, its just a pet peeve of mine, like someone the buys a house next to a bar of restaurant and complains about the noise...you want to play in front of big crowds....dont move to fucking dunedin
I think we can also learn from some of the english stadiums, half of them are less than 15k capacity and a few closer to 10k...rugby park in invercargill is 18k too big stadiums make poor crowds look ever worse
Was just about to point out those "sold out" stadiums are pretty small.
-
-
-
@Nepia id love to know what we paid him, i would love to find out it was bugger all because he wanted some new experience and maybe put himself in the shop window for a japanese gig...but i have no idea. With banks and millar getting injured and and hunt being a bit shit we would have needed someone else...but someone local would have been better
-
Good article from Irish Paul on southern sport as a whole, starting with the Highlanders. Roger Clark pretty much confirming what we all know, we are getting the second tier. Approaching all the players we should be and getting declined. Then signing players no one else wanted. Although pretty harsh on Nareki, and shows the desperation in signing Jonah Lowe.
"It’s been a grim run that has exposed their lack of game-changers and Clark is candid about their deficiencies. “You look at our backline at the moment, and most of our players wouldn't get picked in other teams – anyone in double digits anyway,” he says. “So, we've got a lot of work to do.”
This season was always going to be a slog. The next few years will be interesting, especially with prioritising home grown players.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/132022585/inside-the-struggles-of-sports-teams-in-the-south
