Northland v Manawatu
-
Northland side:
Adams, Moulds, Te Whata Colley
Hallam-Eames, Craig
Rush, Matich, Mau'u
Nock, Reihana
Hohaia, Tua
Murray, Moorby, MacilaiBench:
Wright, O'Donnell, Puafisi, Goodhue, McNamara, MIlo-Harris,, Hawkins, RangerBlazer game for Mau'u, 50th for Tua
OK...Hohaia straight back in, Going dropped from the 23. Nock back, although LMH had a mixed bag on Wednesday, Ranger back into the 23, Goodhue to the bench, BKP out of 23 Wright to bench.
Hope there is no sentimental reasoning behind Wright/Ranger on bench, as potentially thier last ever match? Surely, if that is the case, neither would want that?
Ofa not available, AB duty...WTF? I mean next week, will there be no ABs available, or do they just make it up as they go along? If he is fit, you'd think he would want to be playing after spending most of the last couple of months not playing.
-
@taniwharugby said in Northland v Manawatu:
Ofa not available, AB duty...WTF? I mean next week, will there be no ABs available, or do they just make it up as they go along? If he is fit, you'd think he would want to be playing after spending most of the couple of months not playing.
Weird. Maybe there's a protocol about time off after playing a game? He started the midweek match, maybe they don't want AB's playing on Wednesday and the weekend?
-
@Duluth guess we will see next week if we make it that far...
is a shame for these guys (not just Ofa) but I bet most of them just want to play rugby, especially going back to the provinces, and for some with such light loads this year too, who arent playing this weekend...
-
Odd team for a must win match. Manawatu will not roll over and will throw everything at us. We are playing with fire a bit here.
Only really bad selection blunder is Hohaia back in for Going. Going was solid on Wednesday, he’s a no thrills type 12 who gets gain line with straight hard running.. he doesn’t throw miracle balls either like our current 12. Don’t get it..
Don’t understand Ofas non selection either.. be higher things at play there for sure. Thanks Foz.
Still backing us to get this done, but it will be tighter than most will predict.
-
Well, Northland now hold thier fate in thier hands.
Win, make the top 4, lose, we dont deserve it anyway.
-
@taniwharugby said in Northland v Manawatu:
Well, Northland now hold thier fate in thier hands.
Win, make the top 4, lose, we dont deserve it anyway.
It would be so sweet, for poor old Northland, to knock the cheque book XV out of the comp
-
I'm glad Konia is going - dropping Going for Hohaia is ridiculous. Goings performance was probably a 6/10 the other day but still probably better than 95% of the games Hohaia has played for Northland. Also dropping Goodhue is another poor decision.
We should roll Manawatu comfortably but given our current form it's probably 50/50 at this stage.
-
@Chiefy07 yeah both of those calls are odd.
Going hasn't really had a shot, guve him one game where he was solid, then drop him...Konia has a love of Hohaia that I cannot see why.
As to Goodhue on the bench for the penultimate game of the season??
I can only assume as they been doing that most of the year, it is because he is heading overseas and they (against most other evidence) are looking at the future with Craig.
While on paper, this side should be too strong, they are playing with fire not putting our very best foot forward, for what may or may not be our last game.
Nock is another, been in poor form this season, although LMH wasn't at his best on Wednesday so coin toss really.
Outside that, can't argue too much with the starting 15, a couple of quibbles on the bench but, again, the starters should be strong enough that the bench will not matter hugely.
-
@kev said in Northland v Manawatu:
If the guys can’t get up for this game then?
Big game for us - making the playoffs would be significant for this team.
I guess we’ll find out tomorrow just how much resolve this team has.
Do we lift and blow Manawatu off the park, or will the fact that this is basically an extra quarter final for us be too much and we cake it?
If I was to answer that, I’d say it’s a bit of a lottery, because an age old tradition with a Northland sides is you never know what team is going turn up on the day.
-
Team named on Social media
-
in some ways, that result makes it 'easier' for us tomorrow, in that we just need to win, no need to worry about a BP, just beat them and we get a trip to Christchurch...
-
@taniwharugby said in Northland v Manawatu:
in some ways, that result makes it 'easier' for us tomorrow, in that we just need to win, no need to worry about a BP, just beat them and we get a trip to Christchurch...
Surely you will win this one. At home against the only team without a win.
-
Wet weather has hung around longer than expected, so she gonna be a wet one.
-
and now sun is shining!
Still expect some showers, possibly heavy, but Lindvart Park in Kaikohe looks in decent nick despite the rain thats been about
