Otago 2023
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Not sure how many people on the Fern are actually interested in the Golden O, but with the Landers wrapped up, thought it would be interesting to look at how our squad is shaping up. Looking at the ORFU Website, contracted currently are:
Props:
Abraham Pole
Tau Kolomatagi
Jermaine Ainsley
Saula Ma'uHookers:
Henry Bell
Ricky JacksonLocks:
Josh Dickson
Fabian Holland
Will Tucker
Josh HillLoose Forwards:
Oli Haig
Sean Withy
James Lentjes
Christian Lio-Willie
Sam FischliHalfbacks:
Nathan Hastie
James ArscottFirst Fives:
Cam Millar
Ajay FaleafagaMidfielders:
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Jake Te Hiwi
Josh TimuOutside Backs:
Jona Nareki
Sam GilbertPlayers From Last Year Not Currently Listed as Contracted:
Props:
George Bower (Injured/Overseas)
Josh Hohneck (Retired)Hookers:
Brady Robertson
Harry Press (Injury Cover)Loose Forwards:
Rupeni TamaniHalfbacks:
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
Kieran McCleaFirst Fives:
Josh IoaneMidfielders:
Ray Nu'uOutside Backs:
Vilimoni Koroi
Freedom Vahaakolo (League/Auckland)Last Season 32 Players Were Contracted + There were 6 Development Players:
Jeremiah Asi
Ajay Faleafaga
Oli Haig (Ended up in Main Squad)
Will Stodart
Rohan Wingham
Finn HurleyI'd expect them to contract a minimum of 30 Players, maybe a few more pending injuries. Going off the Balance Last Year, They will need to Contract 1-2 Props (Depending on whether they want to contract 6 like they did last year), 1-2 Hookers (Might Need 2 Pending Jackson's injury as he hasn't even played Club Rugby), 1 Loose Forward, 1 Halfback, 1 Midfielder (Maybe More pending injuries), 2 Outside Backs
This is How These Should Break Down:
Props:
- Rohan Wingham
- Maybe Another Tighthead, likely from out of the region
Hookers:
- Brady Robertson/Harry Press
- Another from Outside the Region if Jackson is no good
Loose Forward:
- Will Stodart
Halfback:
- Kieran McClea/Bob Martin
Midfielders:
- A Local Player, Don't Know Exactly Who (Assuming Nu'u isn't back)
- May Look Out of the Region depending on the extent of Te Hiwi and Timu's injuries
Outside Backs:
- Finn Hurley
- Martin Bogado (Depending on if he is available for the NPC/Not Playing for Southland)
- 1/2 of Jermaine Pepe, Oscar Schmidt-Uili, Jeremiah Asi, WAISAKE NAHOLO and Vili Koroi (I assume he is gone)
Development Players:
Aone Lolofie (Hooker)
Josh Whaanga (Midfielder)
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Loose Forward)- 3
Looks a Pretty Good Base to Build from to me, though depth in the backs is very much on the light side, particularly in midfield.
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I think the key thing with this team is to play players where they will be playing long-term. Too many times over the years Otago has just worked on playing the best group and lacking potential finishers or the right players in the right roles.
Try half four or five wingers over the competition.
Cam Millar play him both at 10 and 15.
Give Faleafaga runs at both 10 and 12.
See whether the midget Hurley can handle this level.
Look to see early whether someone like Josh Whaanga has the pace to play at this level.
How much do we invest in Lio-Willie game time wise. Knowing this is likely his last year with Otago. Is he a 50 minute starter. Does he provide impact off the bench.
Harry Taylor and Aaron Withy get lots of comments as loosies.
Does McKenzie haugh follow John leslie up to Northland.
Do Oli Foote and Caleb Leef have a run in the backs.There is a trial between club players next week. It will be interesting to see who goes well in that. Will Henry said on Paul Dwyer's video that there is a country halfback who might be worth a go.
This should be viewed as a sampling process.
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@SouthernMann 100% agree but its the problem with such short seasons, just dont have the time to experiment unless we're willing to right off the season
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Last year while we had some injuries. We ran out a backline in round one of;
Hauiti-Parapara
Josh Ioane
Nareki
Umaga-Jensen
Timu
Koroi
Gilbert.We lost. It was a good looking backline. On paper. We can roll out good looking sides and lose. Or we can experiment and lose. 10 games, get through some players, and have an idea who is worth persevering with. That is a win. If we roll through with the same players, have the same season, that's a loss.
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This post is deleted!
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
Last year while we had some injuries. We ran out a backline in round one of;
Hauiti-Parapara
Josh Ioane
Nareki
Umaga-Jensen
Timu
Koroi
Gilbert.We lost. It was a good looking backline. On paper. We can roll out good looking sides and lose. Or we can experiment and lose. 10 games, get through some players, and have an idea who is worth persevering with. That is a win. If we roll through with the same players, have the same season, that's a loss.
thats fair....you're right, i remember being very happy with that team
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
I think the key thing with this team is to play players where they will be playing long-term. Too many times over the years Otago has just worked on playing the best group and lacking potential finishers or the right players in the right roles.
Try half four or five wingers over the competition.
Cam Millar play him both at 10 and 15.
Give Faleafaga runs at both 10 and 12.
See whether the midget Hurley can handle this level.
Look to see early whether someone like Josh Whaanga has the pace to play at this level.
How much do we invest in Lio-Willie game time wise. Knowing this is likely his last year with Otago. Is he a 50 minute starter. Does he provide impact off the bench.
Harry Taylor and Aaron Withy get lots of comments as loosies.
Does McKenzie haugh follow John leslie up to Northland.
Do Oli Foote and Caleb Leef have a run in the backs.There is a trial between club players next week. It will be interesting to see who goes well in that. Will Henry said on Paul Dwyer's video that there is a country halfback who might be worth a go.
This should be viewed as a sampling process.
Think that is a little negative... with the nature of the NPC, I think within reason you should be aiming to win every year. I mean with injuries, and the potential that some of our good young players make the All Blacks even next year... or if not certainly the year after.
Lio-Willie should definitely be used to full effect, because he is a great player, and what is to say he won't re-sign? We assume he won't, but I can see a world where because of keeping up with his dentistry, he decides to sign a one year extension. Wouldn't be unreasonable that he does that, keeping his options open for 2025 onwards, where if he hasn't cracked the All Blacks he may head offshore.
Taylor and A Withy are a bit average I think, and in fairness we have six good loosies anyway which is all you really need anyway.
As for the backs, I think most of the club guys are probably quite average, so it will be a case of waiting and seeing. I think Josh Whaanga is a year away, though you never know - could be forced due to injuries. Haugh, Foote, Leef aren't good enough, and realistically, if they can secure Bogado, then it will be Asi or Pepe. Midfield a bigger concern, I see Faleafaga playing 12 a lot because they will want to get him on the field.
I think it is reasonable to suggest coaching may hamper Otago.
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Anyway, Squad aside because the NPC is random AF, this is our draw:
R1: Ta$man (A) - Friday 5:35pm
R2: Wellington (H) - Saturday 4:35pm
R3: Hawke's Bay (A) - Sunday 2:05pm
R4: Southland (H) - Saturday 7:05pm
STORM WEEK START
R5: Bay of Plenty (A) - Saturday 2:05pm
R6: North Harbour (A) - Wednesday 7:05pm
R6: Northland (H) - Sunday 4:35pm
STORM WEEK END
R7: Taranaki (H) - Saturday 7:05pm
R8: Waikato (A) - Sunday 4:35pm
R9: Counties Manukau (H) Sunday 2:05pmLooks a pretty tough draw on paper, I would be willing to guess that five wins with a good PD + BPs would be enough to sneak into the playoffs. Think we have to bank wins against Southland, Northland, Taranaki and Counties. I worry we will be 0-3, and then with BOP and North Harbour at the start of the storm week, we could be 1-5 before we have barely blinked, especially with those potential midfield injuries.
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In the Lio-Willie article from last year, there is a telling quote which pretty much guarantees he will leave Otago at the end of this season.
"Lio-Willie is signed with Otago for another season [2023] and plans to "stick around" for it.
I don't think his dentistry keeps him in Dunedin. He is qualified. He can get opportunities wherever he wants. I'd say he'd likely go back home to Auckland or Counties.
Lio-Willie hoping to build on form tonight
It has been quite a year for Christian Lio-Willie. The powerful Otago No 8 celebrated a milestone yesterday — happy birthday. He was planning a low...
NPC these days is nothing more than a three month semi-professional trial to get a better understanding of players as they push for more opportunities.
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I also suspect the other prop in the squad will be Ben Lopas who is currently playing for Green Island. Former NZ Schools player out of Chch
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Decent young prop was in the crusaders academy the last couple of seasons good size for a prop.
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
In the Lio-Willie article from last year, there is a telling quote which pretty much guarantees he will leave Otago at the end of this season.
"Lio-Willie is signed with Otago for another season [2023] and plans to "stick around" for it.
I don't think his dentistry keeps him in Dunedin. He is qualified. He can get opportunities wherever he wants. I'd say he'd likely go back home to Auckland or Counties.
Lio-Willie hoping to build on form tonight
It has been quite a year for Christian Lio-Willie. The powerful Otago No 8 celebrated a milestone yesterday — happy birthday. He was planning a low...
NPC these days is nothing more than a three month semi-professional trial to get a better understanding of players as they push for more opportunities.
Fore sure it is likely he leaves, I'm suggesting he will stay, I'm merely saying all options are open, and it also isn't particularly important whether he is or is not.
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I think I saw on Paul Dwyer's ODT show that Wingham has signed on for three years
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@SouthernMann Not really surprising... by all the sounds the trial midweek was a waste of time with a million players given a trot around.
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@friedrugby we knew it would be didn;t we? arent there only 6-7 spots available? always thought it was mostly just a hype tool
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I think the game was an end to the means. Where the real tool was being able to have the 50 of the best under the coaching group for a month leading up to it. We know about 10 to 12 guys outside the contracted will probably need to play during the season. The month of being on top of these guys means they will know who isn't up to it, and who may give it a good shake.
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@SouthernMann said in Otago 2023:
I think the game was an end to the means. Where the real tool was being able to have the 50 of the best under the coaching group for a month leading up to it. We know about 10 to 12 guys outside the contracted will probably need to play during the season. The month of being on top of these guys means they will know who isn't up to it, and who may give it a good shake.
This approach is quite common in most unions. The talent spotters promote some possibles and the coaching staff get to see if they are worth pursuing. Simple stuff like turning up prepared, attitude, ability to listen and apply. All the base stuff.
