Highlanders 2024
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@SouthernMann Yeah. Hayden is a strong running loosie. Pretty big unit for a 7. Similar to Slade McDowall if you remember him. Good over the ball. He's a Southlander as you said and been in the Landers 20s side the last 2 years with an academy spot for landers. He's contracted for Highlanders in 2024 and I think 2025
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@NateHill74 said in Blues 2023:
@SouthernMann Yeah. Hayden is a strong running loosie. Pretty big unit for a 7. Similar to Slade McDowall if you remember him. Good over the ball. He's a Southlander as you said and been in the Landers 20s side the last 2 years with an academy spot for landers. He's contracted for Highlanders in 2024 and I think 2025
Looks a bigger version of McDowall, who seemed like a small cannonball and whose size went against him.
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@SouthernMann I'd be intrigued to see them side by side. Funnily enough, Slades club side down here was Kaikorai and that's where Michaels has gone to. Anwyays, Slade was known to try and steam bowl players and wasn't too bad (ranfurly shield game vs Waikato 2018 for memory) Michaels is less of a contact ball carrier, likes to hit gaps but does run really strongly anyways
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Also (partially) posted in the Exodus thread:
According to this article on Stuff, Josh Dickson has signed with Steve Hansen's Toyota Verblitz. It hasn't been announced by the club, yet.
Josh Dickson has been announced as the latest signing for Toyota Verblitz in Japan, the club where Steve Hansen is a coaching consultant.
Pari Pari Parkinson, Will Tucker and Fabian Holland are the other specialist locks in the squad. Max Hicks was used at lock at times during Super Rugby Pacific, but the Highlanders have always regarded him as a No 6 in the longer term.
The Highlanders have an interest in young locks Reuben Palmer and Ale Aho, both of whom are in the Otago academy.
Palmer played for the Highlanders under-20s this year, and Aho made the shift from the Blues region after selection for the New Zealand under-19 side last year.
The pair have size and potential and stood out in the recent Otago internal trial, but realistically they are years away from the rigours of Super Rugby.
Quality big men are hard to find in New Zealand, with the Blues and Hurricanes forced to use No 6/lock hybrids this year, while the Highlanders moved Shannon Frizell into the engine room for the last part of the season.
The Chiefs and Crusaders look well stocked at lock despite the pending departures of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock, but the other three New Zealand clubs could be competing for the same pool of players.
Dickson is expected to play for Otago in this year’s NPC before moving to Japan. -
I think we have no choice but to pick Max Hicks as a lock next year
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What do we reckon, a fullback or a winger?
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I wouldn't be surprised if they have lured him down by saying you have first go at the 15 jersey. Gilbert just lacked a bit of punch from 15.
I'd like to see Bogado get a decent run on the wing opposite Nareki. Hoping Lowe can get some confidence back with Hawke's Bay.
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@SouthernMann Agree with all of the above. It will depend on where they want to use Gilbert but my maths says we need another winger (Tavatavanawai please), and three midfielders. Might be that we sign Finn Hurley, and use Gilbert at 12, and only sign two more midfielders.
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@SouthernMann I think a back three of Nareki (11), JRK (14) and Gilbert (15) would be quality, unless the Landers see Gilbert as a 10 or a midfielder.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
What do we reckon, a fullback or a winger?
A couple of years ago MacDonald described him as a natural fullback. He said he instinctively runs the correct lines etc. Not sure on his kicking game
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@Canes4life Gilbert finished the season as the first choice 12. He was probably better in the midfield than what he was at the back.
If you look at the make up, if Gilbert is considered a fullback and JRK a winger. It means the squad has four wingers. One fullback in Gilbert. One confirmed midfielder in Te Hiwi, with questions over Umaga-Jensen and Timu, who can also play on the wing.
If Gilbert is a midfielder, there are two midfielders, with him and Te Hiwi. Faleafaga as someone who can play 10/12. Primarily a 10. With Umaga-Jensen and Timu still unconfirmed.
Three wingers with Bogado, Nareki and Lowe. One to be added.
JRK as a fullback, Hurley depending on how he handles NPC and Gilbert as someone who can play there.
Looking at the scenarios, it plays like he has been picked up as a fullback.
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My big thing with Gilbert, is that from the back he never picks the gap in the defensive line. He always looks for the contact, which is a terrible attribute for a fullback. Think he could be a really good dependable 12 though, and I think potentially in a backline of Fakatava, Millar, Nareki, Gilbert, Centre, Bogado, JRK, you could get away with having a power centre (e.g Umaga-Jensen) though the rumour is that TUJ is out of here.
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As a 12 Gilbert has very similar dimensions to Dallas McLeod; 190cm and about 100kg. He can suck defenders into contact. he is your big midfielder. For our centre I'm hoping to find a unicorn of a quick agile bloke who can run off the gaps Gilbert may provide.
