Highlanders 2024

[Duluth]

@Kiwiwomble

NPC yes. SR no

Maybe he’d do better at SR in the midfield but he was genuinely awful at the Blues. It got so bad the crowd was laughing at a him

[SouthernMann]

He is just so slow. Looks like he is running in mud.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Duluth yes, sorry, thought it went without saying, not an outside back...very much a midfielder only, i thought he was good in his stint with the Highlanders, maybe not as a headliner but squad members...and definately in the midfield

@SouthernMann felt faster than paea

[frugby]

Our best results in the last four years came when we ran a midfield of Gregory and Collins... I'm not suggesting I'd have him back, because generally I don't like going backwards - also, believe he is going to Japan.

[Kiwiwomble]

@frugby yeah, would rather find someone new than go backwards

[frugby]

Think we have the lot anyway. TUJ, PUJ, Timu, Te Hiwi & Gilbert. They only used four specialists + Gilbert last year.

[Kiwiwomble]

@frugby do we actually have PUJ? and i thought the latest goss was TUJ going

[frugby]

The latest goss was that we have signed PUJ... so the assumption is TUJ is staying, because why would PUJ come if TUJ is leaving.

[Kiwiwomble]

that would be good!

[frugby]

Yep, when one if injured, hopefully the other it fit!

[Kiwiwomble]

we should just start naming "Umaga-Jensen" and then decide why is fittest on the day

[SouthernMann]

Would probably look like a midfield of... If this transpires

12 Gilbert
13 PUJ

23 TUJ

[frugby]

Yep, think we have signed our lot barring a 10 in the backline.

Halfbacks:
Fakatava
Hastie
Arscott

First Fives:
Millar
Hunt/Faleafaga (I think probably the latter)
GAP

Midfielders:
P Umaga-Jensen
T Umaga-Jensen
Te Hiwi
Timu
Gilbert

Outside Backs
Nareki
Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Bogado
Lowe
Coombes-Fabling (Someone said it on here, and evidence from Clark's comments suggest it may be true)

[Kiwiwomble]

@SouthernMann bloody hell id be happy to be able to field that for several game sin a row, think TUJ could do some damage coming on against tired defence

[nostrildamus]

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:

Would probably look like a midfield of... If this transpires

12 Gilbert
13 PUJ

23 TUJ

Don't you rate TUJ over PUJ?

[SouthernMann]

@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2024:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:

Would probably look like a midfield of... If this transpires

12 Gilbert
13 PUJ

23 TUJ

Don't you rate TUJ over PUJ?

PUJ is a centre. TUJ is more of a 12. He is the bigger twin and feel he could be isolated a bit on defence at centre.

[nostrildamus]

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:

@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2024:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:

Would probably look like a midfield of... If this transpires

12 Gilbert
13 PUJ

23 TUJ

Don't you rate TUJ over PUJ?

PUJ is a centre. TUJ is more of a 12. He is the bigger twin and feel he could be isolated a bit on defence at centre.

Ah ok I see what you mean, but that implies to me you rate Gilbert over TUJ!

[frugby]

I think most people would... Landers want a ball-playing 12 as a first option.

[SouthernMann]

@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2024:

Ah ok I see what you mean, but that implies to me you rate Gilbert over TUJ!

I think it implies that we need to have a strong distributing 12 to play alongside an inexperienced 10. Playing Gilbert also means he can shoulder the goal keeping. While Millar is a very good goalkicker. Having someone managing that responsibility would take a bit of pressure off.

The back end of 2022 also says the Highlanders coaching staff likes the idea of Gilbert starting at TUJ coming off the bench.

[Kiwiwomble]

@nostrildamus i rate TUJ over Gilbert at 12 but i can see what @SouthernMann is talking about here, especially if we have an inexperienced 10...more reliable Gilbert at 12 would be good

@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:

I think most people would... Landers want a ball-playing 12 as a first option.

dont know about "most"...in my experience