Highlanders 2024
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
@Mr-Fish Not every players needs to be terrific, but it is important that we build a core of local players... and I'd argue half of those guys do have superstar potential. Haig and Millar in particular. Faleafaga and Hastie both slick, whilst Taylor and Bell will be tidy. I think we probably need another top quality hooker, but these guys are all more or less upgrades on previous strategies. I'm not sold on Te Hiwi, but could hardly be worse than some of the other idiots we have had, whilst Michaels is only the third choice openside, so fits the bill perfectly.
I mean, around half the players from U20 squads tend to push on and have decent Super Rugby careers - and maybe half of those guys are better than journeymen, or the standard of players that the Highlanders already have in abundance. So maybe 8/30 would improve the standard or the Highlanders (after at least two or three years investment).
Have the Highlanders picked the right eight, or just the eight that were willing to head south (or are already living in Highlanders country)?
It's definitely possible the Highlanders have struck gold but statistically speaking (and based on the recent recruitment calls made by the coaches in the past few years), it's unlikely. If it were the Crusaders bringing in five or so age-grade stars I would be a lot more confident that they had a) identified the top talent and lured them to Christchurch, and b) will nurture their talents adequately. In the Highlanders' case, I think that's probably a bit much to ask...
A glass half empty approach is pretty easy to take. With 20 year olds we never know whether they will be the quality we need/want or will impact change.
Here is the situation the Highlanders are in though
- Established players don't want to play for the team which is currently the 5th best in NZ
- Quality players with connections to the Highlanders have taken up opportunities elsewhere
- The players the Highlanders have signed from elsewhere have not been up to scratch
- The Highlanders are a significant step behind their rivals in terms of setting up development programmes
- The current development programme is seeing players come through. This is a step in the right direction
- What we did over the last six years did not work.
There will never be enough talent in the south to hold up the squad alone. It will need strong recruitment out of high school, good culture and results will flow from there. This is just the start.
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2024:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2024:
@Mr-Fish Not every players needs to be terrific, but it is important that we build a core of local players... and I'd argue half of those guys do have superstar potential. Haig and Millar in particular. Faleafaga and Hastie both slick, whilst Taylor and Bell will be tidy. I think we probably need another top quality hooker, but these guys are all more or less upgrades on previous strategies. I'm not sold on Te Hiwi, but could hardly be worse than some of the other idiots we have had, whilst Michaels is only the third choice openside, so fits the bill perfectly.
I mean, around half the players from U20 squads tend to push on and have decent Super Rugby careers - and maybe half of those guys are better than journeymen, or the standard of players that the Highlanders already have in abundance. So maybe 8/30 would improve the standard or the Highlanders (after at least two or three years investment).
Have the Highlanders picked the right eight, or just the eight that were willing to head south (or are already living in Highlanders country)?
It's definitely possible the Highlanders have struck gold but statistically speaking (and based on the recent recruitment calls made by the coaches in the past few years), it's unlikely. If it were the Crusaders bringing in five or so age-grade stars I would be a lot more confident that they had a) identified the top talent and lured them to Christchurch, and b) will nurture their talents adequately. In the Highlanders' case, I think that's probably a bit much to ask...
you honestly sound like you're just trying to shit on the Landers...we were bottom this year and trying something new for us, we've had decades of either having a rag tag collection of journeymen we hope can play above themseves....or playing basically local club players...we hope can play above themselves...i dont believe we;ve ever brought through such a core of youth and put our faith in that, how about we just wait and see how they go rather than come in a start the doom and gloom early?
coming in and telling the bottom team that theyre bottom...and that rookies are unproven...is just an easy way to try and sound smart, i might head down to AB training and suggest they try and score more points than the oppositions...might be radical but i really believe it might win us some games
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@Tim said in Highlanders 2024:
this is what they suggest
not sure how urgent another loosies is, if we did i'd love to get Himeno back, hooker and 10 could be decisions that make or break things
I'm going to spend the off season trying to have no expectation for next year other than slow improvement, setting my sights on 2025 with this same core
AT A GLANCE
Highlanders confirmed squad for 2024
Hookers: Jack Taylor, Henry Bell, *TBA
Props: Ethan de Groot, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Ayden Johnstone, Jermaine Ainsley, Saula Ma'u, Luca Inch.
Locks: Pari Pari Parkinson, Will Tucker, Fabian Holland, TBA
Loose forwards: Sean Withy, Billy Harmon, Hayden Michaels, Nikora Broughton, Oliver Haig, Hugh Renton, Max Hicks, TBA
Halfbacks: Folau Fakatava, Nathan Hastie, James Arscott
No 10s: Cam Millar, Ajay Faleafaga, TBA
Midfield: Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Jake Te Hiwi, Josh Timu, TBA
Outside backs: Jona Nareki, Jonah Lowe, Martin Bogado, Connor Garden-Bachop, Sam Gilbert, TBA, TBA
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@Kiwiwomble yeah if Himeno wants to return for another season that would be cool, seems as though our other young loosie Will Stodart is set to join full time the following year
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@Kiwiwomble Despite the flack he gets, Irish Paul is generally pretty good IMO... but this article is a load of fluff. It doesn't say anything, and is nothing we couldn't really work out for ourselves. Only thing, is the other outside back. If we have indeed poached one from another franchise, I reckon all roads lead to Tavatavanawai, which I'd absolutely adore.
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I think a big positive with the way the squad is shaping up, is we are on track to have 38 players who are fully committed, want to be in Dunedin, but most importantly, are actually wanted by the coaches.
Reckon with the squad last year, coaches didn't really want Thwaites, Apisai, Banks, Koroi and Dawai (and probably a few others) but simply had to contract them because there was nobody else.
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@frugby thats probably why almost every coach needs a few years before they can truly be judged, it takes time to shape what can really be considered "their" squad, people like razor and even joseph (who took a while to win he made noticeable improvements straight away) are the exception i think
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Highlanders announce three new signings. Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Dunshea and Sanders.
Not sure about Sanders. On reflection, I'd say that Sanders will probably be in on a one year contract holding the fort before Will Stodart takes the spot in 2024.
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surely we could have photo shopped them into highlander kits or even just send them a jersey and get them doing a selfie ?
dont mind those, thats some good experience coming into the forwards without being too old
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@SBW1 Highly highly doubtful. Wise lives in Dunedin, and is still playing club footy, that's why he made Otago. I wouldn't be surprised if he is around as a part-time skills guy though.
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All three players have penned two year deals.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2024:
Not sure about Sanders.
He looked like a journeyman for years then he a strong game in the North v South match. The last year he was in NZ he looked quality.. although he didn't get enough starts at the Crusaders
Might be a good signing if he gets back to that 2020/21 form
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i think we're never going to sign some huge name...BB was never coming to dunners when he left the canes. so im going to try very hard not to judge new signings too much based on the past or expect them to win games on their own...thats just not the kind of player we'll get, so im just hoping that guys like sanders and dunshea just click into place and contribute to the whole squad being slightly better
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From the Stuff article -
The Highlanders have four more spots to fill in their squad – a third No 10, another outside back, a midfielder and a hooker.Experience is likely to be an important consideration in all of these roles as they prepare to enter 2024 with 10 players aged 22 or under.
The Highlanders have indicated that they are prepared to be patient in their search for the hooker and midfielder, with overseas acquisitions a possibility.
The need for experience in the No 2 jersey means a move for Ioane Moananu, who impressed as injury cover for the Crusaders this year, is unlikely.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/132484443/highlanders-sign-jacob-ratumaitavukikneepkens-tom-sanders-and-mitchell-dunshea -
but we think PUJ is likely the midfielder?
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Highlanders 2024:
The need for experience in the No 2 jersey means a move for Ioane Moananu, who impressed as injury cover for the Crusaders this year, is unlikely.
Coaches and their obsession with experience. That's how you end up with Leni Apisai.
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Hmmm Sanders and Dunshea? Two very injury prone players there, not sure about those signings.
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@African-Monkey speaking of injury-prone, if PUJ joins TUJ that is going to be an interesting midfield in more ways than one..
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this is going to get tedious if every time we sign a fit young guy someone comes in and just points out theyre inexperienced...but when we sign and older more experienced player with some question marks over their injury history that gets pointed out
can we all just agree and understand that if we could attract perfectly fit top level players with loads of experience...we wouldn't have finished last?
to get people to move to dunners and play for the bottom team we have to make some compromises...we're not oblivious to that
