Highlanders 2024
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@Kiwiwomble when did I say the players were shit? I said the side is not as strong as last year. Move on.
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The question has been asked, is this an improved squad on last year, and I will categorically say yes. Break it down position by position:
Prop:
- Same crop of players as last year, all of whom will be a year more experienced. Certainly haven't got weaker, and if Ma'u can kick on as he threatened to do in the NPC, this is an improvement
Hooker:
- Whilst we are young and inexperienced here, I don't think you could say we have got worse, because all three of our hookers were poor last year, hence why they have not been re-signed. Bell and Taylor both have potential, and are local, which is better than having old journeyman from elsewhere
Lock:
- Dickson is a loss, but he isn't better than Dunshea who has arrived to replace him. Holland a year older, Parkinson another year into his recovery from that huge knee injury, once again, you couldn't say we have got worse here, especially as we played the majority of last season without half of our locks anyway
Loose Forward:
- Frizell is a loss, but don't forget he was useless for the Landers for the majority of last season. Likewise, MMT was quiet and largely injured
- Sanders probably just another toiler, but with time in the saddle, Broughton could easily really kick on. Withy likewise, whilst Haig and Michaels have plenty of potential.
- We won't be much worse here, by virtue of the fact our most commonly used trio was Withy, Harmon & Renton. Hopefully Broughton and/or Haig can kick on straight away.
Halfback:
- No kidding ourselves, Smith is a loss not just for his ability, but also his experience... HOWEVER, he only played about half of our games last year anyway, and a lot of his strengths didn't really suit the Highlanders, because we lacked a running 10, so his strong passing was probably wasted on us
- With the security of being the outright best halfback, I expect Fakatava to have a big season. I think when he knows he isn't playing for his place, he is a better player
- Depth is a bit of an issue here granted, so I accept we have got weaker, but whether that eventuates, we will see
First Five:
- Banks was unsighted, Hunt not up to it, and Burns largely injured... so can we be much worse? Burns by the end of the season was really tidy, but you'd hope Patchell is an equal replacement
- Then Millar, hopefully can get himself fit, and if he does he will be fine. Once again, not really a drop off. Faleafaga won't play much at 10 unless there is injuries, but as a pure playmaker, there is plenty to like there
Midfield:
- Paea and Gregory are not losses. Te Hiwi might not be a superstar, but he won't be worse. Matt Whaanga I guess the like for like replacement (though obviously technically the TUJ injury replacement) and again, he couldn't be any worse than those guys.
- Is Telea'a as good as TUJ? I guess we will find out, but for all of TUJ's good ball carrying, there was reason he was dropped by the end of last season. If Telea'a can bring some extra speed to the team, it will be an upgrade, and most importantly, if he can stay fit, because both have had their injury troubles... put it this way, at the very worst we are still shit in midfield, but you can't get worse than shit. If all clicks with Gilbert and Telea'a, then it could be the best midfield in half a decade (not saying much granted)
Outside Backs:
- A big issue was a lack of spark from our outsides, JRK and Tavatavanawai are both game breakers, who can create tries from nothing, this will be a massive upgrade, because we have struggled for spark. Also, don't forget, in theory we will have Nareki all season, which he was injured for the majority of last.
I see a team who has largely upgraded by recruitment, or at the very least will be improving by natural progression. The pack went well last year, and has not got weaker.
The backs were appalling, and whatever you might think about the inside backs, having a back three of Nareki, Tavatavanawai and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens with Bogado in reserve to start the season, is a massive upgrade.
The Team which took on the Blues in R1 Last Year was:
- de Groot
- Marshall
- Ainsley
- Parkinson
- Dickson
- Frizell
- Harmon
- Mikaele-Tu'u
- Fakatava
- Hunt
- Garden-Bachop
- Umaga-Jensen
- Timu
- Lowe
- Gilbert
In my opinion, the team which starts in R1 v Moana Pasifika in 2024 will be quite comfortably better than that.
I'll tag in @Canes4life, who is totally entitled to his opinion, but I'm curious as to where you can definitively say this team is weaker.
We'll have a better season than last year, both because we have got better, but also because we'll probably get some luck, which we didn't get a lot of last year. Add in the fact that the other sides have all got weaker, and I expect we'll probably win at least seven games... and even if we don't, we shouldn't panic.
This is a 2-3 year project, and the majority of these players are signed up for that period.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
@Stargazer am i imagining that players uses to be able too? have they moved the japanese season?
That happened a few years ago.
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@Stargazer so yes, cool, that make sense then
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More or less what we all expected really isn’t it. There’s a young squad with potential, but once again it’s retaining it and giving it time.
I was hoping we would see another late bolter, something along the the lines of Grindlay but let’s hope Tele’a can be our next Fekitoa.
There is a player im a big fan of that hasn’t been announced yet, Caleb Delaney. I noticed he isn’t in the hurricanes squad so I’m hoping JJ has swooped in and at least added him to our wider squad. Huge win if we could pull something like that off. Speaking of widers, does anyone know when those get announced?
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2024:
More or less what we all expected really isn’t it. There’s a young squad with potential, but once again it’s retaining it and giving it time.
I was hoping we would see another late bolter, something along the the lines of Grindlay but let’s hope Tele’a can be our next Fekitoa.
There is a player im a big fan of that hasn’t been announced yet, Caleb Delaney. I noticed he isn’t in the hurricanes squad so I’m hoping JJ has swooped in and at least added him to our wider squad. Huge win if we could pull something like that off. Speaking of widers, does anyone know when those get announced?
Delaney IS in the Canes squad
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If I was a Highlanders fan one area that would annoy is midfield. It continues to be problem area and I question whether the Highlanders do enough in that space.
I hope it works out for Tele'a but he's an injury prone midfielder with very poor distribution skills. Glass half full would say with regular game he will develop but I wouldn't hold my breath.
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@KiwiMurph definately, and i dont think there are many if any highlanders fans that would argue
i dont know how many better midfielders are out there that we would have any chance of luring down though
I still prefer gilbert as a 15 and the idea of having a couple of guys actually fighting for the spot...but i really hope he fires in midfield
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@Kiwiwomble so he is! Lol. My bad, completely missed his name some how. Wishful thinking on my part again😂
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@KiwiMurph said in Highlanders 2024:
If I was a Highlanders fan one area that would annoy is midfield. It continues to be problem area and I question whether the Highlanders do enough in that space.
No question. I still don't think we have ever replaced Fekitoa and he left six years ago!
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
I still prefer gilbert as a 15 and the idea of having a couple of guys actually fighting for the spot...but i really hope he fires in midfield
I think probably the issue with Gilbert is that he isn't quite good enough anywhere, and has looked good because everything around him is crap. Hasn't ever shown himself as a true game breaker, so don't think 15 is his spot.
His best chance of being a top level player is turning himself into a gun 12.
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@frugby we dont have to do this dance again, i know and disagree
you think he's looked good because the guys around him have been shit and i think we havent seen his full potential because he hasnt had the quality of player consistently around him to kick on, covering for a weak midfield doesnt exactly give him the best chance to shine
regardless of my feeling and preference he's obviously in line of midfield and i REALLY hope im wrong and we see the best of him
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I reckon the wider squad players will be hooker - who knows, although I suspect Aone Lolofie will spend some time with the squad. Wingham and may be Morgan Mitchell and Hunter Fahey. Lock, Ahio and Palmer will be around. Stodart as the loose cover. Jay Renton for halfback if he is around, thought he had an impressive NPC. Josh Whaanga, van Vugt and Finn Hurley covering the backs. Asi might be around the group too
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The WTG don't exist anymore.... the academy boys will train with them during pre-season, but outside of that, I think it is unlikely there will be extras as the whole squad barring de Groot (will presumably be covered by Wingham) will be there on day one.
Likely to be some injury cover at lock, and they could well be from outside of the region, but there won't be any backs I wouldn't think. Dom Bird could be one to watch in this department.
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And while not an official WTG. All those players probably except Morgan and Renton are part of the pathways group
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Also mentioned:
Dermody also said that new lock Mitchell Dunshea had been through surgery to fix his Achilles injury, and that he would continue his rehab in Dunedin with a view to being available in April.
Lock Will Tucker is also under an injury cloud, and the uncertainty meant that the Highlanders weren’t in a position to confirm their wider training squad on Thursday.
The Highlanders are weighing up if they need one or two locks to cover for Dunshea and Tucker, and whether they can fill those berths with players already within their system.
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Will be interesting to see who that might be. I think the management might be looking to get Lui Naeata secured.
