Hurricanes 2024
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
Definitely not guys I would be investing in.
Geoff Cridge would have made way more sense.
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@Stargazer or Dominic Bird or Justin Sangster or Hugo Plummer even. Atleast sign a kiwi.
That Ben Grant signing is so left field it makes me wonder who else the Canes will sign.
Very odd indeed.
I get the Josh Taula signing, he's over 2m tall, he's 124kg and he's young. I just hope they can get him to concentrate for more than two secs because he doesn't seem the sharpest.
The Tucker signing is dumb to me, he's going to be the Blackwell type player that I thought we had finally seen the back of.
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@Stargazer let's hope Laidlaw knows what he's doing.
I'm very stoked Mafileo and Howden have signed on.
Atleast our prop and loose-forward stocks are healthy. Locks are looking very weak at this stage though unfortunately.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
- Ben Grant - one year only. Who the fook is that guy? He looks to be a 2.05m lock who's formerly played for the Reds. 118kg aswell.
He has played for Perth Spirit and then Western Force in the NRC in Australia. In 2022 and 2023 he played for San Diego Legion in the MLR. He's 25 years old.
Most recently he played 8 games for North Harbour in the NPC. Can't say I remember him, but you can't remember them all.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
I hope we haven't failed to pick up Delany aswell.
He is originally from Ta$man so may be heading home ? now his studies are completed in Wellington.
I haven't heard he is moving just a thought thrown out there.
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After those signings, this is an update on the squad:
Props:
T Mafileo
X Numia
S Lauaki
T Lomax
? P Rakete-Stones (highly likely)
? TBCHookers:
A Aumua
? TBC
? TBCLocks:
I Walker-Leawere
B Grant
J Tucker
J Taula
? potentially one more lock - Justin Sangster hopefullyLoose forwards:
T Howden
D Flanders
D Kirifi
B Shields
P Lakai
? C Delany (highly likely)
? B Iose (highly likely)
? TBCHalfbacks:
C Roigard
T Perenara
? TBCFirst Fives:
B Cameron
A Morgan
? Lincoln McClutchie (hopefully)Centres:
R Higgins
J Barrett
B Proctor
B Sullivan
? P Umaga-Jensen (highly likely)Outside backs:
R Love
H Godfrey
J Moorby
D Sinkinson
? Kini Naholo (highly likely) -
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So fairly similar strength to this year then?
Some of the younger guys should improve, but there's also the loss of Ardie
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@Duluth aside from the obvious loss of Ardie I think we should be competing for the title next year if we can keep key guys fit. We've got a squad full of guys that have been on the verge of higher honours for a couple years now.
Guys like Aumua, Mafileo, Numia, Delany, Flanders, Kirifi, Proctor, Naholo, Sullivan, Love and a few more have been there or there abouts when it's come to AB discussions. If we can keep most of those guys fit and add in the quality of a Lomax, a Barrett, plus a Roigard, along with the experience of players like Shields and Perenara, we should be competing at the top. The input of young players like Higgins, Lakai, Lauaki etc will also be influential.
The big question will be how Laidlaw can stamp his flavour on this side, and whether or not the 'out of field' selections he's bringing in (especially at lock) will pay dividends.
The other obvious one is first five. If Brett Cameron goes down again, we are currently left with Morgan or the inexperienced Godfrey. We need to sign Lincoln McClutchie to ensure we don't fall into a hole in such a key position.
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The below is a highlights package of Ben Grant playing for the Legion in the MLR (same club as Ma'a Nonu). It's easy to look good in this comp, atleast he has some height.
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@Canes4life said in Hurricanes 2024:
@taniwharugby why are we signing Australians over Kiwis? Seems very odd. I see he recently played in USA's Major League Rugby which makes me question his ability aswell. He's also played for about 1000 teams in such a short period which can't be good either.
Grrrr, why can't we sign some good locks. Tucker seems a bit average aswell. Definitely not guys I would be investing in. Dumb signings IMO.
Josh Taula? I'm sure Delany will stay.
Josh TAULA (Joshua TAULA) is a 21-year-old New Zealander rugby player standing at 2.01 m tall (6 ft 7 in) and weighing in at 124 kg (19 st 7.37 lb; 273.37 lb) , who currently plays for Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand as lock.
