Crusaders 2024
-
@SBW1 said in Crusaders 2024:
@cgrant Would be great, how long is his contract in France?
Big Leicester only started playing for Toulon in December, so I'd guess his contract ends around this time next year.
Looks like they're using him quite a lot at centre.
Leicester FAINGA'ANUKU profile and stats
Leicester FAINGA'ANUKU : bio, stats, play time, birthdate, height, weight...
-
@cgrant said in Crusaders 2024:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2024:
@Landers92 said in Crusaders 2024:
@SBW1 said in Crusaders 2024:
Now time to do some poaching.
It is what they are best at so I would expect a fair bit of movement. It’s going to be an interesting few months seeing what they can pull off. Do they still have that same pulling power now that Razor isn’t there? Time will tell…
The Saders still have plenty of pulling power and a bonus of not making the playoffs is the coaches and management can spend all their time looking to next year.
What are the main recruitment areas for the Crusaders in 2025?
To me the below 23 looks decent and you'd expect them to definitely be a top 6 team next year.
- Williams
- Taylor
- Newell
- Barrett
- Hannah
- Grace
- Blackadder
- Lio-Willie
- Hotham
- Reihana (I'm putting him here for now but this could change, I feel like he wasn't given enough time in the saddle this year).
- Springer
- Havili
- Ennor
- Reece
- Jordan
- Bell
- Bower
- Brewis/Calder
- Strange
- Christie
- Drummond
- Kemara
- McLeod
Fainganu'uku should be back next year.
Source? Or just fan speculation? As Chris said above he’s on an 18month contract…
-
@Landers92 said in Crusaders 2024:
@cgrant said in Crusaders 2024:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2024:
@Landers92 said in Crusaders 2024:
@SBW1 said in Crusaders 2024:
Now time to do some poaching.
It is what they are best at so I would expect a fair bit of movement. It’s going to be an interesting few months seeing what they can pull off. Do they still have that same pulling power now that Razor isn’t there? Time will tell…
The Saders still have plenty of pulling power and a bonus of not making the playoffs is the coaches and management can spend all their time looking to next year.
What are the main recruitment areas for the Crusaders in 2025?
To me the below 23 looks decent and you'd expect them to definitely be a top 6 team next year.
- Williams
- Taylor
- Newell
- Barrett
- Hannah
- Grace
- Blackadder
- Lio-Willie
- Hotham
- Reihana (I'm putting him here for now but this could change, I feel like he wasn't given enough time in the saddle this year).
- Springer
- Havili
- Ennor
- Reece
- Jordan
- Bell
- Bower
- Brewis/Calder
- Strange
- Christie
- Drummond
- Kemara
- McLeod
Fainganu'uku should be back next year.
Source? Or just fan speculation? As Chris said above he’s on an 18month contract…
I hear maybe back in 2026 but will see out the year left in his contract first.
-
-
@frugby said in Crusaders 2024:
@Chris May depend a bit on how the All Blacks go... could very much be yesterday's man by that stage and just a name who comes up in the pub once in a blue moon like Charles Piatau and Francis Saili.
we willl see
Talea and Reece will be 29 by 2026 old for wings LF will still be 26.
-
@frugby Both of them ironically along with Steven Luatua also said they planned to return to NZ rugby at some stage too.....
It's pretty hard for guys like that to return to NZ rugby when they earn so much abroad, so I wouldn't be counting on LF, who has always said that he cares more about making money, to return here.
-
@African-Monkey ha yep, I mean who is gonna voluntarily take a job likely earning half or less than half your current earnings, when your current job is still offering you a job, or other similar are available?
The ABs money is what keeps alot here, so is a big gamble to return hoping to make it, when that path hasnt been an easy one for returning players.
Appreciate these guys earn good coin compared to most people, but not many people will take another job earning much less money, especially in a job with a limited life span.
-
@taniwharugby Exactly, and we'd all do the same haha.
-
@SBW1 For a 7 test AB? Who are these 3rd parties that are gonna come to the party? Couplands? Halswell Timber? Shoreline Fitness New Brighton?
The fact is, if the Crusaders didn't have such a bad season, Fai'anganuku wouldn't even be mentioned in conversation and there's about 2 years for not just the Crusaders, but for NZ rugby to develop others.
-
-
@Chris said in Crusaders 2024:
Sevu Reece also signed for the crusaders until 2026
Best player on your roster, great signing. Awesome for the ABs aswell.
-
Wonderful news, now hopefully they can at least resurrect something out of the shambles of this season.
-
-
Fantastic news. Really important for continuity at the Crusaders.
