All Blacks 2024
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
My personal pick is David Havili over Billy Proctor
TBF i will join them at the pitchfork and torch shed for that one
Havili is a non-entity and his utility value is a myth.
My uncle’s mate said he saw Havili in Wellington carrying a large keg that was marked special powder circa 2020
-
@Crazy-Horse said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Lam has made every post a winner for the Blues this year at 12 but he has played a very direct and straight style at 12 ( as per game plan). I have yet to see if he can play a passing game or a draw and pass game at a consistently good level. It depends on the way the ABs plan to play but I expect then to want more than what Lam has shown this year.
Agree. For me Lam is an excellent winger that can play a direct running type of game closer in. And because the Blues have two AB wingers, his value means he’s too good for the Blues not to pick.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
The Crusaders will have a fair representation in the forwards. Taylor and Barrett obviously, but their props are excellent as well. Blackadder is a definitely maybe, but in my mind his resume and ceiling isn't enough to overlook the fact he is older and made of glass.
Outside of Reece, who in their backline is even close to good enough? 12 months ago maybe, but now?Other than McLeod being in a bucket of about 4 players that would be in consideration of a utility spot, given that he’s been in the squad recently - None.
-
-
@Chris-B pitchforks have already sold out across the greater Wellington region, we are ready to go come Monday night!
-
Everyone here is picking "the best 32 players" or really, in most cases "the obvious ones plus my favourites"
I hope we are miles wrong and the coaches have a very specific way they want to play, and pick the players who will play best in that system. And then come out and fucking say it.
Would be a refreshing change -
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Everyone here is picking "the best 32 players" or really, in most cases "the obvious ones plus my favourites"
It makes for some pretty good and funny entertainment though
-
@No-Quarter said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Chris-B pitchforks have already sold out across the greater Wellington region, we are ready to go come Monday night!
Maybe there'll be some cheap ones on Trademe come Monday!
-
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
AJ Lams level right now is AB XV. Struggling to see the argument for him even making the test squad to totally be honest. Absolute log jam of midfielders and wingers ahead of him as well.
He's not being suggested as a specialist winger or a specialist midfielder
Maybe the coaches want an Ennor style of player, maybe they don't. They can be very useful on the bench. If they do want that sort of player there's Lam, Rona, Sullivan, McLeod etc
-
sort of adding to my point above, if the AB game style is dependent on a big munter to run straight from 12, who is the 2nd best player in NZ to do that? If it is AJ Lam, then pick him. Is he a better player than, say, ALB? no, but is he the best fit for the game style the coaches want? if the answer is yes, then that's how you select.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
sort of adding to my point above, if the AB game style is dependent on a big munter to run straight from 12, who is the 2nd best player in NZ to do that? If it is AJ Lam, then pick him. Is he a better player than, say, ALB? no, but is he the best fit for the game style the coaches want? if the answer is yes, then that's how you select.
^this
crazy to think the idea of aligning types of players to game plan has to be spelt out
-
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Lol how is Billy Proctor all of a sudden unfavoured. He was clearly the form centre throughout the majority of Super rugby and has been kicking the door down for a couple years now with his consistency. I'll be very surprised if he wasn't selected, especially because Holland is selecting the centres and he pushed for his case when he was coaching the Canes as welll.
Proctor is also a VG 2nd 5. And has a good (enough) kicking game. And he's much faster than the like of Conrad Smith. I think he could cover wing if required.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
sort of adding to my point above, if the AB game style is dependent on a big munter to run straight from 12, who is the 2nd best player in NZ to do that? If it is AJ Lam, then pick him. Is he a better player than, say, ALB? no, but is he the best fit for the game style the coaches want? if the answer is yes, then that's how you select.
McDonald specifically talked about picking players for the way they want to play on the Rugby Pod, so I hope so.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
sort of adding to my point above, if the AB game style is dependent on a big munter to run straight from 12, who is the 2nd best player in NZ to do that? If it is AJ Lam, then pick him. Is he a better player than, say, ALB? no, but is he the best fit for the game style the coaches want? if the answer is yes, then that's how you select.
This is true - but, the other side of the equation is that your game plan has to be tailored a bit to the players you have available. E.g. it would be pretty dumb to come up with a gameplan that doesn't suit DMac (or maybe Beaden).
Does make you wonder about halfback selections, because there's quite a lot of different strengths and weaknesses available.
-
@Chris-B said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
sort of adding to my point above, if the AB game style is dependent on a big munter to run straight from 12, who is the 2nd best player in NZ to do that? If it is AJ Lam, then pick him. Is he a better player than, say, ALB? no, but is he the best fit for the game style the coaches want? if the answer is yes, then that's how you select.
This is true - but, the other side of the equation is that your game plan has to be tailored a bit to the players you have available. E.g. it would be pretty dumb to come up with a gameplan that doesn't suit DMac (or maybe Beaden).
Does make you wonder about halfback selections, because there's quite a lot of different strengths and weaknesses available.
I agree with tailoring the gameplan to some key players - and likewise avoiding a gameplan that you don't have the cattle to implement effectively: the 1995 'mehrts, get it to jonah' plan would not have been quite as effective without Jonah.
Halfbacks though, I am in the camp of you pick those that can clear rucks fastest and most accurately almost regardless of game plan - the exception would be a totally defensive 10 man rugby kick all day mindset, and I can't see us going down that path. -
Agreed completely. My comment is dictated on the game plan being built to suit the top 23, and then picking the squad as like-for-like replacements, rather than "the next best player" which means if option 1 is out, you need to tweak how you play as well as swap guys in and out.
Thus my comment on AJ Lam is as the JB replacement.I guess the other side is, in NZ, we probably have to give thought to "will this guy fuck off if we don't pick him?". A guy like ALB can probably not afford to stay in NZ and not be an AB, so will just go elsewhere for more coin. I often wonder if the selection of some guys is built around that.
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Agreed completely. My comment is dictated on the game plan being built to suit the top 23, and then picking the squad as like-for-like replacements, rather than "the next best player" which means if option 1 is out, you need to tweak how you play as well as swap guys in and out.
Thus my comment on AJ Lam is as the JB replacement.So are you saying, if Jordie went down and you want to keep the same game plan you would pick AJ Lam because he is, in your opinion, a like for like replacement?
-
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Agreed completely. My comment is dictated on the game plan being built to suit the top 23, and then picking the squad as like-for-like replacements, rather than "the next best player" which means if option 1 is out, you need to tweak how you play as well as swap guys in and out.
Thus my comment on AJ Lam is as the JB replacement.So are you saying, if Jordie went down and you want to keep the same game plan you would pick AJ Lam because he is, in your opinion, a like for like replacement?
no. you are completely missed the "if" part of the post to create a "gotcha"
-
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Landers92 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Agreed completely. My comment is dictated on the game plan being built to suit the top 23, and then picking the squad as like-for-like replacements, rather than "the next best player" which means if option 1 is out, you need to tweak how you play as well as swap guys in and out.
Thus my comment on AJ Lam is as the JB replacement.So are you saying, if Jordie went down and you want to keep the same game plan you would pick AJ Lam because he is, in your opinion, a like for like replacement?
no. you are completely missed the "if" part of the post to create a "gotcha"
Nah I’m not, I’m not in it for that and couldn’t care about ‘gotchas’. Just trying to understand what you mean by like for like with AJ Lam to JB.
-
@reprobate There's a lot to be said for halfbacks who can snipe and run effectively - that threat holds the defence a bit.
Your halfback needs to be able to box kick effectively.
I'm not a fan of midget halfbacks who can be run over close to the line.
