Auckland Rugby 2024
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@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2024:
Auckland might have a handy starting XV this year:
1 Fusitua
2 Vikena
3 Ta'avao
4 Beehre
5 KalapuI see Kalapu has finished with the Force. No announcement of where he is going next
He could be a useful pickup for one of the NZ SR sides or MP
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Welcome Home Dave -
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That means we hold both the Menās & Womenās titles in our 150th season!
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@Nogusta I find it very disappointing that they would sign aging journeymen like Ah Wong (34) and Curry (30) (and Brumbie Tuilama) rather that promoting young talent from within the region. Then they wonder why young talent leaves. The primary role of our NPC team should always be to create pathways to professional careers for young and club players, not just to try and win sort term with aging imports. Those players are unlikely to make a difference in results anyway and won't be there long. Far better to develop experience with a younger squad to produce longer lasting success. I can live with Malolo signing. He is an Auckland boy originally and at only 26 has time to develop and contribute long term. If I was a promising young Lock why would I stay around when they bring Curry and Tuilama in ahead of me? As for Ah Wong, no thanks, there is plenty of young back talent around the clubs and acadamy.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Auckland Rugby 2024:
@Nogusta I find it very disappointing that they would sign aging journeymen like Ah Wong (34) and Curry (30) (and Brumbie Tuilama) rather that promoting young talent from within the region. Then they wonder why young talent leaves. The primary role of our NPC team should always be to create pathways to professional careers for young and club players, not just to try and win sort term with aging imports. Those players are unlikely to make a difference in results anyway and won't be there long. Far better to develop experience with a younger squad to produce longer lasting success. I can live with Malolo signing. He is an Auckland boy originally and at only 26 has time to develop and contribute long term. If I was a promising young Lock why would I stay around when they bring Curry and Tuilama in ahead of me? As for Ah Wong, no thanks, there is plenty of young back talent around the clubs and acadamy.
So short sighted eh. There should never be an excuse for Auckland to bring in players.
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@Daffy-Jaffy Fully agree. Michael Curry really struggled at SR level to the point where Moana had to bring in an English import to win them some line-out ball. Ah Wong? Really? We're never short of wingers in Auckland rugby. Like you, I can also live with Sama Malolo being there as we usually carry the odd journeyman at hooker, but yeah, not a fan of these signings blocking up local talent. We're starting to look like Canterbury.
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@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2024:
Ah Wong? Really?
Agree with the rest of the post too. Butt this one stands out as the worst call
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@SouthernMann said in Auckland Rugby 2024:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Auckland Rugby 2024:
@Nogusta I find it very disappointing that they would sign aging journeymen like Ah Wong (34) and Curry (30) (and Brumbie Tuilama) rather that promoting young talent from within the region. Then they wonder why young talent leaves. The primary role of our NPC team should always be to create pathways to professional careers for young and club players, not just to try and win sort term with aging imports. Those players are unlikely to make a difference in results anyway and won't be there long. Far better to develop experience with a younger squad to produce longer lasting success. I can live with Malolo signing. He is an Auckland boy originally and at only 26 has time to develop and contribute long term. If I was a promising young Lock why would I stay around when they bring Curry and Tuilama in ahead of me? As for Ah Wong, no thanks, there is plenty of young back talent around the clubs and acadamy.
So short sighted eh. There should never be an excuse for Auckland to bring in players.
Yep, Auckland has almost too much talent, hence why so many leave, so is criminal for them to overlook locals, and they have signed some average non-local players the last couple of seasons too.
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@SouthernMann Agreed. I would rather us struggle with locals than see us come one or 2 spots higher with out of town journeymen.
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Zarn not listed as a ten this year. Good
Akira is playing NPC? When he first announced his departure it sounded like there would be no NPC.
A few pointless selections - Ah Wong, Visinia, Jones, a couple of the locks etc. Hopefully they aren't involved in the 23 too often
Are Sullivan and Spencer fit to play now?
The more interesting names are in the wider group
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Auckland Rugby names the 2024 NPC squad with a novel āreverse jersey presentationā
Auckland NPC coach Craig McGrath names 37-man squad to contest Bunnings Warehouse NPC. Unique reverse jersey...
first preseason match this Friday 2nd August against Counties Manukau
Last weekends game v Northland hasn't even been mentioned on Auckland social media. I presume the next warmup is closer to the real side
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@Duluth Can't say I rate either Annandale or Curry. Out of the two, I'd take Curry but not with a lot of confidence.
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I've never watched Curry closely so don't have an opinion on him
Hopefully Annandale has improved after being on the fringes of the Blues squad. He's definitely large enough but seemed a bit tentative in contact last year.
