Blues 2025
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7 Props and only 6 loosies is a small concern. Especially with Suafoa's health concerns. I imagine Christie may get a run covering 6 occasionally and Trystan Cook is sure to be in the academy/wtg. No Tito-Harris is the other surprise. Must be returning to Sevens. Reon Paul is the biggest surprise but i have liked the small highlights I've seen of him at NPC level.. I know little about Mullen. About fifth ranked Canterbury hooker called up to Super rugby off of 2 starts and 5 bench games over 2 seasons. Someone in the know must rate him. He is only 21 so has time to develop but could be on the bench in some big games..
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@Daffy-Jaffy James Mullan has a ton of potential. Was NZ Schools hooker in 2020 but sitting behind George Bell in every Canterbury team since. I believe he also studies Broadcasting, hence a move to Auckland probably makes sense in that regard too. He is deceptively quick and is a similar mould to a Dane Coles type hooker.
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I would rather see Lam as a midfielder and have another wing option.
I know Taele has talent and is one for the future but he is physically very small and I question how much he will play next season.
I wonder if Grindlay was on a 2 year deal as he was barely sighted this year. Will need him to step up with no Heem
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@Bovidae said in Blues 2025:
@Tim said in Blues 2025:
What's the skinny on Reon Paul?
@ARHS is a fan. A midfielder who can play on the wing.
Yep, intelligent player who seems to make good metres whenever he gets the ball.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2025:
I would rather see Lam as a midfielder and have another wing option.
It's interesting that we lost two wingers (Tangitau & Banks) but didn't add another specialist
I suspect the centre pairing will be Lam/RI. So there's a question about who plays wing when Clarke or Tele'a are injured.
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A brief Reon Paul Vid -
147K views · 1.6K reactions | Maketū Meat Pie of the Week | 🥧The...
🥧The Maketū Meat Pie of the Week - Another Mr Mussel Pie moment! Our man Reon Paul at the Wellington match in Rotorua last weekend.
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@junior12 said in Blues 2025:
@Daffy-Jaffy James Mullan has a ton of potential. Was NZ Schools hooker in 2020 but sitting behind George Bell in every Canterbury team since. I believe he also studies Broadcasting, hence a move to Auckland probably makes sense in that regard too. He is deceptively quick and is a similar mould to a Dane Coles type hooker.
And has had a lot of Shoulder and calf injuries over the last 2 years he has found it hard to string 3 games together during that time.
Biggish unit I would not say he was quick,I have seen a fair bit of him. -
@Chris said in Blues 2025:
Biggish unit
He is likely to get even bigger, after hearing about how much Cotter bulked up the Blues Forwards ahead of last season. It will be interesting to see how big the likes of him, Cam Christie and Che Clark turn up in February.
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@Duluth said in Blues 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2025:
I would rather see Lam as a midfielder and have another wing option.
It's interesting that we lost two wingers (Tangitau & Banks) but didn't add another specialist
I suspect the centre pairing will be Lam/RI. So there's a question about who plays wing when Clarke or Tele'a are injured.
Exactly - I suspect Lam will end up playing a lot of wing - they've named him as an outside back
I also suspect Plummer will play a lot of 12 to try and alleviate the selection issues of Beauden, Zarn, Perofeta and Plummer.
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James Mullen is contracted with the Blues through until the end of the 2026 season.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2025:
@Duluth said in Blues 2025:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2025:
I would rather see Lam as a midfielder and have another wing option.
It's interesting that we lost two wingers (Tangitau & Banks) but didn't add another specialist
I suspect the centre pairing will be Lam/RI. So there's a question about who plays wing when Clarke or Tele'a are injured.
Exactly - I suspect Lam will end up playing a lot of wing - they've named him as an outside back
I also suspect Plummer will play a lot of 12 to try and alleviate the selection issues of Beauden, Zarn, Perofeta and Plummer.
What a backwards step that would be.
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What team do you want to see for the first game? This is what I'm thinking about:
1 Tuʻungafasi
2 Riccitelli
3 Renata
4 Darry
5 Tuipulotu
6 Suafoa
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu9 Christie
10 Plummer
11 Clarke
12 Lam
13 Ioane
14 Telea
15 Sullivan16 Eklund
17 Fusitua
18 Sheck
19 Beehre
20 Segner
21 Funaki
22 Evans
23 BarrettPerofeta will probably start at 15. Good contest.
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@gt12 said in Blues 2025:
I'm surprised they were able to keep all four 10s/15s.
Can anyone add more to the rumor about Perofeta leaving for Japan?The benefits of being a winning team.
I remember the days when no 10 wanted to come here. Even bench 10s who would've started here avoided us.
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@Dice said in Blues 2025:
@gt12 said in Blues 2025:
I'm surprised they were able to keep all four 10s/15s.
Can anyone add more to the rumor about Perofeta leaving for Japan?The benefits of being a winning team.
I remember the days when no 10 wanted to come here. Even bench 10s who would've started here avoided us.
Ahhh the real days where we had Chris Noakes, Baden Kerr, Bryn Gatland, Dan Kirkpatrick, Simon Hickey amongst others that I'm sure I have missed.
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@Tim said in Blues 2025:
@gt12 Though it appears to be talent hording, Perofeta and Sullivan are frequently injured, Barrett has concussion problems, and Plummer has had quite a few serious injuries too. Will be very interesting to see who plays where though.
I don't have a problem with it, but if Perofeta or Plummer were really chasing an AB jersey I would have thought that Perofeta to the Canes made sense.
There was the rumor of Perofeta taking up a contract in Japan and if that is the case, I can see why one more super season with the Blues then off to Japan would be a nice way to go.
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@African-Monkey Jimmy Gopperth FFS
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@African-Monkey said in Blues 2025:
@Dice said in Blues 2025:
@gt12 said in Blues 2025:
I'm surprised they were able to keep all four 10s/15s.
Can anyone add more to the rumor about Perofeta leaving for Japan?The benefits of being a winning team.
I remember the days when no 10 wanted to come here. Even bench 10s who would've started here avoided us.
Ahhh the real days where we had Chris Noakes, Baden Kerr, Bryn Gatland, Dan Kirkpatrick, Simon Hickey amongst others that I'm sure I have missed.
A combined highlight reel of this lot would be less than a minute long.
