Highlanders 2025
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@Kiwiwomble yup agree. For me, a Tele’a extension is essential and an update around Dylan Pledger, either signed in some apprenticeship style capacity or even signed as the third halfback. Just do what we have to do keep him.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble yup agree. For me, a Tele’a extension is essential and an update around Dylan Pledger, either signed in some apprenticeship style capacity or even signed as the third halfback. Just do what we have to do keep him.
With Pledger, I think it would be sensible for the team to pitch an article to either ODT or Cully to talk about long-term player development. Talk about how Pledger and others are in their programme. They have a plan with the guys. Some they have ear marked for future squad spots. That they are confident the players will be Highlanders. Pledger is only in the first year of the acadamey. We can all see that he is quality. It would just be helpful to be informed the club is making the right moves behind the scene
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@Landers92 M Whaanga heading into the second year of a two year deal.
You would have to assume that Hicks is out the door if we need two locks... unless Sanders has taken an early release. If we need two props, then I would guess Johnstone is off-contract/Wingham has not actually got a contract for next season yet.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 M Whaanga heading into the second year of a two year deal.
You would have to assume that Hicks is out the door if we need two locks... unless Sanders has taken an early release. If we need two props, then I would guess Johnstone is off-contract/Wingham has not actually got a contract for next season yet.
Wingham was named by Jospeh in the interview he did with Cully. So was DLB, Ma'u and de Groot. No mention of Johnstone. He also name checked Tucker, saying he has had major injury issues. Not saying he is in or out though.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 M Whaanga heading into the second year of a two year deal.
You would have to assume that Hicks is out the door if we need two locks... unless Sanders has taken an early release. If we need two props, then I would guess Johnstone is off-contract/Wingham has not actually got a contract for next season yet.
Wingham was named by Jospeh in the interview he did with Cully. So was DLB, Ma'u and de Groot. No mention of Johnstone. He also name checked Tucker, saying he has had major injury issues. Not saying he is in or out though.
Tucker has been battling with a foot issue all year... he currently does not have a contract for next year, but I'm guessing they are keeping an open mind on him should his latest surgery correct the issue.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
Max Hicks (?)
Transferts - Info RP : Max Hicks (Highlanders) vers Perpignan - Rugby Prime
En quête d’un renfort en troisième ligne, l’USA Perpignan a, selon nos informations, trouvé son bonheur du côté de la Nouvelle-Zélande. Franck Azéma cherchait un profil capable également d’évoluer dans la cage et le Néo-Zélandais Max Hicks répond parfaitement à ce dit-profil. Devant faire face aux...
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
Max Hicks (?)
Transferts - Info RP : Max Hicks (Highlanders) vers Perpignan - Rugby Prime
En quête d’un renfort en troisième ligne, l’USA Perpignan a, selon nos informations, trouvé son bonheur du côté de la Nouvelle-Zélande. Franck Azéma cherchait un profil capable également d’évoluer dans la cage et le Néo-Zélandais Max Hicks répond parfaitement à ce dit-profil. Devant faire face aux...
Good luck to him. A player like him should be a starting player somewhere. It just wasn't going to be at the Landers. 2024 was a moving year for him, either he was going to be locking down a starting role at lock or six, or it was time to go. He quickly slipped behind Haig as a six and wasn't going to get past Holland or Dunshea.
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@SouthernMann I mean, if he couldn’t consistently start for the Highlanders he wouldn’t be able to start for any other super team haha.
Good for him, wish him all the best. Can’t help but feel like this is another Manaaki Selby-Rickit kind of player that has all the potential but for one reason or another hasn’t quite clicked.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann I mean, if he couldn’t consistently start for the Highlanders he wouldn’t be able to start for any other super team haha.
Good for him, wish him all the best. Can’t help but feel like this is another Manaaki Selby-Rickit kind of player that has all the potential but for one reason or another hasn’t quite clicked.
By a starting player somewhere, I meant including outside of NZ. He has all the attributes. Tall, athletic and capable. Just was probably a touch soft. Hopefully he gets plenty of rugby over in France and gets to enjoy the lifestyle.
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Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
I think they have a gap in their NPC team only Drummond atm and Crusaders only have 2 signed HBs atm.
So I guess giving the young man a chance to progress to the next levels instead of having to wait behind others.
In the end it his Dylans choice and when he wants and how fast he wants to progress.
I have do not exactly know what was said just that Pathways to NPC and SR was discussed.I don't even know if what was discussed had anything about where those pathways are etc.edit and before anyone asks how do I know, parents were in earshot of the conversation and I know them obviously.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
I think they have a gap in their NPC team only Drummond atm and Crusaders only have 2 signed HBs atm.
So I guess giving the young man a chance to progress to the next levels instead of having to wait behind others.
In the end it his Dylans choice and when he wants and how fast he wants to progress.
I have do not exactly know what was said just that Pathways to NPC and SR was discussed.I don't even know if what was discussed had anything about where those pathways are etc.Yeah. Completely up to him. He is clearly better long-term than the three halfbacks we have on our books. So, should get his opportunity at about 20 down in Dunedin. It would be a massive failure for Jamie Joseph if he lets the kid slip. You need to be constantly telling kids like this the story they need to be hearing. If he goes, it will mean we only keep the players Canterbury/Crusaders don't want. They will literally become the default top franchise in the SI. The top two players from the last five years schooled in Dunedin could spend their career in red and black. Canterbury wouldn't allow their elite players to go in the other direction.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
I think they have a gap in their NPC team only Drummond atm and Crusaders only have 2 signed HBs atm.
So I guess giving the young man a chance to progress to the next levels instead of having to wait behind others.
In the end it his Dylans choice and when he wants and how fast he wants to progress.
I have do not exactly know what was said just that Pathways to NPC and SR was discussed.I don't even know if what was discussed had anything about where those pathways are etc.Yeah. Completely up to him. He is clearly better long-term than the three halfbacks we have on our books. So, should get his opportunity at about 20 down in Dunedin. It would be a massive failure for Jamie Joseph if he lets the kid slip. You need to be constantly telling kids like this the story they need to be hearing. If he goes, it will mean we only keep the players Canterbury/Crusaders don't want. They will literally become the default top franchise in the SI. The top two players from the last five years schooled in Dunedin could spend their career in red and black. Canterbury wouldn't allow their elite players to go in the other direction.
yeah true not to say he will go he may stay at the Highlanders.Crusaders may not be the only team sniffing around.
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@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
I think they have a gap in their NPC team only Drummond atm and Crusaders only have 2 signed HBs atm.
So I guess giving the young man a chance to progress to the next levels instead of having to wait behind others.
In the end it his Dylans choice and when he wants and how fast he wants to progress.
I have do not exactly know what was said just that Pathways to NPC and SR was discussed.I don't even know if what was discussed had anything about where those pathways are etc.Yeah. Completely up to him. He is clearly better long-term than the three halfbacks we have on our books. So, should get his opportunity at about 20 down in Dunedin. It would be a massive failure for Jamie Joseph if he lets the kid slip. You need to be constantly telling kids like this the story they need to be hearing. If he goes, it will mean we only keep the players Canterbury/Crusaders don't want. They will literally become the default top franchise in the SI. The top two players from the last five years schooled in Dunedin could spend their career in red and black. Canterbury wouldn't allow their elite players to go in the other direction.
yeah true not to say he will go he may stay at the Highlanders.Crusaders may not be the only team sniffing around.
.Every team should be having a look. From a NZ rugby perspective if Pledger, Hotham, Roigard, Ratima and Funaki starting every week. It has to be good for the All Blacks. I also find it a bit shit domestic coaches use their role in national development programmss to scope for talent and to have conversations around signing players. That should be strongly discouraged while tournaments are being held or prepared for.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Chris said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Really interested to see how the Landers manage the trio of halfbacks currently on the books to have a spot open for Dylan Pledger in the coming years. Hastie is contracted until the end of 2026. Fakatava until the end of 2025. Arscott's initial contract ran out at the end this year. I wouldn't be surprised, if he got a one year extension. To have both him and Fakatava off-contract at the end of next year. Fakatava goes, Arscott is re-signed. Fakatava stays, Arscott stays. Either way, spot opens up for Pledger. Fakatava is now, at best the sixth best halfback in NZ. It is a long way to fight back into contention from there. Pledger still has anorher year in Highlanders ans NZ U20s. He should be an even more dominant player in those trams next season.
I did hear Craig Dunlea was having a bit of a chat to Pledger about a potential Pathway to NPC and SR during the U/20s campaign at the WC.
Trying to get him up to Canterbury. That would be very disappointing to see happen. Canterbury has the No2 halfback in the U20s. Crusaders have a guy debuting for the All Blacks this afternoon. Is it really necessary to be raiding someone else's honeypot.
I think they have a gap in their NPC team only Drummond atm and Crusaders only have 2 signed HBs atm.
So I guess giving the young man a chance to progress to the next levels instead of having to wait behind others.
In the end it his Dylans choice and when he wants and how fast he wants to progress.
I have do not exactly know what was said just that Pathways to NPC and SR was discussed.I don't even know if what was discussed had anything about where those pathways are etc.Yeah. Completely up to him. He is clearly better long-term than the three halfbacks we have on our books. So, should get his opportunity at about 20 down in Dunedin. It would be a massive failure for Jamie Joseph if he lets the kid slip. You need to be constantly telling kids like this the story they need to be hearing. If he goes, it will mean we only keep the players Canterbury/Crusaders don't want. They will literally become the default top franchise in the SI. The top two players from the last five years schooled in Dunedin could spend their career in red and black. Canterbury wouldn't allow their elite players to go in the other direction.
yeah true not to say he will go he may stay at the Highlanders.Crusaders may not be the only team sniffing around.
.Every team should be having a look. From a NZ rugby perspective if Pledger, Hotham, Roigard, Ratima and Funaki starting every week. It has to be good for the All Blacks. I also find it a bit shit domestic coaches use their role in national development programmss to scope for talent and to have conversations around signing players. That should be strongly discouraged while tournaments are being held or prepared for.
This as been happening for years every Franchise does it .
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