Highlanders 2025
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my money is on Withy....just feel its been coming for a while and i think JJ will like a local grown guy, coming through, i just feel a loosie is one of the better places to lead from
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@Canes4life They have, seems to be a combo deal. Sammy G Design is listed as head of content on the website, and she designed the graphic for the squad naming.
There is another company who I believe is helping with broader marketing and has done the videography stuff.
.... I also believe they utilise students as well in these roles.
I remember talking about this last year or maybe the year before, looking back and realising my club teams were generating more content than the highlanders, and what the Highlanders were doing was just either stills from training...team naming...or reposting other peoples stuff. If volunteers can actually create at least a couple of things a week then surely a partially paid role can do more...disappointing
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Withy is the other obvious one, but I am not sure Joseph will view him as a nailed on starter.
Not a sure starter? I’d disagree with that too. He kept Harmon out of the 7 jersey. Even if he wasn’t 7, they would make sure he was on the field at 6. If anyone in this forward pack is 80 minutes week in week out, it’s Withy. You want that consistency out of your captain.
I’ll stick to my guns and say it’s Withy and/or EDG. Time will tell I guess.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Withy is the other obvious one, but I am not sure Joseph will view him as a nailed on starter.
Not a sure starter? I’d disagree with that too. He kept Harmon out of the 7 jersey. Even if he wasn’t 7, they would make sure he was on the field at 6. If anyone in this forward pack is 80 minutes week in week out, it’s Withy. You want that consistency out of your captain.
I’ll stick to my guns and say it’s Withy and/or EDG. Time will tell I guess.
I'd say Withy is the only loosie who is guaranteed a starting spot. Even Haig will have a battle with Howden. No8 is completely wide open. Lasaqa should be fun to watch coming off the bench.
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Looking forward to Lasaqa that is for sure. On EDG again, he is about the same age Smith was when he had his toilet incident, and nobody thought he'd ever be a leader... wasn't till he was about 30 he became captain.
I guess what I am really saying, is I don't think it will be EDG. Withy certainly the frontrunner...
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Looking forward to Lasaqa that is for sure. On EDG again, he is about the same age Smith was when he had his toilet incident, and nobody thought he'd ever be a leader... wasn't till he was about 30 he became captain.
I guess what I am really saying, is I don't think it will be EDG. Withy certainly the frontrunner...
Lasaga looks to have something about him that's for sure. He caught my eye in the pre season game for the Canes against Moana Pasifika last year. Has plenty of x-factor about him, similar mould to ASav and Lakai but slightly smaller.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Looking forward to Lasaqa that is for sure. On EDG again, he is about the same age Smith was when he had his toilet incident, and nobody thought he'd ever be a leader... wasn't till he was about 30 he became captain.
I guess what I am really saying, is I don't think it will be EDG. Withy certainly the frontrunner...
I don't understand the conclusion you are drawing between EDG with Smith and the toilet incident. At the time, Smith was near on the best players in the world. Nothing could go wrong for him on the field. Anyone one with a contact or two in the rugby world knew he was constantly playing away games off the pitch. His personal life caught up with his professional life with a bang. Sadly it did derail his captaincy aspirations. If you are saying what happened in the northern hemisphere on the AB tour, which still hasn't been stated publicly is going to have the same impact. That is a baffling conclusion to reach.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Looking forward to Lasaqa that is for sure. On EDG again, he is about the same age Smith was when he had his toilet incident, and nobody thought he'd ever be a leader... wasn't till he was about 30 he became captain.
I guess what I am really saying, is I don't think it will be EDG. Withy certainly the frontrunner...
I don't understand the conclusion you are drawing between EDG with Smith and the toilet incident. At the time, Smith was near on the best players in the world. Nothing could go wrong for him on the field. Anyone one with a contact or two in the rugby world knew he was constantly playing away games off the pitch. His personal life caught up with his professional life with a bang. Sadly it did derail his captaincy aspirations. If you are saying what happened in the northern hemisphere on the AB tour, which still hasn't been stated publicly is going to have the same impact. That is a baffling conclusion to reach.
Having heard what he did, it hardly screams leader…
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Looking forward to Lasaqa that is for sure. On EDG again, he is about the same age Smith was when he had his toilet incident, and nobody thought he'd ever be a leader... wasn't till he was about 30 he became captain.
I guess what I am really saying, is I don't think it will be EDG. Withy certainly the frontrunner...
I don't understand the conclusion you are drawing between EDG with Smith and the toilet incident. At the time, Smith was near on the best players in the world. Nothing could go wrong for him on the field. Anyone one with a contact or two in the rugby world knew he was constantly playing away games off the pitch. His personal life caught up with his professional life with a bang. Sadly it did derail his captaincy aspirations. If you are saying what happened in the northern hemisphere on the AB tour, which still hasn't been stated publicly is going to have the same impact. That is a baffling conclusion to reach.
Having heard what he did, it hardly screams leader…
Well then tell us instead of speaking in riddles. Also, plenty of leaders have made some pretty shitty mistakes and bounced back. Churchill killed thousands of allies in World War I
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@SouthernMann Yes, hence why I say in a couple of years time I can see him settling into a really strong leader
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It is still different comparing Aaron Smith as a serial rooter, to the grooter without knowing... what he did.
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Southern-born businessman Charles Gibbon becomes shareholder in the Highlanders | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership
Charles Gibbon, an influential businessman and investor, has officially joined the Highlanders Rugby Club as a shareholder. This move marks a significant chapter not only in his diversified investment portfolio but also in his deep personal connection to the South and his hometown.
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i find these announcements a bit "meh"...just because its not like theyre investing in the club in the same way one might a english football team, the team isn't getting a cash injection. does it say whos shares he bought?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
i find these announcements a bit "meh"...just because its not like theyre investing in the club in the same way one might a english football team, the team isn't getting a cash injection. does it say whos shares he bought?
It would be fascinating to see what stake he has. He has a networth of about 1.4 billion according to Forbes. Having someone with that sort of wealth holding an interest in the club can only be a good thing. Peter Keane, the Chair has a strong understanding of NZ Rugby governance and has managed the sort of organisations that the team will want to get sponsorship from. Marc Ellis and his consortium are small holders. He talks about wanting to improve the marketing aspects. Which was better last year, however seems to have slipped in the lead up to 2025. Often these sorts of announcements aren't targeted towards the general public, being aimed more towards the business community, and potential stakeholders. A look who we have on-board kind of announcement. I don't really understand what the ownership model means in terms of money in/money out, responsibilities of ownership, and whether the owners can proactively input $$.
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yeah, its not as simple as they own the club, they own a share in the this organisation that has a licence to play...but not sure how many actual assets the Highlanders have, new/better sponsors seems to be the main thing these guys can influence
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@Landers92 Walked past me at Uni Oval yesterday. Hard to say whether it was precautionary. Could be anything from a lightly sprained ankle to a ruptured achilles.
From the little bits I can piece together, I think it must have happened on Thursday, and is probably closer to the former than the latter, but it certainly looked like he couldn't put any weight on his foot.
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we do love co captains
