Crusaders 2025
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Here's the initial Crusaders 2024 squad from last year (I think, I had to make a couple of adjustments to what was listed in the article I cut this from):
Props:
Joe Moody, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, George Bower, Finlay Brewis,Owen Franks.Hookers: Codie Taylor, Brodie McAlister, George Bell, Ioane Moananu.
Locks: Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Tahlor Cahill,
Zach Gallagher, Jamie Hannah.Loose forwards: Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Dominic Gardiner, Corey Kellow, Christian Lio-Willie.
Halfbacks: Noah Hotham, Mitch Drummond,
Willi Heinz.First five eighths:
Fergus Burke, Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara.Midfielders:
Ryan Crotty, Levi Aumua, Dallas McLeod, David Havili.Outside backs: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Macca Springer,
Leigh Halfpenny, Manasa Mataele, Jone Rova, Chay Fihaki, Heremaia Murray.Lines through guys who I'm pretty sure aren't coming back.
Calder and Sykes Martin replacing the props.
I would sign Shalfoon to replace Gallagher and Louie Chapman to replace Heinz.
Seems like JOC will replace Burke.
Jonny McNicoll has replaced Halfpenny.
Jone Rova will arguably replace Crotty, so maybe we just need an outside back - or in fact we've had an extra hooker - so we may be done in terms of a squad of 38 - unless Penney is going to cut some other guys on this list.
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2025:
Here's the initial Crusaders 2024 squad from last year (I think, I had to make a couple of adjustments to what was listed in the article I cut this from):
Props:
Joe Moody, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, George Bower, Finlay Brewis,Owen Franks.Hookers: Codie Taylor, Brodie McAlister, George Bell, Ioane Moananu.
Locks: Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Tahlor Cahill,
Zach Gallagher, Jamie Hannah.Loose forwards: Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Dominic Gardiner, Corey Kellow, Christian Lio-Willie.
Halfbacks:l ~ Noah Hotham, Mitch Drummond, Willi Heinz.
First five eighths:
Fergus Burke, Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara.Midfielders:
Ryan Crotty, Levi Aumua, Dallas McLeod, David Havili.Outside backs: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Macca Springer,
Leigh Halfpenny, Manasa Mataele, Jone Rova, Chay Fihaki, Heremaia Murray.Lines through guys who I'm pretty sure aren't coming back.
Calder and Sykes Martin replacing the props.
I would sign Shalfoon to replace Gallagher and Louie Chapman to replace Heinz.
Seems like JOC will replace Burke.
Jonny McNicoll has replaced Halfpenny.
Jone Rova will arguably replace Crotty, so maybe we just need an outside back - or in fact we've had an extra hooker - so we may be done in terms of a squad of 38 - unless Penney is going to cut some other guys on this list.
This is what I think we will look like
Hookers
Codie Taylor, Brodie McAlister, George Bell
We will not carry 4 that was only because of Taylor's sabbatical last season
Ioane Moananu. wil not be signed opening up a spot for an extra LF.Props
Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, George Bower, Finlay Brewis
sorted Sam Calder and Sykes Martin in for Moody and franksLocks
Scott Barrett, Quinten Strange, Tahlor Cahill Jamie Hannah.
Shalfoon to get Gallghers spot we may also add Liam Jack and use Taylor Cahill to covers the LF's.LF'S
Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Dominic Gardiner, Corey Kellow, Christian Lio-Willie.IF Cahill doesn't cover Torian Barnes or Fletcher Anderson likely to be added.
HBs
Noah Hotham, Mitch Drummond,
Nick Shearer or Louie chapman for the 3rd spotFirst Fives
Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara.
James O'Connor to get the 3rd spotMid field
Levi Aumua, Dallas McLeod, David Havili,Jone Rova
Braydon Ennor to replace Crotty
Rove was already in last years squad.Outside backs
Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Macca Springer, Chay Fihaki,Johnny McNicol,
last spot
Issac Hutchinson,Jack Gray,Maloni Kunawave (rated vey highly)the best bets for inside the region
we make look outside the region for that spot -
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@Chris Yeah - that looks about right to me. I'd forgotten about Braydon Ennor - Rove was listed as an outside back last year, so I'd moved him to the midfield.
I'd dropped one of the hookers to get down to 38. If TR is right and Murray is gone - then Ennor takes that place - is Mataele gone as well? That would leave a spot open.
I think Maloni Kunawave might be signed for Sevens, but don't take that as gospel.
Given the number of good young halfbacks around, I'd be looking hard at whether Mitch Drummond is still worth a spot.
Dom Gardiner hasn't really lived up to his billing yet - the ice is a bit thin under him. Still just a kid, I guess.
Brodie McAlister would be under some pressure from Moanunu.
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@Chris-B said in Crusaders 2025:
@Chris Yeah - that looks about right to me. I'd forgotten about Braydon Ennor - Rove was listed as an outside back last year, so I'd moved him to the midfield.
I'd dropped one of the hookers to get down to 38. If TR is right and Murray is gone - then Ennor takes that place - is Mataele gone as well? That would leave a spot open.
I think Maloni Kunawave might be signed for Sevens, but don't take that as gospel.
Given the number of good young halfbacks around, I'd be looking hard at whether Mitch Drummond is still worth a spot.
Dom Gardiner hasn't really lived up to his billing yet - the ice is a bit thin under him. Still just a kid, I guess.
Brodie McAlister would be under some pressure from Moanunu.
Mataele I believe has not been offered a contract as yet.
Brodie McAlister is signed through to 2025 when fit he is very good. -
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@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2025:
Crusaders lock-in Johnny for two more years.
I don't know how you lock in McNicholl and let go Blair Murray to go up north.
Actual travesty and the people responsible should be held accountable.
That kid looked like the next Cullen. Watch him tear us up in a Welsh jersey now.
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@kpkanz said in Crusaders 2025:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2025:
Crusaders lock-in Johnny for two more years.
I don't know how you lock in McNicholl and let go Blair Murray to go up north.
Actual travesty and the people responsible should be held accountable.
That kid looked like the next Cullen. Watch him tear us up in a Welsh jersey now.
Blair Murray wanted to move he was offered a good deal you can’t keep people if they don’t want to stay .
Money talks. -
@Chris said in Crusaders 2025:
@kpkanz said in Crusaders 2025:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2025:
Crusaders lock-in Johnny for two more years.
I don't know how you lock in McNicholl and let go Blair Murray to go up north.
Actual travesty and the people responsible should be held accountable.
That kid looked like the next Cullen. Watch him tear us up in a Welsh jersey now.
Blair Murray wanted to move he was offered a good deal you can’t keep people if they don’t want to stay .
Money talks.It also would have helped if the Crusaders actually played him or gave him a super rugby contract. They just kept him in the wider training squad.
The guy was an under 20s representative and looked an insane talent. Penney was more concerned about winning games immediately and brings in 35 year old McNicholl.
Genuinely a joke.
I can't wait to hear that Murray was player of the year immediately within his first season up north.
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@kpkanz said in Crusaders 2025:
@Chris said in Crusaders 2025:
@kpkanz said in Crusaders 2025:
@Canes4life said in Crusaders 2025:
Crusaders lock-in Johnny for two more years.
I don't know how you lock in McNicholl and let go Blair Murray to go up north.
Actual travesty and the people responsible should be held accountable.
That kid looked like the next Cullen. Watch him tear us up in a Welsh jersey now.
Blair Murray wanted to move he was offered a good deal you can’t keep people if they don’t want to stay .
Money talks.It also would have helped if the Crusaders actually played him or gave him a super rugby contract. They just kept him in the wider training squad.
The guy was an under 20s representative and looked an insane talent. Penney was more concerned about winning games immediately and brings in 35 year old McNicholl.
Genuinely a joke.
I can't wait to hear that Murray was player of the year immediately within his first season up north.
Yeah maybe Murray did get injured for a large part of NPC last season maybe they saw him as too small for SR.
I have no love for Penny or ceo Colin they both need to fuck off imo. -
@gt12 said in Crusaders 2025:
You will have ABs (or squaddies) on the bench in multiple positions.
Factor in AB XV players too and it’s loaded. Just another year for the red and blacks.
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@Landers92 said in Crusaders 2025:
@gt12 said in Crusaders 2025:
You will have ABs (or squaddies) on the bench in multiple positions.
Factor in AB XV players too and it’s loaded. Just another year for the red and blacks.
God knows how many of them might be capped by the end of the year too
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@kpkanz said in Crusaders 2025:
The guy was an under 20s representative
Not to take away from your general point, but as far as I remember/can find Murray wasn't selected for either the broader NZ U20s training squad selected in 2020 (no team named because of Covid) nor for the 2021 NZ U20 team. I also remember hearing around that time that he took a short break from the game.
Murray was a real standout of the 2018 NZ Schools squad, though, as a 16/17-year old. He had a great game at fullback against Australia Schools and U18 where, I think, he scored a try and looked an incredible counter-attacking threat.
I think it's fair to say that he didn't quite crack on to become the next Cullen. I watched the recent game between Scarlets and Cardiff where Murray played on the left wing (quick sidenote for those interested: you can watch full replays of URC matches after the game's been played on their website URC.tv if you live in an area where there are no tv rights. You have to register though). You can tell he's a very talented player, he's got natural footballing instincts. But player of the year, I'm not so sure. (another sidenote: Plumtree is looking good, has added muscle, but still makes some poor decisions at times).
All that being said, I'm not a particular fan of the McNicholl-signing or the Crusaders' recent recruitment strategies. Super Rugby is a comp of athleticism and speed, I'm not sure how players like McNicholl and O'Connor fit into that.
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@Mauss Ah apologies he played for NZ schools that's right. I just remember him representing NZ in some respect in the juniors.
I also remember him completely burning off a bunch of fijians. Found the vid.
At 3.05 here -
Also scored two nice tries here for Canterbury in his last season (I think this would have been his NPC debut?)
Tries at 9.02 and 10.20 in the vid.
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@kpkanz The entire game of NZ Schools versus Australia Schools and U18s is on Youtube, if you're interested. I think a lot of people took notice of Murray after that game:
If anything, he's always been a great player to watch.
It's funny, looking at those lineups now. In a forward pack containing Tamaiti Williams, Soane Vikena, Saula Ma'u and Sam Darry, the most 'hyped-up' name at the time would arguably have been Niko Jones, after his performance for St. Peters in the Top 4 Final. It's not easy to predict future success.
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@Mauss said in Crusaders 2025:
Murray was a real standout of the 2018 NZ Schools squad, though, as a 16/17-year old. He had a great game at fullback against Australia Schools and U18 where, I think, he scored a try and looked an incredible counter-attacking threat.
I remember when Murray came off the bench for the Chiefs U18s and completely dominated the match against the Crusaders U18s with his speed. Then they signed him.
He made the NZ Schools team after that. He is small, basically Ben Blair MkII.He and Manson would be the quickest schoolboy players I've seen up close.
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All about perspective this is what the Crusaders top 23 looks like (roughly):
- Williams
- Taylor
- Newell
- Strange
- Barrett (c)
- Blackadder
- Christie
- Lio-Willie
- Hotham
- Reihana
- Reece
- Havili
- McLeod
- Fihaki
- Jordan
- Bell
- Brewis
- Bower
- Hannah
- Grace
- Drummond
- Aumua
- Springer
Add in solid depth across the park (maybe lacking a touch at prop?) and this team probably plays like they did at the end of the season and comfortably makes the top six. Rob Penney did a lot wrong, but there was also a shit ton of bad luck that exaggerated things. If the Crusaders keep their players fit, they look an easy top 4 to me.
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@Bovidae I know he's had some injury issues and it must've impacted his speed, because when watching him against Cardiff his speed doesn't really stand out anymore. It was mostly footwork and running angles which allowed him to make ground rather than beating players through raw pace, like you can see Manson do.
He's named on the wing for the Scarlets for their game tomorrow against Connacht, lining up against Mack Hansen.
