Highlanders v Chiefs
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="reprobate" data-cid="597346" data-time="1468665216">
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<p>fekitoa is a good player. he just needs to sort out one decision: if the outside break is not on, don't try to take it. just run hard and straight and keep the ball safe. that sideways shit is a nightmare for outside backs, a nightmare for forwards, a recipe for turning the ball over or getting penalised for obstruction.</p>
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<p>not many players i can think of who have only one such glaring problem, and shouldn't be a tricky one to sort out.</p>
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<p>He's had three seasons to stop doing it. I doubt he will stop now.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="reprobate" data-cid="597346" data-time="1468665216"><p>fekitoa is a good player. he just needs to sort out one decision: if the outside break is not on, don't try to take it. just run hard and straight and keep the ball safe. that sideways shit is a nightmare for outside backs, a nightmare for forwards, a recipe for turning the ball over or getting penalised for obstruction.<br><br>
not many players i can think of who have only one such glaring problem, and shouldn't be a tricky one to sort out.</p></blockquote>
His passing game is poor and he lacks the vision to put other players in space. To me the only thing he really brings at the moment is physicality. He has plenty to work on. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="597352" data-time="1468666665"><p>
His passing game is poor and he lacks the vision to put other players in space. To me the only thing he really brings at the moment is physicality. He has plenty to work on.</p></blockquote>Some good d when paired with solid players like crotty... but he's still a work in progress... fit Charlie N...and crotty my preferred combo...<br><br><br>
Needs to learn to straighten attack as others have said and needs to develop his passing game and work harder to put guys in space.. reminds me of early nonu or toeva. ..hope he follows nonu -
Might have been quite different if Chiefs hadn't butchered two tries and made more conversions. Cane immense, Bird and BBBR owned line out and Hames and Moli had wood on Clan. But backs had game where they didn't click. Smiths top notch again, Naholo always a menace, Lima S dangerous. Dixon very accurate, and Squire dominated tackles once in. <br>
Best for me though is how these two teams can make passes which open the other side like a tin of sardines. All too rare at this level -- how many times do you see a midfielder have to slow and reach back over his shoulder?<br>
Great Saturday morning fare for a NZ 'neutral' living in Pomland! -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="597352" data-time="1468666665">
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<p>His passing game is poor and he lacks the vision to put other players in space. To me the only thing he really brings at the moment is physicality. He has plenty to work on.</p>
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<p>yeah i don't know that i really agree with that - his hands look, well maybe not great, but pretty good to me, and when the ball needs to go wide he generally does shift it.</p>
<p>to me it's more when there isn't an overlap or anything, then his default option is to try and go around his player when he should just be going forward.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="reprobate" data-cid="597359" data-time="1468667628">
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<p>yeah i don't know that i really agree with that - his hands look, well maybe not great, but pretty good to me, and when the ball needs to go wide he generally does shift it.</p>
<p>to me it's more when there isn't an overlap or anything, then his default option is to try and go around his player when he should just be going forward.</p>
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<p>He's a very good Super player, I'm really only talking about him as an AB which is obviously a much harsher marking system. I'm comparing him to the likes of Nonu and Smith as they're the blokes he'll be replacing if he becomes a regular AB.</p>
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<p>Matt makes a good point re: defense. He's a very good tackler, smacks people backwards a lot of the time which is invaluable at test level.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="597363" data-time="1468667935">
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<p>He's a very good Super player, I'm really only talking about him as an AB which is obviously a much harsher marking system. I'm comparing him to the likes of Nonu and Smith as they're the blokes he'll be replacing if he becomes a regular AB.</p>
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<p>Matt makes a good point re: defense. He's a very good tackler, smacks people backwards a lot of the time which is invaluable at test level.</p>
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<p>yeah i think in the same way you're not really criticising him harshly i'm not really defending him strongly - i think he was pretty average. just think that if he sorted that one decision-making thing, then he immediately becomes a relatively error free player - and along with being a strong defender, with plenty of pace and power on attack that becomes a guy that you could look at as a part of an all black team.</p>
<p>at this stage (if i had to select him i.e. no sbw) i'd stick him at 12, crotty at 13, and tell him to run hard and straight unless he's really sure he is going to make the break - and to pass it whenever crotty asks for it. keep it simpler at the higher level while he learns it. </p>
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<p>i do reckon he can work it out with time and analysis - his decision making on when to rush out of the line for example is generally pretty good.</p> -
<p>Great game! Wouldn't right the Chiefs off for the title just yet but that has thrown a spanner in the works.</p>
<p>Cane was huge. Almost MOTM in a losing side. He put in some huge hits and ran well. Has he bulked up this year?</p>
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<p>Thought the chiefs were VERY lucky not to get a yellow when Naholo scored. IMO they should have given the try and the card for repeated penalties.</p>
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<p>Fekitoa was rubbish. Matched by Tamanivalu so that isn't great signs for the AB midfield. I've said it before but once teams knew Fekitoa was good on the outside break he lost his one trick and now is just erratic.</p>
<p>Was happy with the "knocked out" try ruling. That was a pretty clear case of the defenders hand punching the ball out. Some of the other recent ones not so clear. Regardless I think the ball went backwards so should have been play on anyway.</p>
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<p>Didn't get to see a replay of the Naholo yellow. Was it a clear slap down or marginal? If he slapped it, why wasn't he going for the intercept instead? Same result if he buggers it up ie. knock on or Chief break out.</p>
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<p>Highlanders have a tough one next week against the Brumbies. </p>
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<p>Still think the finals seeding system is a joke. </p> -
Fekitoa reminds me of Taz<br><br>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mattasaurus" data-cid="597126" data-time="1468656498"><p>
The silence regrading jackson from chief's supporters is deafening</p></blockquote>
It's quite amusing reading this thread.<br><br>
I watched this on recording this morning and I thought Jacko was leaning heavily to the Clan. Perspective huh? -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="597162" data-time="1468658109"><p>
Title winning defense from the Chiefs. <br><br>
Reminds me of crusaders defense early 2000s when we won the comps with 30-40% possession most games.<br><br>
Sam Cane is the new Reuben Thorne 😉</p></blockquote>
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No need to be insulting...
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By crikey what a great game by Cane. I'd like to say he looke McCawesque. But he was Canesque. Huge. Matt Todd could watch and learn how to tackle from him. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="WillieTheWaiter" data-cid="597193" data-time="1468659191"><p>
wtf happened to our pen advantage before the crossfield kick. Fucking worst ref in the world reffing the biggest game of the year</p></blockquote>
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Yeah great mark by Smith - would be getting commentators raving at the 'G - but surely there was a penalty advantage that didn't accrue. <br><br>
Fucking hometown Jackson. Looked after ther Highlanders all night... -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gunner" data-cid="597226" data-time="1468659762"><p>
Haha, James Lowe with some quality finishing.</p></blockquote>
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That was slow and laboured work on the inside by Tamanivalu. He looked poor all night. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="No Quarter" data-cid="597257" data-time="1468660451"><p>
Another of these "ball knocked out" calls. Fucked if I know what way they'll call it.</p></blockquote>
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Correct ruling.<br><br>
I really hate the "ball knocked out" thing.<br><br>
If you lose possession regardless of how I reckon it should ruled that you lost possession. If it goes forward then "lost forward".<br><br>
However that went backwards. <br><br>
Fair try. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="597477" data-time="1468714099"><p>Correct ruling.<br>
I really hate the "ball knocked out" thing.<br>
If you lose possession regardless of how I reckon it should ruled that you lost possession. If it goes forward then "lost forward".<br>
However that went backwards. <br>
Fair try.</p></blockquote>
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I see it that way too (should be loss of control). Only saw a replay of it this morning and agree not forward so play on -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="597477" data-time="1468714099"><p>
Correct ruling.<br><br>
I really hate the "ball knocked out" thing.<br><br>
If you lose possession regardless of how I reckon it should ruled that you lost possession. If it goes forward then "lost forward".<br><br>
However that went backwards. <br><br>
Fair try.</p></blockquote>
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Even under my own skewed interpretation of the laws ... -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="597467" data-time="1468712960">
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<p>Matt Todd could watch and learn how to tackle from him.</p>
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<p>Tackle success rate</p>
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<p>Cane: 91%</p>
<p>Todd: 94%</p>
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<p>I think Todd will be fine ;)</p> -
<p>it is a tricky one. i don't think you really want to encourage people to deliberately hit the ball out of other players hands. </p>
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<p>if that went backwards for one team it went forwards for the other. if it came off their hand and they were not trying to catch it, which it did - then that is a deliberate knock on close to the line and is a yellow card and penalty try.</p>
