That wasn't a good watch. Moana after all these years still don't seem capable of being able to put in a performance on both sides of the ball. I really don't get the revolving door of selection... they need to build some connections. Picking Leuila at 10 was just dumb, and it hampered them.
frugby
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I really don't get Moana's revolving door selection strategy. Surely Havili is first name on the team sheet at either 10 or 15?
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Really undecided on that. Feel like a red would be harsh, because he didn't even have eyes on him. As has been pointed out, could argue Norris was just in the wrong.
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It'll surely be Coltman.
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@MN5 said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
I really think Holland and Lord could get close to that level. Fabian Holland is a freak of an athlete. If he was playing for the Blues or Crusaders, the media would be all over it.
How so ?
The way he moves at his size is not something you often see in rugby. Watching Whitelock, Retallick, Lord etc. - most locks, particularly those over 2m and it looks somewhat awkward and lumbery.
Holland however moves and runs like someone a good few inches shorter though, which makes him a very dynamic.
He is already good enough to play for the All Blacks, and I think it is bizarre that often when people say we have no locks, that they don't mention the fact Holland is there, and will pretty much walk straight into the All Blacks matchday 23 once available.
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@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@frugby said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Sweet! That's probably at least our 4th best pairing in the last decade. Hashtag highaspirations
We can only dream of finding a locking combo that will reach peak Rettalick/Whitelock in the next 10-20 years and probably even longer.
I really think Holland and Lord could get close to that level. Fabian Holland is a freak of an athlete. If he was playing for the Blues or Crusaders, the media would be all over it.
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Considering Lord is made of glass, lock is shaping as a real problem position. Barrett and Tuipulotu to me lacks a real giant as a pairing, and outside of that the options are grim all-round.
Vaa'i has been tried and failed, so they could stick with him, but still doesn't give you a big 2m+ lock... curious to see what they do.
In time, as long as Lord can shake off the injuries, we'll have Holland and Lord which could well be Barrett and Whitelock mark two...
Edit: Obviously meant Retallick and Whitelock...
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Reckon regardless of what happens in the weeks that follow, this weekend probably defines our season. Snapping the hoodoo in front of a huge crowd, and kicking on to finish 6th (or if not a close 7th) probably feels like you'd give this season a B- sort of grade (at a minimum).
Lose, and even if we limp into 8th, would feel hard to justify this season as anything other than a fail. Granted we've a young team, but going 0/6 in derby games, and making the playoffs only on the back of wins over Moana (2x), the Force, the Waratahs and probably the Drua would feel pretty underwhelming to me.
For what it is worth, I think either side of that three-game blip, we have definitely improved this year. I'm pleased that the coaches seem to have learned from their mistakes, and I'm expecting the boys to front up and get themselves over the line - and I think it would be deserved, and would justify that we are heading in the right direction... and gee, in a season which threatened to go totally off the rails, they'd be something really amazing about landing what would be pretty much the final blow on the Crusaders.
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Is it fair to say the Highlanders have more to gain than the Crusaders this weekend, whereas the Crusaders have more to lose?
A Highlanders win I would say wraps up a quarter-final spot barring a miracle - and you'd still expect them to beat the Drua in Dunedin). With who the Rebels and Drua have left, that would probably have them finishing 6th.
A defeat this weekend, and with a win over the Drua they'd finish on a minimum of 23 (probably more likely 24-25) competition points.
That number is probably more than likely going to be enough to make the 8. Bringing onto the Crusaders having little to gain but more to lose. A win this weekend takes them to 17. Assuming they smoke Moana in the last round, that would be 22, so would leave them needing at least one, but more than likely 2 bonus points from this weekend, a game away in Canberra and at home to the Blues. Still a massive uphill battle based off what we have seen this weekend.
The consequence of defeat, is that their season is over unless the Drua collapse (seems unlikely) and they can win 2/3 v Moana, the Brumbies and Blues or they go 3/3.
The game itself is surely going to be close, so even with a win, Crusaders may only gain three points on the Highlanders, meaning they'd need to beat one of the Blues or Brumbies to go above the Landers. Not impossible, but seemingly improbable.
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@Chris said in Chiefs 2024:
@frugby said in Chiefs 2024:
@Duluth Think he'd rather be third choice at the Chiefs. Surely Ioane's time is up at the end of this year?
What ? hardly play SR or potentially earning a start somewhere else to push for higher honours or get a lucrative overseas contract.
That doesn't make much sense to me 3rd choice at a franchise probably means going to eventually die away and just survive with no real nest egg for retirement.I meant 3rd choice at the Chiefs as opposed to 3rd choice at the Highlanders. We are investing in Millar and Faleafaga.
Not sure the Crusaders would want a guy who hasn't been able to stay on the field for the best part of 18 months either?
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@Duluth Think he'd rather be third choice at the Chiefs. Surely Ioane's time is up at the end of this year?
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@Duluth Why would the Highlanders want him?
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
You'd think with Hurley. Even if there is an early back three injury Gilbert will go on. Looks like he really was the last outside back standing in the squad
im thinking i would have been tempted to have gone 6/2 split just too have bigger bodies and changed gameplan to suit
And it looks like Parkinson, Hicks, Sanders and the unplayed Hayden Michaels were all available
Will be interesting to see how many are playing club on the weekend. Hicks is clearly out of favor but I would have had Paripari ahead of Tucker personally, he could have been massive off the bench. Just hope PPP can get the injuries behind him because there is huge potential there and with Dunshea, Holland and him, that’s a great locking trio moving forward.
I have a feeling we won't see Parkinson in a Highlanders jersey again. He has been playing club rugby. There are rumours of two lock spots being available for next year. Oli Haig and Hugo Plummer have been selected ahead of him at lock. Resds like he is on the shelf and his ticket is booked out of Dunedin
It would be a real shame because as we know, when he’s fit and firing he’s as absolute weapon. Unfortunately, staying healthy is the best ability one can have and he doesn’t seem to have that.
Hopefully he isn’t leaving in the off season as I feel if he moved to another franchise he could really kick on to higher honours. Here’s hoping some good competition for the jersey takes him to another level, imo he’s levels above Will Tucker.
Parkinson quite simply has never recovered from that major knee injury. At the time it was between him and Lord for that ABs spot, they went with Lord - perhaps unfairly at the time, and the weekend Lord made his debut against the USA, Parkinson fucked his knee up playing for Ta$man.
Still limps and lumbers around. He has been absolute shite this season, barring about one half vs someone (can't remember who).
He'll go overseas is my guess, would another franchise want him?
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Highlanders up by four with minutes to play. Aumua breaks the line and only Finn Hurley standing between him and the try line...
And Tavatavanawai comes out of nowhere, nails him and gets the turnover...
But seriously, surely he doesn't get on unless there is an injury?
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Game on. Picking a big one from de Groot to silence a few critics, particularly as he has the captaincy.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2024:
thats kind of the problem, Gilbert could cover outside back....but we need him for 10...unless we bring in Ajay?
I think you may as well have Faleafaga on the bench. Wouldn't rule out the 6-2 split either, but overall, you might as well cover the specialist 10, because otherwise you're having two midfielders or an inferior outside back.
If JRK got injured, Gilbert would come on at fullback. If one of the wingers went down, they'd either bring Gilbert on in the midfield and shift Tele'a out, or just stick Gilbert out there.
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@Tim said in Highlanders v Crusaders:
Sounds like Crusaders will be without Barrett and Blackadder, possibly McAllister. As Strange can't run a lineout, Bell throwing is a grim prospect for them. On the other hand, the Highlanders are chop.
I find the talk of the Crusaders lineout issues being on the hooker quite fascinating. From what I've watched, it seems the jumpers are just as big an issue. For starters they lack a real beanpole of a target, and their young locks have been horribly exposed.
Granted there have been a few overthrows, but I reckon this comes from them being forced to try other things.
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It'll be close either way I think. If the Highlanders can start well, with a good crowd behind them I think they get home.
Big issue I think for the side now, is the old 'here we go again' in these NZ derbies.
Take out that horrid three-game run against the Canes, Rebels and Reds, and the Highlanders have been very competitive this year. Ran the Blues, Brumbies and Chiefs all fairly close in differing ways. They'll win a derby sooner rather than later, and with the carrot of this pretty much sewing up a playoff spot, this might just be their week - particularly with all the negative energy around the Crusaders.
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@Landers92 Timu is fit, but he'd be a waste of a bench spot when Gilbert is there. Ideally you'd have an outside back on the bench, but 3/6 would be injured, and the other the other three would be starting!
Hurley - just no thanks.
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