Chiefs 2025

[Chris]

@george33 said in Chiefs 2025:

@Chris ok, Reece is my first thinking

no Canes player

[george33]

@Chris oh ok, sorry winger, can't think who it could be, ,

[george33]

Maybe Kade Banks

[george33]

Maybe Kade Banks

[cliff]

@george33 who are these players

[cliff]

Looks like nanai seturo is back training

[Nepia]

@george33 said in Chiefs 2025:

@Chris ok, Reece is my first thinking

If only that twat would hurry up and piss off.

[Bovidae]

There are a few current/former ABs from the Chiefs that are off-contract (unless they've re-signed and no announcement has been made). I would think that most players will wait to see where they stand with AB selection before making a decision.

[george33]

@cliff , don't no, just heard 3 are of contract, and have options on the table.,

[george33]

@Bovidae Jacobson?

[Bovidae]

Vaa'i, Jacobson and Tupaea.

[george33]

Most likely all 3, have offers on the table then, just wonder if 1 will join his brother at the Blues?, he did interview wouldn't say yes, but didn't say no.

[Bovidae]

@george33 said in Chiefs 2025:

Most likely all 3, have offers on the table then, just wonder if 1 will join his brother at the Blues?, he did interview wouldn't say yes, but didn't say no.

Or maybe Mason signs with the Chiefs to replace Ross. Quinn said he was very happy where he was in a post-match interview on Sat night.

[george33]

@Bovidae maybe, just putting it out there, but earlier interview, said maybe.

[Canes4life]

@george33 said in Chiefs 2025:

Maybe Kade Banks

Kini Naholo, it’s been mentioned a few times on one of the threads.

[george33]

@Canes4life oh yeah, correct, most likely then.

[Mr Fish]

Getting towards the business-end of the season, it's going to be interesting to see whether Clayton McMillan starts solidifying his first-choice team.

Frequent short-term injuries haven't helped matters, but McMillan has made between six and 10 changes to the starting XV every single week of this year's competition (which has certainly helped with depth).

Assuming everyone is back for the final stretch, this probably looks like the best side:

1 Ross
2 Taukei'aho
3 Dyer
4 Lord
5 Vaa'i
6 Finau
7 Jacobson
8 Sititi
9 Roe
10 McKenzie
11 Nanai-Seturo (or Carter, if ENS isn't fit soon)
12 Tupaea
13 Lienert-Brown
14 Narawa
15 Stevenson

Reserves: McAlister, Norris, O'Neill, Ah Kuoi, Parker, Ratima, Jacomb, Rona.

A bit of room for movement in the loose forwards and backs depending on form and injuries (Boshier has been the best performer at 7 this year, ALB might be out for a little while etc.).

[Bovidae]

I'd be looking at the 23 as a whole as some players are better suited to come off the bench with the choices in certain positions. Eg: McAlister to start and Taukei’aho as the impact sub. To disagree with myself, I'd be starting Ah Kuoi on form, even if he is also a great sub to bring on.

We'll have to see how serious ALB's injury is, but having your arm in a sling is never a good sign.

[Crazy Horse]

Big ST copped a bit of flak on here for his performance on the weekend yet I thought he had one of his better games, ball in hand, in quite a while. It seemed like he won the collision and made metres most times. And I didn't notice him falling off tackles.

I know there were a few lineout yips but were they necessarily his fault?

[Mr Fish]

Yeah two early lineout yips aside (one which was definitely not his fault, just a team error when rushing), he had a good game. I think you want to get a good 50-60 minutes out of Taukei'aho so I'd certainly have him starting (for both the Chiefs and All Blacks).

Ah Kuoi is a better option than Lord right now but with a few games under his belt I expect Lord to come right, and Ah Kuoi adds that impact off the pine.