Highlanders 2025
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The other mail this week, is that the four Highlanders being looked at closely by the ABs are EDG, Holland, JRK & Tangitau. As Nogusta (I think) has mentioned, the surgery is under direction of higher ups, who see him playing a part this year. Injuries clearly have JRK in the frame.
Jimmy possibly being lined up for the AUS/NZ Babaas. No mention of Fakatava, which I hope was just an oversight, but sadly I doubt it.
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@frugby I personally think Fakatava should be in contention for the 3rd spot either him or Hotham, don't mind which. Justin Marshall keeps advocating for Kyle Preston in the media, Preston to me actually doesn't suit the role of a bench halfback, his wonky boxkicks will bite his side 1 day
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2025:
If Preston hadn't scored all those tries at the start of the season, he wouldn't even be in the conversation at all.
Yep still living off his debut.
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Would love to see Tangitau and Lasaqa extended aswell. Would be great for the core of this team with Holland, Tavatavanawi, Kneepkans, Tangitau and Lasaqa. Obviously EDG and Fakatava aswell.
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Do we 100% know the contract status with JRK..?
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@upthelanders said in Highlanders 2025:
Would love to see Tangitau and Lasaqa extended aswell. Would be great for the core of this team with Holland, Tavatavanawi, Kneepkans, Tangitau and Lasaqa. Obviously EDG and Fakatava aswell.
we all know Tangitau is being released to go back to auckland
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@upthelanders said in Highlanders 2025:
Would love to see Tangitau and Lasaqa extended aswell. Would be great for the core of this team with Holland, Tavatavanawi, Kneepkans, Tangitau and Lasaqa. Obviously EDG and Fakatava aswell.
The more guys re-sign the more likely other guys are to re-sign. If the big Dutchman for example decided to bugger off to the Hurricanes or Blues, that'd be catastrophic for the retention of players.
There needs to be an almost siege mentality of us v them. Fuck em. Let's stick together and show them. If the internal culture is good, and the belief is there it should flow on.
Of the players we desperately need to keep, Tangitau remains the biggest flight risk. Him becoming an All Black, pre-season and a hot start the 2026 will play a big role in keeping him. If we start well, with him playing well, and the Blues start poorly I'd back us to keep him. If we shit the cot early on. It may be hard.
Reports are JRK is staying. You look at other franchises, and most will be comfortable with their fullback. Same with Lasaqa with opensides.
We just got ourselves in a real shit position half a dozen years ago. Now we are starting from scratch. The goal now is to find missing pieces of the puzzle. The big one is finding a 10 who can consistently play at this level. We do not have one.
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@SouthernMann Let’s pray these Josh Jacomb rumours are true…
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Yeah. The big missing piece of the puzzle.
Here is Paul Dwyer doing a bit of a wrap on the season from the awards.
ODT Landers Chat: 2025 Highlanders Awards
ODT Landers Chat was at the Highlanders awards night at the Otago Business Centre and caught up with all the action.
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Interesting chat with Fabian Holland from the media stand up
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Is very loyal to the Highlanders. He sees Dunedin as his home.
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says a lot of progress is being made and there is a fair bit of drive in the squad
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had a couple of offers from other franchises
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talked about his brother a fair bit, and the drive Quentin has to be successful as well. Looks like Quentin has been injured most of the year. Made a return from for Dunedin over the weekend.
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that his sister this year made the Dutch women's squad. Is an outside back
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Interesting chat with Fabian Holland from the media stand up
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Is very loyal to the Highlanders. He sees Dunedin as his home.
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says a lot of progress is being made and there is a fair bit of drive in the squad
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had a couple of offers from other franchises
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talked about his brother a fair bit, and the drive Quentin has to be successful as well. Looks like Quentin has been injured most of the year. Made a return from for Dunedin over the weekend.
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that his sister this year made the Dutch women's squad. Is an outside back
The Landers will only get stronger signing up these young guys. He's a massive signing and will be the heart of that Highlanders forward pack for years to come.
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I'm going down to this game, looking forward to a decent performance. And having a skin full after a days drinking.
Farewell match for at least DLB and Gilbert?
Question marks over whether Fillimone and Lowe are coming back? Same with Tele'a? Loft may be surplus to requirements next year.
Everyone else will be back.
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@WoodysRFC said in Highlanders 2025:
Has Bell been injured or does JJ simply much prefer Jack Taylor?
Henry Bell last played club footy at the start of May. Jack Taylor seems well locked in as the no1. Has come on well this year.
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@SouthernMann including Tai Cribb?
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
I'm going down to this game, looking forward to a decent performance. And having a skin full after a days drinking.
Farewell match for at least DLB and Gilbert?
Question marks over whether Fillimone and Lowe are coming back? Same with Tele'a? Loft may be surplus to requirements next year.
Everyone else will be back.
At the awards dinner the only two they confirmed as leaving were Gilbert and Faleafaga.
You’d assume DLB won’t be back, but I guess this is recognition of the fact he isn’t retiring, so in theory could be - I’d have thought he would want a Landers farewell though considering the amount of games he has played.
The fact Tele’a hasn’t been announced as leaving suggests to me he hasn’t signed elsewhere which should mean he is back.
Lowe was probably unwanted, but might have done enough to get a renewal… doubt we’ll see Loft or Filimone back. Loft is basically last man standing in the pack.
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@frugby said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
I'm going down to this game, looking forward to a decent performance. And having a skin full after a days drinking.
Farewell match for at least DLB and Gilbert?
Question marks over whether Fillimone and Lowe are coming back? Same with Tele'a? Loft may be surplus to requirements next year.
Everyone else will be back.
At the awards dinner the only two they confirmed as leaving were Gilbert and Faleafaga.
You’d assume DLB won’t be back, but I guess this is recognition of the fact he isn’t retiring, so in theory could be - I’d have thought he would want a Landers farewell though considering the amount of games he has played.
The fact Tele’a hasn’t been announced as leaving suggests to me he hasn’t signed elsewhere which should mean he is back.
Lowe was probably unwanted, but might have done enough to get a renewal… doubt we’ll see Loft or Filimone back. Loft is basically last man standing in the pack.
I'd hope that someone like Casey pushes himself into contention. I have high hopes for him come NPC time.
I reckon we will see Cribb back. Might even have four specialist locks next year.
DLB is an interesting one. Seems he could just be kept on ice. May be we may need you. May be we might find someone better and shuffle him on. Same goes with Lowe.
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@frugby said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
I'm going down to this game, looking forward to a decent performance. And having a skin full after a days drinking.
Farewell match for at least DLB and Gilbert?
Question marks over whether Fillimone and Lowe are coming back? Same with Tele'a? Loft may be surplus to requirements next year.
Everyone else will be back.
At the awards dinner the only two they confirmed as leaving were Gilbert and Faleafaga.
You’d assume DLB won’t be back, but I guess this is recognition of the fact he isn’t retiring, so in theory could be - I’d have thought he would want a Landers farewell though considering the amount of games he has played.
The fact Tele’a hasn’t been announced as leaving suggests to me he hasn’t signed elsewhere which should mean he is back.
Lowe was probably unwanted, but might have done enough to get a renewal… doubt we’ll see Loft or Filimone back. Loft is basically last man standing in the pack.
Know where?
He seems like a wasted talent thus far, he was a huge signing and has been a failure for the Landers, and may make it harder to attract guys from Auckland schoolboy in the future... -
@gt12 said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
@frugby said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
I'm going down to this game, looking forward to a decent performance. And having a skin full after a days drinking.
Farewell match for at least DLB and Gilbert?
Question marks over whether Fillimone and Lowe are coming back? Same with Tele'a? Loft may be surplus to requirements next year.
Everyone else will be back.
At the awards dinner the only two they confirmed as leaving were Gilbert and Faleafaga.
You’d assume DLB won’t be back, but I guess this is recognition of the fact he isn’t retiring, so in theory could be - I’d have thought he would want a Landers farewell though considering the amount of games he has played.
The fact Tele’a hasn’t been announced as leaving suggests to me he hasn’t signed elsewhere which should mean he is back.
Lowe was probably unwanted, but might have done enough to get a renewal… doubt we’ll see Loft or Filimone back. Loft is basically last man standing in the pack.
Know where?
He seems like a wasted talent thus far, he was a huge signing and has been a failure for the Landers, and may make it harder to attract guys from Auckland schoolboy in the future...Why? If players are looking at a guy like Faleafaga not succeeding then basing their decision off that then says more about them than anything. If he was good enough he would have pushed on. It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t but that’s footy. I’m sure every franchise has had similar outcomes with bringing young players in from outside the region.
