NPC 2025
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@Landers92 said in NPC 2025:
Caught wind that Mitch Drummond may be on a move to Ta$man. As a result a Ta$man halfback could be heading to Canterbury which I’m hearing is Louis Chapman.
That one All Blacks cap has really hindered Drummond's earning potential - he would've made some good bank in Japan. Good for NZ as a whole though.
Mitch probably doesn't need the cash. His Dad is wealthy enough to be a part owner of the Highlanders.
If this halfback switch goes ahead, I wonder if it's about developing Chapman. Whomever is at Ta$man will be behind Christie (and occasionally Hotham, probably).
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With Ollie Norris named in the AB squad, Mason Tupaea will now be promoted to being the starting LH prop for Waikato. Scary when you think how young he still is. It will also open up a squad position for another prop to come out of club rugby. Liam Pratt's name has been mentioned, Joe Walsh has NPC experience but looks much leaner now.
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With Ollie Norris named in the AB squad, Mason Tupaea will now be promoted to being the starting LH prop for Waikato. Scary when you think how young he still is. It will also open up a squad position for another prop to come out of club rugby. Liam Pratt's name has been mentioned, Joe Walsh has NPC experience but looks much leaner now.
Two seasons of Super Rugby under Tupaea's belt at the very least (even if he's had minimal minutes).
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Have heard that Olly Ryan, son of Jase Ryan has been signed by Northland for NPC this year. Is a prop that's been playing club rugby in Chch.
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@Fredsaua12 hardly seen him named this season.
Blair Baxter doing his buddy a favor there. Northland do love their Sydenham lads after the Dale McLeod connection.
All the best to him, a promising player coming out of High School.
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@Fredsaua12 I had heard they were speaking to him early last month, not that keen, we have a few young promising props running around who deserve thier chance.
I assume Dale had started the conversation, but with him headign off shore I thought it might not eventuate.
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@taniwharugby said in NPC 2025:
we have a few young promising props running around who deserve thier chance.
Do you think Northland will promote many players from local club rugby this year. More than last year?
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@Duluth Not sure there are many spots left, but are certainly plenty in the Dev side, which in theory means they will move in when injuries occur...whether they get chances, remains to be seen
It is frustrating to see them looking outside for players of that calibre, especially when you consider he is likely to be a squad member at best, behind Lay, Apoua, Renata, CTC, Fono.
Going back some years (think was under Whitcombe) I know they were to come from club rugby, UNLESS they had Super/NPC or national age grade experience.
But seems each year we are looking elsewhere as if to pluck the next big thing from nowhere.
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@taniwharugby said in NPC 2025:
But seems each year we are looking elsewhere as if to pluck the next big thing from nowhere.
Yeah sides are behaving like franchises not rep teams
Not sure what the solution is. I've said plenty about making a bigger pro competition. Another way of attacking it would be to have strict eligibility rules about where players play their club rugby (with an exception for SR players) and break the urban centres into more sides
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@Landers92 said in NPC 2025:
@Fredsaua12 hardly seen him named this season.
Blair Baxter doing his buddy a favor there. Northland do love their Sydenham lads after the Dale McLeod connection.
All the best to him, a promising player coming out of High School.
interesting as there is probably 5 or 6 other props floating around the Chch club scene that are arguably better than him. Sumner have a Bristol Prop who I believe Canterbury are interested in keeping for the season.
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@Duluth yes, even more so in that McLeod always spoke of the talent he saw up here and wanting to develop it, but seems he, like others before and no doubt after, looknig at short term results rather than longer term development.
IMO, Konia and Dewes were not as bad as Adriaan Ferris who bought in random Aus club rugby players, but they, or IIRC mainly Dewes didnt really seem too keen on developing young players, he just wanted to coach (that he seemed pretty good at)
I watch a good amount of club footy, and we have gaps where I think we do need to be looking outwards (halfback probably the biggest hole since LMH left and the other 9 used last year has left town) we are lacking in tall locks, but dont think this is exclusive to Northland, and behind Rivez, 10 will be a concern.
Outside that, there are always players there, just waiting for thier opportunity.
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@Fredsaua12 said in NPC 2025:
@Landers92 said in NPC 2025:
@Fredsaua12 hardly seen him named this season.
Blair Baxter doing his buddy a favor there. Northland do love their Sydenham lads after the Dale McLeod connection.
All the best to him, a promising player coming out of High School.
interesting as there is probably 5 or 6 other props floating around the Chch club scene that are arguably better than him. Sumner have a Bristol Prop who I believe Canterbury are interested in keeping for the season.
Yeah Archie Stanley still only 23.
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@Landers92 said in NPC 2025:
@Fredsaua12 hardly seen him named this season.
Blair Baxter doing his buddy a favor there. Northland do love their Sydenham lads after the Dale McLeod connection.
All the best to him, a promising player coming out of High School.
James Mullan is at Northland this year too apparently (another Sydenham player).
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@SBW1 Mainly from the major league in America , like the below for example:
Jordan Trainor - Northland
Drew Wild - manawatu
Rory van Vugt - Southland
Isaac Te Tamaki - Southland
Faletoi Peni - southland
Lincoln Mclutchie - HB
Logan Crowley - Taranaki
Joe Johnston - BOP
Tamarua Mcgahan - NH
Frank Lochore - HB
Sam Caird - Northland
Male Ngiuafe - Ak
Jared Adams - Northland
Shilo Klein - NH
