2018 AB Depth Chart
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Forwards
Loosehead Hooker Tighthead Locks Blindside Openside No 8 Moody Coles Franks Retallick Kaino Cane Read Crockett Taylor Ofa Tu'ungafasi Whitelock Big Gap Todd Big Gap (Kaino can fill in here) Hames Harris Nepo Laulala Big gap Ioane Savea Squire Manu Coltman Jeffery Toomaga-Allen S Barrett Squire Gibson Ioane Lienert-Brown Parsons Siate Tokolahi Romano Fifita Dillon Hunt Whitelock Ofa Tu'ungafasi Funnell Atu Moli Scrafton Mitchell Brown K Pryor Shields/Messam Mitchell Graham GPT Sione Mafileo Franklin D Pryor Savea Reg Goodes Riccitelli Fatialofa Lentjes Hodgman Dixon Bird Boshier Aki Seiuli Adrian Smith Tuipulotu
Backs
Halfback 10 12 13 Wings Fullback Smith Beauden Barrett SBW ALB Dagg Smith TJP Lima Sopoaga Crotty Crotty Ioane Dagg Weber Richie Mo'unga Laumape Goodhue Naholo Jordie Barrett Pulu Mitchell Hunt ALB Fekitoa (might be gone) Smith DMac Drummond Ihaia West Moala Ioane Nanai Nanai Hall Otere Black Buckman Moala Aso Havili Stephen Perofeta Faiane Aso Savea NMS Hayden Parker Ngatai Procter Duffie Stevenson Bryn Gatland Aso Vaega Stevenson Faauli Tamanivalu NMS (low b/c injuries) Havili Thompson
Who are the top 2018 available players in each position? Ranked from 1 to 10? I will edit this thread to keep it up to date with the fern consensus.
Lets start with LH props.
- Moody
- Crockett - 35 next January, when will he retire?
- Hames? Wasn't good against Lions, gives away a lot of penalties, contribution around the field so, so.
- Manu. Inconsistent scrummaging, was playing well before this year's injury. Gets injured quite a bit. Been in AB environment.
- Lienert-Brown. Test possibility or journeyman?
- Ofa Tu'ungafasi
- Mitchell Graham (out for season)
- Reg Goodes (out for season)
- Hodgman
- Aki Seiuli
Up and comers and youngsters:
Who are they? Hodgman looks good, hopefully he will injury free next year. Lindenmuth was good for the U20s, but it takes quite a while to mature as a prop.
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Ben May appearing on anything linked with the All Blacks offends me
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@mariner4life LOL. He's about the only fit option at the Hurricanes. Give me names.
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given recent history, look for people debuting this year in Super rugby.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Who are the top 2018 available players in each position? Ranked from 1 to 10? I will edit this thread to keep it up to date with the fern consensus.
Lets start with LH props.
- Moody
- Crockett - 35 next January, when will he retire?
- Hames? Wasn't good against Lions, gives away a lot of penalties, contribution around the field so, so.
- Manu. Inconsistent scrummaging, was playing well before this year's injury. Gets injured quite a bit. Been in AB environment.
- Lienert-Brown. Test possibility or journeyman?
- Ben May? Is not very good. Do the Chiefs have a better option here?
Up and comers and youngsters:
Who are they? Hodgman looks good, hopefully he will injury free next year. Lindenmuth was good for the U20s, but it takes quite a while to mature as a prop.
U20s players, if you want them on the list, who looked good this year: Ezekiel Lindenmuth and Pouri Rakete-Stones (who can cover LH, TH and even hooker, although I've never seen him play in the no. 2 jersey).
Last year's U20s made us cry.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
@Chris-B. Was thinking of Mitchell Graham but hasn't been injured a lot of the last 18 months? Goodes is certainly better than Maym but isn't he a long-term concussion casualty?
Hopefully we're only down to the No. 6 choice and they might not actually be required before the summer break.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi as a loosehead before Ben, as well.
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Back to the LH, Seuli (spelling ?) has been in great form for the Highlanders : strong scrummager and very dynamic in the loose.
Lindenmuth is one to watch for the future.
Hodgman's scrummaging is a concern. Just a question of technique, I guess because he is a huge man.
Lienert-Brown is not big enough for the international scene IMO.
Ben May has done well for the Canes last year and this year as well but he is over 30 so he won't be in contention. -
If we can propose injured players, Brendon Edmonds at loosehead
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@Stockcar86 Hasn't he been injured for two years? Not in contention.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
@Stockcar86 Hasn't he been injured for two years? Not in contention.
April 2016, so 14 months
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Right, on to Hooker.
- Coles (hopefully back for the RC)
- Taylor
- Harris (not sure about this guy, at all - outplayed by Parsons and Taylor this year)
- Coltman
- Parsons
- Funnell (always liked the look of him, would love to watch him starting against quality opposition)
- GPT (FFS Blues)
- Riccitelli (young but promising)
- Dixon (exposed by the Lions, journeyman at best)
- Adrian Smith (deadset Harbour legend)
Asafo Aumua is the obvious young player to look for.
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@cgrant said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Back to the LH, Seuli (spelling ?) has been in great form for the Highlanders : strong scrummager and very dynamic in the loose.
Lindenmuth is one to watch for the future.
Hodgman's scrummaging is a concern. Just a question of technique, I guess because he is a huge man.
Lienert-Brown is not big enough for the international scene IMO.
Ben May has done well for the Canes last year and this year as well but he is over 30 so he won't be in contention.Is he the one with dreadlocks/longish hair?
I have noticed him a lot in the loose this year. Always makes yards. -
@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Right, on to Hooker.
- Coles (hopefully back for the RC)
- Taylor
- Harris (not sure about this guy, at all - outplayed by Parsons and Taylor this year)
- Coltman
- Parsons
- Funnell (always liked the look of him, would love to watch him starting against quality opposition)
- GPT (FFS Blues)
- Riccitelli (young but promising)
- Dixon (exposed by the Lions, journeyman at best)
- Adrian Smith (deadset Harbour legend)
Asafo Aumua is the obvious young player to look for.
Dare I mention Elliot ...
Jeez ..
... stuff ...
.. and things...
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Lots of people (on this thread snd the exodus one) suggesting that Crockett won't make it to the next RWC because of his age. Is this even a thing anymore? He seems to be in the form of his life and guys like Brad Thorn, Richie, Woodcock and Kevvy have proven that you can keep playing well into your mid-late 30s.
