Looking forward to 2019...
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@steven-harris said in Looking forward to 2019...:
Matich has been offered a short term injury contract with the Blues,but is also yet to commit which may a pointer to where his mind is at the minute.
Cover for Gibson's injury?
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Good to hear Macilai has re-signed. If he can get fit and stay fit he will be a massive weapon for us next year. With him and Roberts-TeNana there I don't think we need to recruit from outside the province for outside backs. Ravouvou was talked about but he doesn't seem like the sort of player I want to see us chase.
Feel really sorry for Matich. Has been very consistent for years now and hasn't looked out of place in his few chances at SR yet keeps missing out to unproven youngsters like Sotutu.
I wonder if Ranger does re-sign whether it might be worth looking at putting him on the wing. As much as he was our most dangerous back this year, I also wonder if he was a big part of Hyland not seeing much ball at all. Perhaps if we played a distributor like Gregory at 12 it won't be so bad but if we're stuck with Hohaia playing like this year at 12 we might be better with someone else at 13.
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@steven-harris said in Looking forward to 2019...:
@tim yeah could be me thinks,but if he doesn’t take it,might reopen the door for Pryor,but I would be very tempted to go for Choat..showing my club bias..!
I was hoping to see Niko Jones turn out for your Waitemata club next year following in the footsteps of his father but it looks like he's heading to the dirty Crusaders haha.
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Crossover matches look tough, be doing well to win 2/4 of those ones!
Northland v Canterbury
Northland v Auckland
Ta$man v Northland
Wellington v Northlandhttp://www.mitre10cup.co.nz/News/33408/crossover-match-selections-confirmed-for-2019
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@j77 Cantabs chose us, we chose AUckland, Ta$man chose us, then we chose Wellington
I just meant cos we won 2/4 this year...
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@chiefy07 agree re Matich. These young guys get signed on u20s rugby then a very good % don’t play any rugby because they are not ready. I think they are signed to stop others picking them up in future year more than for the current years squad. Which is wrong.
I love Ranger at 13 at the moment and think Gregory is his best partner. Don’t know why Hyland wasn’t used on the inside more eg. Vs Counties. Maybe because we were not consistent enough from set piece to provide the platform or it didn’t get called, but it should have been used more.
Depth at prop and lock would be key acquisitions for me.
Macalai will be good but they need to get his fitness up to make the most of his ability. -
@taniwharugby said in Looking forward to 2019...:
@j77 Cantabs chose us, we chose AUckland, Ta$man chose us, then we chose Wellington
I just meant cos we won 2/4 this year...
Important bit is the order in which you get to pick. I can understand picking a matchup with Auckland on gate taking.
The Canterbury selection looks to be on the basis that the Prem teams selected opposition based on 'easiest'. Your high placing meant that Cant and Auck only had yourselves and Naki to choose from. (BTW love how Waikato must have been chomping at the bit to select Otago for a Shield game).
Ta$man obviously ranked you guys lower than BOP, which I thought was odd. -
@crucial BOP beat us and we were hot or cold, so I can see why they did.
This season was the first time we have had Auckland up here in about 10 years, so is a good call getting them again.
But those 4 will be tough, especially as we had 3 of our crossover matches very early, if we get that again it certainly puts you behind the 8 ball early.
Great news that Scott Gregory has been selected for NZ 7s.
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Cam Goodhue podcast with Tom Robinson
https://anchor.fm/the-up-and-under/episodes/4---Tom-Robinson-e2i19j/a-a6bcfd
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Great to see 22 players already locked in with contracts for the 2019 season.
It’s a massive advantage to be able to get players on the required programs so early in the piece.Notable omissions are Rene Ranger & Jack Goodhue, but I suspect we will see them back in a Cambridge Blue jersey in 2019 although Goodhue’s playing time will extremely limited if not at all.
Murray Douglas will be loss but that has been offset with the signing of 2017 NZ under lock Sam Caird from Waikato he will add some much needed height at 2.02 metres and with a 116Kg frame there is an opportunity to add on another few Kgs.
Matt Matich and Kara Pryor are looking for opportunities off shore, we wish them well in their endeavours
It has left a hole in the loose forward stocks,but I am pleased the coaches have shown loyalty to the local guys Matiu,Jacobson,McNamara and Aorangi Stokes especially.
The most notable omission is Matt Wright,according to the Northern Advocate he has a few boxes to tick before he can come back into the frame.Some interesting pieces to the puzzle to ponder over will be
Wiseguy Faiane as a possible back up to Jack Debreczeni that’s if he stays in the union and Renata Roberts TeNana as an outside back,had limited opportunities but looked sharp.
Hoping to see a much fitter and lighter Jone Macilai return in 2019,Props
Ross Wright (Wellsford)
Ropate Rinakama (Waipu)
Jack Straker (Kamo)
Isileli Tu'ungafasi (Mid Northern)
Boyd Wiggins (OBM)Hookers
Matt Moulds (Otamatea)
Jordan Olsen (Mid Northern)Locks
Josh Goodhue (Kamo)
Tom Robinson (Kerikeri)
Temo Mayanavanua (Waipu)
Sam CairdLoose Forward
Kano Jacobson (Kamo)
Jaycob Matiu (Hora Hora)
Sam McNamara (Waipu)
Aorangi Stokes (OBM)Halfback
Sam Nock (Kerikeri)
Jono Kitto (Hikurangi)First Five
Jack DebreczeniMidfield
Tamati Tua (Kamo)
Scott Gregory (Hikurangi)
Blake Hohaia (Kamo)Outside Backs
Jone Macilai (Awanui)
Jordan Hyland (Wellsford) -
@steven-harris Wouldn't there be a good chance that Ranger - now that he's signed with the Sunwolves - will also sign with a Japanese club for the Top League?
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@steven-harris gutted about Matich & Douglas, both the types of players every team needs, huge engines and accurate.
Yeah Roberts-Te Nana should be someone they need to invest in.
No reason for Jack not to sign for Northland, as it doesnt matter who he signs for, he wont play anyway.
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@taniwharugby agree with your coms regarding Douglas and Matich ,it was always going to be tough holding Douglas if he did not pick up an NZ contract besides I have been told he is looking for a path closer to home and my have aspirations to play for Scotland.
Matich very much in the same boat although the Union went over and beyond to keep him..pushing 3 x contracts under his nose.
There was an offer made to NZ under 20 and Auckland no7 Adrian Choat but I am guessing it cam down to loyalty. -
@steven-harris said in Looking forward to 2019...:
Murray Douglas will be loss but that has been offset with the signing of 2017 NZ under lock Sam Caird from Waikato he will add some much needed height at 2.02 metres and with a 116Kg frame there is an opportunity to add on another few Kgs.
Caird was only the 4th choice lock for Waikato this year and was overtaken by a younger McWhannell.
He has plenty of promise and just needs more opportunity. And as you say, a bit more bulk wouldn't hurt.
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@bovidae he was so keen to look at the opportunity,he even drove up to Whangarei for the interview with the coaches.
We will gladly take him given it’s an area where Northland are a bit thin on the ground. -
@steven-harris obviously Tom Robinson can be a loosie too.
Be interesting to see if he bulks up a bit with the Blues.
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@steven-harris Has Choat finished his engineering degree? He may want to stay closer to Auckland Uni if not.
