Magpies 2020
-
-
@Stargazer He might be 35, but all that experience would be very valuable. Can't see Bryn turning down the chance to play a season with Gareth. Adds hugely to the locking stocks.
-
Confirmed for 2020 (not a surprise):
The hard carrying Isaia Walker-Leawere will be looking forward to getting back to the Bay and continuing his great form from the 2019 Magpies season. The big Maori All Black and Hurricanes lock provides size and grunt in the Magpies engine room -
Also confirmed for 2020:
Stacey Ili, a player who can play most positions in the backs has been a key part of the Magpies backline over recent seasons. A creative and gutsy player and great team man, we are delighted to have Stacey back this season.
Comment from Danny Toala under the FB post:Stacey Ili when you back g 😂So is he playing club rugby in Hawke's Bay, or not? Toala's comment suggest he's not. But if he isn't, where is he?
-
@Billsy111 said in Magpies 2020:
@Stargazer He might be 35, but all that experience would be very valuable. Can't see Bryn turning down the chance to play a season with Gareth. Adds hugely to the locking stocks.
Be a great addition. Didn't he get named in some northern hemisphere team of the decade?
-
@Stargazer said in Magpies 2020:
Also confirmed for 2020:
Stacey Ili, a player who can play most positions in the backs has been a key part of the Magpies backline over recent seasons. A creative and gutsy player and great team man, we are delighted to have Stacey back this season.Why oh why oh why?????? Is our depth so low in club rugby that we need to have someone come in to back up our existing players. The Treasurer and Marketing/Sponsorship Department of the HBRFU must be doing an outstanding job getting the money together to fund all these players. From memory Ili, whilst doing a no frills type job, was nothing super special.
-
Confirmed for 2020:
hbmagpies: With the All Blacks back to take part at the start of the season we look forward to Brad pulling on the Magpies jersey, a fan favourite with superb game knowledge who loves a snipe with ball in hand. Looking forward to seeing Webby play for the Pies in 2020.
-
Confirmed:
hbmagpies: Clive Rugby and Sports Club player Josh Kaifa enters his 3rd season with the Magpies. The openside flanker is always dominant over the ball and will be putting his best foot forward to lockdown the number 7 jersey for 2020.
One of the better imports of the last few years, IMO. Has been good off the bench.
-
Confirmed:
Solomone Funaki returns for his second season with the Magpies. After making his debut in 2019, the powerful number 8 will provide plenty of excitement for Magpies fans when he is let loose in 2020.
Some comments on that text. First of all, he was already in the 2018 squad, so this will be his third, not his second season. Second, isn't he an openside? Or has he changed to no. 8? And what good will that do? Anyway, I don't expect Magpies fans to be that excited when he takes the field as that will mean there are lots of injuries: he'll be behind Evans, Mikaele-Tu'u and Flanders at 8, and behind O'Connor, Kaifa, and probably also Evans at 7. If Tremain is in the squad, he'll even have more competition at 7.
-
Not surprised you don't remember him @Nepia ?
He's only made one appearance and that was 22 minutes against Canterbury in 2018 coming on as a sub for Geoff Cridge.
@Stargazer is right, he is unlikely to feature again this year, either.
His brother Setefano played for Northland last year.
-
Confirmed. I don't think it's a secret that I'm not a fan. Hopefully, he's better in 2020 than he was last year.
Taradale rugby and sports prop Namatahi Wa'a will be looking to continue his club form into the Mitre 10 Cup. With playing both loosehead and tighthead, the big prop provides versatility and brings a hard edge to the front row.
-
@Stargazer We don't know the money situation, everybody is obviously operating on reduced budgets this year and guys like Wa'a and Funaki are already in the bay so it may just be that we didn't have money to recruit a big name prop this year and they may be in by default.
-
@kiwimatrix Good point, although I suspect he had a two-year contract and was always going to be in the squad for that reason. I just hated seeing our scrum going backwards as soon as Wa'a came on. Third choice player at best, just like Funaki, for when injury strikes or for rotation against a weaker opponent. Useful to have in the squad, but hopefully not needed in the big games. I hope we have better (preferably local) options, next year. I hope, for example, that Patrick Teddy is progressing well ...
-
@Stargazer We might get a better guide tomorrow in the Taradale Marist game of how Wa'as going.
-
@kiwimatrix said in Magpies 2020:
@Stargazer We might get a better guide tomorrow in the Taradale v Napier High School Old Boys-
Maristgame of how Wa'as going.Corrected on behalf of Stockcar86
