Chiefs 2022
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@bovidae Thought they may look for a 'bench player' covering fullback and five-eighths, especially if Tiatia and Lowe considered in midfield. I like Lalomilo and Filimone, but can't see them as starters. I think Chiefs are weak at kick return from fullback and this needs to be addressed.
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@arhs said in Chiefs 2022:
@bovidae Thought they may look for a 'bench player' covering fullback and five-eighths, especially if Tiatia and Lowe considered in midfield.
Ioane, Trask and Reihana already fill that role.
I think Chiefs are weak at kick return from fullback and this needs to be addressed.
And yet McMillan doesn't play the two players who can provide this in that position - Stevenson or ENS.
As to ALB's replacement, it would have to be from the Chiefs or another teams WTG, as they will be the only players who have been training regularly in recent months.
As of late January, the backs in the Chiefs group were:
Lalomilo Lalomilo (Bay of Plenty)
Liam Coombes-Fabling (Waikato)
Logan Crowley (Taranaki) - a halfback
Taniela Filimone (Manawatu) -
@bovidae said in Chiefs 2022:
I know this was mentioned in another thread but this from the Chiefs.
Even more important now we find a second five-eighth to partner Rieko for the Ireland tests.
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Injury/availability update
Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane is a day-by-day prospect for his team’s big Super Rugby Pacific match against the Brumbies in Hamilton on Saturday night as baby-watch continues.
Outside backs Emoni Narawa and Etene Nanai-Seturo, who both missed the two-week trip across the ditch, are available this weekend, which could see Quinn Tupaea move back to the midfield following his impressive two-game effort out of position on the left wing.
All Blacks halfback and co-captain Brad Weber – who injured a shoulder/neck against Moana Pasifika a fortnight ago – and one-test first five-eighth Josh Ioane – who got a whack in the ribs against the Hurricanes on April 3 – are also back training and should be available in the next week or so.
The outlook is also surprisingly good for winger Shaun Stevenson, whose knee injury against Moana looked season-ending, but it turning out to be far less serious, with him already back running.Brodie Retallick is also nearing a return from his broken thumb suffered against the Crusaders on March 26. This weekend will mark six weeks since the injury, with the All Blacks lock, who is getting through a heap of individual running work at training, having initially been given a likely timeframe of six to eight weeks on the sideline.
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Mentioned in the article:
McMillan has already had a similar situation this season with Emoni Narawa, who was a late scratching from the round-eight match against the Blues after his first child was born in the early hours of game-day.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have confirmed prop Sione Mafileo (neck) and loose forward Simon Parker (shoulder) would be joining prop Reuben O’Neill (neck) and midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown (shoulder) in the season-ending injury department.
That is a different injury for Parker.
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A story about Jonah Lowe. He is off-contract this year, and had only signed 1-yr contracts with the Chiefs.
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@Bovidae The Chiefs would be crazy if they didn't offer him a new contract. Even if some of the younger outside backs have a higher ceiling (they still have to prove it), he's certainly the Chiefs' best performing wing. I can see him - longer term - moving back to centre eventually.
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Unfortunately Gideon Wrampling re-injured his knee in the 1st half of his club match today. He bust through a number of tacklers and ended up on the ground just short of the tryline.
If it's serious he might be out for a while. Hopefully we get some good news.
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Ioane is keen to stay at the Chiefs.
This will largely depend on DMac's decision. Gatland still has 1 year left on his contract, while the contract duration of Trask and Reihana is unknown. I don't think you would carry four players who cover 1st 5 (3 of those also fullback) in your squad.
