All Black midfield options
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@antipodean said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
What's the word on Goodhue coming back? I was never sold on him at 12, but is there a discussion if he's fit, that he could oust ALB for bench covering 12/13? I think he's definitely a better 13 than ALB, and maybe more of a like-for-like swap with Jordie if he gets injured. Combo is a bit slow on gas if we lose Rieko, but ALB is no speed demon either.
Surely not 13. I'm 50 and I reckon I'd beat him in a race.
I'd pay a tenner to watch that!
Look, he's never been lightening, and I have no clue what he's like now. As I said earlier, he's only in the frame if he's close to peak, which could be a pipe dream. And even then, he and JB does not make a quick midfield.
But, he was pretty classy at setting up his outsides, and was a great defender. Would be nice to have him inside CC on defence!
Anyway, he's clearly not close to a starting spot, I was just questioning whether folk thought he could challenge ALB for that reserve spot. He's not going to provide a massive spark (is ALB?), but can he play the injury reserve role as well as him?
Guess we'll see next year.
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I’ve always thought David Havili and George Bridge would be a good combo. With Shannon Frizzell providing bench cover.
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@Billy-Tell said in All Black midfield options:
I’ve always thought David Havili and George Bridge would be a good combo. With Shannon Frizzell providing bench cover.
Too subtle.
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@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@antipodean said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
What's the word on Goodhue coming back? I was never sold on him at 12, but is there a discussion if he's fit, that he could oust ALB for bench covering 12/13? I think he's definitely a better 13 than ALB, and maybe more of a like-for-like swap with Jordie if he gets injured. Combo is a bit slow on gas if we lose Rieko, but ALB is no speed demon either.
Surely not 13. I'm 50 and I reckon I'd beat him in a race.
I'd pay a tenner to watch that!
I may be exaggerating for comedic effect.
He's a good player and I hope his injuries and extensive layoff don't translate into a mediocre return, but the broader problem is we seem to lack a good second option to Rieko. And an alarming lack of pace across the backline when compared to some of our best backlines in recent memory.
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@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@No-Quarter I've written several times that I think Will should stay at 14 until after this coming RWC.
May not happen if Jordie is permanently shifted to 12.
I think our backs are in more of a state of flux than they we're a couple of months ago - but, that could well be a good thing.
I don't think we are.
We have decided our best 10 in RM. We have locked in our best midfield in JB/RI. And for better or worse we have CC and BB at 11/14, with that not likely to change unless someone beats the door down next year at either spot. If they do, CC might fall out and BB might shift to being a reserve, but what a great reserve to have! 14 is still up for grabs, but likely WJ if fit, with a very able Reece if not
Pretty settled I think!
Even the reserves with TJ (oh yeah), ALB seem locked in.
I think most (probably all) of the guys you mention will be involved.
I'm a lot less confident about predicting quite what number they'll be wearing (even barring injuries) - though I think 9 and 10 are pretty locked in now.
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@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@No-Quarter I've written several times that I think Will should stay at 14 until after this coming RWC.
May not happen if Jordie is permanently shifted to 12.
I think our backs are in more of a state of flux than they we're a couple of months ago - but, that could well be a good thing.
I don't think we are.
We have decided our best 10 in RM. We have locked in our best midfield in JB/RI. And for better or worse we have CC and BB at 11/14, with that not likely to change unless someone beats the door down next year at either spot. If they do, CC might fall out and BB might shift to being a reserve, but what a great reserve to have! 14 is still up for grabs, but likely WJ if fit, with a very able Reece if not
Pretty settled I think!
Even the reserves with TJ (oh yeah), ALB seem locked in.
I think most (probably all) of the guys you mention will be involved.
I'm a lot less confident about predicting quite what number they'll be wearing (even barring injuries) - though I think 9 and 10 are pretty locked in now.
Really??? You don't think 12 and 13 are locked in?
Surely JB has 12 sewn up even if just by default because everyone else has sucked there. And who else is putting their hand up at 13?
11, 14 and 15 I'll give you, there could be some flux there.
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@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
What's the word on Goodhue coming back? I was never sold on him at 12, but is there a discussion if he's fit, that he could oust ALB for bench covering 12/13? I think he's definitely a better 13 than ALB, and maybe more of a like-for-like swap with Jordie if he gets injured. Combo is a bit slow on gas if we lose Rieko, but ALB is no speed demon either.
It's a combo I've wanted to see in black but Goohue seems pretty broken. Highly doubtful he could get back to where he was in 2019. Shame. He sucked at 12 though.13 or bust with him.
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@antipodean said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@antipodean said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
What's the word on Goodhue coming back? I was never sold on him at 12, but is there a discussion if he's fit, that he could oust ALB for bench covering 12/13? I think he's definitely a better 13 than ALB, and maybe more of a like-for-like swap with Jordie if he gets injured. Combo is a bit slow on gas if we lose Rieko, but ALB is no speed demon either.
Surely not 13. I'm 50 and I reckon I'd beat him in a race.
I'd pay a tenner to watch that!
I may be exaggerating for comedic effect.
He's a good player and I hope his injuries and extensive layoff don't translate into a mediocre return, but the broader problem is we seem to lack a good second option to Rieko. And an alarming lack of pace across the backline when compared to some of our best backlines in recent memory.
I think that's why they like Ennor. He has wing speed but can supposedly play center. I've yet to see the latter but perhaps next year will be his chance to show hos wares at 13 and then we'd have two similar 13s in the squad.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel I didnt think he was bad at 12, not blockbusting, but he was 'solid' but this isnt what we want for an AB is it, that said, he would get better and he was a good leader for the defence.
I know it was only NPC, but he looked a bit quicker in his brief outings than super where he looked to be running in treacle, but yet another knee surgery
He is the smart kind of player we need there, but I cant see him usurping Rieko for 13, and it is unlikely he will play 12 all super, so I think he is at very long odds to make the RWC squad.
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@taniwharugby said in All Black midfield options:
and it is unlikely he will play 12 all super
What the Crusaders decide to do with Havili, Goodhue, LF & Ennor will have a big impact. Recent AB's midfielders will be pushed to the wing, back to the bench or maybe even miss the 23
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@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@No-Quarter I've written several times that I think Will should stay at 14 until after this coming RWC.
May not happen if Jordie is permanently shifted to 12.
I think our backs are in more of a state of flux than they we're a couple of months ago - but, that could well be a good thing.
I don't think we are.
We have decided our best 10 in RM. We have locked in our best midfield in JB/RI. And for better or worse we have CC and BB at 11/14, with that not likely to change unless someone beats the door down next year at either spot. If they do, CC might fall out and BB might shift to being a reserve, but what a great reserve to have! 14 is still up for grabs, but likely WJ if fit, with a very able Reece if not
Pretty settled I think!
Even the reserves with TJ (oh yeah), ALB seem locked in.
I think most (probably all) of the guys you mention will be involved.
I'm a lot less confident about predicting quite what number they'll be wearing (even barring injuries) - though I think 9 and 10 are pretty locked in now.
Really??? You don't think 12 and 13 are locked in?
Surely JB has 12 sewn up even if just by default because everyone else has sucked there. And who else is putting their hand up at 13?
11, 14 and 15 I'll give you, there could be some flux there.
It will hopefully be a bit more locked in by Sunday lunchtime and we'll have won well against England.
But, if we lose, there's lots that could go back in the air. It's still early in the Jordie at 12 experiment and a lot of water still to go under the bridge before RWC.
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@Stargazer said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo 11 should still be open, wide open.
Yep, agree, I wouldn't be locking in any of the back 3 just yet. BB and WJ will be in the 23, but Clarke could miss out completely and who bloody knows who'll wear starting numbers
Edit - when I said 9-13 I was excluding 11! I can see how that was confusing 😁
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@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B But I've been wrong before!
Me too and quite recently!
Last night if I'd had to pick Fozzie's RWC squad I would've picked Caleb, Will and Sevu as his wings - by this morning it's looking like Telea might push Sevu out!
I'm pretty sure Jordie will be in the starting XV, but him staying at 12 is also dependent on Beauden (or someone else) working out at 15.
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@Chris-B said in All Black midfield options:
@voodoo said in All Black midfield options:
@Chris-B But I've been wrong before!
Me too and quite recently!
Last night if I'd had to pick Fozzie's RWC squad I would've picked Caleb, Will and Sevu as his wings - by this morning it's looking like Telea might push Sevu out!
I'm pretty sure Jordie will be in the starting XV, but him staying at 12 is also dependent on Beauden (or someone else) working out at 15.
Beaudy is a better 15 than havili etc are 12s. I would imagine the same is for Jordan. And 12 is so important with our relatively weak ten. So I'd rather have jordie at 12, then figure out who goes to 15
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@Bovidae said in All Black midfield options:
It's not just the Crusaders whose selections will impact the ABs midfield (form and time in a certain position). Holland needs to play JB at 2nd 5, and not swap him between 12 and 15. The same to a lesser degree with ALB at the Chiefs.
Yeah and for the Blues it's how they use RTS & Heem. Ioane will be the 13 of course
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@Duluth said in All Black midfield options:
@Bovidae said in All Black midfield options:
It's not just the Crusaders whose selections will impact the ABs midfield (form and time in a certain position). Holland needs to play JB at 2nd 5, and not swap him between 12 and 15. The same to a lesser degree with ALB at the Chiefs.
Yeah and for the Blues it's how they use RTS & Heem. Ioane will be the 13 of course
Haven’t the Blues used 2 or 3 different players at 12 this year?
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Black midfield options:
@Duluth said in All Black midfield options:
@Bovidae said in All Black midfield options:
It's not just the Crusaders whose selections will impact the ABs midfield (form and time in a certain position). Holland needs to play JB at 2nd 5, and not swap him between 12 and 15. The same to a lesser degree with ALB at the Chiefs.
Yeah and for the Blues it's how they use RTS & Heem. Ioane will be the 13 of course
Haven’t the Blues used 2 or 3 different players at 12 this year?
RTS started when he was fit. Heem generally got the other games. Evans, T Tele’a got matches too. Plummer was injured or he would’ve probably got time too
