Otago 2024
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The season went, give or take how I expected it would. Probably would have had us beating Wellington (with the squad it played), and we should habe beaten Southland, they were up for it though. It that had happened it would habe been a sixth place finish. It would have been judged a success. Last year we won three games. This year five. It is an improvement. Injuries hammered us a bit. The right players stepped up. Still a bit of a reliance on throw it to certain players and hope they do something special. I don't want to see us try and recruit players from outside, such as starting Highlanders. If it is just to sinply build the capability of Otago. Those days are gone. Lucas Casey was under utilised. I thought he was our best 7. Pack was strong generally. Next season will see the majority of the squad in year 3/4 of their provincial careers. It is moving year. When we should stop looking like men v boys like what we saw against Counties. That game was very embarrassing
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@SouthernMann I think that is why it is disappointing though, is we didn't win those games. Our attack structure wasn't good enough, and it let us down. We had a pretty soft draw, and failed to make the most of it... even in beating Manawatu and Northland, I wouldn't say we did that well. Ta$man game was nearly a botch up too!
I wish Donnelly the best, but feel like we have squandered the best playing group we've had in 20 years.
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i'll take winning the last 3 games, hopefully the guys hanging around next year will go into preseason with their tails up a little, give the new coach something to work with
I was really happy hurley proved me wrong, think he played wit a lot more smarts than we saw in super rugby, less hitting it up like he was a foot taller and 30kg heavier, more hitting gaps and kicking for territory
also really glad to see millar shake off some of hit questionable form and string several good/solid games together, once again playing to his strengths with a little variety sprinkled in
dont know what the deal with Faleafaga is, once again not sure we've done him any favours sitting out the first half of the season then dropping him in and expecting him to fire, just seems made to come off the bench, get a little experience, provide a spark in the final 20
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Who is Mark Brown and what is his background?
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@KiwiInLondon said in Otago 2024:
Who is Mark Brown and what is his background?
Former Otago B player, North Harbour player. Coached the Canterbury system. Co-coached Canterbury with Reuben Thorne 20-21. Originally from Dunedin.
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@SouthernMann so hasn’t coached since 2021?
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ok, so context for those who havent seen it i guess, Mark Brown has signed a two year deal to Otago head coach
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@KiwiInLondon said in Otago 2024:
@SouthernMann so hasn’t coached since 2022?
Article says he has mainly focused on his business over the last few years.
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@SouthernMann any idea if he was based in otago? involved with a local club etc?
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@Kiwiwomble
He was poor for Canterbury as assistant, Canterbury had a bad run with that coaching team. -
@Chris if im honest...i dont think i care....if he's shit and he still got the job then he's either learnt some stuff and managed to show that....or there werent any better options...beggers cant be choosers etc, im just kind of curious how familar he is with the current club scene
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@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@SouthernMann any idea if he was based in otago? involved with a local club etc?
Article states he won't be moving permenantly until the lead into the season. During the club season he will be Chch during the week, and Dunedin on the weekend for club footy.
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@SouthernMann not ideal IMO but as i say, it is what it is
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@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@SouthernMann not ideal IMO but as i say, it is what it is
It is more or less a part-time job. Is a hard sell.
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@SouthernMann of course, thats what i mean and kind of why in my mind it would have been good to have someone already in dunedin, make it easier for that part time gig to include hitting up club training etc
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@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@SouthernMann of course, thats what i mean and kind of why in my mind it would have been good to have someone already in dunedin, make it easier for that part time gig to include hitting up club training etc
Fortunately there will be other staff members available to monitor training sessions. I probably would have preferred someone that gets paid by the Highlanders for the rest of the year
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@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@Chris if im honest...i dont think i care....if he's shit and he still got the job then he's either learnt some stuff and managed to show that....or there werent any better options...beggers cant be choosers etc, im just kind of curious how familar he is with the current club scene
I am glad Canterbury got rid of him he was poor the backs were a disjointed mess under him,Maybe he learnt from that after he was let go.
Good luck. -
@Chris said in Otago 2024:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@Chris if im honest...i dont think i care....if he's shit and he still got the job then he's either learnt some stuff and managed to show that....or there werent any better options...beggers cant be choosers etc, im just kind of curious how familar he is with the current club scene
I am glad Canterbury got rid of him he was poor the backs were a disjointed mess under him,Maybe he learnt from that after he was let go.
Good luck.To be fair to him, it’s not like Canterbury look much better 3 years on… lol. Also, he was co coaching with Reuben Thorne so it would be pretty harsh to pin those seasons just on him.
Im choosing to see the glass half full here, a new coach, new philosophy, experienced some average years with Canterbury which you’d think he has learnt from and has Otago ties from his playing days. Can’t be worse than what we put up with in Tom Donnelly. Bring on next season.
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@Landers92 said in Otago 2024:
@Chris said in Otago 2024:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2024:
@Chris if im honest...i dont think i care....if he's shit and he still got the job then he's either learnt some stuff and managed to show that....or there werent any better options...beggers cant be choosers etc, im just kind of curious how familar he is with the current club scene
I am glad Canterbury got rid of him he was poor the backs were a disjointed mess under him,Maybe he learnt from that after he was let go.
Good luck.To be fair to him, it’s not like Canterbury look much better 3 years on… lol. Also, he was co coaching with Reuben Thorne so it would be pretty harsh to pin those seasons just on him.
Im choosing to see the glass half full here, a new coach, new philosophy, experienced some average years with Canterbury which you’d think he has learnt from and has Otago ties from his playing days. Can’t be worse than what we put up with in Tom Donnelly. Bring on next season.
Not just with the top Canterbury side he coached under that top team as well.
Which was average I mentioned the part he coached was shit for Canterbury he was responsible for that rubbish.
See how it goes as I said good luck.
