@Chris yeah I don't know, but while the game might be faster the players are still bigger etc.
Not saying the decision was right to sign a player like Arnold, I was just trying to think of why.
@Chris yeah I don't know, but while the game might be faster the players are still bigger etc.
Not saying the decision was right to sign a player like Arnold, I was just trying to think of why.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
I reckon he's a bit slow to play openside
I'd there a position to pick an out and out openside any more?
There's no "fetcher" anymore. The early McCaw type role I reckon has been superseded.
I'm having a debate with myself here, and keep contradicting myself.
Like the idea of a brute at 6 (Finau fanboi), a ball carrier at 8 and a complementary player at 7. But that dude isn't my idea of a traditional 7.
He's not first at the breakdown anymore as breakdowns are set up differently, and we can't wait for him like we used to.
I know what I mean, just don't words goodly.
@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2024:
Just thinking aloud here, but I wonder if this is a sign that the losses to MLR etc are starting to bite at the next level down.
Maybe there is a shortage of players deemed physically up to Super Rugby. It's all very well wanting to throw in some youngsters but if they are not physically ready it could be counter productive.
Totally disagree,Super Rugby is a faster game now than it was even last season.
And we bring in 36 and 33 year old outside backs.
We have Fihaki,Reece,Springer,Murray,Mataele also McLeod can cover wing all are not injured.
We have Taine Robinson and Blair Murray who have been training with the squad since December playing pre season games.Cooper Roberts a u/20 player has been training with them and Jack Gray another young wing from Ta$man went on the tour to Munster and Bristol.
Really short sighted selections picking these old players who will be to slow for the modern SR game.
Why bring in players with no upside and not bring in youngsters to develop.
@African-Monkey said in Crusaders 2024:
@Crazy-Horse On the Arnold signing, do they really need him when they already have Blair and Heremaia Murray, Jone Rova, Manasa Mataele etc. waiting in the wings? Add to that Johnny McNicholl who was signed.
I know they have a heavy injury toll but I haven't heard anything about those guys being injured?
Yeah I don't know about them, but just because he is signed doesn't mean he will necessarily play ahead of them. At least I hope not. I am hoping he is just a worse case scenario signing.
I have a very faint memory of him and didn't bother reading the article too closely (was it even an article), but wasn't Arnold a 10 at some stage?
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
Also fuck Frizzell, did.we.give that spud a sabbatical?
No, just bad writing. He is gone.
@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2024:
Just thinking aloud here, but I wonder if this is a sign that the losses to MLR etc are starting to bite at the next level down.
Maybe there is a shortage of players deemed physically up to Super Rugby. It's all very well wanting to throw in some youngsters but if they are not physically ready it could be counter productive.
Maybe it’s hitting the Crusaders harder than others but there does seem to be a lot of part timers, old players returning and even overseas born players this year in super rugby. Perhaps our depth isn’t quite what it used to be.
Crusaders are starting to resemble the Force, just buy lots of random players and hope they work together somehow.
@Crazy-Horse On the Arnold signing, do they really need him when they already have Blair and Heremaia Murray, Jone Rova, Manasa Mataele etc. waiting in the wings? Add to that Johnny McNicholl who was signed.
I know they have a heavy injury toll but I haven't heard anything about those guys being injured?
@ACT-Crusader it's the constant theme that RM is being excluded unfairly despite the fact that he, you know, signed a fucking contract overseas. That's what pissed me off.
Also fuck Frizzell, did.we.give that spud a sabbatical? Also cane is old news (no mafia I will not be surrendering my membership card)
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024 - looking forward:
that's two 10s he's taken out in 3 weeks
Victor Matfield would be proud…
Finau will be in the squad no doubt about it.
For me a big problem to solve is who plays at openside. We need to settle on a player that we can build a combination with our other loose forwards (whoever they are).
It's not easy. Savea being savea adds a bit of a balance problem. I can sort of see why they persisted with cane and needed Frizzell.
I hope surf jesus doesn't just pick a bunch of 6.5s again.
The Blues Boys will protest, but I feel DP is best suited to a bench role. I reckon he's a bit slow to play openside, and provide that turnover heat.
But, there has to be a reason he's got bigger in thr off-season, and I doubt that reason is the Blues.
We're all guessing because we have no clue how surf jesus wants to play and therefore what players he needs
Just thinking aloud here, but I wonder if this is a sign that the losses to MLR etc are starting to bite at the next level down.
Maybe there is a shortage of players deemed physically up to Super Rugby. It's all very well wanting to throw in some youngsters but if they are not physically ready it could be counter productive.