2018 AB Depth Chart
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Forwards
Loosehead Hooker Tighthead Locks Blindside Openside No 8 Moody Coles Franks Retallick Kaino Cane Read Crockett Taylor Ofa Tu'ungafasi Whitelock Big Gap Todd Big Gap (Kaino can fill in here) Hames Harris Nepo Laulala Big gap Ioane Savea Squire Manu Coltman Jeffery Toomaga-Allen S Barrett Squire Gibson Ioane Lienert-Brown Parsons Siate Tokolahi Romano Fifita Dillon Hunt Whitelock Ofa Tu'ungafasi Funnell Atu Moli Scrafton Mitchell Brown K Pryor Shields/Messam Mitchell Graham GPT Sione Mafileo Franklin D Pryor Savea Reg Goodes Riccitelli Fatialofa Lentjes Hodgman Dixon Bird Boshier Aki Seiuli Adrian Smith Tuipulotu
Backs
Halfback 10 12 13 Wings Fullback Smith Beauden Barrett SBW ALB Dagg Smith TJP Lima Sopoaga Crotty Crotty Ioane Dagg Weber Richie Mo'unga Laumape Goodhue Naholo Jordie Barrett Pulu Mitchell Hunt ALB Fekitoa (might be gone) Smith DMac Drummond Ihaia West Moala Ioane Nanai Nanai Hall Otere Black Buckman Moala Aso Havili Stephen Perofeta Faiane Aso Savea NMS Hayden Parker Ngatai Procter Duffie Stevenson Bryn Gatland Aso Vaega Stevenson Faauli Tamanivalu NMS (low b/c injuries) Havili Thompson
Who are the top 2018 available players in each position? Ranked from 1 to 10? I will edit this thread to keep it up to date with the fern consensus.
Lets start with LH props.
- Moody
- Crockett - 35 next January, when will he retire?
- Hames? Wasn't good against Lions, gives away a lot of penalties, contribution around the field so, so.
- Manu. Inconsistent scrummaging, was playing well before this year's injury. Gets injured quite a bit. Been in AB environment.
- Lienert-Brown. Test possibility or journeyman?
- Ofa Tu'ungafasi
- Mitchell Graham (out for season)
- Reg Goodes (out for season)
- Hodgman
- Aki Seiuli
Up and comers and youngsters:
Who are they? Hodgman looks good, hopefully he will injury free next year. Lindenmuth was good for the U20s, but it takes quite a while to mature as a prop.
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Ben May appearing on anything linked with the All Blacks offends me
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@mariner4life LOL. He's about the only fit option at the Hurricanes. Give me names.
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given recent history, look for people debuting this year in Super rugby.
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Not Ben May.
Reg Goodes , Mitchell Graham and Alex Hodgman ahead of him for a start.
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@Chris-B. Was thinking of Mitchell Graham but hasn't been injured a lot of the last 18 months? Goodes is certainly better than Maym but isn't he a long-term concussion casualty?
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Who are the top 2018 available players in each position? Ranked from 1 to 10? I will edit this thread to keep it up to date with the fern consensus.
Lets start with LH props.
- Moody
- Crockett - 35 next January, when will he retire?
- Hames? Wasn't good against Lions, gives away a lot of penalties, contribution around the field so, so.
- Manu. Inconsistent scrummaging, was playing well before this year's injury. Gets injured quite a bit. Been in AB environment.
- Lienert-Brown. Test possibility or journeyman?
- Ben May? Is not very good. Do the Chiefs have a better option here?
Up and comers and youngsters:
Who are they? Hodgman looks good, hopefully he will injury free next year. Lindenmuth was good for the U20s, but it takes quite a while to mature as a prop.
U20s players, if you want them on the list, who looked good this year: Ezekiel Lindenmuth and Pouri Rakete-Stones (who can cover LH, TH and even hooker, although I've never seen him play in the no. 2 jersey).
Last year's U20s made us cry.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
@Chris-B. Was thinking of Mitchell Graham but hasn't been injured a lot of the last 18 months? Goodes is certainly better than Maym but isn't he a long-term concussion casualty?
Hopefully we're only down to the No. 6 choice and they might not actually be required before the summer break.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi as a loosehead before Ben, as well.
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@Chris-B. Yeah, Ofa has improved massively at LH.
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OK, on to tight head.
- Franks
- Ofa Tu'ungafasi
- Nepo Laulala
- Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
- Siate Tokolahi
- Atu Moli
- Sione Mafileo
Is Oliver Jager NZ qualified? Quite a few tightheads in Super Rugby teams aren't.
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Back to the LH, Seuli (spelling ?) has been in great form for the Highlanders : strong scrummager and very dynamic in the loose.
Lindenmuth is one to watch for the future.
Hodgman's scrummaging is a concern. Just a question of technique, I guess because he is a huge man.
Lienert-Brown is not big enough for the international scene IMO.
Ben May has done well for the Canes last year and this year as well but he is over 30 so he won't be in contention. -
If we can propose injured players, Brendon Edmonds at loosehead
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@Stockcar86 Hasn't he been injured for two years? Not in contention.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
@Stockcar86 Hasn't he been injured for two years? Not in contention.
April 2016, so 14 months
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@Tim good thread. Like this sort of stuff. Will contribute out of match time ... and sober ...
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Right, on to Hooker.
- Coles (hopefully back for the RC)
- Taylor
- Harris (not sure about this guy, at all - outplayed by Parsons and Taylor this year)
- Coltman
- Parsons
- Funnell (always liked the look of him, would love to watch him starting against quality opposition)
- GPT (FFS Blues)
- Riccitelli (young but promising)
- Dixon (exposed by the Lions, journeyman at best)
- Adrian Smith (deadset Harbour legend)
Asafo Aumua is the obvious young player to look for.
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@cgrant said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Back to the LH, Seuli (spelling ?) has been in great form for the Highlanders : strong scrummager and very dynamic in the loose.
Lindenmuth is one to watch for the future.
Hodgman's scrummaging is a concern. Just a question of technique, I guess because he is a huge man.
Lienert-Brown is not big enough for the international scene IMO.
Ben May has done well for the Canes last year and this year as well but he is over 30 so he won't be in contention.Is he the one with dreadlocks/longish hair?
I have noticed him a lot in the loose this year. Always makes yards. -
@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Right, on to Hooker.
- Coles (hopefully back for the RC)
- Taylor
- Harris (not sure about this guy, at all - outplayed by Parsons and Taylor this year)
- Coltman
- Parsons
- Funnell (always liked the look of him, would love to watch him starting against quality opposition)
- GPT (FFS Blues)
- Riccitelli (young but promising)
- Dixon (exposed by the Lions, journeyman at best)
- Adrian Smith (deadset Harbour legend)
Asafo Aumua is the obvious young player to look for.
Dare I mention Elliot ...
Jeez ..
... stuff ...
.. and things...
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@booboo Elliot's off overseas.
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Lots of people (on this thread snd the exodus one) suggesting that Crockett won't make it to the next RWC because of his age. Is this even a thing anymore? He seems to be in the form of his life and guys like Brad Thorn, Richie, Woodcock and Kevvy have proven that you can keep playing well into your mid-late 30s.
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@pukunui said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Lots of people (on this thread snd the exodus one) suggesting that Crockett won't make it to the next RWC because of his age. Is this even a thing anymore? He seems to be in the form of his life and guys like Brad Thorn, Richie, Woodcock and Kevvy have proven that you can keep playing well into your mid-late 30s.
I agree with that, but he' signed until the end of 2018. Question is whether that contract will be extended, whether he'll go overseas or retire at the end of his contract.
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Yeah I'd rate Seuli a lot higher, is surprisingly good in the scrum. Can't for the life of me see how DLB is too small when he appears to dwarf a couple others on the list.
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Wyatt will be 35 next January. Pushing right up against the age barrier to make the RWC in 2019. He'd be older than BBBT and Kev if he played in it.
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Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 112 kg -
@Chris-B. said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Wyatt will be 35 next January. Pushing right up against the age barrier to make the RWC in 2019. He'd be older than BBBT and Kev if he played in it.
I guess his career could be prolonged given he's only playing 25-30 minutes of footy per test match. Good quality footy at that, but he's not taking the battering of big minutes like others. Hansen and co have really found the best way to use him and he's worked on his craft being an excellent impact player.
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@Chris-B. said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Wyatt will be 35 next January. Pushing right up against the age barrier to make the RWC in 2019. He'd be older than BBBT and Kev if he played in it.
Those guys were playing pretty well when they retired though. What's to say if the RWCs they retired after were a year later that they wouldn't have made it to them?
Just don't think age should be used as an indicator unless you are talking long term plans.
Not saying he will definitely make it. But if he stays in good nick and form then why not.
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@pukunui
Yes, it's him. He's having a very good SR and did not look bad against the Lions. -
Hookers :
Coltman in front of Harris for me (I know Hansen thinks differently; he is the selector so he must be right).
Greg Pleasants-Tate is one of the most underrated player of the SR. He's better than Dixon IMO (more physical, skills). -
@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Right, on to Hooker.
- Coles (hopefully back for the RC)
- Taylor
- Harris (not sure about this guy, at all - outplayed by Parsons and Taylor this year)
- Coltman
- Parsons
- Funnell (always liked the look of him, would love to watch him starting against quality opposition)
- GPT (FFS Blues)
- Riccitelli (young but promising)
- Dixon (exposed by the Lions, journeyman at best)
- Adrian Smith (deadset Harbour legend)
Asafo Aumua is the obvious young player to look for.
Other names that spring to mind ...
...Faiva
Apisai (? NZQ'ed?)
Anderson-Heather
Moulds -
@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
OK, on to tight head.
- Franks
- Ofa Tu'ungafasi
- Nepo Laulala
- Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
- Siate Tokolahi
- Atu Moli
- Sione Mafileo
Is Oliver Jager NZ qualified? Quite a few tightheads in Super Rugby teams aren't.
After the Lions games against the Chiefs and the Canes, I think JTA has leapfrogged Laulala. JTA scrummed very well last night against Joe Marler, one of the strongest scrummager of the NH, and was very busy in the loose. I'd like to see him selected for the EOYT.
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@pukunui said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
@Chris-B. said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
Wyatt will be 35 next January. Pushing right up against the age barrier to make the RWC in 2019. He'd be older than BBBT and Kev if he played in it.
Those guys were playing pretty well when they retired though. What's to say if the RWCs they retired after were a year later that they wouldn't have made it to them?
Just don't think age should be used as an indicator unless you are talking long term plans.
Not saying he will definitely make it. But if he stays in good nick and form then why not.
I'm not saying he definitely can't, either - but, at some point age is definitely going to finish you if nothing else does. And, that list is looking at the very extreme of more than 1150 All Blacks. On the other hand, being part of the tight five obviously gives you a better chance.
Wyatt's pretty much the age right now that Tony Woodcock finished at and I think at the end Tony was hanging on a bit in terms of injuries and others going past him. Where Wyatt looks like he's still in good nick, so I don't think he needs to pull the pin right now.
I guess, for me, two years ahead is pretty long term - if you look back two years our team has changed quite a lot. That will doubtless happen looking two years forward.
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
OK, on to tight head.
Is Oliver Jager NZ qualified? Quite a few tightheads in Super Rugby teams aren't.
He might be...seems like he's been in Christchurch for a while - since 2014 at least. How long does he have to be there?
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@Chris-B. 3 years since he finished school I believe.
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This post is deleted! -
The pisition that kicked us off:
B Barrett
L Sopoaga
Beaver
M Banks
I Dagg -
Isn't Banks off to Treviso?
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@Tim not when he's in the AB squad #flipflop
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So, for next year's 10's:
- Beauden Barrett
- Lima Sopoaga
- Richie Mo'unga
- Mitchell Hunt
- Ihaia West
- Otere Black
- Stephen Perofeta
- Hayden Parker
- Bryn Gatland
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
So, for next year's 10's:
- Beauden Barrett
- Lima Sopoaga
- Richie Mo'unga
- Mitchell Hunt
Ihaia West- Otere Black
- Stephen Perofeta
- Ihaia West
- Hayden Parker
- Bryn Gatland
Fixed
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@Tim said in 2018 AB Depth Chart:
OK, on to tight head.
- Franks
- Ofa Tu'ungafasi
- Nepo Laulala
- Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
- Siate Tokolahi
- Atu Moli
- Sione Mafileo
Is Oliver Jager NZ qualified? Quite a few tightheads in Super Rugby teams aren't.
I'm not sure whether all these players add to AB depth, more NZ SR depth. Or do you think all these players have the potential to develop into ABs? Have Tokolahi, Moli and Mafileo (and Jager) shown enough of that potential? Just a question.
List of New Zealand national rugby union team player records - Wikipedia
