BOP v Magpies
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Finally, there is silverware to be won when the Magpies take on BOP in the Battle of the Bays!
This is the Macrae-Shelford Bay Cup:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11909175
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Bay of Plenty squad for tomorrow:
1 Aidan Ross
2 James O'Reilly
3 Ziggy Fisi'ihoi
4 Tom Franklin
5 Keepa Mewett (c)
6 Hugh Blake
7 Mitch Karpik
8 Tyler Ardron
9 Richard Judd
10 Mike Delany
11 Joe Webber
12 Terrence Hepetema
13 Lalakai Foketi
14 Monty Ioane
15 Chase TiatiaReserves
16 Seb Siataga
17 Solomona Sakalia
18 James Lay
19 Culum Retallick
20 Jesse Parete
21 Luke Campbell
22 Liam Steel
23 Elijah Nicholas -
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Finally, the Magpies squad has been published. Is the HBRU the slowest union to publish their team lists?
Magpies
1 Jason Long
2 Ash Dixon (c)
3 Pouri Rakete-Stones
4 Michael Allardice
5 Nick Palmer
6 Geoff Cridge
7 Fa'alemiga Selesele
8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u
9 Chris Eaton
10 Ihaia West
11 Sam McNicol
12 Richard Buckman
13 Cardiff Vaega
14 Hayden Hann
15 Tiaan FalconReserves:
16 Jacob Devery
17 Mark Braidwood
18 Mason Kean
19 Josh Eden-Whaitiri
20 Ben Hamelink
21 Zac Donaldson
22 Pasqualle Dunn
23 TJ Vaega -
How AWESOME is it to see Sam McNicol in the starting line-up!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11910511
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@Stargazer said in BOP v Magpies:
Finally, the Magpies squad has been published. Is the HBRU the slowest union to publish their team lists?
Magpies
1 Jason Long
2 Ash Dixon (c)
3 Pouri Rakete-Stones
4 Michael Allardice
5 Nick Palmer
6 Geoff Cridge
7 Fa'alemiga Selesele
8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u
9 Chris Eaton
10 Ihaia West
11 Sam McNicol
12 Richard Buckman
13 Cardiff Vaega
14 Hayden Hann
15 Tiaan FalconReserves:
16 Jacob Devery
17 Mark Braidwood
18 Mason Kean
19 Josh Eden-Whaitiri
20 Ben Hamelink
21 Zac Donaldson
22 Pasqualle Dunn
23 TJ VaegaIt was in my copy of the HB Today when I bought it this morning at 6.30 am. It was there in black and white ....
Oh, you mean on social media ... well I'm not on Facebook ...
Seriously, though, I think because the HB Today is an official sponsor of the HBRU, they seem to get first right of publication.
Am still uncomfortable with Tiaan Falcon at fullback. I don't think he took one contested high ball against Southland. I guess it's a case of trying to put all your first choice players in there somewhere so they are all on the field.
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@Number-10 The thing is, the online version of that article in the HBT (we can't buy the paper version here) only mentions some changes to last week's line-up, and doesn't give the full line-up. I think readers shouldn't be made to compare to, or remember, previous line-ups. If it's a matter of HBT having first publication rights of the team line-up, then the union should ask them to publish exactly that, the line-up.
Agree about Falcon, but that's the consequence of not signing a specialist fullback (other than Dagg) and using Falcon as a utility back instead of a five-eighth. I would have preferred McNicol at fullback, Bucky on the wing and Falcon at 12.
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Finally got round to watching the Southland game yesterday and there are some worrying signs. The scrum was dicey with a lot of collapses and generally very untidy. What a good strong scrum might inflict on us gives me major worries if we don't show drastic improvement. Brendon Edmonds looks to have a big job on his hands here.
The taking of high kicks was spectacularly unimpressive, Tiaan Falcon looked lost (maybe the wind might have played a big part in that?) and struggled big time when it came to the little things fullbacks must be able to carry out instinctively. It looked like it might have been the first time he has played there so might know what to expect and how to deal with things next time. His attacking runs were a redeeming feature.
There is a lack of outright gas and blistering speed capable of running in long range tries which the likes of Zac and Gillies Kaka could do. A bit of work needed to be put into the Vaega boys to create this threat. C Vaega continues to show not much more than a sort of hungas crash style he showed when at Southland and at Marist St Pats where I watched him a few times during his stint at the Hurricanes. Kind of a George Moala style, or for those of us with long memories Hallum Kupa, where those outside him were often only there because of laws of rugby called for the requirement to field 15 players. BoP showed how to create space out wide with some nice passing and creative play (especially in the first half when they had plenty of possession) and looked to have a bit of speed so we will need to be on our mettle to snuff that danger out.
Tackling looked like an improvement from last season's touch rugby style but still a bit more to be done.
Lineouts were a lottery and surely can't be replicated this week or we will be in big trouble against a BoP lineout that looked pretty good against Northland.
Can someone pass a law against injuries as that was one of the few areas that we excelled at with a big number early on that really did not help. Stargazer, can you publish your list of those unavailable for selection because of injury (and their expected return dates) that you will have tucked away somewhere so we can assess the situation please? At least you can temporarily remove G Cridge and S McNicol from it meaning H Renton is currently the only life member of that list.
Nonetheless I am still predicting, and expecting, a HB victory in Rotorua tonight!
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@Stargazer said in BOP v Magpies:
@Number-10 The thing is, the online version of that article in the HBT (we can't buy the paper version here) only mentions some changes to last week's line-up, and doesn't give the full line-up. I think readers shouldn't be made to compare to, or remember, previous line-ups. If it's a matter of HBT having first publication rights of the team line-up, then the union should ask them to publish exactly that, the line-up.
Agree about Falcon, but that's the consequence of not signing a specialist fullback (other than Dagg) and using Falcon as a utility back instead of a five-eighth. I would have preferred McNicol at fullback, Bucky on the wing and Falcon at 12.
The NZ Herald website, and the HB Today within it, is NZME owned and controlled - nothing to do with HBRU.
I have been told the HB lineup was posted on the HBRU Facebook page at about 10.30am today. If so, I don't know why the HBRU couldn't have put it up earlier.
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@Higgins said in BOP v Magpies:
He must be because on reputation he must be a first choice selection ahead of Cridge (at blindside) or Selesele (at openside).
He's actually looked pretty good in the couple of matches I've seen him play this year - and he's a star of my PS4 Magpies team now that I've run out of money to pay for big name players.
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Maybe I should be selector...
@Stockcar86 said in Magpies v Southland:
Man of the match for me would be Ihaia West. Despite the yellow, was really impressed by Cridge - he could be a good loosey if the Evans/Lamborn injuries keep them out for a few weeks.
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@Nepia said in BOP v Magpies:
@Higgins said in BOP v Magpies:
He must be because on reputation he must be a first choice selection ahead of Cridge (at blindside) or Selesele (at openside).
He's actually looked pretty good in the couple of matches I've seen him play this year - and he's a star of my PS4 Magpies team now that I've run out of money to pay for big name players.
That's what is so disappointing and frustrating as we very seldom get to see him play thanks to what seems to be a never ending run of injuries.
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@Higgins said in BOP v Magpies:
Can someone pass a law against injuries as that was one of the few areas that we excelled at with a big number early on that really did not help. Stargazer, can you publish your list of those unavailable for selection because of injury (and their expected return dates) that you will have tucked away somewhere so we can assess the situation please? At least you can temporarily remove G Cridge and S McNicol from it meaning H Renton is currently the only life member of that list.
Fortunately, I still have a Magpies injury list. I didn't have time to keep my NZ Super Rugby injury list up-to-date; too many injured players!
I have put Renton at the bottom of the list with a question mark, because I haven't seen any confirmation from the HBRU or anything in the media that he's actually injured.
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@Stargazer said in BOP v Magpies:
@Higgins said in BOP v Magpies:
Can someone pass a law against injuries as that was one of the few areas that we excelled at with a big number early on that really did not help. Stargazer, can you publish your list of those unavailable for selection because of injury (and their expected return dates) that you will have tucked away somewhere so we can assess the situation please? At least you can temporarily remove G Cridge and S McNicol from it meaning H Renton is currently the only life member of that list.
Fortunately, I still have a Magpies injury list. I didn't have time to keep my NZ Super Rugby injury list up-to-date; too many injured players!
I have put Renton at the bottom of the list with a question mark, because I haven't seen any confirmation from the HBRU or anything in the media that he's actually injured.
Yes, that is quite an impressive list after just one round .....
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@Number-10 said in BOP v Magpies:
TAB has Hawkes favourite at $1.77 with BOP at $2.05.
I find that a bit surprising.
Me too. I am heading into this game feeling like the underdog by 8-10 points, but happy to be proved wrong
