MOTM v Wellington
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After HB - Alaimalo, Moulds and Dan Pryor all get 3 points
Jack Goodhue 11
Jack Ram 8
Tamati Tua 7
Solomon Alaimalo 7
Matt Moulds 7
Ross Wright 6
Rene Ranger 6
Matt Matich 5
Jaycob Matiu 5
Jone Macilai 5
Sam Nock 4
Dan Pryor 4
Kara Pryor 4
Josh Goodhue 1
Jordan Hyland 1 -
@taniwharugby still trying to work out where Kara Pryor got the 4,is that a carry over from last year...?
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@steven-harris not quite...tied for first points after BOP game
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@taniwharugby yeah I figured that,God only knows where he was for the rest of the season,can't help feel that Faleafa should have been given more game time in the last 2 x games..
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@steven-harris yea he hasn't been upto his usual standard this season unfortunately.
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Rinakama may not feature in your top player ratings, he has earned himself a spot in the Fiji squad for their Northern tour:
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@stargazer but no room for Macilai...I know outside backs are pretty common for Fiji, but he is a very good player.
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Maybe he's being a tad optimistic @taniwharugby but perhaps he's still holding out hope for an AB jumper? Would say if he was available for Fiji he would've crusied into that squad...
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@chiefy07 he was in the Fiji RWC WTG from 2015, but not yet capped, so I would think at this late stage, Fiji is the more realistic option for him, even with our outside back injuries for the ABs, he'd be well down the list I expect.
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so a wrap of the regular season MOTM:
I'll do a player review at some point in the week and also tally up all the individual votes to see if it shows anything different.
After last weeks Wellington game, Matich 5, DP 3 and 1 each to MOUlds, Nock and Josh G.
Matich with a strong finish but unable to pip Jack G, but what is heartening is that 15 different players feature, which is great to see.
Jack Goodhue 11
Matt Matich 10
Jack Ram 8
Matt Moulds 8
Tamati Tua 7
Solomon Alaimalo 7
Dan Pryor 7
Ross Wright 6
Rene Ranger 6
Jaycob Matiu 5
Jone Macilai 5
Sam Nock 5
Kara Pryor 4
Josh Goodhue 2
Jordan Hyland 1 -
@taniwharugby surprised not to see the likes of Bond, Douglas and Rinakama on that list. Those three have been outstanding this year. I guess they'll gain a few points on the individual tally yeah?
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@j77 starts with tight forwards but they don't get the glory.
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@taniwharugby funny Ross Wright is my forward player of the year. Not sure if I voted for him but I always said he wasn't a prop but man did he prove me wrong. His running game came into its own, fitness was awesome, and he was dominant at scrum time. Respect.
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@kev so stoked for Ross Wright getting into the Maori squad!
Over the years, he's been loyal, obviously struggled with form and fitness at times, shuffled between prop and hooker (with many thinking the latter was his best spot) was good enough for a super contract about 4/5 years ago (at hooker) but missed out, then this season...as I said, I saw him in a couple of club games and he looked pretty fit compared to last year, and obviously it came through in his play, stoked!
Even more so, had Waa & Sililoto not been injured he may not have gotten as much of a shot.
Awesome work Ross & Dan, and while it was inevitable, Jack!!
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Murray Douglas has signed with Hurricanes for 2018,but will be back with the Taniwha next year which is great news.
Still no word on Ross Wright,there is apparently interest from 3 x franchises,but worst case scenario he may get picked up in the draft.
Hopefully Tim Bond & Matt Matich will pick up WTS contracts.Micheal Faleafa and Phil Kite are both heading to France so I guess we won't be seeing these guys in a Taniwha jersey next year.
Dan Hawkins has picked up a contract in Japan but looks likely to be back in 2018.
Josh Larsen has made the Canadian national team.
Jordon Hyland and Whiria Meltzer named in the NZ sevens Development squad.
Congrats to Jack Goodhue Northland player of the year.
Jordon Hyland most improved,Ross Wright forward of the year and voted players player of the year. -
@steven-harris good news all round.
I would like to see Matich and Bond get full contracts, they’d both add some punch and grit at the Blues at least. Something the Blues need desperately.
Stoked for Douglas, thoroughly deserves his spot.
Reading between the lines it looks like Hawkins will be back next year, so does that mean we release Breen and hunt for another 10? Someone get on the phone to Te Rure from Manawatu! He’d suit our style.
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@j77 haha pretty sure @Steven-Harris could get Dale MacLeod in touch with Te Rure with all his connections
Good on Douglas, although a little surprised he has found a home before Bond, the guy is a machine, probably his versatility?
I think Matich would be more suited to 6 at Super level, but def wouldnt disappoint, nor would Wright!
Any news on Tua? Was in Blues dev last year, he must be close to a full contract somewhere, looked all class in his limited appearances this year.
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@steven-harris said in MOTM v Wellington:
Murray Douglas has signed with Hurricanes for 2018,but will be back with the Taniwha next year which is great news.
Still no word on Ross Wright,there is apparently interest from 3 x franchises,but worst case scenario he may get picked up in the draft.
Hopefully Tim Bond & Matt Matich will pick up WTS contracts.Micheal Faleafa and Phil Kite are both heading to France so I guess we won't be seeing these guys in a Taniwha jersey next year.
Dan Hawkins has picked up a contract in Japan but looks likely to be back in 2018.
Josh Larsen has made the Canadian national team.
Jordon Hyland and Whiria Meltzer named in the NZ sevens Development squad.
Congrats to Jack Goodhue Northland player of the year.
Jordon Hyland most improved,Ross Wright forward of the year and voted players player of the year.WTF!!! Isn't he Scottish/Australian?
NZR is losing the plot.
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@nepia he is Scottish but played for Rebels, although I dont think he has played for Scotland, so technically, available for AB selection down the track...
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@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia he is Scottish but played for Rebels, although I dont think he has played for Scotland, so technically, available for AB selection down the track...
Yeah, I don't care about that, leave project players to Ireland.
Not picking on him just because he's playing for Northland, I don't want any foreigners bar the odd PI playing for NZ super teams.
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@nepia TBH I wasnt that keen when I heard NOrthland had signed him, but in the end, he was excellent for us, as was The Bay lock, Tim BOnd...but yeah I agree with you that there seem to be a few too many foreigners in our Super teams, although given he is not aligned to anyone else yet...he isnt any more of a project player than the likes of Naholo or Fekitoa were...came here for rugby, if he does his time and is good enough....
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@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia TBH I wasnt that keen when I heard NOrthland had signed him, but in the end, he was excellent for us, as was The Bay lock, Tim BOnd...but yeah I agree with you that there seem to be a few too many foreigners in our Super teams, although given he is not aligned to anyone else yet...he isnt any more of a project player than the likes of Naholo or Fekitoa were...came here for rugby, if he does his time and is good enough....
I think if you read back you'll find I was never to happy about Fekitoa and Naholo, but, at least those guys came over as schoolboys, Naholo even came to live with family, Douglas came here as a late 20s professional rugby player, I think he's more of a project player than either of those two.
I just don't get why NZR is allowing this, they pay the bills of players not eligible for NZ, and we don't need to trying to lure project players anyway, our talent pool is big and good enough.
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@nepia well I am on your train too, but we must have different ideas of a project player.
Jared Payne, Bundee Ahki are project players...Douglas is just playing pro rugby in NZ, I don't expect he has even been thought about as a possible AB down the road.
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@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia well I am on your train too, but we must have different ideas of a project player.
Jared Payne, Bundee Ahki are project players...Douglas is just playing pro rugby in NZ, I don't expect he has even been thought about as a possible AB down the road.
I think if he ever makes the ABs, and I doubt he ever will, but just for speculations sake lets say he did, then the end result is the same - he's a foreigner, playing in NZ, in an NZR funded franchise.
Playing for Northland is fine, but once he takes up a Super contract he's on a NZR AB track.
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@nepia said in MOTM v Wellington:
@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia well I am on your train too, but we must have different ideas of a project player.
Jared Payne, Bundee Ahki are project players...Douglas is just playing pro rugby in NZ, I don't expect he has even been thought about as a possible AB down the road.
I think if he ever makes the ABs, and I doubt he ever will, but just for speculations sake lets say he did, then the end result is the same - he's a foreigner, playing in NZ, in an NZR funded franchise.
Playing for Northland is fine, but once he takes up a Super contract he's on a NZR AB track.
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@sammyc said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia said in MOTM v Wellington:
@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@nepia well I am on your train too, but we must have different ideas of a project player.
Jared Payne, Bundee Ahki are project players...Douglas is just playing pro rugby in NZ, I don't expect he has even been thought about as a possible AB down the road.
I think if he ever makes the ABs, and I doubt he ever will, but just for speculations sake lets say he did, then the end result is the same - he's a foreigner, playing in NZ, in an NZR funded franchise.
Playing for Northland is fine, but once he takes up a Super contract he's on a NZR AB track.
Wait, I thought it was just my anti Cantab bias ....
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@taniwharugby said in MOTM v Wellington:
@j77 haha pretty sure @Steven-Harris could get Dale MacLeod in touch with Te Rure with all his connections
Good on Douglas, although a little surprised he has found a home before Bond, the guy is a machine, probably his versatility?
I think Matich would be more suited to 6 at Super level, but def wouldnt disappoint, nor would Wright!
Any news on Tua? Was in Blues dev last year, he must be close to a full contract somewhere, looked all class in his limited appearances this year.
Dale McLeod's son has had quite a good season playing 10 at club level this year down here. I wonder if you'll sign him up to partner his older brother at 9.
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@sammyc with all due respect, his brother is far from my favorite 9 we have on contract.
His passing leaves a lot to be desired...
Well 10 is a problem area for us so who knows, I have heard Dale is doing a lot of good work in the development space up here for Northland.
