Highlanders 2019 Discussion
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Best team somewhat picks itself expcept for a lot of talent in the loose forwards and midfield.
Lienert-Brown
Coltman
Lomax
Franklin
Hemopo
Squire/Frizell
Hunt
Whitelock/Squire
Smith
Banks
Li
Walden/Tomkinson/Umaga-Jensen/Buckman
Thompson
Naholo
SmithDixon
Fa'agasa
Tokoahi
Dickson/Parkinson/Frizell
Frizell/Lentjes
Hammington/Fakatava
Ioane
Walden/Tomkinson/Umaga-Jensen/Buckman -
@bovidae said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
Sef Fa’agase is a TH prop isn't he? Same for Tokoahi so I don't think both would be on the bench.
Mauger said they have picked him as a loosehead prop, which goes against his experience, but we will see how that goes.
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Overall pretty happy with squad bar 10. The highlanders need to look long term and I'm not sure they have. Aaron, Ben and Lima need to be replaced if we are to continue to compete.
Now Fakatava is that player to possibly replace Aaron so are super stoked!!!!
First five.........Iaone I can only hope grabs the opportunity but Gatlsnd ain't it and Banks is stop-gap measure.
We need to snap up more young talent under the nose of others next year or risk being also rans for along time. -
@southernmann said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
@bovidae said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
Sef Fa’agase is a TH prop isn't he? Same for Tokoahi so I don't think both would be on the bench.
Mauger said they have picked him as a loosehead prop, which goes against his experience, but we will see how that goes.
Who is the scrum coach for the Highlanders next year?
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@antipodean said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
e scrum coach for the Highlanders next y
Clarke Dermody.
And @98blueandgold I think they have been working to future proof, although they were caught a little off guard by Lima leaving so early. With Bender they have clearly identifed Josh mcKay as his replacement, and will slowly be giving him more game time. While it sounds like the signing of Fakatava is a massive get. But you are right, we don't have enough of our own talent down here, so we need to be really active around the first XV scene, nabbing the top talent.
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@southernmann said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
Clarke Dermody.
Would he have suggested it? I know Cron is reported to have suggested some props are capable of switching.
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@antipodean said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
Would he have suggested it? I know Cron is reported to have suggested some props are capable of switching.
I'd say Delaney and Mauger would have had good set ups within Canterbury, and I'm sure Dermody would have contacts with Brad Thorn too. So may be they asked the question through those channels.
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@southernmann yeah they have collected talent like Lomax and Tuu but will we have the world class talent to push for playoffs in future? It will get harder to find a Smith and Naholo from under Blues noses again.
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@98blueandgold said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
@southernmann yeah they have collected talent like Lomax and Tuu but will we have the world class talent to push for playoffs in future? It will get harder to find a Smith and Naholo from under Blues noses again.
Plenty of rough diamonds will still filter through in search of opportunities.
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@98blueandgold said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
@southernmann yeah they have collected talent like Lomax and Tuu but will we have the world class talent to push for playoffs in future? It will get harder to find a Smith and Naholo from under Blues noses again.
There will always be opportunities. Pari Pari Parkinson has got a decent future ahead of himself to replace Tom Franklin eventually. There's a good flow of looseforward's.
There will always be a tonne of players to pick up from the likes of Auckland, a major problem is a lot of their players are very similar, and may need to leave the environment to shine.
I actually think our recruitment has come on leaps and bounds over the last decade.
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@southernmann I do agree that our recruitment has been great but and agree that we will always find the gold nuggets. My worry is
- Unlike other franchises our ITM cup teams are not a pathway to Super Rugby.
- How much of that was Joseph? With the leaders slowly leaving will our culture which has been our strength continue?
Putting on my negative hat 😀
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@98blueandgold said in Highlanders 2019 Discussion:
@southernmann I do agree that our recruitment has been great but and agree that we will always find the gold nuggets. My worry is
- Unlike other franchises our ITM cup teams are not a pathway to Super Rugby.
- How much of that was Joseph? With the leaders slowly leaving will our culture which has been our strength continue?
Putting on my negative hat 😀
Interestingly enough I was yarning to one of the players at the start of last year, and he was heaping praise on Aaron Mauger. Saying he had bits to do with him at Canterbury, but his development and man management was fantastic since arriving at the Highlanders.
I think processes are in place to maintain some recruitment consistency.
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@stargazer That's a pity. Seiuli looks like a quality player.
