Hurricanes 2019 Discussion
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@canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
I suppose the selection of players like Bedwell Curtis, Prinsep, Henwood & Mitchell is that Plumtree is probably looking for an old-school, hardworking approach that reflects his coaching style. The only worry for me is that we may be a little undersized in our loosies and probably lack a bit of X-Factor if you take out Fifita & Savea. I think a guy like Teariki Ben Nicholas would have given the loosies more of a balance but after his public altercation a few years ago, I don't think our CEO is a fan.
Marino-Tu'u could have given that backrow balance, instead he's down in the Highlanders fighting it out with 5 AB loosies for a spot. Not sure what coaches see in Prinsep, not rated enough by the Crusaders yet can tie up a spot at the Canes.
Re: Lowe. Not sure he's better or worse than any of those others, but if he was a Wellingtonian we wouldn't be having a discussion about whether he'd get a contract or not. TBH, he probably should have declared for the Blues when at school, instead of remaining with the Canes, he might have got more game time.
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@number-10 said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
Devan Flanders told me the three-year contract was : first year as development (covering him in the Under 20's next year) and years two and three are full contracts.
It is eminently possible that others like Kereru-Symes**, Fakatava** and McClutchie have something similar. From a Hawke's Bay perspective I hope so.
One's out already.
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@nepia Yeah I'm really worried how mediocre those loose forwards look. Henwood, Beidwell Curtis & Prinsep won't set the house on fire - I hope that they pull finger but I can see us getting outmuscled through the playoffs - if we make it.
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@canes4life said in Hurricanes 2019 Discussion:
@nepia Yeah I'm really worried how mediocre those loose forwards look. Henwood, Beidwell Curtis & Prinsep won't set the house on fire - I hope that they pull finger but I can see us getting outmuscled through the playoffs - if we make it.
Yep, how did the Canes not identify Marino-Tu'u a few years back and lock him up? Hell, the Canes got lucky even that Evans wanted to be closer to home. I think that Henwood and Bedwell-Curtis can do a job, as I already said Prinsep is the one who confuses me.
I guess we could be a few injuries away from Flanders getting gametime.
Any other players from the region who have missed out and shouldn't have? (I guess it's only really Wellington and the Poo).
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@daffy-jaffy He's switched from loosehead too.
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@tim In other words Forwards are shite.
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Best Canes 23 from those selected:
- T Smith
- Coles (c)
- Fidow
- Cridge
- Walker-Leawere
- Fifita
- Savea
- Evans
- Perenara
- B Barrett
- Aso
- Laumape
- M Proctor
- Milner Skudder
- J Barrett
- Aumua
- Eves
- Toomaga Allen
- Lousi
- Prinsep
- Christie/Judd
- F Smith
- B Proctor
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@canes4life Don't think you're doing Coles, Savea, Fifita and Evans justice with that comment. And Tooamaga-Allen if he can manage to stay injury free (unlikely) and Lousi if he can find his form (which he seemd to have lost during NPC).
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@toddy What gets to me is that they are all the same props that we've had for the past three years. Yes we won the title in 2016 but that was on the back of some outstanding work by the only prop that isn't there anymore - Loni Uhila.
It actually baffles me that we can't seem to pick up good quality props - maybe Dan Cron smells bad or something because picking the same mediocre blokes (Toomaga Allen included) means we are destined for the same results (get to the playoffs but stink out to someone like the Crusaders or Lions away).
No point harping on about the signing of Rayasi, when our forwards will be back peddling all year. Also where is the mamouth lock Plumtree promised to track down - oh wait he is playing for the Melbourne Storm.
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@stargazer The only chance we have is if guys like Lousi, Cridge, Fidow, Aumua, Walker-Leawere all manage to put in a shift like Fatialofa did when he took the step up from the WTG a few years ago.
I can't see any pack in the competition bettering that Crusaders 8 though.
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@canes4life We've got some good young front rowers coming through in the Bay - so in a few years time you'll be able to assess them playing for other franchises.
Yeah, I was impressed Nicholas this year.
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@canes4life Toby Smith is a much better scrumagger than Uhila was. It's the TH side and the reserves that will be a big problem for the Canes. Eves is always backpeddling in the scrum.
There were a couple of NZ U20 props from the region this year (Xavier Numia, Sione Asi) in addition to the HB players.
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@bovidae Toby Smith and Fidow are the only two props that I am happy to see selected. The rest have a history of failing.
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@canes4life Eves was second or third choice LH for Harbour this year, and seemed to really have faded.
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@tim Painful isn't it. Any one of us could have come up with a better list of squad players and these guys get paid for it.
Funny how in their season review they saw srummaging as a real weakness, yet they bring back every single player from that campaign, including the scrum coach who has been there far too long. If this was the NFL, none of them would have a job anymore.
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@canes4life I honestly think that there needs to be a minimum number of roster spots kept open until after the NPC finishes. Every year there seem to be better several players exposed than those already signed.
