Highlanders 2025
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Bumped into someone else in rugby circles here who had heard the Jacomb rumour
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@SouthernMann Staying with Chiefs or moving to Highlanders?
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Moving to Highlanders.
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@Smudge No.
The Twitter link told me 99% of what I wanted to know. And I suspect the other 1% is unimportant. Thank you!
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Highlanders will definitely be a better side if they can sign Jacomb for 2026.
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The Highlanders need more help with recruitment of players who play between 6 and 10. If they get strong there, there's no reason why they can't be in and around the playoffs next year.
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@sparky said in Highlanders Vs Chiefs:
The Highlanders need more help with recruitment of players who play between 6 and 10. If they get strong there, there's no reason why they can't be in and around the playoffs next year.
Yeah 8 and 10 will be the ones. Renton and Broughton being out majority of the season hasn’t helped at all but even then we still need to find a solid ball carrying 8. Withy has done a more than admirable job there. His best position is 7 but he probably played more footy at 6 and 8 this year.
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Few key questions here
- Based on the Fita Sia rumour, and Tengblad being linked to Auckland. Do we definitively know he’s signed for next year? Or could this be a case of player poaching and us looking around to fill a gap as a result?
- Can anyone elaborate on the Josh Fusitoa comment? Is that a rumour that we’re chasing him? - Or just guesswork?
- Given our next for a solid ball carrying number eight, and the small size of Broughton, do we think he’ll be back next season? He’s off contract - and while I know everyone’s talking about trimming a few contracted players it feels like if anyone’s at risk it might be him.
- Same with Bell. He’s dropped down JJ’s priority ladder and is off contract. The obvious choice would be to chase George Bell to come South. But that seems unlikely. Any word if we’re keeping him on until Shaun Kempton comes of age? Or really any word about hooker situation at all?
- Similar to the Josh Tengblad situation, do we actually know that Dylan Pledger is signed for next season? He’s barely played NPC and one option may be that we’ve signed Hastie, Lennox & Fakatava for next year and Pledger for season after. But can anyone elaborate on this?
- At tight head is there anyone around the country who even would be a good fight who’s off contract? Only potential option I can think of is Siale Laiaki at the canes. But he’s still very young.
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- The Blues would be an odd landing spot for Tengblad. Don't confuse Otago's ineptitude with the Highlanders
- BS
- Who says Broughton is off-contract?
- H Bell is signed for the Landers next year, G Bell has re-signed with the Crusaders
- Yes, Pledger has signed a long-term contract, Hastie is supposedly gone
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@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby good to hear about Pledger. I've heard Lennox will be on a full contract. I wish Hastie well just a guess but he is originally a Perth boy so maybe he land a contract over there.
Yep Lennox definitely has signed a full contract. Will be interesting to see where Hastie lands, but he has shown enough to land on his two feet. As you say, wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up in Australia.
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@frugby my memory was that Broughton had been mentioned as off contract this year. But could be wrong there. Glad to hear Bell has been resigned though.
Trying to do the numbers though and can’t quite make them work.
Assuming DLB + Wingham are gone we’ve got two propping spots to fill.
Naeeta for Tengblad. Lennox & Pledger for Hastie & Arscott.
Jacomb for Falefaga, and Meihana Grindlay for Gilbert.
But presuming Fita Sia for Hayden Michael’s, I’m struggling to see where we fit a new Number eight into that mix unless one of Dunshea or Telea leaves the franchise.
My gut feeling is that Lowe he done enough to earn a contract extension as others have said. Any word of it Michael Mason sees out his second year? Feel like JJ has gone cold on him this year too.
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Tengblad is an Auckland fella anyway isn’t he? So maybe home for NPC and Super at a different region. Wouldn’t be the first.
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@Steven-Harris Zip.
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
- H Bell is signed for the Landers next year, G Bell has re-signed with the Crusaders
- Yes, Pledger has signed a long-term contract, Hastie is supposedly gone
George Bell signed a 3 year contract with the Crusaders back in 2022 than runs out this year. Have you been told by a source he has extended with the Crusaders?
Would be interesting to know the details around Pledger, I would assume Tengblad has been offered a similar contract. Similar to what they did for Stodart, Haig, Whaanga and Hurley a couple years ago.
Be a real shame if Hastie does end up leaving, Lennox looks to have good potential but I don’t think much departed Hastie and Lennox at this point. Will be interesting to track how each go in the NPC. My heart says I’d prefer the local boy but if they see Lennox a better fit then so be it.
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@Landers92 A source had told me Bell had extended with the Crusaders. I suppose they could be wrong, but he seems an integral part of their future.
As for Hastie and Lennox, I disagree. Lennox is much quicker to the breakdown, and I do think that makes a difference. I thought his cameo yesterday was the best one yet
