Highlanders 2025
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
I still want to temper expectations with Hurley. He won't play as well as he played against the Blues every week, so question marks still remain as to how he goes in an average game. His ceiling is as high as anyone's, but he still generally has a clanger every game in him.
JRK was a gun last year, and deserves the 15 jersey should he prove his fitness. Manson might be worth another look on the edge, though Nareki is back next week.
We all understand what Hurley has in his game. We have all seen him shit the cot. It is fine. It is what you expect from a 21-year-old. He has also fairly well reduced the number of clangers. I expect to see two a game. He is only only going to be playing his sixth game of Super rugby.
It is the attitude of oohhh. Yes he does some good things. But he might play shit. It is a crappy attitude to have. We have a wee rock star. He will do more good than bad. He puts bums on seats. It is the same with high risk cricketers like Finn Allen. Yes, he hits sixes, but he might go out for under 10 and that's bad. He won't he a sensible 40. He's an entertainer and we need guys like him and Hurley playing for our teams.
Work out who your best five players are 12 - 15, and look at how to fit them in.
I think you've misinterpreted what I am saying. I've been really pleased with what I saw from Hurley in these first two games, but he isn't better than JRK, so if he you don't want him on the wing, then for me he is on the bench.
That is not a reflection on Hurley, but a reflection on how good JRK is. If he wasn't injured, JRK probably would have been in the NZ XV - Hurley is not at that level - yet.
It is an attitude thing. It is the language people use around players like Hurley.
He isn't as good as JRK? That's up for debate. We don't know how JRK will come back from his injury. Heck even JRK was used at times for Taranaki last year. To ensure the best players were on the field. They offer different skills. Both are very good, when playing well.
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@frugby @SouthernMann i think its a little easier than if Hurly had had an amazing game last week, his niggle means its a little easier IMO to reset and look at them both abjectly and yeah JRK probably gets the nod is 15....but i would rather see him at 14 than Gilbert for example
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby @SouthernMann i think its a little easier than if Hurly had had an amazing game last week, his niggle means its a little easier IMO to reset and look at them both abjectly and yeah JRK probably gets the nod is 15....but i would rather see him at 14 than Gilbert for example
JRK is still three weeks away, give or take. Will be go back in through club rugby. Does he come back in via the bench. Have to consider the form a specific player, who has been on the field, in this case Hurley.
There is always going to be a conversation around how to get the best available players on the field. When it suits to bring them on.
Hurley is five games into his career. JRK has played about 30.
Let's say they are both fit. We look to continue our approach, around best five - six players 12 - 15.
They'd be
Tavatavanawai
Tangitau
Tele'a
Hurley
JRK (rating there, due to having not played)
TUJThen work out who goes where. Who can also provide the best impact.
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@SouthernMann true, so if hurly has a stand out next three weeks i might have a hard time dropping him straight away for JRK
the reality is someone will have a niggle by then, Jim will pribably be back in the midfield and so JRK might be on the wing
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann true, so if hurly has a stand out next three weeks i might have a hard time dropping him straight away for JRK
the reality is someone will have a niggle by then, Jim will pribably be back in the midfield and so JRK might be on the wing
Yeah exactly. We hopefully wont need to panic and throw him straight into the starting line up.
We have good options. Which is a luxurious place to be.
He comes back in time for the Dura game in Dunedin, or at best the Force game in Perth. Then we have a bit of a rough run in. So hoping he is firing by the time we run the NZ game gauntlet.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
I keep reading about how good Haig is, from age grade through to the Highlanders, so I am looking forward to him stringing some games together so I can see for myself. Maybe I have watched the wrong games, but so far in the games above age grade that I have seen him play I haven't been overly wowed by him. Hoping I am wrong and he does turn out to be a good one.
Was immense all season last year for the Highlanders which earned him a spot in the AB XV, no one predicted that at the start of the season. His form carried over to Otago too.
A shame his pre season was ruined by a freak injury, could take him awhile to find his feet again but getting him back at the business end of the season could be huge, especially when you consider the lock/6 situation at the moment. 23 and still coming into his own, massive potential.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
I keep reading about how good Haig is, from age grade through to the Highlanders, so I am looking forward to him stringing some games together so I can see for myself. Maybe I have watched the wrong games, but so far in the games above age grade that I have seen him play I haven't been overly wowed by him. Hoping I am wrong and he does turn out to be a good one.
Was immense all season last year for the Highlanders which earned him a spot in the AB XV, no one predicted that at the start of the season. His form carried over to Otago too.
A shame his pre season was ruined by a freak injury, could take him awhile to find his feet again but getting him back at the business end of the season could be huge, especially when you consider the lock/6 situation at the moment. 23 and still coming into his own, massive potential.
Not saying you are wrong, and really hope you are right because I want NZ to be littered with good players, but I have yet to notice him being 'immense' at Super level. Hopefully he gets on the paddock consistently because I do remember him looking good for a NZ age grade team a few years ago. The same team that had Bell and Hotham IIRC.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
I keep reading about how good Haig is, from age grade through to the Highlanders, so I am looking forward to him stringing some games together so I can see for myself. Maybe I have watched the wrong games, but so far in the games above age grade that I have seen him play I haven't been overly wowed by him. Hoping I am wrong and he does turn out to be a good one.
Was immense all season last year for the Highlanders which earned him a spot in the AB XV, no one predicted that at the start of the season. His form carried over to Otago too.
A shame his pre season was ruined by a freak injury, could take him awhile to find his feet again but getting him back at the business end of the season could be huge, especially when you consider the lock/6 situation at the moment. 23 and still coming into his own, massive potential.
Not saying you are wrong, and really hope you are right because I want NZ to be littered with good players, but I have yet to notice him being 'immense' at Super level. Hopefully he gets on the paddock consistently because I do remember him looking good for a NZ age grade team a few years ago. The same team that had Bell and Hotham IIRC.
Yeah, pretty surprised myself at how immense he was when I don't even remember him playing.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
I keep reading about how good Haig is, from age grade through to the Highlanders, so I am looking forward to him stringing some games together so I can see for myself. Maybe I have watched the wrong games, but so far in the games above age grade that I have seen him play I haven't been overly wowed by him. Hoping I am wrong and he does turn out to be a good one.
Was immense all season last year for the Highlanders which earned him a spot in the AB XV, no one predicted that at the start of the season. His form carried over to Otago too.
A shame his pre season was ruined by a freak injury, could take him awhile to find his feet again but getting him back at the business end of the season could be huge, especially when you consider the lock/6 situation at the moment. 23 and still coming into his own, massive potential.
Not saying you are wrong, and really hope you are right because I want NZ to be littered with good players, but I have yet to notice him being 'immense' at Super level. Hopefully he gets on the paddock consistently because I do remember him looking good for a NZ age grade team a few years ago. The same team that had Bell and Hotham IIRC.
Yeah, pretty surprised myself at how immense he was when I don't even remember him playing.
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players. So I think the right people are remembering. He was one of the bright spots last season in a team full of players not pulling their own weight
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby @SouthernMann i think its a little easier than if Hurly had had an amazing game last week, his niggle means its a little easier IMO to reset and look at them both abjectly and yeah JRK probably gets the nod is 15....but i would rather see him at 14 than Gilbert for example
JRK is still three weeks away, give or take. Will be go back in through club rugby. Does he come back in via the bench. Have to consider the form a specific player, who has been on the field, in this case Hurley.
There is always going to be a conversation around how to get the best available players on the field. When it suits to bring them on.
Hurley is five games into his career. JRK has played about 30.
Let's say they are both fit. We look to continue our approach, around best five - six players 12 - 15.
They'd be
Tavatavanawai
Tangitau
Tele'a
Hurley
JRK (rating there, due to having not played)
TUJ
Then work out who goes where. Who can also provide the best impact.Have to admit you were right about Hurley. I was sceptical but he seems to have matured significantly. His last part of the NPC season and this season he seems a much better player. I imagine being a big part in GI winning the prem would have also built some confidence
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
Or another way: Cantabs and non-Cantabs.
I've always been really impressed by Haig. He is a player who does everything right. As well as having all the physical attributes to be a high quality player.
He calls the lineouts
Very effective lineout option
Manages the rucks defensively
Is good for yards
Works short balls well
Is defensively very sound
He is a very technically sound player -
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
Racist bigot.
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby @SouthernMann i think its a little easier than if Hurly had had an amazing game last week, his niggle means its a little easier IMO to reset and look at them both abjectly and yeah JRK probably gets the nod is 15....but i would rather see him at 14 than Gilbert for example
JRK is still three weeks away, give or take. Will be go back in through club rugby. Does he come back in via the bench. Have to consider the form a specific player, who has been on the field, in this case Hurley.
There is always going to be a conversation around how to get the best available players on the field. When it suits to bring them on.
Hurley is five games into his career. JRK has played about 30.
Let's say they are both fit. We look to continue our approach, around best five - six players 12 - 15.
They'd be
Tavatavanawai
Tangitau
Tele'a
Hurley
JRK (rating there, due to having not played)
TUJ
Then work out who goes where. Who can also provide the best impact.Have to admit you were right about Hurley. I was sceptical but he seems to have matured significantly. His last part of the NPC season and this season he seems a much better player. I imagine being a big part in GI winning the prem would have also built some confidence
The big thing for me with Hurley is it wasn't his defence that let him down. He always stood up well. It was just taking dumb options. Doing one good thing, and then two bad things. A lot of which happened in the 23 NPC. The number of bad things have really reduced.
He will still have plenty of mistakes in him. He just will make up for them with some amazing touches. There are very few players who can make the atracking plays that he can. He is a box office player.
I look at him v a guy like Cam Millar. Who is very popular and had a great skillset. Had far more supporters than Hurley. Hurley is far more likely to win a game out of the two, he is also far more likely to make a clanger and lose a game. Before anyone says, I know they play different positions. It is just an exercise of fan opinion comparing a safe player to an high-risk player. Hurley is the guy we need on the paddock.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
Racist bigot.
I may not be aware of everything but is this a serious comment?
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
Racist bigot.
I may not be aware of everything but is this a serious comment?
Depends on which one you think is the apple and which is the orange.
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
He was noticed by the ABs and ABs XV coaching staff over quite a few other flashier players
Chay Fihaki?
Apples and oranges
Racist bigot.
I may not be aware of everything but is this a serious comment?
Depends on which one you think is the apple and which is the orange.
Haig is definitely the orange
