V Canterbury

kev

We need more pace in our backline. Tonight our chasing was poor. Why did they not start Lawebuka? 
Our forwards are great but man our backs need some work.

kev

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gunner" data-cid="611792" data-time="1472894696">Our midfield is extremely uninspiring. They need to bring Guy Wood in and give him a shot either at 12 or 13, will offer more than what we currently have IMO.</blockquote>
 
What is Guy's preferred position?

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kev" data-cid="611794" data-time="1472894804">
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We need more pace in our backline. Tonight our chasing was poor. Why did they not start Lawebuka? Our forwards are great but man our backs need some work.
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Haha, normally its the opposite! 
 
Send an SOS to Derek Carpenter!!

Gunner

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kev" data-cid="611796" data-time="1472894939">
What is Guy's preferred position?</blockquote>Fullback. 
I haven't seen him play since he broke his leg, but he was pretty rapid before that. Definitely would add some pace to our midfield if given a crack. 
I believe he was added to the squad yesterday as a replacement for Troy Gilbert.

taniwharugby

Macilai seems to have lost a bit of pace and spark IMO....still flashes of it there, but needs to be more involved, he is our strike weapon.
 
Have to assume Lawebuka had another off-field indiscretion to be benched after a good outing on Wednesday?

Chiefy

Gunner you're more of a miserable sulk tonight than the Canterbury forwards became in that last 10 minutes or so. Don't think we were anywhere near as bad as what you're suggesting. Definitely some work ons but after 3 games in 8 days we held up bloody well against that sharp Canterbury team - they absolutely smashed Auckland and Ta$man by about 30 points each. Agree the lineout started shaky but once Ross Wright got into his work it started going quite well. The scrum swung back and forth between both teams and I thought was a bloody good contest.
 
I couldn't believe when we didn't roll over to Canterbury how much they started to niggle in the last 10 minutes. Codie Taylor was exceptionally pathetic.
 
What I like is everyone comes in and plays their part and steps up. Uluviti and Larsen are meant to be development players but they've come in and haven't let the team down. Aorangi Stokes and the 2 reserve halfbacks Macleod and Markwick have also stepped in well when called upon. Ross Wright is such a strong option to have as reserve hooker - I think he needs to stay in the 23 every week. Namatahi Waa continues to impress, Silioto is doing well and Talaese was a step up on the last game I watched. Hawkins as well was handy - apart from his early poor grubber he came back well, with his kicking keeping us in touch with them. Just wish he would play a bit flatter. Breen is better for our attack but we could use Hawkins goalkicking for tight games like the Otago one. I know Goodhue will stand out for his hat trick but thought he was immense around the field tonight too. Matich and Ram were their usual busy selves.
 
I think the midfield defense did improve as the game wore on - to be fair to them the ball movement of that Canterbury team is exceptional and a step up on anything we've faced so far. Hopefully they will be better for the game.
 
I think Northland will take a huge amount from that game. I don't think many other Championship teams will take many points from that Canterbury team and we outscored Auckland and Ta$man quite comfortably against them too. I think the coaches will be disappointed to be 0-4 but in the scheme of things it gets a lot easier for us now and we've had our short turnaround so I think it's looking quite promising.
 
Chin up Gunner it's not all bad ;)

kev

Who did Jack run through in the first five minutes - those are the tries that rip your nightie. 
We should be ambitious with our selections and tactics because the current midfield just doesn't do enough on attack or defence.

taniwharugby

we have had a shitty run on the injury front already, so when you take that into account, and the fact we have 4 points on the table already, you have to think we are tracking much better than last year.
 
BUt its the basic errors that we are making that are killing any momentum for the team, and that is the gutting thing, they are doing the work, playing well enough, but then so many silly little errors and tonight we got punished! 
 
BOP away next week, they need to target that match to get us going.

kev

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="611801" data-time="1472895686">Macilai seems to have lost a bit of pace and spark IMO....still flashes of it there, but needs to be more involved, he is our strike weapon. 
 
Have to assume Lawebuka had another off-field indiscretion to be benched after a good outing on Wednesday?</blockquote>
 
I wonder if Macalai is still carrying an injury because while he was solid he looked a bit down on his usual self.

Chiefy

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kev" data-cid="611803" data-time="1472895885">
<div>
Who did Jack run through in the first five minutes - those are the tries that rip your nightie. 
We should be ambitious with our selections and tactics because the current midfield just doesn't do enough on attack or defence.
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</blockquote>
 
Jordan Olsen. He fell off McNicholl early on too. He wasn't as sharp tonight as usual - I was wondering if he wasn't 100%
 
To be honest I wouldn't mind seeing them try that midfield against a lesser team than Canterbury. I think they have something to work with there. I also think Lawebuka has to start on the right wing - offers a lot more upside in attack and size over Lama

African Monkey

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chiefy" data-cid="611802" data-time="1472895734">
<div>
I couldn't believe when we didn't roll over to Canterbury how much they started to niggle in the last 10 minutes. Codie Taylor was exceptionally pathetic.
 
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</blockquote>
Sums up Canterbury rugby. Happens all the time when they don't bully their opposition. Dom Bird was equally pathetic.

Chiefy

BoP is a must win no questions asked. If we want to make the semi final those are the points you have to pick up. Getting Auckland, Canterbury and Otago out of the way early should be good for us I think

kev

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="611804" data-time="1472896123">we have had a shitty run on the injury front already, so when you take that into account, and the fact we have 4 points on the table already, you have to think we are tracking much better than last year. 
 
BUt its the basic errors that we are making that are killing any momentum for the team, and that is the gutting thing, they are doing the work, playing well enough, but then so many silly little errors and tonight we got punished! 
 
BOP away next week, they need to target that match to get us going.</blockquote>
 
You would think that if we retain this years team we will be so much better next year. Nock has looked a bit shaky in the last couple of games but there are moments when he signals the player he will become will the right coaching and development.

Gunner

Chiefy to be fair, most of my miserableness was in the first 8 minutes when we'd already leaked 3 tries... 
Yep 3. After 8 minutes. 
If that doesn't justify miserableness, what does? 
We did get better after that and managed to score a few points, but I stand by what I say about of midfield and our shit defense. 
And I can't remember the last time we won a game, so while it may not be all bad, it's a bloody long way from me being happy that's for sure. 
BOP next up is it? 
If we can't win this one, I just don't know where we're going to pick up a win...

kev

Yes BOP is our test match.

Chiefy

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gunner" data-cid="611810" data-time="1472896472">
<div>
Chiefy to be fair, most of my miserableness was in the first 8 minutes when we'd already leaked 3 tries... 
Yep 3. After 8 minutes. 
If that doesn't justify miserableness, what does? 
We did get better after that and managed to score a few points, but I stand by what I say about of midfield and our shit defense. 
And I can't remember the last time we won a game, so while it may not be all bad, it's a bloody long way from me being happy that's for sure. 
BOP next up is it? 
If we can't win this one, I just don't know where we're going to pick up a win...
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</blockquote>
 
I know what you're saying. I woke up nice and early on a Saturday morning dreading to think what was about to happen. After the first 10 minutes I thought my weekend was going to be ruined before it had barely even begun!
 
On the midfield defence, as Kev pointed out Goodhue ran straight past Olsen. I think another of the tries came from McNicholl brushing off Olsen. Maybe the coaches have got to get Olsen out of defending in the midfield as it was a weak point for us.
 
I'm not prepared to write off Hyland/Tua just yet. Tua is only 18/19 so will take a while to get used to this standard but to me looks a decent prospect. Hyland in my opinion seems to be growing at this level - I think he is adding some good physicality. Where we need to improve is structure - we need to make sure we're not too condensed in defence. A few times tonight the midfield got sucked in and that drew the wingers in too allowing Canterbury to get on the outside of us. I want to see them try and develop guys - my worry with Wood is that there's not much upside to playing him. If he does well I'm guessing he's likely to go back to England for a big money contract, if he's not up to it we're no further forward. Will be good to have another attacking option available to use if needed
 
As I said mate, we're 0-4 but we did have a tough draw to start the season, it get's noticeably easier from here on

Nath Jac

Northland did well to get the points they did, they seem to leak them early in their matches and their opposition relax and start playing unstructured rugby which brings Northland back into the game. We keep grasping to any hint of positivity but the reality is we have lost another game and still keep making the mistakes that we have made since rd1 last year.
They finally did some basic calls in the line outs and won some ball and with Ross throwing looked more likely. For me apart from needing to simplify their game plan, I would like to see Northland focus on starting the match with the mind set of getting into the grind. Earn the right to attack, look to grind teams down then hit them with unstructured rugby.
the team that finished the game tonight seemed to bring more hunger and desire than Ive seen so far which I thought was the biggest positive so far this season. I would start the game with ross wright for his line out throws, we have a good tight head to support him in the scrum and would bring Alumino (fullback) into centre to add some penetration in mid field.
With Breen at 10 if Northland can bring in a more tactical full back then I feel the back 3 would function a lot better.

kev

Ag<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="JacNath" data-cid="611814" data-time="1472899008">Northland did well to get the points they did, they seem to leak them early in their matches and their opposition relax and start playing unstructured rugby which brings Northland back into the game. We keep grasping to any hint of positivity but the reality is we have lost another game and still keep making the mistakes that we have made since rd1 last year. 
They finally did some basic calls in the line outs and won some ball and with Ross throwing looked more likely. For me apart from needing to simplify their game plan, I would like to see Northland focus on starting the match with the mind set of getting into the grind. Earn the right to attack, look to grind teams down then hit them with unstructured rugby. 
the team that finished the game tonight seemed to bring more hunger and desire than Ive seen so far which I thought was the biggest positive so far this season. I would start the game with ross wright for his line out throws, we have a good tight head to support him in the scrum and would bring Alumino (fullback) into centre to add some penetration in mid field. 
With Breen at 10 if Northland can bring in a more tactical full back then I feel the back 3 would function a lot better. </blockquote>
 
Yes - this! 
I would like more impact out of the midfield whether that is tactics that create space, better ball carrying, better defence. What to do? Hyland has improved and I can't remember Tua making any mistakes yet we lacked impact. Both are better options than Dunn. Alaimalo runs strongly but I do wonder about his linking play now. He seems to have a bit Johnny McNicoll about him - he is the greadiest player in NZ Rugby. On the other hand he carries strongly. Who knows? The fijian that came up from Mid Canterbury looked OK in an early trial game I saw.

justin77

Only thinking what could of been if we didn't get off to that crap start. I was thinking a cricket score after 10 minutes, but we ground our way back and sort of kept in touch for the remainder of the match.
 
I like Jacnaths point of earning the right to attack and having a mindset of getting into the grind from the word go. We have to be the proactive ones, not reactive! 
 
Whilst I'm spewing we're 0/4, I believe our season will now kick into gear and start producing results. This team has heart, and I was very impressed with a lot of these newer faces like Stokes, Larsen, Uluviti and Markwick. Everyone added something, which couldn't be said about some previous Northland sides.
 
Obviously that wide defence is still a bit of a mess, so we really need to sort something there, and fast! All upcoming opponents will attack us here and score points guaranteed. From my observation we seem to caught like bees in the honeypot around the ruck, and when the opposition whip one way or another we don't have the numbers to fill the D line. I think a lot of these issues are communication and trust as well, you gotta trust your mates and talk to them too! 
 
I dont think we have it sussed in midfield yet, whilst Tua is a promising up and comer, I think we need a little more from that 13 position, I like the thought of Alaimalo in there, and Guy Wood to the back (or vice versa). By all accounts Wood sounds the business..
 
All in all I think we'll take a heap of confidence from that match. Hopefully we can get it all right against BOP this week,,,

taniwharugby

we were down 17-0 to manawatu after 15 
Can't recall how quick Auckland got ahead 
We conceded that weak cross field kick very early v otago 
We conceded 3 tries in 10 last night 
Seems to me something is not quite right when we walk out to play? We need to start better. 
Lads will appreciate the full week off for BOP, which I agree with chiefy is one that have to target. 
While I had correctly picked us being 0/4 at this point, I think this team have shown attacking flair and some heart that was just not there last year, at all.

The Silver Fern

V Canterbury