The Silver Fern

I really liked how sititi played a great game after what looked like a busted nose

Not only is he skilled, we already knew that , got a bit of toughness about him too

Impressive second half by the chiefs

Haha when it comes to cars Im pretty boring , drive a couple of toyotas ,

Missus drives a Kluger and i drive a Hilux

@Jet said in All Blacks 2025:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2025:

@george33 said in All Blacks 2025:

@sparky respect your opinion, but Proctor , just don't see it ,let's see how he goes in next couple months.,

It’s not only my opinion mate. The drums have been beating pretty loudly for Proctor to start for a while now and at some point he’ll be too hard to ignore.

I take it you didn’t watch his performance against the Brumbies on Saturday? Either that or you didn’t have your contacts in because he was all class on both sides of the ball and that’s what the ABs have been missing consistently in a centre for far too long.

Personally I wouldn’t mind if the ABs rolled out this team against the French. I’ve also included AJ Lam because for me he’s been pretty damn classy for the Blues and can cover wing if required.

1. Williams
2. Taylor
3. Lomax
4. Barrett
5. Va’ai
6. Sititi
7. Lakai
8. Savea
9. Roigard
10. McKenzie
11. Ioane (I’d back him over Clarke)
12. Barrett
13. Proctor
14. Jordan
15. Love
16. Taukei’aho
17. De Groot
18. Tosi
19. Holland
20. Kirifi
21. Ratima
22. Barrett
23. Lam

It's the subtle stuff I see with Proctor.
Carrying the ball in two hands, pump fakes, delaying of pass etc.

A centre needs to have some "rope a dope" in his arsenal. Proctor knows the assignment.

Is he test class? Who knows...but he is the next and most obvious cab off the rank.

Rieko is game as fuck to his credit and his scramble D is exemplary.
I really want him to succeed becasue I like that he is a bit of an arsehole (on the field anyway).

But he isnt a centre, and I feel we have enough evidence now to say that with confidence.

He looks more the classical 13 than his competition

I remember years ago when I started to notice league midfielders starting to resemble second rowers,

and now I’m starting to think when you look at the international scene , union midfielders are starting to resemble loose forwards more, carry over the gain line , strong defensively, scavenge and win the ball at the breakdown etc

Is that becoming their priority?

@MiketheSnow said in Boxing Thread:

Benn v Eubank was a classic

yeah was a great fight even if the two of them dont really trouble the top guys in their division ,

Sometimes a local grudge fight really delivers because of the intense rivalry

@Steven-Harris said in All Blacks 2025:

Was in at the Sport Nation studios on friday , picked up some oil that both Fihaki and Tangitau will be selected in the first All Black squad .

I would imagine they would have a squad in mind if they selected it today .

But there is always wriggle room to change their mind between now and then

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360659980/sonny-bill-williams-breaks-silence-ahead-paul-gallen-mega-fight

Well, they're doing their best to make themselves relevant I suppose.

I'm sure it'll all be hugs and kind words after the actual fight.....

They are reportedly about to earn 2 mill each if they can sell it correctly and pretend they hate each other .

That is excellent money for two non boxers it must be said

Yep and two retired footballers , it’s hard to blame them,

In real boxing it’s looking increasingly like we are getting usyk v Dubois in July, not sure what it means for parker .

For such a specialised and downright potentially dangerous sport it baffles me ( and always has ) that people with athleticism, profile and a willingness to give it a go can go far. SBW has more pedigree than Gallen.....but by golly they would look like absolute chumps in the ring with any geniune top heavyweights.

It's a similar principle to a bunch of strong, fast, athletic guys giving Rugby a go.

They wouldn’t lay a glove on usyk ,nothing would land , Dubois would walk them down and destroy them within minutes , it would be cruel to watch .

Not only are they much inferior boxers , they are 39 and 43

Now official

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360659980/sonny-bill-williams-breaks-silence-ahead-paul-gallen-mega-fight

Well, they're doing their best to make themselves relevant I suppose.

I'm sure it'll all be hugs and kind words after the actual fight.....

They are reportedly about to earn 2 mill each if they can sell it correctly and pretend they hate each other .

That is excellent money for two non boxers it must be said

Yep and two retired footballers , it’s hard to blame them,

In real boxing it’s looking increasingly like we are getting usyk v Dubois in July, not sure what it means for parker .

@MN5 said in Boxing Thread:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360659980/sonny-bill-williams-breaks-silence-ahead-paul-gallen-mega-fight

Well, they're doing their best to make themselves relevant I suppose.

I'm sure it'll all be hugs and kind words after the actual fight.....

They are reportedly about to earn 2 mill each if they can sell it correctly and pretend they hate each other .

@sparky said in All Blacks 2025:

@KiwiInLondon

I partially agree.

Jordie is looking so good because he is part of a dominant and extremely well-coached Leinster team. Easily the best in the URC and, as you say, Toulouse are probably their only really challenger in the European Cup.

But these is no denying as part of a high-quality rotated midfield, he's looking extremely sharp.

I haven’t seen much but heard the hype .
Hypothetical question, if he was eligible for Ireland he’s their starting 12 ?

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

Why do Melbourne hate is so much? They lose games all the time to shit teams where they for some reason don't turn up.

But they are always up for us. Why? We suck. And have for ages. Are they still angry about 2011?

Nah they don’t hate them , but the warriors storm game always has a lot of interest , sells well, and has a bit of a blockbuster feel. The players get up for that .

Next year when the afl do their gather round , there has been talk of the storm warriors going to a bigger stadium either Etihad or the mcg .

Warriors probably got Melbourne at a bad time , it’s like the storms fitness is on a different level to everyone else right now , they do everything at a 100 miles an hour and it’s a hot day .

Things will probably even up as the season goes on

With no afl in town this weekend , the storm warriors games has already sold out

@antipodean said in AFL 2025:

@Kiwiwomble said in AFL 2025:

@ACT-Crusader said in AFL 2025:

The AFL season is far more interesting when one of the big supporter clubs is under pressure like Carlton are now. All the experts dissect and over analyse. Commentators and journos try to out hot take each other. The drama is hilarious, but opposition fans who love to hate said big club, just eat it up and the machine feeds itself (hence why there are so many AFL shows on the TV it’s not even funny).

dont feel it for Carlton as theyve always been pretty average for my time watching....have enjoyed see richmond being shit after wining 3 of 4 grand finals not long ago

Richmond are actually in a good place IMO even if it doesnt look like it

The supporters are content and happy and for once very patient which feels a bit weird , allowing the club to rebuild from the bottom up

8 good first round picks last year was an amazing haul .

and if they play their cards right developing the kids, they should get first pick this year without looking like its tanking , and they also get norths first pick this year ,

They are basically loading up on picks now before the tassie team come in and get the cream of the crop , I think they are playing it really smart

@MN5 yeah see it now

This popped up on my you tube feed ,george hitting the heavy bag at 74

Be great for nz to have another great middle distance runner , been a while between drinks

Aussies seem to have a serious young sprinter on their hands with gout gout

Big George Foreman passes away at 76

Not only a great fighter but a great character of the sport

RIP Champ

@African-Monkey said in Boxing Thread:

@kiwiinmelb said in Boxing Thread:

Back to the present , it’s looking like the wbo will hold firm and strip usyk of his title if he doesn’t fighter parker next .

Then we could have parker v ? For the title.

No doubt Hearn will,use AJs commercial value as a selling point , Frank may push for Moses itauma the promising 19 year old . ( that fight scares me ,that kid looks destined for greatness )

Or interestingly on the wbo rankings , parker is the interim champion , and justis Huni is the number 1 contender . A trans Ta$man world title fight would be massive in this part of the world .

But I suspect usyk may opt for parker and then Dubois should he win , and retire with all the belts as his plan .

Yeah Huni would be set up for Parker if it went vacant. An easy night for Parker if it happened. Huni's chin is suspect, and lacks pop for a HW.

It doesn't really matter what Usyk does from now on in honesty. He's conquered boxing.

For sure, agree with both points .

There was talk if Joe fights usyk we could see huni v Moses on the same card. Huni gets destroyed there .

End of the day it might depend on what turki wants , so far his influence on matching up fighters has been on point.