Highlanders 2025
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
For a guy of only 21 he has certainly copped some shit since he first played top flight footy at 19. Hopefully what he can do overshadows the occasional clanger.
Absolutely love to see Finn having the game he did last night. The only place I’ve seen him cop shit is on here funnily enough so it’s lovely watching the ones that are constantly on him eat their words. Not bad for a 21 year old eh, massive talent! Couldn’t be happier for him.
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
For a guy of only 21 he has certainly copped some shit since he first played top flight footy at 19. Hopefully what he can do overshadows the occasional clanger.
Absolutely love to see Finn having the game he did last night. The only place I’ve seen him cop shit is on here funnily enough so it’s lovely watching the ones that are constantly on him eat their words. Not bad for a 21 year old eh, massive talent! Couldn’t be happier for him.
Was quite interesting to hear both Jamie and Finn himself discussing the need for balance in his game
I won’t pretend like I haven’t been a critic, but I reckon his decision making has been vastly better in these two games this season. I have felt in the past he has misexecuted things which were the wrong option.
It’s amazing the difference a good coach can make… Jamie Joseph might be even more of a messiah than we ever thought!
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@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann yeah Robinson is the player that many imagined Millar was. Extremely good option taker and top notch execution.
Hurley really is DMac MKII.
I had no idea who Taine Robinson was when his name dropped last year in the squad. I just had nightmares about the last 10/15 we had from Ta$man in Mitch Hunt
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann yeah Robinson is the player that many imagined Millar was. Extremely good option taker and top notch execution.
Hurley really is DMac MKII.
I had no idea who Taine Robinson was when his name dropped last year in the squad. I just had nightmares about the last 10/15 we had from Ta$man in Mitch Hunt
Robinson looked pretty good for Ta$man last year I thought, and I genuinely thought the Crusaders would snap him up.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
For a guy of only 21 he has certainly copped some shit since he first played top flight footy at 19. Hopefully what he can do overshadows the occasional clanger.
Absolutely love to see Finn having the game he did last night. The only place I’ve seen him cop shit is on here funnily enough so it’s lovely watching the ones that are constantly on him eat their words. Not bad for a 21 year old eh, massive talent! Couldn’t be happier for him.
Was quite interesting to hear both Jamie and Finn himself discussing the need for balance in his game
I won’t pretend like I haven’t been a critic, but I reckon his decision making has been vastly better in these two games this season. I have felt in the past he has misexecuted things which were the wrong option.
It’s amazing the difference a good coach can make… Jamie Joseph might be even more of a messiah than we ever thought!
@frugby ive been a huge critic....but i also hugely respect players that visibly work on their game and he is making much better decisions like not playing like hes bigger than he is whilst at the same time improving his strength and technique so when he does have to take down bigger guys he can
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The Highlanders are clearly impressing a few people, even getting a feature article by Nick Bishop at RugbyPass:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/jamie-joseph-could-lead-the-highlanders-to-the-promised-land-and-himself-to-the-all-blacks-job/Nothing too insightful - including some strange references to Scott Gregory and Mitch Hunt as 'old dependables' - but it's nice to see the clear bounce back of the franchise recognized.
Has anyone heard an update on Saula Ma'u's injury? Tighthead depth might be the one clear weakness the team still has. Kautai has been a great addition but I'm not sure Wingham is quite ready for regular minutes at this level.
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The Highlanders are clearly impressing a few people, even getting a feature article by Nick Bishop at RugbyPass:
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/jamie-joseph-could-lead-the-highlanders-to-the-promised-land-and-himself-to-the-all-blacks-job/Nothing too insightful - including some strange references to Scott Gregory and Mitch Hunt as 'old dependables' - but it's nice to see the clear bounce back of the franchise recognized.
Has anyone heard an update on Saula Ma'u's injury? Tighthead depth might be the one clear weakness the team still has. Kautai has been a great addition but I'm not sure Wingham is quite ready for regular minutes at this level.
@Mauss said in Highlanders 2025:
Has anyone heard an update on Saula Ma'u's injury? Tighthead depth might be the one clear weakness the team still has. Kautai has been a great addition but I'm not sure Wingham is quite ready for regular minutes at this level.
Saula is back training this week so doesn’t seem to be anything too serious which is a good sign. Whether he plays or not this coming Friday though is up in the air.
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Daniel Lienert Brown suspended for three games with a chance to reduce to two through training programme.
Bender has said EDG & Ma’au are looking like they’re available for selection this weekend.
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
Daniel Lienert Brown suspended for three games with a chance to reduce to two through training programme.
Bender has said EDG & Ma’au are looking like they’re available for selection this weekend.
Unsurprising really... Zero mitigation etc.
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Injury status update.
Oliver Haig (foot / 7 weeks )
Jonah Lowe (ACL / 4 weeks )
Jona Nareki (ankle / 2 weeks)
JRK (neck / 7 weeks)
Josh Whaanga (back / 1 week)Whaanga popping up this week but good to see nobody else added.
Anyone know if there’s a development game this weekend?
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Injury status update.
Oliver Haig (foot / 7 weeks )
Jonah Lowe (ACL / 4 weeks )
Jona Nareki (ankle / 2 weeks)
JRK (neck / 7 weeks)
Josh Whaanga (back / 1 week)Whaanga popping up this week but good to see nobody else added.
Anyone know if there’s a development game this weekend?
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
Injury status update.
Oliver Haig (foot / 7 weeks )
Jonah Lowe (ACL / 4 weeks )
Jona Nareki (ankle / 2 weeks)
JRK (neck / 7 weeks)
Josh Whaanga (back / 1 week)Whaanga popping up this week but good to see nobody else added.
Anyone know if there’s a development game this weekend?
Back three will be a good conversation when we have
Lowe, JRK and Nareki back. JRK and Nareki would have been first stringers. Hurley and Tangitau/Gilbert have got a good few rounds to keep them out.Same with Haig in the loosies. I'm a massive fan. Hope he can work his way back in.
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If you would have drawn up the backline halfway through the NPC. It would have only had Tele'a and Fakatava in the spots they are currently occupying
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
Injury status update.
Oliver Haig (foot / 7 weeks )
Jonah Lowe (ACL / 4 weeks )
Jona Nareki (ankle / 2 weeks)
JRK (neck / 7 weeks)
Josh Whaanga (back / 1 week)Whaanga popping up this week but good to see nobody else added.
Anyone know if there’s a development game this weekend?
Back three will be a good conversation when we have
Lowe, JRK and Nareki back. JRK and Nareki would have been first stringers. Hurley and Tangitau/Gilbert have got a good few rounds to keep them out.Same with Haig in the loosies. I'm a massive fan. Hope he can work his way back in.
@SouthernMann some good depth in the backs once everyone is back healthy. Something we haven’t had for years
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Just wonder after Big Jim's game last week, if JJ didn't have a quiet word about staying calm etc.
The 50-22 kick he did was on the back of him taking a quick penalty, and think perhaps was a risky play for a few metres? If they just kicked penalty to touch they still got throw in etc. Perhaps not what the AB selectors would want?? -
Just wonder after Big Jim's game last week, if JJ didn't have a quiet word about staying calm etc.
The 50-22 kick he did was on the back of him taking a quick penalty, and think perhaps was a risky play for a few metres? If they just kicked penalty to touch they still got throw in etc. Perhaps not what the AB selectors would want??@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
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@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
Not suggesting I don't like it in any way mate. Just not sure coaches or anyone will want it in test arena? I can imagine how quickly he would get called an idiot if he did it in test and missed touch. Just not percentage play?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
Not suggesting I don't like it in any way mate. Just not sure coaches or anyone will want it in test arena? I can imagine how quickly he would get called an idiot if he did it in test and missed touch. Just not percentage play?
@Dan54 no worries, didn't mean to be so blunt sorry
i actually wouldn't mind a bit more hustle on the international stage, if the person thats going to make the decision is capable why not quickly bang a penalty downfield before the defence can actually set, the 50/22 was great, and its not his first, but i think the intent was to keep the game unstructured and at the other end of the field
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
Not suggesting I don't like it in any way mate. Just not sure coaches or anyone will want it in test arena? I can imagine how quickly he would get called an idiot if he did it in test and missed touch. Just not percentage play?
@Dan54 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@Dan54 i for one love the tempo, much preferred to a committee meeting followed by a limp kick for 15m gain, keep turning them around. I think it makes a difference as captain...he's setting the gameplan, everyone else should be looking to him
Not suggesting I don't like it in any way mate. Just not sure coaches or anyone will want it in test arena? I can imagine how quickly he would get called an idiot if he did it in test and missed touch. Just not percentage play?
Have you never seen B Barrett play for the ABs?
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Is the rumour true Big Jim wants to play for the ABs?
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Is the rumour true Big Jim wants to play for the ABs?
@nostrildamus i kind of assume if you're uncapped internationally and you commit to a NZ franchise then you want to play for the AB's, but maybe not :man-shrugging:
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Is the rumour true Big Jim wants to play for the ABs?
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:
Is the rumour true Big Jim wants to play for the ABs?
It has been reported he's turned down Fiji numerous times to keep chasing an ABs opportunity
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if it was a betting option....id put some money on him getting pick in squads but being stuck behind incumbents, at best, he'll play in the third test if we've one the first two...and then never get picked again
