Highlanders 2025
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@SouthernMann respect all your comments , but Clarke, Talea in front, and remember none of those boys at this stage are re-signed beyond this season, but have heard both will, just need the pen on the paper.
@george33 yes George you have the two established ABs wingers, I barely remember Tangitau getting a run under Cotter... if Tangitau asks for a release due to compassionate grounds there just so happens to be a super team on the north shore, they're allowed 3 non tongan/samoan reps, Savea, Graig, Savage. I'm sure Umaga would be interested.
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@george33 yes George you have the two established ABs wingers, I barely remember Tangitau getting a run under Cotter... if Tangitau asks for a release due to compassionate grounds there just so happens to be a super team on the north shore, they're allowed 3 non tongan/samoan reps, Savea, Graig, Savage. I'm sure Umaga would be interested.
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@george33 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bones u probably no to much , already,
Yeah nah. All I know is that now there's a higher probability he won't be leaving.
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If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
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If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
A player that would be fucking with JJs career.
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
As a Highlanders fan I’d absolutely hope he’d do that… but this is a dumb hypothetical until Nogusta says otherwise
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
So our loosies at the moment who Joseph will play are Withy, Lasaqa, Howden, Loft and Stodart. That's it. Michaels is back in Dunedin still, and seems like he will only play for Kaikorai this year.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
So our loosies at the moment who Joseph will play are Withy, Lasaqa, Howden, Loft and Stodart. That's it. Michaels is back in Dunedin still, and seems like he will only play for Kaikorai this year.
Renton is still carrying an injury as I understand… I guess the question is whether he’d be able to play through it might be another question.
Michaels is clearly not rated.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
Jeez we are going to need to get some loosies to come and give us a bit of a hand. May be getting Blair Ryall back from Japan. No Renton, Naeata likely goone too as he seems well and truly unsighted now
I don't think Renton is permanently on the naughty step, and would suggest him heading to Australia is a bit of an olive branch.
So our loosies at the moment who Joseph will play are Withy, Lasaqa, Howden, Loft and Stodart. That's it. Michaels is back in Dunedin still, and seems like he will only play for Kaikorai this year.
Renton is still carrying an injury as I understand… I guess the question is whether he’d be able to play through it might be another question.
Michaels is clearly not rated.
@frugby I wonder if he even makes the third year of his contract.
They don’t seem to view him as a development project like Whaanga or Wingham. Wonder if they could pay him out and fill the slot with another player? Malachi Wrampling - Alec, Fletcher Anderson or Taylor Cahill are all off contract players stuck behind all blacks who are unlikely to get much game time. Picking up two of those three could be a good shout.
Cahill is a lock, but I feel like when we do loose Dunshea in a season or two we will need the experience of four dedicated locks (Holland, Cahill, Tengblad and Stodart.)
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@frugby I wonder if he even makes the third year of his contract.
They don’t seem to view him as a development project like Whaanga or Wingham. Wonder if they could pay him out and fill the slot with another player? Malachi Wrampling - Alec, Fletcher Anderson or Taylor Cahill are all off contract players stuck behind all blacks who are unlikely to get much game time. Picking up two of those three could be a good shout.
Cahill is a lock, but I feel like when we do loose Dunshea in a season or two we will need the experience of four dedicated locks (Holland, Cahill, Tengblad and Stodart.)
Naeata is gone. He will be replaced by Tengblad. Here's hoping he has an injury free run in the NPC to show how he goes in open grade.
Dunshea will be 30 this year, and at the end of his two year contract. Must be 50/50 whether he stays or chases cash. We don't tend to see non All Blacks stay long after 30.
Michaels just hasn't clicked. Did well to secure a three year gig. Must be tough for him as well, just being a professional club player. Even this year he has been overtaken by Loft and Lasaqa.
Just the risk of picking players on potential.
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Naeata is gone. He will be replaced by Tengblad. Here's hoping he has an injury free run in the NPC to show how he goes in open grade.
Dunshea will be 30 this year, and at the end of his two year contract. Must be 50/50 whether he stays or chases cash. We don't tend to see non All Blacks stay long after 30.
Michaels just hasn't clicked. Did well to secure a three year gig. Must be tough for him as well, just being a professional club player. Even this year he has been overtaken by Loft and Lasaqa.
Just the risk of picking players on potential.
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@frugby I wonder if he even makes the third year of his contract.
They don’t seem to view him as a development project like Whaanga or Wingham. Wonder if they could pay him out and fill the slot with another player? Malachi Wrampling - Alec, Fletcher Anderson or Taylor Cahill are all off contract players stuck behind all blacks who are unlikely to get much game time. Picking up two of those three could be a good shout.
Cahill is a lock, but I feel like when we do loose Dunshea in a season or two we will need the experience of four dedicated locks (Holland, Cahill, Tengblad and Stodart.)
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby I wonder if he even makes the third year of his contract.
They don’t seem to view him as a development project like Whaanga or Wingham. Wonder if they could pay him out and fill the slot with another player? Malachi Wrampling - Alec, Fletcher Anderson or Taylor Cahill are all off contract players stuck behind all blacks who are unlikely to get much game time. Picking up two of those three could be a good shout.
Cahill is a lock, but I feel like when we do loose Dunshea in a season or two we will need the experience of four dedicated locks (Holland, Cahill, Tengblad and Stodart.)
Fletcher Anderson is signed until 2027
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@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2025:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2025:
If Tangitau has indicated he wants to return to Auckland before his contract expires, I think JJ wouldn't hesitate to drop him, and he'd be playing club rugby for the rest of the SR season.
I absolutely hope JJ would not be that petty. Not only would it be cutting off his nose to spite his face, it is also fucking with the career of a young player.
not really fucking with a young player if that player has already secured a deal to go back to the blues
easing in someone different for the rest of the season would be the responsible thing to do for the team long term
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Good to see Fakatava removed from the injury list. Hopefully he gets some minutes in club footy this weekend and is back in the 23 for the Drua next week.
Jonah Lowe also removed from the list.
Injury update:
Oliver Haig (Foot / 1-2 weeks )
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Neck / 1-2 weeks)
Finn Hurley (Quad / TBC)
Nikora Broughton (Rib Injury/ 1-2 weeks)
Hugh Renton (Groin /1-2 weeks) -
Good to see Fakatava removed from the injury list. Hopefully he gets some minutes in club footy this weekend and is back in the 23 for the Drua next week.
Jonah Lowe also removed from the list.
Injury update:
Oliver Haig (Foot / 1-2 weeks )
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Neck / 1-2 weeks)
Finn Hurley (Quad / TBC)
Nikora Broughton (Rib Injury/ 1-2 weeks)
Hugh Renton (Groin /1-2 weeks)
