Highlanders 2025
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@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Pledger
could he be a potential (mythical) future 9/10 option?
New Zealand U20s star halfback rated better than Ben Smith coming out of high school
Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete.
Aren't we going to be putting ourselves in a tricky position with Fakatava and Pledger? I mean Pledger looks obviously better than Fakatava in the medium term (i.e. after one super rugby season). Fakatava has stayed after chats with the ABs that he could be in the picture.
Are are we going to keep Fakatava, Pledger, and Hastie in the same team when really all three could be starting/Hastie getting significant minutes off the bench?
I would have thought that the trio of Pledger, Hastie, and Arscott is a better fit than keeping Fakatava? Would that not free up contract space to sign another player in a position we need more depth at?
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Pledger
could he be a potential (mythical) future 9/10 option?
New Zealand U20s star halfback rated better than Ben Smith coming out of high school
Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete.
Aren't we going to be putting ourselves in a tricky position with Fakatava and Pledger? I mean Pledger looks obviously better than Fakatava in the medium term (i.e. after one super rugby season). Fakatava has stayed after chats with the ABs that he could be in the picture.
Are are we going to keep Fakatava, Pledger, and Hastie in the same team when really all three could be starting/Hastie getting significant minutes off the bench?
I would have thought that the trio of Pledger, Hastie, and Arscott is a better fit than keeping Fakatava? Would that not free up contract space to sign another player in a position we need more depth at?
How is that a tricky situation? Pledger is 19, by the time Fakatavas contract is up Pledger will be 21, maybe just turned 22.
I have no idea how you can look at this situation the way you just have and found a negative after we finally have some depth and promising talent coming through at the position. Jesus Christ man
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@nostrildamus said in Highlanders 2025:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:
Pledger
could he be a potential (mythical) future 9/10 option?
New Zealand U20s star halfback rated better than Ben Smith coming out of high school
Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete.
Aren't we going to be putting ourselves in a tricky position with Fakatava and Pledger? I mean Pledger looks obviously better than Fakatava in the medium term (i.e. after one super rugby season). Fakatava has stayed after chats with the ABs that he could be in the picture.
Are are we going to keep Fakatava, Pledger, and Hastie in the same team when really all three could be starting/Hastie getting significant minutes off the bench?
I would have thought that the trio of Pledger, Hastie, and Arscott is a better fit than keeping Fakatava? Would that not free up contract space to sign another player in a position we need more depth at?
How is that a tricky situation? Pledger is 19, by the time Fakatavas contract is up Pledger will be 21, maybe just turned 22 at most.
I have no idea how you can look at something the way you just have after we finally have some depth and promising talent coming through at the position
Jesus Christ man.Ffs stop overreacting. I'm not being negative. Hastie has proven to be a competent 9 and has an obvious upside. Pledger looks unbelievably good and we're lucky to have him down south. Half back is a young mans game. Do you not see my point? The one space we have up and coming talent we sign what I would assume is a max super rugby contract? If we're building for the long term and this team is expected to hit its straps in 2-3 years, one of the few players we're offering the big money to will be off contract by then? The Highlanders could do that? Or, perhaps, Hastie would have 2-3 times as many minutes by then and Pledger gets plenty of opportunities off the bench. You tell me which makes more sense?
One of the few positions where you can get away with being young and inexperienced, we sign a player that will leave in two years? At the same time we expect the young pack and backline to mature! That is fucking stupid.
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@KiwiInLondon Fakatava is the 3rd most experienced highlander in the team, he's sticking around great news in my book. Arscott is shown the door meh that's pro sport. And hypothetically Fakatava is in the top 4 halfbacks for Razor? If he was to find himself back in Black but was at Moana that would be an awful look for Jamie wouldn't it. Don't fret, Pledgers Development in the side will be similar to that of when Cortez Ratima was behind Weber etc. at the chiefs
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@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon Fakatava is the 3rd most experienced highlander in the team, he's sticking around great news in my book. Arscott is shown the door meh that's pro sport. And hypothetically Fakatava is in the top 4 halfbacks for Razor? If he was to find himself back in Black but was at Moana that would be an awful look for Jamie wouldn't it. Don't fret, Pledgers Development in the side will be similar to that of when Cortez Ratima was behind Weber etc. at the chiefs
@Grooter said in Highlanders 2025:
@KiwiInLondon Fakatava is the 3rd most experienced highlander in the team, he's sticking around great news in my book. Arscott is shown the door meh that's pro sport. And hypothetically Fakatava is in the top 4 halfbacks for Razor? If he was to find himself back in Black but was at Moana that would be an awful look for Jamie wouldn't it. Don't fret, Pledgers Development in the side will be similar to that of when Cortez Ratima was behind Weber etc. at the chiefs
I see what you mean and I understand the initial positive reaction. But my argument is that we don't need him. We NEED some props. We NEED 10 and 13. Surely that contract money is better used else where in a position where we have literally no depth.
Plus, Hastie and Pledger are both at Otago NPC with Millar. It just makes so much more sense.
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NZ Rugby is paying Fakatava's contract. He is a highly very competent halfback. Who has played good rugby.
We aren't losing out on money re-signing Folau.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
NZ Rugby is paying Fakatava's contract. He is a highly very competent halfback. Who has played good rugby.
We aren't losing out on money re-signing Folau.
My mistake. But I think my general points stands. I'm just not confident the dynamic between the three halfbacks will bring out the best in the two young ones.
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@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
NZ Rugby is paying Fakatava's contract. He is a highly very competent halfback. Who has played good rugby.
We aren't losing out on money re-signing Folau.
My mistake. But I think my general points stands. I'm just not confident the dynamic between the three halfbacks will bring out the best in the two young ones.
I don't think we are in a position to knock a gift horse in the mouth of Fakatava wanting to re-sign.
We are fortunate that halfback is our only spot of depth.
The next closest would be fullback with a fully fit JRK and Hurley. Or blindside with TK and Oli.
Most other franchises would have at least a couple of spots where there are established players and one up and comer.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:
NZ Rugby is paying Fakatava's contract. He is a highly very competent halfback. Who has played good rugby.
We aren't losing out on money re-signing Folau.
NZR pay the contract but the Highlanders will have negotiated the value. In theory all five teams have the same budget, with All Blacks getting top ups from NZR. So if they Highlanders are giving Fakatava the max Super contract possible (200ish a few years back, not sure what it is now), they are hitting their own player budget.
Not saying it's not worth it, just my understanding differs on how players are paid.
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@Mr-Fish I’d read it the same way you do
But it sounds to me like they’ve essentially offered him a Black Jersey and therefore the higher earnings, pay and contract that come with it.
Wasn’t it Julian Savea that got offered a massive contract in 2016, only to be dropped the following year from the All Blacks? He still got all that pay despite being dropped didn’t he?
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@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@Mr-Fish I’d read it the same way you do
But it sounds to me like they’ve essentially offered him a Black Jersey and therefore the higher earnings, pay and contract that come with it.
Wasn’t it Julian Savea that got offered a massive contract in 2016, only to be dropped the following year from the All Blacks? He still got all that pay despite being dropped didn’t he?
NZR can agree to a deal where they top up the pay of non All Blacks (although I would imagine it's very rare, and would be surprised if they had done it in this instance) but that doesn't force the Highlanders to offer him the max Super salary.
Yes re Savea, but obviously they expected him to play a large part in the All Blacks going forward at that stage. Same thing happened with So'oalo back in 2008ish. There's always the risk a player suddenly deteriorates in form/importance. He'd still have earned considerably more if he'd actually been selected in the All Blacks given there's an assembly/match fee.
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Will Jamie Joseph ever take accountability for their current performances?
He spends most of this interview going woe is me, not a great look.
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@darylmitchell said in Highlanders 2025:
Will Jamie Joseph ever take accountability for their current performances?
He spends most of this interview going woe is me, not a great look.
Thanks for the share, that was a great interview from Wheels.
Jamie touches on a few interesting things there, I don’t take any of that as ‘woe is me’. Think they are all fair, honest and valid points.
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@SBW1 said in Highlanders 2025:
Are the Highlanders still a chance at making the 6?
No chance. Canes away, Crusaders away, Chiefs home. Don’t think they’ll win any of them the way they’ve been playing and can’t see them turning it around tbh.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2025:
@SBW1 said in Highlanders 2025:
Are the Highlanders still a chance at making the 6?
No chance. Canes away, Crusaders away, Chiefs home. Don’t think they’ll win any of them the way they’ve been playing and can’t see them turning it around tbh.
Next you'll be saying Springer can't be described as mildly better than Jonah Lowe.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2025:
@darylmitchell said in Highlanders 2025:
Will Jamie Joseph ever take accountability for their current performances?
He spends most of this interview going woe is me, not a great look.
Thanks for the share, that was a great interview from Wheels.
Jamie touches on a few interesting things there, I don’t take any of that as ‘woe is me’. Think they are all fair, honest and valid points.
I usually can't stand Wheeler, but he does ok in these interviews. I actually didn'tmind watching that.
