Blues 2025

[Tim]

@booboo Yeah, hilarious comment from the Highlanders peanut gallery. He plays a lot of minutes for the Blues, and would be one of the best loose forwards in that squad. It's almost like they're the worst NZ team every year or something ...

[Landers92]

@Tim you really think he’s better than Withy? Unless he can be a solid 8 it wouldn’t make any sense. Why go from being a back up to Dalton in a good squad to going to being a back up in a worse squad? Southermann is right, it would be an odd move and one that wouldn’t really make sense from Choats point of view. Especially when you factor in the upside in Lasaqa as well.

He’s a good player and I wouldn’t be mad if he was in my team. It just wouldn’t make much sense.

[Tim]

@Landers92 They'd be pretty similar (Withy).

I suspect that he would start at 6 or 7 if he went to the Highlanders. As you mentioned, would that be a great reason to leave the Blues, where he gets regular game time and is an important squad member?

He's kind of a "lite" version of Papalii, in terms of playing style, but that's still a rather handy player.

[Daffy Jaffy]

[nzzp]

@Daffy-Jaffy he looks like he's continued to bulk up, which is great.

[Duluth]

Good to see its a relatively long commitment

I think he'll be captain soon

[george33]

@Duluth has been doing some coaching at University, while recovering.

[Duluth]

The Blues listed as injured:

Caleb Clarke (thigh)
Stephen Perofeta (leg)
Reon Paul (shoulder)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (neck, season)
Sam Darry (shoulder, season)

Clearly an incomplete list

Perofeta injured again. Injured for the first few months.. comes back, plays well as a sub, then has a shocker as a starter. Since then he's always been mentioned as battling a niggle and has struggled to make the 23

[Landers92]

@Duluth Did Perofeta re-sign with the Blues when it was announced he signed on with Auckland?

He’s a guy that needs consistent game time if he wants to keep pushing for the black jersey, especially with Dmac extending, BBarrett playing well and Ruben Love looking likely to pass him in the pecking order if he continues to play like he is between 10/15.

[Duluth]

@Landers92 said in Blues 2025:

Did Perofeta re-sign with the Blues when it was announced he signed on with Auckland?

Don't think so. He moved to Auckland for the NPC for 'family reasons'

[Landers92]

To answer my own question. A quick google search shows he’s with the blues through 2026. The boy needs to get on the paddock

[george33]

@Duluth Perofeta is locked in for 2026

[Mr Fish]

George did say Tangitau would be back at the Blues next season.

[Grooter]

This post is deleted!

[Bovidae]

Clark said himself that he needs to bulk up as sevens players are leaner. It could just be his body isn't ready for SR yet. Different for an outside back.

[African Monkey]

@Bovidae said in Blues 2025:

Clark said himself that he needs to bulk up as sevens players are leaner. It could just be his body isn't ready for SR yet. Different for an outside back.

Yes he does. I noticed in collision that he was still a bit raw.

[Tim]

Any word on Segner's injury?

[KiwiMurph]

@African-Monkey said in Blues 2025:

@Bovidae said in Blues 2025:

Clark said himself that he needs to bulk up as sevens players are leaner. It could just be his body isn't ready for SR yet. Different for an outside back.

Yes he does. I noticed in collision that he was still a bit raw.

It was obvious in the NPC last year. Clark has a lot of potential but he has a long way to go - especially defensively in tight.

[Tim]

Jordan Lay played club rugby for University yesterday, so hopefully we will have a decent reserve loosehead prop soon.

PJ Check also played for Grammar TEC.

[cgrant]

@Tim said in Blues 2025:

Jordan Lay played club rugby for University yesterday, so hopefully we will have a decent reserve loosehead prop soon.

PJ Check also played for Grammar TEC.

Tupaea did surprisingly well in the scrums considering his light frame.