Highlanders 2026
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@Landers92 just for clarity I’m quite confident I recall a conversation about TUJ having another year on his contract.
Only concern I have as that if the Grindlay news is true we seem stacked with midfielders and it’s hard to make sense of having six on the books even if a few technically cover wing. So it feels like someone must be leaving. Just hard to know who.
I’m much less confident about Manson. I seem to recall a two year contract being mentioned by someone on here when he signed. But that’s not a 100% guarantee they were right. So put an asterisk next to that. Given how cold JJ is on him I wouldn’t be betting we’ll see him back.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
The chat seems to have firmly switched to 2026, so figured the new thread was in order. Below is the contract status of the current squad:
Props:
Ethan de Groot (2027)
Daniel Lienert-Brown (Off-contract)
Josh Bartlett (2026?)
Saula Ma’u (2026?)
Sefo Kautai (2026?)
Rohan Wingham (2026?)Hookers:
Jack Taylor (2026)
Soane Vikena (2026)
Henry Bell (Off-contract - am hearing he has had his contract extended for 2026)Locks:
Fabian Holland (2028)
Mitch Dunshea (Off-contract - rumour is he is staying)
Tai Cribb (Injury Cover)Loose Forwards:
Oliver Haig (2026)
TK Howden (2026)
Lui Naeta (GONE)
Sean Withy (2027?)
Veveni Lasaqa (2026)
Hayden Michaels (2026)
Michael Loft (Injury Cover)
Tom Sanders (GONE)
Hugh Renton (2026)
Will Stodart (2026)
Nikora Broughton (Off-contract?)Halfbacks:
Folau Fakatava (2027)
Nathan Hastie (2026 - LEAVING)
James Arscott (GONE)
Adam Lennox (Injury Cover - SIGNED)First Fives:
Taine Robinson (2026?)
Cam Millar (2026)
Ajay Faleafaga (JAPAN)Midfielders:
Timoci Tavatavanawai (2027)
Tanielu Tele’a (2026?)
Thomas Umaga-Jensen (2025/26?)
Jake Te Hiwi (2026)
Josh Whaanga (2027)Outside Backs:
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (2028)
Sam Gilbert (CONNACHT)
Finn Hurley (2026)
Jona Nareki (Off-contract)
Caleb Tangitau (2028)
Jonah Lowe (Off-contract)
Michael Manson (Off-contract)
Taniela Filimone (Injury Cover)I’m really interested to see how this Hastie situation turns out as you’re adamant he is leaving. I hope it isn’t the case. That would mean we are cutting both Hasties and Michael’s contracts short if we believe what’s all been said on here.
Nothing to suggest we are cutting Michaels short. I have heard nothing of the sort, more just thought it was a possibility
On Taine Robinson, I can tell you he is signed through 2026.
Awesome
Also, you say Tengland wasn’t wanted by Otago. How are you so sure it wasn’t just a case of a young guy wanting to spend half the year back home and play for his province then head back to Dunedin during super season and link up with the Highlanders? I’m willing to bet Otago definitely wanted him.
I got told Jamie told Otago to sign him, Otago fumbled around and then Auckland pounced. This is the same organisation who chose Arscott over Hotham…
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2026:
Why only 3 locks? Then you end up in the same situation as this year if injuries/fatigue strike. Six props is more common too, especially if JJ doesn't rotate.
Three locks plus Sotddart and Haig. Both big enough to play lock. I'd except Cribb comes back.
I’d be stunned if Tai Cribb came back.
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Hearing Kini Naholo has been offered a contract for next season
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Hearing Nareki has signed another 2 , and Kini Naholo has been offered a deal for next season
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@CtownCowboy said in Highlanders 2026:
Hearing Nareki has signed another 2 , and Kini Naholo has been offered a deal for next season
Wouldn’t be surprised as the Canes would have known he was leaving so maybe they’ve signed another winger already and then once Naholo got injured there was no contract to offer.
Jeez, imagine a back three of Naholo, Tangitau and JRK. That will be electric under the roof.
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@CtownCowboy Interesting. Guess the Landers are taking a punt on him where the Canes don't want to... would leave us with a lot of depth in the outsides.
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@CtownCowboy Kin-ihi-naholo..Kin-ihi-naholo,Kin-ihi-naholo
Yeah that ought a work
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@CtownCowboy Interesting. Guess the Landers are taking a punt on him where the Canes don't want to... would leave us with a lot of depth in the outsides.
Aye? It’s not a case of the Canes not wanting to take a punt. If he’s signed with the Highlanders it will be because the Canes don’t have any room. If the Canes had room they would have definitely snapped him up knowing what he offers on that left edge.
He’ll be lining up a contract in Japan so this will likely be a one year gig before he heads off.
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That'd be a bit of a shock. Would mean he would finish his NZ career playing for four of NZ's five sides. Family could be a reason for a short stint with us. Waisake and his family are Dunedin based.
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@Canes4life hook, line and sinker
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Any team signing Naholo will be taking a massive risk. ACL is a 9-12 month injury. Meaning he will be available sometime between week one and week 12. Any team picking him up is rolling the dice on him coming back early, and hitting the ground running. No guarantee he will be the player who was tearing it up before injury.
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@CtownCowboy isn’t he injured at the moment? Hope he’s back in time
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Well true, but should be worth the risk. If he is fit by midway through the comp, you replace an inevitable injury with a potentially game changing player.
Plus Waisaki is probably getting the witch doctor on him anyway. He might be fit next week
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@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann my record on contracting isn't amazing. But my memory was that conversation on here last summer was that TUJ had signed on for 2025 and 2026.
Though that said if we've picked up Meihana Grindlay then that gives us a very stacked midfield and leaves us a bit thin on outside backs. We've got Big Jim, TUJ, Grindlay, Telea, Te Hiwi and Whaanga covering midfield plus Lowe (who played thirteen for a couple of games off the bench last season).
With Hervey in the wider training group it's hard not to feel we must be losing a midfielder somewhere if we've signed Grindlay.
long 7 days but im back
simple as Big Jim goes back to the wing? he's be huge at 12 but we saw he went back to wing when needed this year?
any of you closer to the landers know, was it his preference to move to 12 or did the team move him because we needed someone?
really would like to see Tele'a resign and even TUJ still looks so good on attack when he plays
I for one kind of liked what little we saw of mason, lots of work ons but you cant teach out and out pace
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:
@handa457 said in Highlanders 2025:
@SouthernMann my record on contracting isn't amazing. But my memory was that conversation on here last summer was that TUJ had signed on for 2025 and 2026.
Though that said if we've picked up Meihana Grindlay then that gives us a very stacked midfield and leaves us a bit thin on outside backs. We've got Big Jim, TUJ, Grindlay, Telea, Te Hiwi and Whaanga covering midfield plus Lowe (who played thirteen for a couple of games off the bench last season).
With Hervey in the wider training group it's hard not to feel we must be losing a midfielder somewhere if we've signed Grindlay.
long 7 days but im back
simple as Big Jim goes back to the wing? he's be huge at 12 but we saw he went back to wing when needed this year?
any of you closer to the landers know, was it his preference to move to 12 or did the team move him because we needed someone?
really would like to see Tele'a resign and even TUJ still looks so good on attack when he plays
I for one kind of liked what little we saw of mason, lots of work ons but you cant teach out and out pace
I think Jim is a 12 now. Will be interesting to see where he plays for Ta$man in the NPC. Does he have the out and out pace still to play on the wing? Keeping him as a winger also limits his ability to influence games defensively.
Manson is a guy I want to see persevered with. Him and Caleb must be two of the fastest guys in the comp. You can fix defensive issues. It just takes time.
The way the side will be successful is to find the players who can do things others can't, and worth on fixing the flaws that are generally basic. Instead of picking the guys who will.alwsys do the basics well, but have no X factor.
I'm sure he would love to have the keys to a backline that has Kini & JRK among others