Crusaders 2026
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It’s a bit back to the future but I’d only allow teams to contract max 28 players, then I’d have a draft like the old early days of Super to fill up the remaining (8-10?) spots on their roster.
That would create some jeopardy and create some genuine competition between franchises for players.
I think it would allow franchises to retain their best players still but force them to make decisions about where they ‘stockpile’ any depth. -
I like the idea, but equally players also want stability, so you may just see the guys - who would get picked up - leave to know where they'll be. In other words, things could get even worse.
I'm not sure we pay enough, and that NZ is cheap enough, for people to just pick up their families and move to a new place if they get left out and dependent on the draft.
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@Mr-Fish said in Crusaders 2026:
What would you propose as a solution?
More pro teams. Which is complex.
However the AB's need 3 hookers, 3 halfbacks etc and there is only 5 starting on any weekend. There's not enough chances for players to prove themselves
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@Duluth said in Crusaders 2026:
@Mr-Fish said in Crusaders 2026:
What would you propose as a solution?
More pro teams. Which is complex.
However the AB's need 3 hookers, 3 halfbacks etc and there is only 5 starting on any weekend. There's not enough chances for players to prove themselves
We need to consider the prospect of specialist bench players similar to the South Africans. They do of course rotate those players but some play more off the bench.
To a degree this already happens with Tosi who usually has Lomax ahead of him for the Canes. Players who know how to empty the tank in 20 to 40 minutes.
A lot of Moananu games have been off the bench.
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@Duluth said in Crusaders 2026:
@brodean said in Crusaders 2026:
A lot of Moananu games have been off the bench.
..and now his minutes will be for the Waratahs. What you're talking about doesn't address the current pro contract situation in NZ
I agree with that it doesn't address the contract situation but your post did ignore the bench players. We still have this mindset that the bench players are the players who are not as good. Players can still develop off the bench. Most weekends there are 10 hookers getting some development.
Regarding the pro contract situation the competition and the teams have to be sustainable. We've seen the Rebels fold and we are now seeing MP really struggling after a few years. The answer is not more teams at this time.
Any NZ player playing in any Super Rugby team whether it be here or in Australia should be eligible to play for the All Blacks. Moananu should still be eligible to play for the AB's while he plays for the Waratahs. Then the Waratahs are footing the bill for his contract and we would have more AB eligible players playing in the hooker role.
Australia still don't have enough players for 4 competitive teams. We can work together to solve this issue and have a more balanced comp which would make it more attractive to fans.
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@brodean said in Crusaders 2026:
We've seen the Rebels fold and we are now seeing MP really struggling after a few years. The answer is not more teams at this time.
Rebels are irrelevant as that's specific to the Aussie trying to build support where there is little. MP are a confused entity, every other team in the competition is regional
Adding a teams wouldn't be about keeping the same amount of revenue it would be growing the total revenue.
There's a myth that pro rugby must be played in the main centres. There would be a lot more engagement if players played closer to where they are from. SR lacks tribalism that teams more connected to their region would bring. Is it possible to make a more interesting and simple to follow version of SR? Of course.
There's obstacles obviously, but the idea that we have the optimal season and contracting situation right now is nuts. It's a mess.
There's other threads on this though
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@Duluth said in Crusaders 2026:
@brodean said in Crusaders 2026:
We've seen the Rebels fold and we are now seeing MP really struggling after a few years. The answer is not more teams at this time.
Rebels are irrelevant as that's specific to the Aussie trying to build support where there is little. MP are a confused entity, every other team in the competition is regional
Adding a teams wouldn't be about keeping the same amount of revenue it would be growing the total revenue.
There's a myth that pro rugby must be played in the main centres. There would be a lot more engagement if players played closer to where they are from. SR lacks tribalism that teams more connected to their region would bring. Is it possible to make a more interesting and simple to follow version of SR? Of course.
There's obstacles obviously, but the idea that we have the optimal season and contracting situation right now is nuts. It's a mess.
There's other threads on this though
I agree with a lot of what you say here in theory. I'm certainly not suggesting it's optimal or the contract situation is good.
However outside of having an NZ only competition Aussies success is integral to ours so the Rebels failing is relevant.
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I hear most of the squad is signed or has been re signed main areas are who the 3rd HB will be Drummond or Chapman maybe.
3rd First five James White or look for an experienced option.
Find a place for Oil Mathis maybe at Fletcher Andersons expense.
Maybe replace Strange if he goes overseas he has a contract in front of him.
Liam Jack probably will get that spot if Strange does move.
6th Prop stick with Finlay Brewis or look elsewhere. -
‘A few tears’: Crusaders hooker on reasons behind move to Waratahs
Ioane Moananu is leaving the Crusaders for more playing time with the Waratahs.
Moananu was offered a new deal by the Crusaders.
“It wasn’t fully contracted where I could compete to play, but it was a contract where I had to wait for an injury,” Moananu explains to Newstalk ZB.
From there, Moananu looked at other options within New Zealand, but was met with a similar response.
“Without giving too much away, it was sort of a similar situation to Christchurch,” Moananu said.
Teams offered me that fourth [hooker] role as injury cover. Having had a little bit of a bigger role out there [at the Crusaders] this year and seeing how much growth I got, it just made me hungry to play more.”
“That’s probably the main reason I was like, I don’t really want to stay in New Zealand then if there’s no opportunity for me to compete to play.”
That’s where the Waratahs came to the party with a full-time contract.
Moananu has committed for 2026, with the option of staying in 2027.
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Surprised Moana didn't try and sign him long term.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Crusaders 2026:
‘A few tears’: Crusaders hooker on reasons behind move to Waratahs
Ioane Moananu is leaving the Crusaders for more playing time with the Waratahs.
Moananu was offered a new deal by the Crusaders.
“It wasn’t fully contracted where I could compete to play, but it was a contract where I had to wait for an injury,” Moananu explains to Newstalk ZB.
From there, Moananu looked at other options within New Zealand, but was met with a similar response.
“Without giving too much away, it was sort of a similar situation to Christchurch,” Moananu said.
Teams offered me that fourth [hooker] role as injury cover. Having had a little bit of a bigger role out there [at the Crusaders] this year and seeing how much growth I got, it just made me hungry to play more.”
“That’s probably the main reason I was like, I don’t really want to stay in New Zealand then if there’s no opportunity for me to compete to play.”
That’s where the Waratahs came to the party with a full-time contract.
Moananu has committed for 2026, with the option of staying in 2027.
So, am I reading this right? If you are on an injury cover contract, you have to make way for the injured guy when he returns, no matter how well you played? That might explain why Bell got picked ahead of him at the pointy end of the season.
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@Crazy-Horse Moananu was fully contracted this year, he's just saying he wasn't offered a full contract for next year.
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@BellsGeorg said in Crusaders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse Moananu was fully contracted this year, he's just saying he wasn't offered a full contract for next year.
Ok, but my question still stands.
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@Crazy-Horse At the point where Moananu gave way for Bell— both were on full contracts that ended this year. There was no contractual motivation to play one over the other. Bell is just greatly preferred as a player.
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@Crazy-Horse said in Crusaders 2026:
@BellsGeorg said in Crusaders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse Moananu was fully contracted this year, he's just saying he wasn't offered a full contract for next year.
Ok, but my question still stands.
Moananu didn’t have to give way as he was fully contracted ,Same as Bell, it was a selection decision to select Bell ahead of Maoanau not a directive due to his contract.
If he was on an injury cover contract then yes he would have to give way to Bell.
