Highlanders 2026
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
An exciting aspect of this team is it will have players people want to come and watch.
Gone are the years where our stay players have been our loosehead prop, Billy Harmon, Sam Gilbert and Jona Nareki (who will still be a quality Super player).
Fans will be genuinely excited to turn up and watch guys like Pledger, Casey, Holland, Jacomb (hopefully), Jim, JRK, Hurley, Tangitau.
We have had some boring bloody teams in recent years. This won't be one. The core of the side will be around for years to come as well.
Reflecting on the Otago success. What is great, is most of our Landers are primarily depth guys. Out of the team that has had this brillant run. Only two are likely walk up starters in Nareki and Pledger.
The side is looking like it will play exciting and winning rugby. Hopefully.
You will (again). Sometimes you gotta go backwards to go forward, and you guys are well on your way to becoming a top 4 side again towards the end of the decade.
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This try here just confirms my feelings hurley as a super sub has the potential to be wonderful & well Broughton thinking it's touch rugby needless to say if we want a big Munter at 8 Stodart is the man & if we want a more Dynamic 8 Casey should be trialed he would probably pass with flying colors
143K views · 1.9K reactions | Welcome back, Finn Hurley 👏 Otago...
Welcome back, Finn Hurley 👏 Otago Rugby set to book their place in the Bunnings NPC Final 🔥 🎥 Sky Sport NZ
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@Grooter said in Highlanders 2026:
This try here just confirms my feelings hurley as a super sub has the potential to be wonderful & well Broughton thinking it's touch rugby needless to say if we want a big Munter at 8 Stodart is the man & if we want a more Dynamic 8 Casey should be trialed he would probably pass with flying colors
Welcome back, Finn Hurley 👏 Otago Rugby set to book their place in the Bunnings NPC Final 🔥 🎥 Sky Sport NZ
The impact potential we with an impact bench is great. With Hurley, I can see games where he starts with JRK and Tangitau on the wings. Not forgetting Tito-Harris, Nareki and Solomon as well. Plus the old warhorse Jonah Lowe.
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@SouthernMann Jonah Lowe has always impressed me with his work rate not afraid to get involved close to the forwards and find some cheap metres through the middle with his footwork
Not gonna lie I can see something very special being built not just at Otago but also the Highlanders -
Looking at NPC Stats we've got a lot of Cattle in the top ten of most categories. Dylan Pledger, Xavier Titio Harris, Stanley Solomon, Lucas Casey, Josh Jacomb, Cam Millar, Tk Howden, Jona Nareki, Sean Withy, Nikora Broughton, Jonah Lowe, Folau Fakatava, Mitchell Dunshea, Nic Shearer, Sam Gilbert, Taneila Filimone, Will Tucker all are in the top ten of at least one stat categories.
Add to that Caleb Tangitau, Jacob Kneepkins, Veveni Lasanga, Josh Bartlett, Jack Taylor, Oli Haig and Will Stodart who are having outstanding NPC seasons, and a few injured and internationals and you've finally got a battle hardened side with some real depth in most areas for next season.
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@SouthernMann JJ still sees Nareki, Tangitau and JRK as his top back three.
Nareki is rated very highly internally. Hurley still has a lot of kinks to iron out before you can justify picking him as a starter over some of those other guys, particularly JRK.
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Of course Nareki is the primary left winger. We don't want to smash our guys though and there will be injuries. We will have depth that we haven't had, potentially ever. We will can and should be rotating through.
I expect Hurley will primarily be used as a 30 minute impact man. Probably coming on for one of Nareki or Tangitau. Swapping between wing and fullback with JRK.
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Well. Looks like JJ won't be getting out of his contract. My guess for our third 10. Another 10/15 hybrid. Andrew Knewstubb.
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@SouthernMann started reading this and was freaking out you meant Jamie Joseph......
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Andrew Knewstubb.
God that would be awful. Byron Smith was in camp last pre season and had another decent NPC, I’d rather go with him.
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@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Andrew Knewstubb.
God that would be awful. Byron Smith was in camp last pre season and had another decent NPC, I’d rather go with him.
Yeah don't see that as a viable option either. Spent all year behind Muliaina. Might as well pick the kid if we are looking at Smith.
There are just very few options for third string 10s. McClutchie would be one to consider. Especially if it is for just one year before Jacomb and potentially Muliaina come on board..
