Blues 2026
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@WoodysRFC said in Blues 2026:
Looking at Reon Paul, Clarke, Forbes, Sullivan, Spencer, Saunoa, anyone else?
Spencer and Paul I thought had one year deals for 2025?
Spencer shouldn't be there based on this years form. He needs to bulk up and work on his defence.
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@brodean said in Blues 2026:
@WoodysRFC said in Blues 2026:
Looking at Reon Paul, Clarke, Forbes, Sullivan, Spencer, Saunoa, anyone else?
Spencer and Paul I thought had one year deals for 2025?
Spencer shouldn't be there based on this years form. He needs to bulk up and work on his defence.
Just working on assumptions here, would be inclined to agree. So who's most likely, since you're looking rather light?
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@Bovidae said in Blues 2026:
Who posted this rumour?
The myth of Dmac getting oracle status for being a fern lurker.
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@brodean Spencer signed until end of 26. Paul is off contract this year but may be re-signed. He looked useful coming back from injury for BOP late in the NPC.
Codi Vai may be there. He was not with NZ Sevens last weekend. Kade Banks is also a possibility.
The Props selections will be interesting. Ofa's injury (we had rumors on here of possible medical retirement). Gus gone, Sheck off contract, the invisible man Ben Ake who has been with Auckland and the Blues for 3 seasons and played 6 times for Auckland in 23 and nothing since. Amazingly he still has 2 years to run on his 5 year Blues contract having yet to play due mostly to long term injury. The fact they have 3 props in the above rumored wider training group suggests they have injury concerns or will drop from 7 props to six this season allowing for an extra loose forward/lock. -
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@Duluth I would too. but I fear him ending up in the Crusaders wider group replacing Trainor who withdrew to return to MLR. Also suspect our coach does not rate smaller backs, hence loosing Tito-Harris while signing bodies like Paul, Vai and Suanoa. We always produce big strong athletes. The fast, nimble quick thinkers are rare we should protect them when we find them.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2026:
@Duluth I would too. but I fear him ending up in the Crusaders wider group replacing Trainor who withdrew to return to MLR. Also suspect our coach does not rate smaller backs, hence loosing Tito-Harris while signing bodies like Paul, Vai and Suanoa.
Odd, Tito-Harris isn't exactly a midget, bigger than Vai I'd imagine. It's a shame if that's your coaches mentality since we're in a golden period for smaller outside backs.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2026:
Also suspect our coach does not rate smaller backs
Hopefully that's not the case. He does rate Taele
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@Steven-Harris who have the chiefs signed
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From Sam Slade's Instagram. It appears that Choat ahs sorted his Visa.
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@Daffy-Jaffy Has Slade moved to Japan too?
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Got an odd feeling about this squad. We struggled with frontrow depth last year. Really hope Tu'ungufasi is back, and there's a couple of strong signings.
Six is up for grabs. Who is the backup number 8?
Will Funaki kick on?
Will Darry stay fit? Perofeta and Barrett?
A bit of uncertainty around midfield and back three.
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What's the 23 looking like before Tuipulotu returns?
1 Fusitua
2 Slater
3 Renata
4 Beehre
5 Darry
6 Christie
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu9 Christie
10 Barrett
11 Clarke
12 Evans
13 Lam
14 ?
15 Sullivan16 Eklund
17 Tu'ungufasi
18 ?
19 McWhannell
20 Segner/Wrampling
21 Funaki
22 Perofeta
23 Ahki/TaeleDefinitely a possibility for a 6-2 split, given the versatility in the backline.
Good replacements for Ta'avao and Telea are needed in the squad.
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Going back to previous thread:
Based on the player profiles (I haven't seen any contract announcements this year), these are per player contract lengths:Angus Ta’avao - 2025
Ofa Tu’ungafasi - 2026
Marcel Renata - 2027
Jordan Lay - 2026
Joshua Fusitu’a - 2025
PJ Sheck - 2025
Ben Ake - 2027
Kurt Eklund - 2026
Ricky Riccitelli - 2025
James Mullan - 2026
Laghlan McWhannell - 2026
Cameron Christie - 2027
Patrick Tuipulotu - 2025
Sam Darry - 2025
Josh Beehre - 2027
Cameron Suafoa - 2025
Adrian Choat - 2025
Dalton Papali’i - 2027
Anton Segner - 2026
Hoskins Sotutu - 2026
Che Clark - 2026
Finlay Christie - 2025
Sam Nock - 2026
Taufa Funaki - 2026
Stephen Perofeta - 2026
Harry Plummer - 2025
Beauden Barrett - 2027
Rieko Ioane - 2027
Xavi Taele - 2025
Corey Evans - 2026
Meihana Grindlay - 2025
Zarn Sullivan - 2026
Mark Tele’a - 2025
Caleb Clarke - 2025
AJ Lam - 2026
Payton Spencer - 2026
Reon Paul - 2025
Cole Forbes - 2026
These are the players off contract at the end of 2025:
Angus Ta’avao
Re-signed: Joshua Fusitu’a
PJ SheckRicky RiccitelliRe-signed: Patrick Tuipulotu
Re-signed: Sam DarryVery unlikely: Cameron Suafoa
Adrian ChoatLikely to stay: Finlay Christie
Harry PlummerRe-signed: Xavi Taele
Meihana GrindlayMark Tele’a
Re-signed: Caleb Clarke
Reon PaulIoane on sabbatical.
Injury cover for Tuipulotu?
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@Tim said in Blues 2026:
14 ?
I’d like to see them try Corey Evans on the wing, in a similar way to how the Irish use a player like Mack Hansen at 14. Put Ahki and Lam in the midfield to dominate the gain line and have players like Evans, Sullivan and Barrett sweep around the back to act from side-to-side as playmakers.
It’s not really conventional – he has played just the one game on the wing, against the Force in 2025 – but I think it could work really well. He should be alright underneath the high ball since he’s played a lot at fullback and he’s got good footwork and is strong in contact in close spaces.
I'm not expecting it to happen but who knows, with Tele'a leaving they need a genuine new threat in the backline.
