Blues 2026
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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.
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2026:
Blues wider training squad players that were handed to me
Eslie Fono
Josh Renton
Jed Melvin
Sam Matenga
Torian Barnes
Eli Oudenryn
Harlyn Saunoa
Mason TupaeaThere’s a couple of other names but that’s the majority that I got passed on to me
There’s a few other names
I would expect Sam Hainsworth Fa’aofo given he was used by the Blues last year as a 7 in preseason gamesIs the three props correct. I had thought I had read that the wider training squads were to be limited to positions i.e. 1 hooker, 1 loosehead, 1 tighthead, 1 lock, etc. leaving a designated player in the wider squad to cover any injury in the main squad. Could Mason Tupaea potentially be in the full squad if that's the case?
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So, our squad will likely have Wrampling as a full time member, and other youngsters on national development contracts (three per franchise) or in the wider training group.
Pita Ahki is in, Slater is in. James Cameron is in.
We definitely need at minimum 1 TH prop, 1 six/eight, 1 first five, and 1 wing (4 players). Could add another TH, lock, and wing to that (7 players).
Potential Squad:
(players in italics have contracts that expire this year)
Ben Ake (LH)
Joshua Fusitu'a (LH)
Jordan Lay (LH, can play TH)
Marcel Renata (TH)
PJ Sheck (TH)? Possible replacement TH needed
Unknown TH replacement (Flyn Yates?)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (LH, can play TH)Kurt Eklund
Bradley Slater
James MullanJosh Beehre
Cameron Christie
Trystin Cook
Sam Darry
Laghlan McWhannell
Patrick Tuipulotu
Possible Injury replacement for x weeks of season for TuipulotuMalachi Wrampling-Alec
Che Clark
Dalton Papali'i
Anton Segner
Hoskins Sotutu
Unknown 7/8Finlay Christie
Taufa Funaki
Sam NockBeauden Barrett
Stephen Perofeta
Unknown 10 (Rico Simpson?)Corey Evans
James Cameron
AJ Lam
Xavi Taele
Pita AhkiCaleb Clarke
Cole Forbes
Payton Spencer
Zarn Sullivan
Unknown Wing (Tito-Harris or Codi Vai?)
Reon Paul? Possible replacement wing needed.WTG:
Eslie Fono (LH Prop)
Josh Renton (Halfback)
Jed Melvin (Openside Flanker, Loose Forward)
Sam Matenga (TH Prop)
Torian Barnes (Loose Forward)
Eli Oudenryn (Hooker)
Harlyn Saunoa (Wing)
Mason Tupaea (LH Prop)
Possible addition to WTG: Sam Hainsworth Fa’aofo (Openside Flanker) -
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@Tim Manawatu and Kamaishi Tighthead Flyn Yates is apparently in along with Codi Vai and young centre James Cameron. Tito-Harris is with the Landers.
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@Daffy-Jaffy I wonder if James Cameron will be on an NDC contract. Maybe the prop is in WTG?
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@Tim said in Blues 2026:
@Daffy-Jaffy I wonder if James Cameron will be on an NDC contract. Maybe the prop is in WTG?
James Cameron was confirmed by Blues as Full Squad 2026
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@Mauss Certainly an interesting idea.
A combination of Ahki, Lam, and Clarke would give us some good ball carrying.
Now what of the forwards? Beehre, Tuipulotu, Sotutu, and Wrampling-Alec? Maybe Christie?
Front row players don't especially standout, but Fusitua and Renata are reliable. Tu'ungufasi would be nice. We really need a beast of a hooker.
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@Tim Hamdahn Tuipulotu is another tight head possibility. He was with them this year as a replacement. I think Tupaea mayl start in the full squad at least as cover for Ofa or Lay who are both injured at present and may not be ready to start the season.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2026:
Hamsahn Tuipulotu
Can't say I've been impressed by him. His brother Tito looks handier.
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@Daffy-Jaffy Do you have a list of contract lengths for MP players? I'm sure many teams would like to sign Miracle Faiilagi ...
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@Trig said in Blues 2026:
@Tim said in Blues 2026:
@Daffy-Jaffy I wonder if James Cameron will be on an NDC contract. Maybe the prop is in WTG?
James Cameron was confirmed by Blues as Full Squad 2026
well, that's a blockbuster signing for them.
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@Tim said in Blues 2026:
Now what of the forwards? Beehre, Tuipulotu, Sotutu, and Wrampling-Alec? Maybe Christie?
Front row players don't especially standout, but Fusitua and Renata are reliable. Tu'ungufasi would be nice. We really need a beast of a hooker.
I think your projected forward pack will be pretty close to what we’ll be seeing at the beginning of the season. Christie has looked promising at 6 in his limited appearances for the Blues so I think he’ll get a shot. I’d still like to see Papali’i get a season at blindside but it doesn’t look likely to happen.
In terms of the front row, Mason Tupaea looks like a solid bench option to me. Great carrier, hardworking in the loose. His scrummaging probably needs some more work but he mostly held on during the NPC. Tighthead is a lot more difficult though, there are not a lot of standout candidates right now.
Perhaps one, more left field option: I saw that Marco Fepulea’i (former Auckland tighthead) is playing as a medical joker for Aviron Bayonnais right now. He’s been playing in France for the past few seasons (Colomiers, ProD2) as well as Samoa. At 30 years old, he should be in his prime years as a tighthead (the little I’ve seen of him for Bayonne, he looked like a very solid player). But it might be difficult to pry him away from the Top 14.
