Highlanders 2026
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@reprobate hes been playing mostly centre for us the last season or two
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate hes been playing mostly centre for us the last season or two
You're a front rower aren't you?
Confidently stating a back mostly played in the midfield when he very rarely played in the midfield and played a lot on the wing (better than Springer too).
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@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate hes been playing mostly centre for us the last season or two
You're a front rower aren't you?
Confidently stating a back mostly played in the midfield when he very rarely played in the midfield and played a lot on the wing (better than Springer too).
@Bones not dying on the hill, i was sure we'd shuffled him infield over the last season or two after it was clear he didn't have the space, i'd missed we still had him and thought his contract was up so what do i know
edit: gone back to look and completely wrong....not sure what i was thinking and starting to doubt i watched any of last season, he started a lot more games last year than i remembered too
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@Bones not dying on the hill, i was sure we'd shuffled him infield over the last season or two after it was clear he didn't have the space, i'd missed we still had him and thought his contract was up so what do i know
edit: gone back to look and completely wrong....not sure what i was thinking and starting to doubt i watched any of last season, he started a lot more games last year than i remembered too
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bones not dying on the hill, i was sure we'd shuffled him infield over the last season or two after it was clear he didn't have the space, i'd missed we still had him and thought his contract was up so what do i know
edit: gone back to look and completely wrong....not sure what i was thinking and starting to doubt i watched any of last season, he started a lot more games last year than i remembered too
You're a FR, we all look the same to you
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Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
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Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
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@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
Oh wow ok that’s a ballsy decision. I like it.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
Oh wow ok that’s a ballsy decision. I like it.
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
Oh wow ok that’s a ballsy decision. I like it.
Might be looking to have our own Henry Pollock at the boot of the scrum.
Also DSPN has Holland out for either all of Super or nearly all of it.
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@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
Oh wow ok that’s a ballsy decision. I like it.
Might be looking to have our own Henry Pollock at the boot of the scrum.
Also DSPN has Holland out for either all of Super or nearly all of it.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
@jimmyb said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Looking at some of the clips and pics on social media. It looks like Lucas Casey could be in the starting loose trio.
Or hopefully they’ve gone for a 6-2 bench and he’s wearing the 21 jersey, which would be great
The kick off drill had him running beside Millar and Howden on the otherside.
Oh wow ok that’s a ballsy decision. I like it.
Might be looking to have our own Henry Pollock at the boot of the scrum.
Also DSPN has Holland out for either all of Super or nearly all of it.
This post deserves a down vote. Massive loss for the Highlanders, especially after losing Pledger already.
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Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
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Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
JJ also seemed to suggest Pledger would be out for the NPC season as well
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Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
@SouthernMann given these outside of Hammington any new additions to the WTG?
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Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
while true Ma'u was selected more often than not for us last year I just feel he's overated, the Pari Parkinson of props. comes down from a Auckland school and gets postive press because he's a big unit but for my money Rohan Wingham will end up being better than Ma'u
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Far from perfect, but man it is good to get off the mark with the win. I won’t get carried away yet, but I think you have to take some belief that that performance can translate into more wins down the line because of how good we were defensively.
I would look for consistency against the Chiefs next week, though if Lavanini gets through the Bravehearts game okay; then he comes onto the bench for me.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
while true Ma'u was selected more often than not for us last year I just feel he's overated, the Pari Parkinson of props. comes down from a Auckland school and gets postive press because he's a big unit but for my money Rohan Wingham will end up being better than Ma'u
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Far from perfect, but man it is good to get off the mark with the win. I won’t get carried away yet, but I think you have to take some belief that that performance can translate into more wins down the line because of how good we were defensively.
I would look for consistency against the Chiefs next week, though if Lavanini gets through the Bravehearts game okay; then he comes onto the bench for me.
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@frugby yeah I have a feeling Lavanini might get himself some unscheduled time on the sideline.
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@Bones Argentinian forwards are very proactive in managing their workloads, him more than most.
@reprobate said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bones Argentinian forwards are very proactive in managing their workloads, him more than most.
Must be tough putting your feet up for a 12 (?) round competition, getting paid an ok amount, and then fucking back off to Europe to get ready for a World Cup.
Great signing on the face of it, might be a complete fuck uop
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A win against the reigning champs check, no significant injuries I’m aware of check, showed some real grit grinding it out check, crystallise some real team spirit check
That’s much more than k could have hoped for, I’ll take it happily
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
while true Ma'u was selected more often than not for us last year I just feel he's overated, the Pari Parkinson of props. comes down from a Auckland school and gets postive press because he's a big unit but for my money Rohan Wingham will end up being better than Ma'u
@Grooter said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Going into the season without
Ma'u - first choice tighthead
Holland - first choice lock
Renton - captain
Pledger- one of the best young players in the game
Hurley - likely bench impact playerJust over 20% of our top 23 out injured. We don't have rhe depth to lose players of that level.
while true Ma'u was selected more often than not for us last year I just feel he's overated, the Pari Parkinson of props. comes down from a Auckland school and gets postive press because he's a big unit but for my money Rohan Wingham will end up being better than Ma'u
I wouldn’t say Ma’u is overrated at all. He’s rated about right. Squad player in an ABs XV side is exactly where he is. Far from the Pari Pari Parkinson of props, that guy barely played. Ma’u has been around for awhile now and still only 25 years old, a few years until he’s around the peak age for props. That was winghams first super start, no need to be comparing the 2 yet.
