Chiefs 2018

Hooroo

@bovidae and even sexier front row!

Tim

@bovidae Cheers. Strong first XV. Probably questions over squad depth though?

Hooroo

@tim said in Chiefs 2018:

@bovidae Cheers. Strong first XV. Probably questions over squad depth though?

Agreed. Is Moli the hopeless Auckland lock?

Hooroo

Nope! prop I see. I really can answer most of my own questions

Tim

@hooroo No, he is the solid tighthead prop from Waikato who trained with the ABs this year.

Bovidae

My guess for the squad wasn't too far off the mark.

I think Cooper may have MMac on the bench to cover 10/15 and TNW could start on the right wing ahead of Pulu. Just don't use him in the midfield.

Barnes wanted Ardron so he could be the no.8 with Messam moving to 6. I rate Brown so I would like him to be in the 23.

The battle at halfback will be interesting as the season unfolds.

Bovidae

Just thinking about who was available for selection but missed out from the 2017 squad.

Only Tucker, Donald, Tiatia and Fisiiahi.

gt12

Well, at least Fisiiahi foodbill is gone. Pretty average squad beyond a strong first 15. A few injuries and we'll really struggle.

Fucking Marty Mckenzie is back. Bloody hell. Fucking TNW is back too. If I see him in midfield, I'm going to drive to Colin Coopers house and throw my beer through his TV.

As much as I love him, I can't see how Messam deserves a starting spot. I would have given him the tap and asked him to leave. At least, I hope to see Seu starting and Messam off the bench. We're heavy on opensides, so I wonder if we might see Cane not at 7, in order to get the three best loosies on the field.

KiwiPie

Could be a long year for the Chiefs. Only 10 with experience is Marty Mac and he shouldn't be in any squad. Ardron is a mystery, Canadian skipper but a nonentity for the Bay this season, Parete was picked ahead of him and consistently played better than him.

Bovidae

@gt12 said in Chiefs 2018:

We're heavy on opensides, so I wonder if we might see Cane not at 7, in order to get the three best loosies on the field.

Who are they?

I think Seu is better coming off the bench, either at lock or 6. His defence can be hit and miss.

Boshier is a great backup to Cane, and Sam has ended games at no.8.

Who plays at no.8 is an unknown at this stage. Messam, Brown, Ardron and Jacobson can all play there.

gt12

@bovidae said in Chiefs 2018:

@gt12 said in Chiefs 2018:

We're heavy on opensides, so I wonder if we might see Cane not at 7, in order to get the three best loosies on the field.

Who are they?

I think Seu is better coming off the bench, either at lock or 6. His defence can be hit and miss.

Boshier is a great backup to Cane, and Sam has ended games at no.8.

Who plays at no.8 is an unknown at this stage. Messam, Brown, Ardron and Jacobson can all play there.

No idea, but I don't think Messam should be in that list, and if he is then we really are weak there. I think that Seu should be the 6 to develop, unless Brown (who I don't know much about) becomes that guy.

With Cane, Boshier, and Karpik, I think we have plenty of 7s - and I'm personally a big fan of Boshier - so I wouldn't mind seeing Cane at 8 if needed.

GagaBoy

Some lack of depth beyond the first XV... Ardron is an under performer as already stated by KiwiPie. Reminds me of Pierre Spies - looks like Tarzan, play like... Shame Parete didn't get a look in, got so go that young fella.

MMac, TNW, even Messam (yes I know, needed for the mana!) - not even sure how Fin Hoeata got a gig. I assume Cooper has a soft spot for him, but I haven't seen much him for a while. Didn't he have concussion issues?

Weak squad in my opinion, but I thought that a couple of years ago and they won the bloody thing... twice!

Bovidae

@gagaboy

Hoeata was involved with the Chiefs this year but got injured at the Brisbane 10s - ankle ligament damage.

He's young but is definitely a hometown selection. Hoeata wasn't even starting for Taranaki and neither starting locks (both 30+) are playing Super rugby.

ARHS

@gagaboy
Bit disappointed at the overall quality of the new signings, with no real standouts (perhaps Tahuriorangi will prove me wrong). But, hoping Aumua can make an impact out wide as limited power in the outside backs. Glad McNicol is back. Would be much happier if Delany or Donald was in there to add to mentoring. Feel sorry for Manihera and Parete, Tucker and Mewett re the Ardron and Hoeata selections. Hope they justify their selections.

For me Cane, Seu, Boshier and Messam would make a very useful loosie quartet, with some positional flexibility. Quite surprised Boshier was not mentioned in openside considerations for ABs with Lentjes, Gibson and Hunt.

Bovidae

Out of the 38-man squad only 6 weren't involved this year. So the player turnover isn't as great as in previous years. That said, the loss of experience/class with Elliot, TKB, Cruden and Lowe cannot be underestimated.

gt12

@bovidae

That's really the point, isn't it - a lot of class has gone, and we are banking on young players coming through and showing class, because we haven't really signed any. Sadly, I don't see us making the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong.

cgrant

@bovidae said in Chiefs 2018:

@tim said in Chiefs 2018:

Who's in your XXIII, Chiefs fans?

Hames

Harris

Laulala

Retallick

Bird

Brown

Cane

Messam

Weber (to start with)

DMac

Alaimalo

Ngatai

ALB

Pulu

Stevenson

Taukei'aho

Graham

Moli

Seu

Boshier

TTT

Falcon

TNW

McNicol
Alaimalo

cgrant

@cgrant
11.McNicol
14.Alaimalo

Crucial

I just realised the big hole this squad could fall into.
They are banking bigtime on DMac continuing his rather incredible durability and gametime.
An injury to him weakens the 10 position a lot and that's even with him not being proven himself.
I do wonder if Beaver wasn't contracted because Cooper was always going to bring through one new guy (Falcon) and offer a spot to MMac.
I would feel far more comfortable with Beaver still in the background.

Bovidae

On Donald:

Cooper revealed the veteran playmaker is heading for another season in Japan, but that he could come into consideration on his return. "He's a good man, I've coached him with the Junior All Blacks, I've got a good relationship with Stephen," Cooper said. "We're going to talk when he returns and we'll see how we are with injuries and he could be a good injury cover for us."

--
I think Beaver would have been a useful option in the squad to cover 10/12 but he might have decided he could earn better money in Japan. If the Chiefs wanted another experienced 1st 5 then Cooper should have went after Delany. I would assume MMac was amongst the last handful of players offered contracts, and he is more of a fullback now.

The Silver Fern

Chiefs 2018