Blues 2019
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Hanks, Kirwan & Umaga have been disasters
How does Hanks still have a job? He was appointed early in 2014. Think how many errors have been made in 'talent identification' in that time
Standards are so low at this organisation
@duluth and yet Umaga and Hanks supposedly attending games looking at players this season...
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The problem is the Blues continue to make average signings like giving Leni Apisai a 2 year deal.
The Blues could well keep spots open but time and again they rush to sign mediocre players. Why re-sign Tupou and Collins before the season was even over?
It's been happening for years. Like when they signed Hoani Matenga before the Mitre 10 Cup then had no spot to sign either Taleni Seu or Michael Fatialofa.
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@kiwimurph can players really afford to wait that long though? Pretty sure if a player hasn't got a spot before the end of the NPC they'll be looking overseas.
@bones said in Blues 2019:
@kiwimurph can players really afford to wait that long though? Pretty sure if a player hasn't got a spot before the end of the NPC they'll be looking overseas.
I'm not saying Blues should wait until the end of the NPC - by mid-NPC you get a clear picture of who is and who isn't up to Super standard.
The problem is the Blues are signing up players well before the Mitre 10 Cup begins. They don't give themselves a chance.
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Scott Gregory has been offered a spot with the wider training squad at the Blues,be interesting to see if Rayasi hangs around if he misses a contract with the Blues.
Hope he hangs around,simply because as we saw last year injuries do happen,in my opinion Caleb Clark was signed far too early last year as well,should have been offered a wider training spot,I see the same issue with Hoskins Sotutu,has’nt exactly rocked the world at Mitre 10 Cup level in my opinion..it would a real bugger to see Evan Olmstead miss because once again they signed a guy far too early. -
Scott Gregory has been offered a spot with the wider training squad at the Blues,be interesting to see if Rayasi hangs around if he misses a contract with the Blues.
Hope he hangs around,simply because as we saw last year injuries do happen,in my opinion Caleb Clark was signed far too early last year as well,should have been offered a wider training spot,I see the same issue with Hoskins Sotutu,has’nt exactly rocked the world at Mitre 10 Cup level in my opinion..it would a real bugger to see Evan Olmstead miss because once again they signed a guy far too early.@steven-harris Sotutu is a better signing than Jimmy Tupou. That's who Olmstead should be there instead of.
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In 2002 Graham Henry came back to Auckland and they won the NPC. I looked forward to 2003's Super Rugby season thinking that we'd murder it.
This year I look to 2019 Super Rugby thinking "well, we might qualify 7th or 8th."
@tim I guess it will depend on who really does the coaching, decides on the game plan and selections. If Tana is still taking all decisions and doesn't listen to his assistants, I fear for the Blues, but if there is significant input from the assistant coaches, they should improve a lot.
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@tim I guess it will depend on who really does the coaching, decides on the game plan and selections. If Tana is still taking all decisions and doesn't listen to his assistants, I fear for the Blues, but if there is significant input from the assistant coaches, they should improve a lot.
@stargazer said in Blues 2019:
@tim I guess it will depend on who really does the coaching, decides on the game plan and selections. If Tana is still taking all decisions and doesn't listen to his assistants, I fear for the Blues, but if there is significant input from the assistant coaches, they should improve a lot.
Tana is still picking shit players. Doesn’t matter how good your assistants are if you serve dross like Collins for them to work with.
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@stargazer said in Blues 2019:
@tim I guess it will depend on who really does the coaching, decides on the game plan and selections. If Tana is still taking all decisions and doesn't listen to his assistants, I fear for the Blues, but if there is significant input from the assistant coaches, they should improve a lot.
Tana is still picking shit players. Doesn’t matter how good your assistants are if you serve dross like Collins for them to work with.
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@kirwan Might've been a sly dig from Henry on the Short Ball podcast, when he stated that Nanai was a pretty good "communicator".
@tim said in Blues 2019:
@kirwan Might've been a sly dig from Henry on the Short Ball podcast, when he stated that Nanai was a pretty good "communicator".
I missed that, Ted is very dry.
It’s unbelievable that they have signed Nonu when TJ is playing so well. If he got an extended run at 12 we could see his recent form at SR level.
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@tim said in Blues 2019:
@kirwan Might've been a sly dig from Henry on the Short Ball podcast, when he stated that Nanai was a pretty good "communicator".
I missed that, Ted is very dry.
It’s unbelievable that they have signed Nonu when TJ is playing so well. If he got an extended run at 12 we could see his recent form at SR level.
@kirwan Only worry I have about Faiane is that he might be a bit small at higher levels.
Might see him at 12 and Nonu at 13 next year.
I'm not enthusiastic about Nonu. Would've preferred we signed Manu, Little, and Matt Vaega. Two good centres, two good 12s, plus SBW.
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haha, little aint coming back to nz mate. hell be close to a million dollar player if he chooses japan for internationals.
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haha, little aint coming back to nz mate. hell be close to a million dollar player if he chooses japan for internationals.
@muddyriver Fark, they should've signed him when had the chance.
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haha, little aint coming back to nz mate. hell be close to a million dollar player if he chooses japan for internationals.
Or Fiji (much more likely IMO), in which case the NH beckons after Super rugby.
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Aumua would suggest we don't have Manu
Brown.. has Kara Pryor been cut? The coaches didn't seem to have much faith in him.
@duluth Steven Harris said on here recently that Pryor may be heading overseas.
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@chris Jed Brown would be a good backup 7. Much better than Taramai.
Not a fan of Aumua, gutted if we miss Manu. Mind you, we do need two centres ...
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Jed Brown? The guy is almost as injury prone as Blake Gibson. Fuck we might see Murphy Taramai get a lot of minutes for us next season again unfortunately.
