Chiefs vs Highlanders

[Yeetyaah]

The Chiefs are usually meh in preseason. In 2017 they won the illustrious Brisbane Tens, then lost to the Bulls a week later. Made the semis that year and got put down by an extremely good Crusaders team. Fairly confident for this game as a Chiefs fan tbh.

[Duluth]

Is Banks injured? I'm not surprised they started Josh Ioane but I thought they would have the experienced guy on the bench

[Bones]

@mariner4life said in Chiefs vs Highlanders:

okay, having seen the 'landers team, i take my pessimism back. Who the fuck are those guys?

Most of the same guys that managed to lose twice to the Chiefs last year - just some are ABs now. Game is the Chiefs' to lose.

Yeah wondering what's up with no Banks and don't like Lentjes ahead of Hunt, but it's only the Chiefs.

[Machpants]

@mariner4life said in Chiefs vs Highlanders:

@Crucial said in Chiefs vs Highlanders:

I'm simply waiting for the teams before making comment. No use debating on reputation alone.
I have no idea whether the Chiefs have been keeping their powder dry pre-season or whether that is the best they have given that the ABs may not be up to speed.

in my humble experience, preseason means precisely 3/8ths of fuck all.

As a Canes fan, I hope you're right this year!

[Frank]

Great to see Jackson Hemopo at 6 for the Landers.
He looked bloody good in the extremely limited time he got there for the ABs.

[Yeetyaah]

Oh boy here we go.

The Gallagher Chiefs team:

1. Atu Moli (29)
2. Nathan Harris (44)
3. Angus Ta’avao (17)
4. Brodie Retallick (98) (C)
5. Michael Allardice (34)
6. Mitchell Brown (21)
7. Lachlan Boshier (30)
8. Tyler Ardron (10)
9. Brad Weber (57)
10. Orbyn Leger*
11. Etene Nanai-Seturo**
12. Anton Lienert-Brown (55)
13. Tumua Manu*
14. Bailyn Sullivan (1)
15. Shaun Stevenson (33)

Reserves:
16. Samisoni Taukei'aho (9)
17. Aidan Ross (13)
18. Nepo Laulala (17)
19. Taleni Seu (34)
20. Jesse Parete (9)
21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (17)
22. Stephen Donald (104)
23. Ataata Moeakiola**

[Yeetyaah]

Orbyn Leger at 10, I'm confused.

[gt12]

@Yeetyaah

Wtf!? Why did we recruit debrefhjycn?

[Tim]

That Chiefs tight five should kill the Highlanders, but Leger at 10? Wow.

[gt12]

@Tim

Is he actually from Taranaki?

That’s a common factor with Cooper selections.

[Tim]

@gt12 Counties

[gt12]

@Tim

At least Beaver is there. I suspect he’ll be needed.

[Yeahtheboys]

Hames? Jacobson? Seu bench? McKenzie? Alaimalo? Wainui? Cooper taking the piss?

[taniwharugby]

@Yeahtheboys Alaimalo is injured (wrist IIRC) so assume rest are too.

[gt12]

@Yeahtheboys

No Alaimalo is a big surprise for me (injury?) plus I’m surprised to see Seu off the bench.

I suspect Hames is on the AB plan, as is McKenzie. I’d rather we tried get these home derby games though, by picking a slightly stronger team...

[Tim]

Gutted that the Blues can't play one of those teams this weekend.

[Yeahtheboys]

Our starting 10 for the first games wasn’t even good enough to be picked in the original squad. Parete not in original squad but playing?

[Stargazer]

Hames: has only just returned from injury, and is probably not ready yet.
Wainui: -as far as I know, he is still recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Mitre 10 Cup.
Aalaimalo: as @taniwharugby says, he is also injured.

Leger played at 10 in the PS game against the Reds.

I guess Dmac is taking one of his mandatory ABs rest days.

[Stargazer]

From the team announcement:

This week’s curtain raiser will feature the region’s up and coming with the Splice Construction Chiefs Development taking on the Chiefs Under 20’s at 5.00pm.

[mariner4life]

Like the tight 5, don't mind the loosies (but yea prefer Seu). Our best 9 & 10 on the bench though?