Auckland Rugby 2019

[booboo]

Ah poohs. Looks like the good guys dip out.

[Tim]

[Dice]

Ponsonby will be favorites to win the final, but Marist with the additions of Telea and Rayasi will be tough. It was a close game between these guys the last time they met and Telea wasn't part of that game.

[Tim]

Any thoughts on Freedom Vaha’akolo? He's scored a ton of tries (21) this year for Ponsonby.

[Tim]

http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/newsarticle/79350?newsfeedId=newslist

[Dice]

@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2019:

Any thoughts on Freedom Vaha’akolo? He's scored a ton of tries (21) this year for Ponsonby.

Solid player. With Trainor still out, he could be someone in the mix for Auckland as he covers fullback and wing.

No clips of him online except for a solo try he scored when he was at Grammar. Try is around the 57 second mark.

[Tim]

@Dice Ha ha, the first try was scored by Loketi Manu. I was trying to remember his name in the Blues thread.

[Nogusta]

@Dice Taufa Funaki and Taniela Koroi are handy additions as well.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Nogusta I guess that means Koroi is back for a second season with Auckland, adding to the propping depth.

[Dice]

@Daffy-Jaffy I don't think we have any room for him. We have Ta'avao, Hodgman, Renata, Lindenmuth, Adams and Fepuleai(?).

[Tim]

@Dice Think he meant for Marist?

[Dice]

@Tim Was thinking he meant that he was maybe signed back for Auckland this year. He could well be if he did mean that, but if everyone is available, 7 props seems a bit excessive.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Dice I was meaning for Auckland. I don't think we will see much of Ta'avao and I doubt Prattley is returning. I heard somewhere that Fepuleai is returning from playing in the US comp but he is yet to appear in club rugby, so i'm not sure about him (maybe injured). They picked 6 props last season.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Auckland Facebook followers voted on an all time top xv. Beegee on the left wing for mine. Plus Andy Haden for Robin Brooke and Steve McDowell for Dowd. Also Lin Colling for Tonu'u.

[Bovidae]

Certainly biased towards modern players. No Fitzy either.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Bovidae They were given about five players to choose from for each position. Very few pre 80's on the lists. Wilson Whineray, Waka Nathan, Mac Herewini etc not making the votes (anyone who saw those players probably doesn't know what facebook is!). Hard for people to vote on People that they never saw play I suppose.

[Duluth]

@Daffy-Jaffy

For a popular vote team that's not bad. Normally voting throws up some weird choices

What was the criteria? Performances for Auckland or overall career?

Rok shouldn't make the team if it was just on Auckland performances. He was an AB before he played NPC and he didn't play that often

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Duluth It just said "all time XV" No criteria specified. I went back and rechecked the lists offered. There were more old time players offered than I thought. Even Dave Gallagher. They just didn't get the votes

[Dice]

One thing I'd like to see this season is Papali'i at 8 and Akira at 6 and seeing what that looks like for a game or two. Highly unlikely it'll happen though.

[booboo]

Thought I read somewhere (Twitter? Red Beard even) it was NPC team. Which would have made in 1976 onwards.

But if Dave Gallaher was a choice perhaps not ...

Also BG Williams was a right winger.

So 2nd XV ...

McDowell
Fitzy
Drake (Fats misses out)
Haden
M Brooke?
Carter ( ) or maybe Brooke-Cowden
A Whetton
Ioane
Dunn
Fox
Wright
McCahill?
Clarke?
Williams
Cashmore