Blues 2021
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@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
We need a 'glue' player in midfield to back up TJ Faiane
A great bench option. He could be very useful for the Blues/Auckland in the midfield. I always rated his ability to get his arms free and offload in contact.
He was great for Auckland in 2015. Mostly on the wing but popped up everywhere (that Auckland backline was really effective that year Moala, Piutau, Lam/Visinia, Heem, Nanai... they did well despite the quality at 9 & 10)
@Duluth said in Blues 2021:
@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
We need a 'glue' player in midfield to back up TJ Faiane
A great bench option. He could be very useful for the Blues/Auckland in the midfield. I always rated his ability to get his arms free and offload in contact.
He was great for Auckland in 2015. Mostly on the wing but popped up everywhere (that Auckland backline was really effective that year Moala, Piutau, Lam/Visinia, Heem, Nanai... they did well despite the quality at 9 & 10)
Except when he tried to catch a kick at goal that went wide - dropped it - resulting in Hawke's Bay points in a close Shield loss.
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@Duluth said in Blues 2021:
@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
We need a 'glue' player in midfield to back up TJ Faiane
A great bench option. He could be very useful for the Blues/Auckland in the midfield. I always rated his ability to get his arms free and offload in contact.
He was great for Auckland in 2015. Mostly on the wing but popped up everywhere (that Auckland backline was really effective that year Moala, Piutau, Lam/Visinia, Heem, Nanai... they did well despite the quality at 9 & 10)
Except when he tried to catch a kick at goal that went wide - dropped it - resulting in Hawke's Bay points in a close Shield loss.
True, I forgot about that. My main memory of him from that year his attack in the semi final v Ta$man
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@Duluth said in Blues 2021:
@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
We need a 'glue' player in midfield to back up TJ Faiane
A great bench option. He could be very useful for the Blues/Auckland in the midfield. I always rated his ability to get his arms free and offload in contact.
He was great for Auckland in 2015. Mostly on the wing but popped up everywhere (that Auckland backline was really effective that year Moala, Piutau, Lam/Visinia, Heem, Nanai... they did well despite the quality at 9 & 10)
Except when he tried to catch a kick at goal that went wide - dropped it - resulting in Hawke's Bay points in a close Shield loss.
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2021:
@Duluth said in Blues 2021:
@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
We need a 'glue' player in midfield to back up TJ Faiane
A great bench option. He could be very useful for the Blues/Auckland in the midfield. I always rated his ability to get his arms free and offload in contact.
He was great for Auckland in 2015. Mostly on the wing but popped up everywhere (that Auckland backline was really effective that year Moala, Piutau, Lam/Visinia, Heem, Nanai... they did well despite the quality at 9 & 10)
Except when he tried to catch a kick at goal that went wide - dropped it - resulting in Hawke's Bay points in a close Shield loss.
:face_with_tears_of_joy:
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Injured Players
Parsons (concussion, retired)
Macilai (forearm fractured, season)
Vikena (shoulder, four to five months)
Niuia (knee, short term)
Narawa (finger, two or more weeks)
Faiane (foot, ankle, or knee, several weeks?)
Hunt (not seen in preseason)
Gibson (not selected for chiefs/hurricanes preseason game)
Robinson (late withdrawal from chiefs/hurricanes preseason game)Any missed?
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https://blues.rugby/teams-named-for-final-preseason-hitout/
Players not considered with injury: Soane Vikena, Rau Niuia, TJ Faiane, Dillon Hunt, Emoni Narawa, Jone Macalai, Josiah Maraku.
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12 still worries me with Faiane out. Everytime Olummer has played there he's looked lost whether its Mitre 10 Cup or SR. I've always had a problem with Tele'a and his distribution to play in the midfield but I feel he could be a better bet there than Plummer especially for round 1 where I think his physicality against Laumape would be beneficial.
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12 still worries me with Faiane out. Everytime Olummer has played there he's looked lost whether its Mitre 10 Cup or SR. I've always had a problem with Tele'a and his distribution to play in the midfield but I feel he could be a better bet there than Plummer especially for round 1 where I think his physicality against Laumape would be beneficial.
@african-monkey said in Blues 2021:
12 still worries me with Faiane out. Everytime Olummer has played there he's looked lost whether its Mitre 10 Cup or SR. I've always had a problem with Tele'a and his distribution to play in the midfield but I feel he could be a better bet there than Plummer especially for round 1 where I think his physicality against Laumape would be beneficial.
Fair call on both of them. They are still developing as 12's.. hopefully there are big improvements soon.
Assuming Ioane is the centre I want him paired with the better defender. So that's clearly Tele'a
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I thought Plummer looked comfortable at 12 today. The TSFers that watched the previous pre-season game said he played well in that one too
So I'll disagree with myself from a few hours ago - Plummer to start
@duluth said in Blues 2021:
I thought Plummer looked comfortable at 12 today. The TSFers that watched the previous pre-season game said he played well in that one too
So I'll disagree with myself from a few hours ago - Plummer to start
Far out @Duluth will rip you a new one mate, watch out
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I thought Plummer looked comfortable at 12 today. The TSFers that watched the previous pre-season game said he played well in that one too
So I'll disagree with myself from a few hours ago - Plummer to start
@duluth said in Blues 2021:
I thought Plummer looked comfortable at 12 today. The TSFers that watched the previous pre-season game said he played well in that one too
So I'll disagree with myself from a few hours ago - Plummer to start
I'd be stoked if he was able to step up at 12. I really like him, seems to work his arse off, but just hasn't delivered what I think he is capable of to date.
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Who do you guys think MacDonald will select for the first game? I wonder if a few ABs will start from the bench? I'm assuming that Niuia, Vikena, Hunt, Faiane, and Narawa will be unavailable. Probably Gibson too.
Big calls at 12 and lock. I'll guess this XXIII:
1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Laulala
4 Tuipulotu
5 Goodhue
6 Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu
9 Christie
10 Black
11 Clarke
12 Plummer
13 Ioane
14 Telea
15 Perofeta16 Tolai
17 Karl T
18 Ofa T
19 Cowley-Tuioti
20 Choat
21 Nock
22 Tele'a
23 Sullivan/LamNot sure all the ABs will be selected in round one, especially the loose forwards and maybe one of the props. Would like to see Ofa T start, as the Blues are his team. Akira Ioane or Sotutu to be subbed and the other two loose forwards to stay on the field. Hunt could've been handy as a turnover option in the early rounds. I'd prefer to have Nock and Pierce starting. Hope Plummer has improved his defence at 12!
@tim said in Blues 2021:
Who do you guys think MacDonald will select for the first game? I wonder if a few ABs will start from the bench? I'm assuming that Niuia, Vikena, Hunt, Faiane, and Narawa will be unavailable. Probably Gibson too.
Big calls at 12 and lock. I'll guess this XXIII:
1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Laulala
4 Tuipulotu
5 Goodhue
6 Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu
9 Christie
10 Black
11 Clarke
12 Plummer
13 Ioane
14 Telea
15 Perofeta16 Tolai
17 Karl T
18 Ofa T
19 Cowley-Tuioti
20 Choat
21 Nock
22 Tele'a
23 Sullivan/LamNot sure all the ABs will be selected in round one, especially the loose forwards and maybe one of the props. Would like to see Ofa T start, as the Blues are his team. Akira Ioane or Sotutu to be subbed and the other two loose forwards to stay on the field. Hunt could've been handy as a turnover option in the early rounds. I'd prefer to have Nock and Pierce starting. Hope Plummer has improved his defence at 12!
Don't write off Jacob Pierce.
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So for the next game I assume that Christie will start if fit, but I'd like to see Nock get another go - after all, Bryn Hall was out of sorts this round too.
Tom Robinson looked worthy of a start, but Sotutu deserves a chance to prove himself.
We need a "jackler" or two.
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So for the next game I assume that Christie will start if fit, but I'd like to see Nock get another go - after all, Bryn Hall was out of sorts this round too.
Tom Robinson looked worthy of a start, but Sotutu deserves a chance to prove himself.
We need a "jackler" or two.
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So for the next game I assume that Christie will start if fit, but I'd like to see Nock get another go - after all, Bryn Hall was out of sorts this round too.
Tom Robinson looked worthy of a start, but Sotutu deserves a chance to prove himself.
We need a "jackler" or two.
@tim it’s crazy how much improvement we have seen in the players wearing the number 9 jerseys when you consider previously to 2020 it was a bit of a lottery to wether whoever was in the squad was capable at Super Level ..also it’s great to see Otere Black has found genuine consistency in his game ..
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I was quite heartened by that performance. Unlike previous years, we didn't bottle it completely. Bench made a real difference, particularly up front.
The thing to work on (and it should be reasonably easy to fix) is to stop giving away penalties when on attack. It annoys the hell out of me - our ruck work seems to be targetted by the oppositions who get the refs blowing the pea out of the whistle when we're going forward. That said, if we can reduce that by a bit, we're going to be a very hard team to beat.
I think it was Black who threw the long ball to Clarke 4 minutes in - was a thing of beauty, put him into a smidgen of space, which is all he needs. Black/Perofeta looks 'good enough'.
We should be easily in the top two teams in the NZ comp, which I'll take given our history. If we get our heads right, can challenge for the title - but Mo'unga is dynamite at this level and will take some beating. A
Akira looked bloody good too, should be a good campaign from him.
I hope NZR are looking at alternatives to the crossover with Aus, because this virus doesn't look like it will allow international travel reliably in the next few months/years.
Overall, a damn good start. Good luck the team living away from home for the next few weeks... could be a good time to hit somewhere like the Wairarapa
