Wellington Lions 2023

[Canes4life]

Riley Higgins out for 10 weeks with a broken wrist. An injury he sustained in last week’s McBain Shield.

This would put him out until at least midway through the upcoming NPC and Ranfurly Shield season.

Thankfully the Lions are well equipped in the midfield with Umaga-Jensen, Proctor and the upcoming Jack O'Brien.

[Winger]

@Canes4life bugger. One player I rate and was wanting to see more of. Hopefully he's back before the NPC finishes

[Bones]

@Winger said in Wellington Lions 2023:

I quickly looked up his name and the position given was FB. My mistake

Comeback of the year if Loki turns out for the lions.

[Canes4life]

@Bones now that’s one light weight player that had game.

[Bones]

@Canes4life jeez high standards. I don't recall him being lightweight, seemed a similar size to Mils.

[Canes4life]

@Bones depends what you classify as light weight these days. A quick search has Loki Chrichton at 88kg. Mils was about 5kg heavier.

[Canes4life]

Wider squad named for the first Shield defence. Plenty of club players in there.

Looks like Logan Henry has returned to Wellington.

https://www.wellingtonlions.co.nz/news/news-single/wellington-lions-name-wider-training-squad

[foobaNZ]

@Canes4life what's your 23 with everyone available? (e.g. when Love and co are back).

[Canes4life]

@foobaNZ with everyone available minus A Savea & Coles (ABs) and Higgins & J Savea (injured), I would reward mostly last year's players and go with the following 23:

1. X Numia
2. A Aumua
3. PJ Sheck
4. J Blackwell
5. D Bird
6. C Delany
7. D Kirifi (c)
8. P Lakai
9. T Perenara
10. A Morgan
11. P Patafilo
12. P Umaga-Jensen (Riley is out until mid NPC)
13. B Proctor
14. C Garden-Bachop (Savea is out until mid NPC)
15. R Love
16. O'Reilly / Gaulalofa (there are talks of O'Reilly making a return)
17. B Chrichton (I can't think of anyone else)
18. S Lauaki
19. H Plummer
20. T Plumtree / B Shields
21. L Henry
22. Sam Clarke or TJ Clarke (or someone else coming through the club scene)
23. L Filipo

[foobaNZ]

Touch wood, but if that 15 stays together we should be able to go back to back. Possibly some question marks on the bench.

Morgan was disappointing during Super, but I think will go okay at NPC level. He's a pretty damaging runner against NPC level players, and his lack of a big boot won't matter so much. I'd like to see him improve his decision making this season.

Higgins is a loss for sure, him or PUJ on the bench would add a lot of strength.

Even with Jules fit I don't think he'd start for me over anyone in your back line.

[Winger]

@Canes4life

Blackwell, Shields and Delany missing in the forwards

Bird and Sheck the only 2 starting forwards from last year's final

The only starting back is Pepesana Patafilo. PUJ is also there along with Morgan

It will give the next level players game time. Including Hugo Plummer who hopefully impresses

[Winger]

@foobaNZ said in Wellington Lions 2023:

@Canes4life what's your 23 with everyone available? (e.g. when Love and co are back).

It will be a strong starting forward pack. Hopefully injuries are few

Numia Aumua Sheck >> ?? ?? Lauaki >> O’Reilly might be a big loss
Blackwell Bird >>Hugo Plummer. Alos Delany.
Delany Lakai Kirifi >> Shields

Hopefully the team can find a strong backup LH prop and hooker

Backline could be very good. Hopefully TJ returns soon and Morgan can find better form at 1st than last year and SRP

TJ >> Richard Judd or Hauiti-Parapara
Morgan >> ??
PUJ >> Higgins when recovered
Proctor
Savea / Patafilo / Connor Garden-Bachop
Love

[Canes4life]

@Winger Gaulalofa is ready for the step up, he's been fantastic for Tawa this year. He's been a part of that awesome Tawa front row alongside Sheck and Lauaki for a couple seasons. Getting O'Reilly back will be a bonus though.

Overall we are covered in most areas which is great to see. Hopefully we can have another fairly injury free year and go back to back. I'm not saying it's a given by any stretch because of our history but we have the squad to compete for another title.

[Winger]

@Canes4life said in Wellington Lions 2023:

@Winger Gaulalofa is ready for the step up, he's been fantastic for Tawa this year. He's been a part of that awesome Tawa front row alongside Sheck and Lauaki for a couple seasons. Getting O'Reilly back will be a bonus though.

Overall we are covered in most areas which is great to see. Hopefully we can have another fairly injury free year and go back to back. I'm not saying it's a given by any stretch because of our history but we have the squad to compete for another title.

Who was the LH and TH

And agree. Without injuries we will be in with a good shot to win it. Esp if Ellison is a super coach as he's being promoted as.

[Canes4life]

@Winger Sheck was loose head and Lauaki was tight head.

Sheck can play both sides though. Hopefully the Canes sign him up for next year.

[Bones]

Shitballs, hobm with a whole two players. They'll be dropped immediately but what a time to be alive.

[Canes4life]

I've named the squad by position as it's not very clear:

2023 Wellington Lions Wider Training Squad:

Forwards

Hookers:
Joyner Gaualofa (Tawa)
Louis Calvert (Old Boys University)
James Douglas (Johnsonville)
Penieli Poasa (Oriental-Rongotai)

Props:
Ha’amea Ahio (Johnsonville)
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe (Northern United)
Solomona Sakalia (Northern United)
Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt Rams)
PJ Sheck (Tawa)
Nonu Tuia (Hutt Old Boys Marist)

Locks
Dominic Bird (Upper Hutt Rams)
Anthony Pettett (Johnsonville)
Hugo Plummer (Tawa)

Loose forwards:
Toby Crosby (Upper Hutt Rams)
Akira Ieremia (Tawa)
George Risale (Tawa)
Dominic Ropeti (Oriental-Rongotai)
Keelan Whitman (Marist St Pats)

Backs

Halfbacks:
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)
Logan Henry (Petone)
Sam Howling (Pōneke)
Kyle Preston (Old Boys University)

First fives:
Sam Clarke (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Aidan Morgan (Marist St Pats)

Centres:
Losi Filipo (Petone)
Ollie Paotonu (Johnsonville)
Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
Ethan Webster-Nonu (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Joe Faleafaga (Paremata-Plimmerton)

Outside backs:
TJ Clarke (Petone)
Zane Ainslie (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Chicago Doyle (Marist St Pats)
Luke Kapene (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Louis Northcott (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Pepesana Patafilo (Tawa)
Isi Saumaki (Tawa)
Jason Tuitama (Johnsonville)

[foobaNZ]

@Bones mate. Jville has 4. A few home grown too I believe. Unheard of!

[Bones]

@foobaNZ there's still hope yet for Eastbourne.

[Canes4life]

@foobaNZ you missed one, Jville have 5.

Para-Plim have 5 aswell, it's great to see.