All Blacks 2024.. locked
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Props are pretty sorted. Seem to have 4 we can rely on.
Hooker. Is Taylor still around? Even if he is, i think it's time we moved on from him being the #1
Lock we probably need to find 3
Blindside is right open
Openside seems sorted
#8 we will need to find at least one more. That seems to be difficult as Ardie justifiably plays every minute of every test and never seems to slow down let alone break
Halfback. Seems we have two picked. Need another.
10 is wide open
Midfield we have the starting 2. ALB has never let anyone down but not sure he's an impact option. Probably room for a couple more.
Wings are good
Fullback is wide open, though BB coming back i guess means he gets first chop at it.Of course all of the above is not taking in to account Surfboard Jesus having wildly different opinions about how he wants to play and with who.
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Props are pretty sorted. Seem to have 4 we can rely on.
Hooker. Is Taylor still around? Even if he is, i think it's time we moved on from him being the #1
Lock we probably need to find 3
Blindside is right open
Openside seems sorted
#8 we will need to find at least one more. That seems to be difficult as Ardie justifiably plays every minute of every test and never seems to slow down let alone break
Halfback. Seems we have two picked. Need another.
10 is wide open
Midfield we have the starting 2. ALB has never let anyone down but not sure he's an impact option. Probably room for a couple more.
Wings are good
Fullback is wide open, though BB coming back i guess means he gets first chop at it.Of course all of the above is not taking in to account Surfboard Jesus having wildly different opinions about how he wants to play and with who.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
Props are pretty sorted. Seem to have 4 we can rely on.
Hooker. Is Taylor still around? Even if he is, i think it's time we moved on from him being the #1
Lock we probably need to find 3
Blindside is right open
Openside seems sorted
#8 we will need to find at least one more. That seems to be difficult as Ardie justifiably plays every minute of every test and never seems to slow down let alone break
Halfback. Seems we have two picked. Need another.
10 is wide open
Midfield we have the starting 2. ALB has never let anyone down but not sure he's an impact option. Probably room for a couple more.
Wings are good
Fullback is wide open, though BB coming back i guess means he gets first chop at it.Of course all of the above is not taking in to account Surfboard Jesus having wildly different opinions about how he wants to play and with who.
My two cents on where I think the squad is at:
Props: agreed, Lomax, Newell, Williams and De Groot are locked down. Others like Mafileo, Tu'ungafasi, Moody (maybe too old) will be there or there abouts.
Hookers: Taylor and Samisoni are pretty much certainties. I hope Aumua can claim that no 3 position now that Coles has moved on from the Canes. George Bell and Tyrone Thompson are other notable options.
Locks: a weak area here after the departure of arguably two of our greatest. Jase Ryan will be busy watching a million lineouts and ruck cleans.
Loose: plenty of options for our back three. It's more of a case of who will stand up and stand-out.
Halfback: Roigard, Christie and Fakatava potentially.
First five: Dmac and then Perofeta (I'm still very suss about this guy, he seems too placid) and Cameron who needs to lift his game.
Centres: Barrett / Ioane the obvious duo. Havili and ALB in the squad. B Proctor to come in as the next centre option, McLeod also looks favoured.
Outside backs: Will Jordan to finally get a good run at 15, Telea has one wing locked down, the other one is wide open. Narawa, Stevenson and the returning Sevu Reece all options. -
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024:
Christie, Beauden, Grindlay,Reiko, Talea, Jordan,Jordie looks ok probably dreaming on Grindlay but Razzor will have few Bolters and McKenzie of the bench with Roigard and ALB
You're asking to get ridiculed with this post.
Christie - NO
Beauden - NO
Grindlay - NO
Jordie at fullback - NO@Canes4life said in All Blacks 2024:
@george33 said in All Blacks 2024:
Christie, Beauden, Grindlay,Reiko, Talea, Jordan,Jordie looks ok probably dreaming on Grindlay but Razzor will have few Bolters and McKenzie of the bench with Roigard and ALB
You're asking to get ridiculed with this post.
Christie - NO
Beauden - NO
Grindlay - NO
Jordie at fullback - NOYeah, but other than that it looks spot on...
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@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
Props are pretty sorted. Seem to have 4 we can rely on.
Hooker. Is Taylor still around? Even if he is, i think it's time we moved on from him being the #1
Lock we probably need to find 3
Blindside is right open
Openside seems sorted
#8 we will need to find at least one more. That seems to be difficult as Ardie justifiably plays every minute of every test and never seems to slow down let alone break
Halfback. Seems we have two picked. Need another.
10 is wide open
Midfield we have the starting 2. ALB has never let anyone down but not sure he's an impact option. Probably room for a couple more.
Wings are good
Fullback is wide open, though BB coming back i guess means he gets first chop at it.Of course all of the above is not taking in to account Surfboard Jesus having wildly different opinions about how he wants to play and with who.
My two cents on where I think the squad is at:
Props: agreed, Lomax, Newell, Williams and De Groot are locked down. Others like Mafileo, Tu'ungafasi, Moody (maybe too old) will be there or there abouts.
Hookers: Taylor and Samisoni are pretty much certainties. I hope Aumua can claim that no 3 position now that Coles has moved on from the Canes. George Bell and Tyrone Thompson are other notable options.
Locks: a weak area here after the departure of arguably two of our greatest. Jase Ryan will be busy watching a million lineouts and ruck cleans.
Loose: plenty of options for our back three. It's more of a case of who will stand up and stand-out.
Halfback: Roigard, Christie and Fakatava potentially.
First five: Dmac and then Perofeta (I'm still very suss about this guy, he seems too placid) and Cameron who needs to lift his game.
Centres: Barrett / Ioane the obvious duo. Havili and ALB in the squad. B Proctor to come in as the next centre option, McLeod also looks favoured.
Outside backs: Will Jordan to finally get a good run at 15, Telea has one wing locked down, the other one is wide open. Narawa, Stevenson and the returning Sevu Reece all options.I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
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@Bones that's because they went with the incumbent duo of PUJ and Proctor. Like Morgan, PUJ kept getting selected despite clearly not playing aswell as Higgins. (Same with Morgan/Clarke and Hauiti-Parapara/Preston)
I've talked to a few people in Petone and they've mentioned on more than one occasion that the Lions and Hurricanes don't want to rush Higgins at such a young age. My opinion on that is if he's good enough, he's old enough.
Two performances that stick out for me is when he ripped Auckland apart last year in the semi, and when he had that classy game against Canterbury earlier this year, running through both McLeod and Crotty, while setting up a couple tries.
His decision-making shits all over PUJ, and I was once a Umaga-Jensen fanboy.
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@Canes4life Didn't watch those games obviously and haven't seen in him what you see. But also was confused at the comment about his lack of pace, he's been used on the wing so can't be that slow.
@Bones said in All Blacks 2024:
@Canes4life Didn't watch those games obviously and haven't seen in him what you see. But also was confused at the comment about his lack of pace, he's been used on the wing so can't be that slow.
McLeod has been used on the wing too and he is not exactly quick. Shit, even Goodhue played wing occasionally didn't he?
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That's an enormous amount of resource finding for a new coaching group to have to do in Year 1.
@mariner4life said in All Blacks 2024:
That's an enormous amount of resource finding for a new coaching group to have to do in Year 1.
If it all goes belly up, I will be the first to say that Razor didn’t have the cattle
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@Bones said in All Blacks 2024:
@Canes4life Didn't watch those games obviously and haven't seen in him what you see. But also was confused at the comment about his lack of pace, he's been used on the wing so can't be that slow.
McLeod has been used on the wing too and he is not exactly quick. Shit, even Goodhue played wing occasionally didn't he?
@Crazy-Horse Ohhh, so you were meaning he's not suited to wing? I thought he was a midfielder only and had to double take when I flicked on the game and he was on the wing.
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I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:
I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
I reckon halfback is very open. I’d put Ratima in the mix even if he hasn’t been an AB to date. To me he has the closest game style to Aaron Smith.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:
I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
I reckon halfback is very open. I’d put Ratima in the mix even if he hasn’t been an AB to date. To me he has the closest game style to Aaron Smith.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks 2024:
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:
I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
I reckon halfback is very open. I’d put Ratima in the mix even if he hasn’t been an AB to date. To me he has the closest game style to Aaron Smith.
I'd have Roe down for that! Ratima reminds me of Marshall, except he has a good pass.
Edit: fuck what am I saying - he's Duggan clone.
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@Bones hurricanes
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I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2024:
I think halfback is pretty much up in the air. Going to be interested to see how Robertson plays this - start Roigard or use Christie to start? Fakatava ahead of Christie?
Not convinced by Christie starting. Maybe Roigard needs some more bedding-in but I'd like to see him start and given the opportunity to build experience and develop.
I reckon Hotham will be close to a bolter at 9 somehow. There something to like about that boy and a good super season just may see him jump a few options mentioned. I will be surprised if Christie isn't there or thereabouts somehow.
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Not sure why people are having a hard time reading George's posts, I'm pretty old and I'm doing fine.
As for him sharing rumours that he's heard, that's the bloody point of the forum. Just because you don't agree with potential selections doesn't make it any less true (or not - things change).
The BB one makes perfect sense. He probably tried with RM first, but he's not interested, then goes and gets BB. If he plays better than Dmac then he'll start, if not he's an experienced backup while they bring up the third pick. Be that Perofeta or someone else.
He'll be under huge pressure, he'll want some backup selections, particularly at ten. What happens if Dmac gets injured?
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Not sure why people are having a hard time reading George's posts, I'm pretty old and I'm doing fine.
As for him sharing rumours that he's heard, that's the bloody point of the forum. Just because you don't agree with potential selections doesn't make it any less true (or not - things change).
The BB one makes perfect sense. He probably tried with RM first, but he's not interested, then goes and gets BB. If he plays better than Dmac then he'll start, if not he's an experienced backup while they bring up the third pick. Be that Perofeta or someone else.
He'll be under huge pressure, he'll want some backup selections, particularly at ten. What happens if Dmac gets injured?
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Not sure why people are having a hard time reading George's posts, I'm pretty old and I'm doing fine.
As for him sharing rumours that he's heard, that's the bloody point of the forum. Just because you don't agree with potential selections doesn't make it any less true (or not - things change).
The BB one makes perfect sense. He probably tried with RM first, but he's not interested, then goes and gets BB. If he plays better than Dmac then he'll start, if not he's an experienced backup while they bring up the third pick. Be that Perofeta or someone else.
He'll be under huge pressure, he'll want some backup selections, particularly at ten. What happens if Dmac gets injured?
@Kirwan said in All Blacks 2024:
Not sure why people are having a hard time reading George's posts, I'm pretty old and I'm doing fine.
To be fair... it is kinda like a puzzle. If I could be bothered clicking back to see which posts each little nugget is in response to, I could probably piece it together.
But the lack of basic punctuation makes it difficult to care. When it's a puzzle just figuring out what a string of words is intended to convey, on a topic I probably don't care too much about (or believe the source) in the first place... I just can't be arsed going that extra step to figure out the context to the nonsense.
At work - dealing with people whose first-language is not English - I do go through the process of figuring out "what on earth could they have been intending to say here?" - and start off frustrated, but then view it like a cryptic crossword... because I have to. But when it's figuring out a made-up rumour about sports-people's made-up allegiances... I just scroll down/ignore. -
@mariner4life no. But washing machine
