Wellington Lions 2024

[Bones]

@mikey07 said in Wellington Lions 2024:

@foobaNZ So my vague understanding was the Coach that one so much left to go coach Paramata-Plimerton he also took some of the players with him. Now what I was told those players left because when Norths won the Jubilee Cup those players that had played all season were pushed out by the likes of JGB, Perenara etc in the final and rightfully so pissed off about so left with the coach.

Wouldn't the coach be in charge of selection?

[mikey07]

@Bones he got told by the club President and the committee that he had to play their top players to increase their chances of winning.

[Canes4life]

@mikey07 I was in the same boat as @Bones but now I see, so it's the president's fault. Would be ironic then if Garden-Bachop pushes out Clarke again in the Lions this year.

[Higgins]

@mikey07 My understanding behind the exodus to Paremata-Plimmerton is there was a fair bit of interfering in the background behind the scenes by at least one well connected person (whose name I will not divulge thus respecting the confidentiality of my informant) who apparently makes a habit of it. Norths had another slump a few years prior to this one (think Tawa were the beneficiaries of it) so there could be a fair bit of validity to it. I am unable, at this stage, to determine if this person holds an elected role at Norths.
In all honesty Norths should have it easy with all the natural talent in the world sitting on their doorstep meaning you really only need to walk down the street and knock on a few doors to get a team capable of being very competitive without too many problems. That they aren't raises many questions.

[Canes4life]

@Higgins there have been a few players that weren't aligned to Norths that have also made the shift to Para-Plim. Ethan Webster-Nonu and Alex Fidow from Ories and I think Joe Faleafaga was another one. (unless he was also from Norths originally).

[mikey07]

@Higgins I must admit while the Pressie grade here in Wellington was struggling with numbers and dropping teams they managed to field two teams in the grade. Not so much now down to one struggling one.

[Canes4life]

Can confirm the following players will be Wellington Lions this year. (Jeff Toomaga-Allen also apparently signed up but he's still completing commitments with the Reds).

• Matt Proctor - my source was correct on this signing, let's see if he was right with him signing with the Canes aswell.

• Losi Filipo (Petone) (injured)

• Tjay Clarke (Petone)

• Jackson Garden-Bachop (Norths)

• Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)

• Sam Clarke (Paramata-Plimmerton)

• Kyle Preston (OBU)

• Caleb Delany (OBU)

• Dominic Ropeti (Oriental Rongotai)

• Ruben Love (Wainuiomata)

• Sione Halalilo (Oriental Rongotai)

• Riley Higgins (Petone)

• PJ Sheck (Tawa)

• Siale Lauaki (Tawa)

• Hugo Plummer (Tawa)

• Filo Paulo (HOBM)

• Du Plessis Kirifi (Norths)

• Brad Shields (Petone)

• Pepesani Patafilo (Tawa)

• Akira Ieremia (Tawa)

• Peter Lakai (Petone)

• James O'Reilly (HOBM)

• Julian Savea (Oriental Rongotai)

• Xavier Numia (Oriental Rongotai)

• TJ Perenara (ABs) (Norths)

• Asafo Aumua (ABs) (Avalon)

• Ardie Savea (ABs) (Oriental Rongotai)

• Billy Proctor (ABs) (Marist St Pats)

• Harry Press (already announced) (HOBM)

• Mitchell McLeod (already announced) (OBU)

• Penieli Poasa (already announced) (Oriental Rongotai)

• Stanley Solomon (already announced) (Petone)

• Callum Harkin (already announced) (OBU)

• Senio Sanele (already announced) (Upper Hutt)

Some of them can be spotted in the post below.

[Canes4life]

Great to have Colesy back, but what the hell is a spot coach? Is he a spotter in the gym? Or is he there to spot players that aren't up to it? Classic name for a role.

[Bones]

3 from HOBM? Combine that with something called spot coach and it's clear the lions have lost the plot.

[Canes4life]

@Bones said in Wellington Lions 2024:

3 from HOBM? Combine that with something calta spot coach and it's clear the lions have lost the plot.

That’s not the final list, just players I know of that have signed.

Yeah, wtf is that aye. They should just rename it ‘job for the boys’

[Canes4life]

[Canes4life]

Loosies

[Bones]

@Canes4life weird they've signed Ardie

[foobaNZ]

@Bones all ABs are affiliated with an NPC team, regardless of whether they play for them or not.

E.g. I think all the Barrett boys are in the Taranaki NPC squad.

[Bones]

@foobaNZ said in Wellington Lions 2024:

@Bones all ABs are affiliated with an NPC team, regardless of whether they play for them or not.

E.g. I think all the Barrett boys are in the Taranaki NPC squad.

Obviously, but I'd be interested in how much they've paid for a guy who's not going to play and is relocating anyway.

[Bovidae]

@Bones The PUs get money from NZR for their ABs missing the NPC. I doubt they lose money based on the salary cap.

[Canes4life]

Locks:

[Landers92]

@Canes4life Filo Paulo still floating around. That’s impressive.

[Canes4life]

@Landers92 said in Wellington Lions 2024:

@Canes4life Filo Paulo still floating around. That’s impressive.

Big lad indeed. There are a few promising locks coming through Wellington atm but they are still young and probably won't feature until next year.

[Bones]

@Landers92 said in Wellington Lions 2024:

@Canes4life Filo Paulo still floating around. That’s impressive.

He might even remember when HOBM won the jubilee.