Otago 2024
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Lio-Willie and Gilbert named as captains
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Irish Paul has chucked up the Otago team for the trial on X. The strangest selection is Sam Fischli at lock. He isn't an overly big loosie, so can't see him as a viable lock option. Probably a give him a run and see if he can cover there, just in case. Other noteable picks, Taylor getting openside ahead of Lucas Casey. Arscott and Millar starting in the inside backs. Faleafaga at 12. Timu returns at centre. Josh Whaanga on the right wing. Gilbert at fullback.
Stodart, Asi, Hurley, Te Hiwi and Umaga-Jensen not named. Likely to be injured. I'd expect all of them to be in the 23 if available.@SouthernMann Only other option is Haig and lock but I understand the logic of starting your best six at six rather than playing him out of position
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The other option, if he is fit is Will Stodart. A fair bit taller than Fischli as well. Him, Haig and Lio-Willie are our three best loosies, and if we have to play a loosie at lock it should be either Haig or Stodart.
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Game has been moved from a country rugby ground in rolleston to Orange Theory stadium due to ground conditions so unfortunately I won’t be attending this afternoon. Hopefully now that’s it’s at the stadium Canterbury can get a live stream going, how hard could it be.
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Sad to hear you aren't nipping out early to sit in the cold in Addington. Be disappointing of Canterbury doesn't live stream this.
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Canterbury up 14 nil at halftime
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Canterbury team
1 D Lienart-Brown
2 G Bell
3 S Calder
4 J Hannah
5 T Cahill
6 T Christie
7 C Kellow
8 T Barnes
9 W Hienz
10 S Miyake
11 N Punivai
12 J Rova
13 B Ennor
14 K MacDonald
15 C FihakiReserves
B McAlister
F Brewis
J Christian
Z Gallagher
D Gardiner
M Drummond
D McLeod
N Shearer
I Hutchinson
J White
C Grace
J Sa -
Been informed we have been smashed by Canterbury. Toothless in attack. Not the news I was hoping for
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The other option, if he is fit is Will Stodart. A fair bit taller than Fischli as well. Him, Haig and Lio-Willie are our three best loosies, and if we have to play a loosie at lock it should be either Haig or Stodart.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2024:
The other option, if he is fit is Will Stodart. A fair bit taller than Fischli as well. Him, Haig and Lio-Willie are our three best loosies, and if we have to play a loosie at lock it should be either Haig or Stodart.
Wondering if there has been a directive to play Haig at 6. ABs selectors were keeping tabs on him during Super?
Stodart will play lock I'd assume as Lio-Willie is at 8, but I guess they aren't overly worried about their lineout with Holland in there so are happy to run Fischli at lock.
Fischli also isn't exactly a midget, and with Lio-Willie and Haig in the loose the lineout should still function fine.
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Don't get your hopes up about Otago - that's your first problem.
Cracking team on paper, but with a donkey coach who has had them underperforming for years.
@frugby said in Otago 2024:
Don't get your hopes up about Otago - that's your first problem.
Cracking team on paper, but with a donkey coach who has had them underperforming for years.
I've been supporting much worse Otago sides than this. In the biting cold at Carisbrook. Watching us lose week after week.
In terms of this team. The overall results don't bother me. It is about seeing improvement. The guys who have a long-term future with the Landers. Making strides year on year. Our two halfbacks haven't developed much. We keep selecting Timu when he isn't injured. We keep picking centres on the wing. Gilbert is a nuffy, and the sooner he becomes a nuffy somewhere else the better. These are.my main issues -
@frugby said in Otago 2024:
Don't get your hopes up about Otago - that's your first problem.
Cracking team on paper, but with a donkey coach who has had them underperforming for years.
I've been supporting much worse Otago sides than this. In the biting cold at Carisbrook. Watching us lose week after week.
In terms of this team. The overall results don't bother me. It is about seeing improvement. The guys who have a long-term future with the Landers. Making strides year on year. Our two halfbacks haven't developed much. We keep selecting Timu when he isn't injured. We keep picking centres on the wing. Gilbert is a nuffy, and the sooner he becomes a nuffy somewhere else the better. These are.my main issues@SouthernMann said in Otago 2024:
@frugby said in Otago 2024:
Don't get your hopes up about Otago - that's your first problem.
Cracking team on paper, but with a donkey coach who has had them underperforming for years.
I've been supporting much worse Otago sides than this. In the biting cold at Carisbrook. Watching us lose week after week.
In terms of this team. The overall results don't bother me. It is about seeing improvement. The guys who have a long-term future with the Landers. Making strides year on year. Our two halfbacks haven't developed much. We keep selecting Timu when he isn't injured. We keep picking centres on the wing. Gilbert is a nuffy, and the sooner he becomes a nuffy somewhere else the better. These are.my main issuesThe main issue is that the coach is crap. He isn't, hasn't and won't get the best out of the players.
This squad should be a Top 6 in the comp IMO.
I'm bracing for us to start 0-6.
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From Stuffs article about Cory Brown joining the Highlanders.
‘Thomas Umaga-Jensen has not been named in Otago’s final preseason game against Canterbury on Friday, but The Post understands his return is imminent, while lock Will Tucker is about two or three weeks away from playing again.’
Something positive to take out of today I guess……
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We shouldn't go 0-6. Should at least beat Southland in week one. In terms of blame. It is easy to blame the coach. He is probably not the right guy. Bug if we fail again this year. The players need to twke some responsibility. 18 Super and above level players shouldn't be conceding point like that, and failing to score any themselves. It is hard to judge the game without seeing it. The Southland game is unlikely to be a good bench mark either after they got flogged by a rock star Ta$man side. There are some good young players in the squad, they do need to take some personal responsibility for the results of the team
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How are we feeling heading into this season and week 1? My thoughts are below.
There should be no excuses this season. If I’ve added it up correctly, we have 21 players in this squad with super rugby experience. 1 former All Black in Coltman and 1 present All Black in Bower. Still a young squad overall but plenty of experience in this squad so that shouldn’t be an excuse this year.
Top half of the ladder should be the goal for this team, 7th or above. Personally I’m hoping we get in the top 6 but there are plenty of other good teams and our recent record leaves a lot to be desired. Tom Donnelly led teams haven’t had a lot of success but hopefully this season it can be turned around with the majority of these guys being in Super rugby set ups with another year of experience and time in professional set ups under the belt.
Wanting to see Haig and Holland continue their great form. Cam and Ajay continue to fight for that 10 jersey and bring the best out in each other along with seeing Josh Whaaga and Finn Hurley take that next step and really putting their hands up.
Overall, I’m looking forward to this season but not getting my hopes up too high. Bring it on!
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dont do it....dont get our hopes up...almost every year we think we've improved on previous squads....and nothing changes
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dont do it....dont get our hopes up...almost every year we think we've improved on previous squads....and nothing changes
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@Kiwiwomble Yup. Which is pretty much what I’ve just said haha. Been following this team for too long to get fooled again. Until I’m proven otherwise, I’ll carry that attitude towards the team.
@Landers92 sorry, i read your first paragraph and self preservation stopped me reading the rest
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I'm a bit confused how this season will play out. The comp is a tough one to gauge. It will likely be Donnelly's last year, and hopefully he can get some positive results. I don't think he should cop all the blame though, if the team fails again. 20+ fully blown professional rugby players have a responsibility to make tackles, and set up other guys most play year run with. There shouldn't be communication breakdowns between guys who have gone through from being Highlanders to Otago reps.
The lads I'm interested in. Finn Hurley. Hoping he gets the full season at fullback. Last year at times he played like a cat on a hot tin roof. All over the show. Hopefully a year with the Landers will have him balance the structure he needs as a top level fullback with the natural flair he has.
Fabian Holland: should be the best lock in the NPC.
Oli Haig: keen to see him running wide with ball in hand, and should be mistake free in D.
Jake Te Hiwi: no tits for hands.
Cam Millar: show something in attack. If he can't be a threat at NPC level. There isn't much hope at Super level. On the same level. Ajay Faleafaga needs to show some game management, over and above just general highlights.
The Halfbacks: which one of these two is going to have to step aside for Pledger (as long as we keep him).
Will Stodart: surely he is in our top forward pack. Just might mean he needs to play a bit of lock. He is too good to leave out.
Josh Whaanga: keen to see how he goes with building on his size, and using it to his advantage. He needs to be a player who can dominate over the gainline.
Rohan Wingham: was good in the NPC last year. Got beaten up at Super Level. Needs to do to his provincial opponents what his Super rivals did to him.
If we can see growth with those players, and we miss the mark in a few games. I'd still consider the season to be a success.
