The Silver Fern

@Kiwiwomble for large patches I thought Otago played well

After Ta$man: Murray 3, BKP 2 and single point each to Hallam-Eames, Rush and Mau'u
After Manawatu: Moorby 3, Mau'u 2, Matich 1

Season:
Adams 5
Murray 5
Caird 3
Rob Rush 3
Mau'u 3
Moorby 3
Goodhue 2
Reihana 2
BKP 2
Hallam-Eames 1
Milo-Harris 1
Matich 1

@ARHS said in Northland v Hawkes Bay:

Awesome from Northland 9s and loosies. They were the difference with the HB stars a bit quiet. Thought the ref did well but maybe HB unlucky on some calls.

That's not strictly true, there's only so much McClutchie, Flanders and to a lesser extent Fakatava can do on their own in a diss-functioning team.

But as a team Northland definitely had it over the Magpies.

@taniwharugby Yeah I'm done with rugby for the weekend as well after this mornings debacle, and last nights jekyl and hyde show.

The Northland rugby circus continues next week where we will no doubt beat Hawkes Bay. The following week we will flick the loss switch again and get pumped in Dunedin. So predictable at times..bloody gumbies!

I went with BKP, Murray and Mau'u.

Best game from BKP, full of the energy I see at club, hit his targets (bar 1) and nice turn of pace shown in one of his nice runs.
Mau'u, another who isnt as fit as he should be, but huge engine, great pressure at the breakdown, tackles, just what you want from a 7
Murray, man I hope Northland lock this kid down, and hope he gets a super gig next year, sure he aint an out and out wing, but he is quick enough and he is a facilitator out there, not to mention the fact he scores on both sides of the park (did both last week and last night) goes looking for work and seems such a smart player.

And great to see in post match Heremaia Murray talking about his pride in playing for Northland.

@taniwharugby agree Milo has been really good. What Nock started to do with the Blues is play a bit like Aaron Smith. Quick ball, speed of pass. So nothing against Milo except to say when Nock is on, he has quicker pass.

@ACT-Crusader

Why bother with extra time at all? A draw was as a fair reflection of the game at fulltime as it was after extra.

Voted for Adams, Caird and Goodhue.

@Duluth first half we had zero line speed, zero energy, even our usually good defenders missed tackles, and then when we did get into a bit more of a pattern, defending our line first at a maul then making tackle after tackle would have sapped them hugely, which we did a few times IIRC.

Mauling and defending for long passages is hugely taxing, more so if you have a few of players with fitness not where it should be.

Lack of execution in the first half really came back to bite. Maybe if we had gone in up at halftime like we should have been, the pressure might have told on Canterbury.

Agree about swapping midfielders. Goodhue has always been better at centre but think injuries and how much he has bulked up probably means he's more of a 12 now. Can potentially play as a second playmaker too. Probably good to have him defending closer in too.

Personally I think that injury to Craig may make it hard for him to make it back into the team. I thought we looked better with Hallam Eames extra size and physicality. Sweetman to come in plays similar to LHE so can see Craig dropping down the pecking order for me.

Reihana will come good but certainly didn't hit the level last night that he was playing at last year. Will also be good to get Moorby back and push Murray back to the wing.

U18 Final today (that I thought started at 2pm, not 12 🤦 )

Kerikeri halted Mid Northerns club dominance by taking the match 39-32.

Looking at the score sheet, KK opened the scoring and were up 13-3 early, only for MN to get up 27-13 inside half hour.

Then KK hit straight back with 5 unanswered tries in a 20 min period of play that saw them out to thier final score, while MN scored in the final 10 but were unable to score again.

Kerikeri - 39
Tries: Rudolph Louw, Kai Aihara (3) James Alipate, Joshua-James Young
Te Aowera Para, 3 cons, 1 pen
Mid Northern - 32
Tries: Tyrese Tolley-Lopeti, Cody Doidge (2) Fiti Leau
Jacob Lowther, 3 cons, 2 pens

team sheets

https://www.northlandrugby.co.nz/matchcentre/3887217

Northland futures team is scheduled in for 2 x games on

Saturday 8th February 1pm at Waitemata Park
Saturday 15th February 1pm at Pohe Island in Whangarei

Ross Wright joins Wellsford coaching team

Northern Advocate Taniwha centurion Ross Wright hangs up boots and takes up coaching Taniwha centurion Ross Wright hangs up boots and takes up coaching

Ross Wright will co-coach Wellsford with brother Matt.

@taniwharugby said in Northland 2023:

A final tally from the MOTM polls

Final game v Auckland had Rob Rush taking 3, Olsen 2 and then 3 got 1 point.

Season Total

Rob Rush 11 Mau'u 8 Murray 8 Moorby 6 Adams 6 Caird 5 Hallam-Eames 5 Milo-Harris 5 Matich 4 Reihana 4 Nock 3 Moulds 3 Goodhue 2 BKP 2 Olsen 2 Ranger 1 Trainor 1

It's in the blood!

after the Manawatu game:
Reihana 3, Macilai 2, Rush 1, Matich 1

Rush wins our MVP for the season quite easily, with the Canterbury games scores not even in

Season total
Rush 15
Reihana 8
Moorby 7
Murray 7
Tua 6
Goodhue 5
Matich 5
Tu'ungafasi 4
Mau'u 4
McNamara 2
Milo-Harris 2
Macilai 2
Hallam-Eames 2
Nock 1
Te Whata Colley 1

@ACT-Crusader said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

@Canes4life said in QF - Canterbury vs Northland:

So close Northland. Canterbury are definitely beatable.

I think what this season has highlighted are that there are certain teams that play a way that trouble others.

I don’t think there is too much between the 8 teams that made the playoffs.

Yeah it feels like any of the top 8 can knock one another off on their day, it's about timing your run to the finals and making sure your players aren't gassed when they get there.