The Silver Fern

@duluth said in Steamers in Tauranga:

Thoroughgood over Faiane is about local pathways? What is Debra ahead of Thoroughgood? How much club rugby did he play?

If the player is committed medium term to the province I don't think it matters. He'll be fully in the club comp next year.. it's not a one season thing

I'd say they signed Debreczeni for his experience more than anything else and because he was playing SR couldn't play club rugby. Northland apparently tried to sign Fletcher Smith before JD so it was clear that they wanted at least one experienced 10 and supplement with guys from club rugby. Thoroughgood spent the whole club season up here and would've been regularly watched. He was the form 10 in club rugby so deserved his shot, certainly no better or worse than Faiane in the club games I watched. Maybe it hasn't turned out to be the right choice but the thinking behind it at the time was right.

Faiane is a talented young player earning his way - from what I heard and saw he certainly wasn't bashing the door down in club rugby. Might be good for him slowly making his way.

@taniwharugby I think you're right it would be best if Gregory has another year developing, I just won't be surprised if he gets a gig given how the contracting is going now.

@kev it will be interesting to watch how Tua develops, he's definitely got some talent and size is a natural advantage but hasn't looked like a SR player yet. He showed potential last year but hasn't really built on it this year. As you say, the defence is the big work on and if he can sort that out will be very handy for us.

@steven-harris haha are a few guys who still stood up, but TBF there were just huge lapses by almost everyone, we would spend good periods attacking, drop the ball, they score, pass it to them, they score, and if they didnt score, they'd almost score, then we might turn it over, then we'd turn it back over and they'd score.

One of the most disappointing and bizaare games I can recall (that includes the nightmare 2nd spell v HB the other week)

Expect we will be rolling out a 2nd string team next week (not willingly) for a match that means little bar getting a bit of confidence back before we face Waikato again.

But 71, wow... 🤯

@crucial Remember the game well,he used the TMO on at least 4 occasions in that game..was against Southland,looked like a guy making his debut and unsure of himself to make a decision..!.
Just don’t like his style,quite like the official who is relaxed and enjoying what he is there for but still letting the game flow.!
Pickerall looks to 2nd guess himself..!

@taniwharugby not too sure on the injuries,but being a week only in both cases,must be only minor..

@duluth Matich is a huge loss for us, hopefully it isnt too long.

@taniwharugby said in V CM:

pretty sure that all but seals the deal for us making top 4.

THat 2nd half capitulation v HB on Wednesday is gonna sting in the wash up me thinks.

Waikato 28 - Northland (A) Otago (H)
HB 23 - Man (H) Ta$man (A)
Northland 21 - Waikato (H) BOP (A)
Otago 20 - BOP (H) Waikato (A)

BOP 10 - Otago (A) Southland (A) Northland (H)

I see the final table being: Waikato 33, HB 29, Otago 27, Northland 25

Good win for the Taniwha today against a Premiership team.

Otago also have a home game v Ta$man still to play between the BOP and Waikato matches.

But you're right, the top four seem to have sorted themselves out.

I think with (my Cambridge blue eyes) Moulds, Olsen, and Ross Wright we almost have 3 best hookers in Blues territory. Nowadays Wright might struggle with throws given he doesn’t play there but still they all are very good. Yes I include Parsons in my consideration.

But couldnt even begin to suggest that about any other position.

@steven-harris agree with all that bar the call to take the penalty kick at goal...at that point in the game, I felt that was the smartest decision, and with the way the rest of that half played out, you could say it was the only smart decision made in the 2nd half.

Lack of smarts and having no feel whatsoever for the ref is a big problem.

Just because you are at the breakdown with all rights, if the ref calls hands off, you do actually need to listen.

This game was there for the taking, and the winner took a huge step towards a home semi final, alas it wasnt us.

The way the table is looking, we may still be sitting in the same place come the end of the weekend, so still have a realistic chance of making the top 4, but the way that 2nd spell and large parts of the first went, we will bow out in the 1st semi, again.

@kev I agree with that, as I said, just frustrating some of those 50/50s he throws, that probably are more like 60/40s and we lose possession, which he does over and over, if they come off they are brilliant.

Reckon he is more naturally gifted than his brother, but he lacks the accuracy of Dan.

THe way he plays I would expect him to thrive in an environment surrounded by higher skiled players, but he still makes similar errors, so still think he needs to rein it in a bit.

@taniwharugby yeah that’s my frustration with Debreczeni. Really big boot but doesn’t seem to make much ground with kicks. That said we’re we playing into wind in 2nd half as Kitto struggled as well.

Voted for Matich, Kitto and Goodhue ( good half game ) and Robinson came close with his 20 minutes. But honestly could have named the whole forward pack for very dominant and physical display. Good work guys.

@taniwharugby agree with your comments. Jacobsen has been good for us. Matich is superb. Kara has always been an athlete and if the tight work is being done he comes into his own with his running game.

They were really niggley. That time on our line, Kara had been dragged off his feet into the ruck and was held in by Manawatu player. Another guy came on for clean out on Kara when ball was on other side of ruck. Then proceeded to carry on with it by pressing his forearm into Kara’s face after whistle. Douglas quite rightly pushes the guy off and scuffle ensued.

Also after Highland scored, their lock ( who was the main issue, on the roids? ) races in and starts pushing people in the face. Really random action because try was clean and nothing was happening.

The yellow card was nothing much but given penalties and slowing the ball down then maybe warranted.

When Hohaia scored, Matt Wright was taken out by fullback moving his line, and Ranger was held back closer to the line.

thought it was a bit shit sending Matthews on with time all but up on the clock!

Maybe he had been on the sideline for 5 minutes waiting for a break in play to get on, but from here it seemed stupid coming on for the lineout which they simply needed to catch and kick out to finish the game

@northlandallday yeah I think it was a couple of seasons ago the word out of the Blues was he provided a really good leadership role in the squad and for the newbies...yet still didnt get much game time...go figure!

Loved the mongrel we showed. Yeah, we were making lots of mistakes, but we keeped defending with vigour and the two tries they scored we’re off errors and against the run of play.

As I said before, if we were much tidier we’d have put 30 past them.

That second forty we mucked in and kept them scoreless and they had the wind.

I agree with Chiefy, the bench added value. Our reserve props stood up well this time.

On to Otago in Dunedin now. This will be tough. Otago are very similar to us, but have two strike wingers who are on form. I think we’ll more than match them up front, just need to squeeze them out wide. We’ll go down there with confidence though. I think we’re a good shot if we minimise our errors.

No arguments from me,
Could had have almost done a cut and paste from game 1

@taniwharugby I remember we bought him back after that awful loss to your mob in 2001 for the 2002 season, we lost the opener to Taranaki and he wasn't seen again for us haha it was as if we bought him back as payback for that game.

@j77 I think we all agree that Tua needs a shakeup. He should get some support re tackling, and a clear indication that he will get dragged and not play if the effort is not there. Gregory is really young so coaches would best know if he is ready. I like Ranger on the wing. So for me Hyland would be next cab off the rank in midfield.