Magpies 2017

Stockcar86

I am imagining this, or is McNicoll out for the whole provincial season with his head knock again?

Stockcar86

Disappointed to see Selesele in ahead of Penitito. Hopefully Mikaele Tu’u is the #1 choice at #8

Stargazer

@Stockcar86 Selesele was signed for two years, last year, so I guess he was an automatic selection? Or does a contract not guarantee selection in the squad (for an experienced player)?

Higgins

A moot point. He might have two year contract meaning the HBRFU is liable to pay his salary regardless of whether he is used or not. It does not necessarily mean they are obligated to select him however.

Stargazer

@Number-10 Thank you. I was afraid that Wilson's injury was bad after seeing him with crutches after the club final.

Higgins

@Stargazer said in Magpies 2017:

@Higgins The list also looks incomplete. Only 30 players. Unless I'm no longer able to count, most squads have 18 forwards and 14 backs (total of 32 players). So it looks like there should be two more backs?

About the fullback: I guess McNicol will play fullback, and Falcon and Buckman are covering? Falcon mentioned in an interview recently something about playing fullback. Unless one of those "missing" backs is a fullback. TJ Vaega can - according to google - also play fullback.

Surely the people being paid good money to organise things would have been able to come up with a full squad by now. I mean they have only had the best part of ten months to achieve this yet here we are, less than two weeks prior to the first match, they might still be trying to find a couple of players to fill out their squad. Questions must be asked why TJ Vaega who was paraded to the local press as a contracted player but come squad announcement time his name is nowhere to be seen. Has he been ditched already or did he ask for a release from his contract? Either way something has happened very quickly.

Stargazer

I'm worried this season will be a repeat of last season, or worse. I may need a second team to support that wins now and then to avoid getting depressed. Wairarapa Bush?

Number 10

In this morning's HB Today there are two more names in the squad:

Jacob Devery
TJ Vaega

So the full 32-man squad is:

Michael Allardice
Jarvy Aoake
Mark Braidwood
Richard Buckman
Geoff Cridge
Israel Dagg
Jacob Devery - hooker
Ash Dixon
Pasqualle Dunn - midfield
Mason Emerson
Gareth Evans
Tiaan Falcon
Timothy Farrell - prop
Matthew Gardner - loose forward
Hayden Hann - midfield
Mason Kean
Tony Lamborn
Jason Long
Jonah Lowe
Ben May
Sam McNicol - outside back
Marino Mikaele Tu’u
Nick Palmer - lock
Pouri Rakete-Stones - prop
Hugh Renton
Brodie Retallick
Fa’alemiga Selesele
Cardiff Vaega - midfield
TJ Vaega - outside back
Brad Weber
Ihaia West
Ellery Wilson

New Caps in Bold

Local new caps
Jacob Devery - Hastings RS
Tim Farrell - NZ U20/Tech OB
Matthew Gardner - Napier OB Marist
Hayden Hann - Pirates
Pouri Rakete-Stones - NZ U20/Pirates

Halfbacks Brad Weber and Ellery Wilson will apparently miss the first three and six weeks respectively so Chris Eaton and Zac Donaldson are added to the squad as injury cover.

And it seems Sam McNicol is available.

Karl Lowe was not considered as has only played a couple of games after an injury layoff.

Stargazer

Here's the article in the HBT.

I hope they name Karl Lowe in the Saracens (although he doesn't need the "development"), so they can still call him up if/when needed. The way our players have been dropping like flies in previous years, I'd like him to be available.
I don't agree with the reason for not including him, by the way. He'd add experience that's invaluable in a squad with so many rookies. You could clearly see that in the club rugby final. He had a massive game!

I also hope Buckman & particularly Evans can stay fit and healthy this year. Evans has been so unlucky since moving back from Otago. Bucky also missed the most important (last) games of 2015.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11900391

Stargazer

My first attempt at a line-up (assuming everyone fit, except Farrell, Weber and Wilson):

1 Long
2 Dixon
3 May
4 Cridge
5 Allardice
6 Evans
7 Renton
8 Mikaele-Tu'u
9 Eaton
10 West
11 Emerson
12 Falcon
13 Buckman
14 Lowe
15 McNicol

Reserves:
16 Devery
17 Rakete-Stones (he can play TH and LH, can't he?)
18 Aoake
19 Palmer
20 Lamborn, with Evans covering 7 & 8
21 Donaldson
22 C Vaega, with Falcon covering first-five
23 Pasqualle Dunn with Buckman covering wing & fullback

If McNicol is not available yet, I assume Buckman will start at fullback, with Dunn at centre and TJ Vaega on the bench?

What do you guys think?

Stockcar86

That starting 15 is what I would like to see as well

cgrant

@Stargazer said in Magpies 2017:

My first attempt at a line-up (assuming everyone fit, except Farrell, Weber and Wilson):

1 Long
2 Dixon
3 May
4 Cridge
5 Allardice
6 Evans
7 Renton
8 Mikaele-Tu'u
9 Eaton
10 West
11 Emerson
12 Falcon
13 Buckman
14 Lowe
15 McNicol

Reserves:
16 Devery
17 Rakete-Stones (he can play TH and LH, can't he?)
18 Aoake
19 Palmer
20 Lamborn, with Evans covering 7 & 8
21 Donaldson
22 C Vaega, with Falcon covering first-five
23 Pasqualle Dunn with Buckman covering wing & fullback

If McNicol is not available yet, I assume Buckman will start at fullback, with Dunn at centre and TJ Vaega on the bench?

What do you guys think?

I'd go with Weber instead of Eaton at scrumhalf. BTW, where is Riccitelli ?

Higgins

He has signed with Taranaki, not a surprise really as that is where his family lives.

Number 10

The fallout from yesterday's pre-season defeat to Manawatu continues.

Matthew Gardner suffered a broken arm and is out for the rest of the season. Does this mean Ben Hamelink is back in?

Jonah Lowe was a late withdrawl with a foot stress fracture and will miss a "significant part of the Cup campaign".

Chris Eaton injured his groin during the game and will likely miss the opening game against Southland. With Ellery Wilson and Brad Weber still out, this means Dev Team halfbacks Zac Donaldson and Jayden Rihia are likely to play against Southland.

Stargazer

@Number-10 Geez, not again! So many injuries before the season has even started. Jonah is the greatest loss.
I guess, indeed, Hamelink might be back in, although I wish they'd pick Karl Lowe.

Stargazer

Hmm, so according to Philpott this explains the bad preseason results?

He pointed out his troops are still coming to grips with their new attacking systems and this contributed to the Magpies high error rate.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503460&objectid=11902610

Stargazer

One more halfback out with injury, and we might see Folau Fakatava playing Mitre 10 Cup before he plays for NZ Schools this year?

Stockcar86

This pre-season seems shocking similar to last years.

Last year it was complaining about the new rules. How does not coming to grips with a new attacking system means they leak 38 points

Stargazer

@Stockcar86 If this season is going to be just as awful as last year's, surely they can't extend Philpott's contract again? Someone must be held responsible, and I don't mean the players. Would Mark Ozich be ready to take over as head coach and could he achieve with the Magpies what he's achieved with Hastings Boys?

Stargazer

Was just thinking, but not sure it would be legally possible, that with our halfback crisis, the HBRU should try getting Michael Ruru back to the Bay. He looked good in his first year of SR for the Force. Maybe he's contracted to the Perth Spirit NRC team, but he'll be looking for a job in Super Rugby & that may be easier from the Mitre 10 Cup than from the NRC.

The Silver Fern

Magpies 2017