Blues 2019
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2019: but no way should he be starting week in week out and then getting anywhere near as many minutes as he does. I agree But this just suggests that MacDonald isn't happy with the other options in the squad he inherited. Next year there is no excuse. 
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@Duluth for sure...Apisai I can understand, but based on what I have heard about Moulds over the years, I cannot understand them sitting him out as much as they do, more so the area of his game that was an issue is no worse than Parsons when you look at the upside with the rest of Moulds game vs Parsons. As I have said before, something just doesnt add up, so not sure what is up there and I have heard he is likely to head off anyway...always thought it odd how little they used him, yet they kept offering him contracts and he kept signing them... 
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Media release: https://theblues.co.nz/super-7-extend-their-stay/ 
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@taniwharugby 
 Moulds probably signed before Parsons in previous years, only to find he’s stuck behind the captain. Now they have two captains that are either injured or standing down for AB’s, so Parsons is still sometimes captain.
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@KiwiMurph Yeah I was thinking that unless we recruit someone to replace Nanai. Does that mean Nock, Collins, Apisai and Tupou are gone after this year? 
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@Duluth said in Blues 2019: @taniwharugby said in Blues 2019: but no way should he be starting week in week out and then getting anywhere near as many minutes as he does. I agree But this just suggests that MacDonald isn't happy with the other options in the squad he inherited. Next year there is no excuse. Leon has a givealittle page for buying hookers - donate!  
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@Chris-B said in Blues 2019: @Duluth said in Blues 2019: @taniwharugby said in Blues 2019: but no way should he be starting week in week out and then getting anywhere near as many minutes as he does. I agree But this just suggests that MacDonald isn't happy with the other options in the squad he inherited. Next year there is no excuse. Leon has a givealittle page for buying hookers - donate!  me too!! 
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Abel and Sosene-Feagai both played well for Auckland, and Eklund and Olsen also look promising. The last two are inexperienced at this level, and there are questions over athletic ability. Nathan Harris and Samisoni Taukei'aho are both off contract, and I think that Makalio and Funnell are too. Then there's Coltman. We should try for all of those names and Abel. Who would you prefer? 
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IIRC, these are the 18 players who are signed for next year: Prop 
 Alex Hodgman
 Ofa Tu'ungafasi
 Karl Tu’inukuafe
 Sione MafileoHooker 
 James ParsonsLock 
 Patrick TuipulotuLoose Forward 
 Blake Gibson
 Dalton Papali'i
 Akira Ioane
 Hoskins Sotutu
 Tom RobinsonHalfback 1st 5 
 Otere Black
 Harry Plummer
 Stephen PerofetaMidfield 
 Tanielu Tele’a
 TJ FaianeWing/Fullback 
 Rieko Ioane
 Caleb Clarke-- Tele'a has the physical ability. Will be interesting to see how he goes after a season of Super Rugby. Hopefully he'll get some good game time in the NPC. 
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@Tim Don't forget Luteru Tolai in your mix of hooker prospects. I was impressed by him in the 2 dev. games I saw. He is only 20 years old but is a big powerful unit (119kgs). Hopefully he can get enough minutes playing behind Parsons at harbour to develop his game and for us to assess him properly. 
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@Daffy-Jaffy Had no idea he was that young. 
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@Daffy-Jaffy He's a converted hooker too as he spent all his school years playing in the back row. 
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@Tim said in Blues 2019: Abel and Sosene-Feagai both played well for Auckland, and Eklund and Olsen also look promising. The last two are inexperienced at this level, and there are questions over athletic ability. Nathan Harris and Samisoni Taukei'aho are both off contract, and I think that Makalio and Funnell are too. Then there's Coltman. We should try for all of those names and Abel. Who would you prefer? Maybe GPT is in the mix too? His form has been all over the place. We might see improvements with a NPC season under Tiatia then Coventry at SR level No idea what his contract situation is. Canterbury NPC last year, but it appears he has no fully pro contract (he was in that 'World XV' that played the Force recently) 
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Yes, it's overstating the importance of that error He isn't in the squad The Tahs going down the blindside was really obvious though. Plummer had come on for Rieko.. I doubt he played much wing before and he was getting advice from team mates on where to stand. 
 Robinson should have been expecting the Tahs to go down that side
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haha the moment his AB quest came to an end...NZ Media started his AB quest this year, and now they are ending it. He was (and I guess still is given the nature of the game) a very rank outsider to make the ABs this season, odds would be less if not a RWC year. but I'd rather have him tearing shit up for Northland this year. 








 The moment Tom Robinson's All Black quest came to an end….. for this year
                    
                    The moment Tom Robinson's All Black quest came to an end….. for this year
                 
                