AB EOYT 2018
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@canes4life Harris and Coltman are strong scrummagers, not so sure about Aumua. All three of those hookers have problems with lineout throwing. Kind of important for a hooker. 
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@bovidae Yeah but Aumua who is in his development phase of his career is already on par with Coltman and Harris, so can only see him getting better within the next year. He could be a real weapon for the All Blacks off the bench come World Cup if he can get back to peak fitness. However if Taylor & Coles stay fit they are pretty much a lock for our top 23. 
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imagine the added bonus Coles will bring to the squad if he can get back to his best , He has been out for so long and they have learnt to play without him , to come in now will be like the discovery of a new gun player 
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@kiwiinmelb said in AB EOYT 2018: imagine the added bonus Coles will bring to the squad if he can get back to his best , He has been out for so long and they have learnt to play without him , to come in now will be like the discovery of a new gun player He'd make a damn good super sub 
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@canefan said in AB EOYT 2018: @kiwiinmelb said in AB EOYT 2018: imagine the added bonus Coles will bring to the squad if he can get back to his best , He has been out for so long and they have learnt to play without him , to come in now will be like the discovery of a new gun player He'd make a damn good super sub Taylor - Coles 1 -2 punch Would probably be better than Hore - Mealamu , and that was a bloody good one 
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@canes4life said in AB EOYT 2018: @sparky Well you can count Harris and Coltman out. They provide no impact whatsoever. If Aumua can have a big year the Hookers will be Taylor, Coles & Aumua. No way (barring a run of injuries) will that happen. 
 Way too early for Aumua. 2023 will be his aim.
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@canes4life said in AB EOYT 2018: @crucial So you're saying Harris will be there. What does he actually offer? He's good on the wing. 
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Well that was an unfun little jaunt through Europe, for the most part. Hardly inspiring performances and more questions posed than answered. So I'm not going to bother cluttering up my wee brain with what the hell we're up to and why our rugby was so vanilla this year, and less successful than previous, (worst defence by us for 18 years, let in 19 per game apparently). It's cricket season, and I'll never know for sure what the ABs have up the sleeve tactically so as I drifted off to sleep, beginning my 6 months All Blacks hibernation, a vision came to me in form of a dream that settled my bothered wee mind. It was a vivid dream: The date was November 6 2018, the venue was a suite at a nice hotel in London. In the room were Shag and Fozzie and all the AB backs: (Shag talks then the backs talk) G'day lads, last meeting about tactics this tour and a chance for all you fullas to ask questions about our backline strategies so you all understand them. Ok? Fozzie pass me a donut mate Hey boss what do we do with the first attacking ruck ball we get? Kick it What about the next two phases? Kick it First possession in second half? Kick it I make a break, beat the line, but my winger is still half marked? Kick it A quick tap penalty, I make 20 yards but I nearly run out of support? Kick it Weve got an overlap through the hands in their 22? Kick it A forward, say a hooker, makes a break and has a winger outside? Kick it It's raining and the last 3 kicks have slid too far, what do I do next possession? Kick it We've been chasing the game all day, what to we do for the first 70 minutes? Kick it I got the ball static cos we had no pick and go to suck in defenders, I'm behind the gainline again what do I do? Kick it The front left tyre on my rainbow painted Ford Explorer might be a bit flat, how can I tell Kick it (whispered by another back - yeah my "All men's behaviour must change, Black Lives Matter, I decide my own gender thank you very much, end toxic masculinity" Ranger has a slightly flat tyre too) Right. No more questions? Everything very very clear for the next 3 weeks? Good. Now let"s finish up with the tour song. Fozzie put on my Devo cassette tape from when I could fit into an airline economy seat and fast forward it to the good bit Everybody...! *When a problem comes along 
 You must Kick it
 Before the cream sits out too long
 You must Kick it
 When something's going wrong
 You must Kick itNow Kick it 
 Into shape
 Shape it up
 Get straight
 Go forward
 Move ahead
 Try to detect it
 It's not too late
 To Kick it
 Kick it good*I love this song Fozzie 
 Me too boss....you finished with that donut?
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@siam said in AB EOYT 2018: Well that was an unfun little jaunt through Europe, for the most part. Hardly inspiring performances and more questions posed than answered. So I'm not going to bother cluttering up my wee brain with what the hell we're up to and why our rugby was so vanilla this year, and less successful than previous, (worst defence by us for 18 years, let in 19 per game apparently). It's cricket season, and I'll never know for sure what the ABs have up the sleeve tactically so as I drifted off to sleep, beginning my 6 months All Blacks hibernation, a vision came to me in form of a dream that settled my bothered wee mind. It was a vivid dream: The date was November 6 2018, the venue was a suite at a nice hotel in London. In the room were Shag and Fozzie and all the AB backs: (Shag talks then the backs talk) G'day lads, last meeting about tactics this tour and a chance for all you fullas to ask questions about our backline strategies so you all understand them. Ok? Fozzie pass me a donut mate Hey boss what do we do with the first attacking ruck ball we get? Kick it What about the next two phases? Kick it First possession in second half? Kick it I make a break, beat the line, but my winger is still half marked? Kick it A quick tap penalty, I make 20 yards but I nearly run out of support? Kick it Weve got an overlap through the hands in their 22? Kick it A forward, say a hooker, makes a break and has a winger outside? Kick it It's raining and the last 3 kicks have slid too far, what do I do next possession? Kick it We've been chasing the game all day, what to we do for the first 70 minutes? Kick it I got the ball static cos we had no pick and go to suck in defenders, I'm behind the gainline again what do I do? Kick it The front left tyre on my rainbow painted Ford Explorer might be a bit flat, how can I tell Kick it (whispered by another back - yeah my "All men's behaviour must change, Black Lives Matter, I decide my own gender thank you very much, end toxic masculinity" Ranger has a slightly flat tyre too) Right. No more questions? Everything very very clear for the next 3 weeks? Good. Now let"s finish up with the tour song. Fozzie put on my Devo cassette tape from when I could fit into an airline economy seat and fast forward it to the good bit Everybody...! *When a problem comes along 
 You must Kick it
 Before the cream sits out too long
 You must Kick it
 When something's going wrong
 You must Kick itNow Kick it 
 Into shape
 Shape it up
 Get straight
 Go forward
 Move ahead
 Try to detect it
 It's not too late
 To Kick it
 Kick it good*I love this song Fozzie 
 Me too boss....you finished with that donut?Hahaha. #fatcunts 
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Positives for the tour? Coles back running, a bit more depth created, players learned what shitfight test feels like, and how to deal with adversity. Our set piece is still good, and we don't give up many points. The negatives have been done to death Big winner of the tour i am naming DMac. Reckon he has converted most to his value now, and can go home happy with his personal work. Heaps of sliders. 
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@mariner4life said in AB EOYT 2018: Positives for the tour? Coles back running, a bit more depth created, players learned what shitfight test feels like, and how to deal with adversity. Our set piece is still good, and we don't give up many points. The negatives have been done to death Big winner of the tour i am naming DMac. Reckon he has converted most to his value now, and can go home happy with his personal work. Heaps of sliders. Definitely. Hardly any squeaks in the past few weeks about how he is always on the verge of a calamitous error. Upside v downside etc. 
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Not many talking about DMac at 15, so he's definitely gone up. Mo'unga hasn't done his chances any harm, despite not really achieving much. Goodhue has quietly become first choice 13, and looked well at home against the Irish. Papali'i has looked OK, from very limited opportunities, as has Ta'avao, while Ofa has seen some tests at LH, which is quite valuable for next year. Nepo has come back and looks good too. Plus Coles, who looks on a positive course to be useful, if not world class, again. Apart from that, Read has been up and down, as has Brodie, while SW looks tired. Even Taylor finished untidily, while Karl finally got a taste against the best in the world, and Owen Franks is looking like a role player - for probably the first time I can remember, I'd pick another TH ahead of him, and possibly even another from our squad. Midfield still a problem, so that's unresolved, and halfback is suddenly a decision, and not because of lifetime form by TJP. And at six, it's Squire, yikes. 
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