Chiefs 2022

[Higgins]

@bovidae Their wage bill must be getting up if they have almost as many injury replacements training as they do contracted players. Incidentally who fronts the costs of bringing in all the extras

[Bovidae]

@higgins

I think each franchise has to pay the salaries for the WTG but NZR may contribute to the wage bill in the preseason as the absence of the ABs is not of the SR team's doing. The Chiefs have 10 ABs missing. I'm not sure on the injuries of other squad members.

Some of the players are U20 so probably only there for experience, and will likely continue to train with the main squad.

[Bovidae]

From training today.

[Bovidae]

https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/national-development-and-replacement-players-join-gallagher-chiefs-for-pre-season-training

Replacement Players:
George Dyer (Waikato)
Hamilton Burr (Waikato)
Hamish Dalzell (Auckland)
Jared Profit (Taranaki)
Lalomilo Lalomilo (Bay of Plenty)
Leni Apisai (Auckland)
Liam Coombes-Fabling (Waikato)
Liam Hallam Eames (Northland)
Logan Crowley (Taranaki)
Mitchell Jacobson (Waikato)
Rob Cobb (Waikato)
Sam McNamara (Northland)
Solomone Tukuafu (Waikato)
Taniela Filimone (Manawatu)
Tom Florence (Taranaki)

National Development Players:
Adam Lennox (Taranaki) - halfback
Josh Bartlett (Bay of Plenty) - LH prop
Mason Tupaea (Waikato) - LH prop
Nikora Broughten (Bay of Plenty) - loose forward
Veveni Lasaqa (Bay of Plenty) - openside

[OleOleOle]

@bovidae this doesn;t identify the WTG players, unless i'm mistaken. I assume they are part of the Replacement Player group. I had heard that Jacobsen and Burr had picked up WTG contracts.

[Bovidae]

@oleoleole said in Chiefs 2022:

@bovidae this doesn;t identify the WTG players, unless i'm mistaken. I assume they are part of the Replacement Player group.

I would think so, and will depend on how many in each position they want to cover. Dalzell is a surprise amongst that list, as well as no CM players.

I had heard that Jacobsen and Burr had picked up WTG contracts.

Well deserved for Mitch.

[ARHS]

@bovidae excellent. That is the sort of info I am wanting to hear.

[Bovidae]

@arhs I agree. All teams should be engaging with their fans and providing basic information about player availability, injuries etc.

The Chiefs website and SM channels have published a lot of photos from training, which has shown a number of these replacement players there. I see that Allan Bunting has also been at Ruakura and Gatland has been doing some hands-on work with the players.

[Yeetyaah]

Alex from The Legend of Marty Banks Facebook page is running social media for the Chiefs this year. Had a wee yarn with him over Instagram DMs and asked him to run the Waikato socials as well.

[Bovidae]

A little more information in this article about the coaching setup.

Neil Barnes' departure had seen McMillan take on the lineout coaching. David Hill's defensive brief will increase, and Gatland will work alongside Hill to provide some guidance. Former Black Ferns Sevens coach Allan Bunting will also be involved in skills coaching with the group alongside his coaching of the Chiefs' Manawa team in the women's competition.

It doesn't say who is in charge of the forwards, and whether Nick White has increased responsibilities.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/chiefs-shaping-up-well-for-2022-season-mcmillan/

[Duluth]

Some comments from Josh Ioane about his move:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/127609412/super-rugby-pacific-josh-ioane-embracing-fresh-start-at-chiefs

[Duluth]

“The 10 situation is probably one of the most contestable positions in the team,” McMillan said.

It should just be a shoot out between Ioane and Gatland?

Trask looks more like a fullback and Reihana isn't ready

[Paekakboyz]

@duluth I hope the fresh start works out for him.

[Bovidae]

@Tim As you obviously have a NZH premium subscription can you please post the text from the article about Atu Moli from a couple of days ago. I'm curious what he has to say.

[Dan54]

@duluth said in Chiefs 2022:

“The 10 situation is probably one of the most contestable positions in the team,” McMillan said.

It should just be a shoot out between Ioane and Gatland?

Trask looks more like a fullback and Reihana isn't ready

Yep it would seem that way Duluth, though Trask is still a boy I see going pretty well at 10 as he comes on. You probably right about Reihana, like the boy, but may need a year or 2 yet.

[Duluth]

Rugbypass attempts to name a XV for the first round

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/picking-a-starting-chiefs-team-for-round-one-of-super-rugby-pacific/

1 Aidan Ross
2 Bradley Slater
3 Sione Mafileo
4 Josh Lord
5 Tupou Vaa’i
6 Samipeni Finau
7 Sam Cane
8 Luke Jacobson
9 Brad Weber
10 Bryn Gatland
11 Etene Nanai-Seturo
12 Quinn Tupaea
13 Anton Lienert-Brown
14 Jonah Lowe
15 Kaleb Trask

[KiwiMurph]

@duluth Chiefs big focus should be trying to get Ioane to play to his potential as their starting 10 as soon as possible. Gatland is a solid player but not good enough to win a comp with - Ioane's ceiling is much higher.

[Bovidae]

Tom Vinicombe is an Aussie isn't he? I can't say I agree with his team.

Let's see who McMillan selects to start for Friday's game. The ABs are back this week so if the likes of Weber, ALB etc are starting in Rd 1 there is no reason to think that Taukei’aho won't either.

Ioane has to start, and there is some competition in the back three positions. I'd actually like to see Stevenson at fullback because he is better under the high ball than Trask and his kick-return can be a weapon.

[gt12]

If they roll out that team, I'll be moaning about the coaches even earlier this year.

[Crucial]

@gt12 said in Chiefs 2022:

If they roll out that team, I'll be moaning about the coaches even earlier this year.

Why. It's not meant to be the best team just a possible first round one given that some ABs may be given longer breaks and some squad members didn't get much rugby last year.

Some other explanation here

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/how-the-chiefs-plan-to-reintegrate-their-all-blacks/