Otago 2022

Grooter

@macmanus big campaign ahead for Arscott then

macmanus

@macmanus Hastie has a long-term injury

SouthernMann

@macmanus said in Otago 2022:

@macmanus Hastie has a long-term injury

And yet last year Otago told Hotham, yeah nahh we are good. You can go elsewhere

Grooter

Any word on if Freedom will be sticking around this year? obviously excels at npc level

macmanus

@FakatavaFuture i don’t know. I expect he will be with the team.

macmanus

@SouthernMann i don’t know if he has a contract with Ta$man. He will be with Highlanders in 2023.

SouthernMann

@macmanus said in Otago 2022:

@SouthernMann i don’t know if he has a contract with Ta$man. He will be with Highlanders in 2023.

I'm 100% sure he is back with Ta$man this year. I won't believe he is signed and sealed with the 'Landers until there is a tile on the franchise's social media and a PR>

Here is an interesting quote from an article last year.

"Otago Rugby Football Union player development manager Paul Galland said the union had met Hotham last year but had decided against offering him a player contract.

Galland said the union already had some locally produced halfbacks they wanted to back so decided against signing Hotham."

https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/three-teams-calling-highly-rated-halfback

SouthernMann

@FakatavaFuture said in Otago 2022:

Any word on if Freedom will be sticking around this year? obviously excels at npc level

As for Freedom, he hasn't been sighted with Dunedin pretty much at all this season. It looks like his time in the south has come to an end.

Kiwiwomble

@SouthernMann said in Otago 2022:

@FakatavaFuture said in Otago 2022:

Any word on if Freedom will be sticking around this year? obviously excels at npc level

As for Freedom, he hasn't been sighted with Dunedin pretty much at all this season. It looks like his time in the south has come to an end.

and you would have thought if not with the Highlander he would be with the high performance squad

SouthernMann

@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2022:

and you would have thought if not with the Highlander he would be with the high performance squad

I don't think this is a straight rugby decision. As in, I don't think he is playing rugby at the moment.

Kiwiwomble

@SouthernMann yeah, he did do that random post last month that kind of alluded to things changing, he seemed like a good bloke when i chatted to him in melbourne after the super round

Stargazer

@SouthernMann Freedom played for Harbour on 28 May. Harbour had the bye, last weekend.

SouthernMann

@Stargazer said in Otago 2022:

@SouthernMann Freedom played for Harbour on 28 May. Harbour had the bye, last weekend.

Interesting. I had no idea he had transferred away from the Sharks! Good Intel

Kiwiwomble

@SouthernMann neither had i! he came over when he saw my sharkies jersey and i assumed he was still affiliated

macmanus

NateHill74

Props
Abraham Pole
Josh Hohneck
Tau Koloamatangi
George Bower*
Jermaine Ainsley
Saula Ma'u
(Rohan Wingham)
Others: Tevita Pole, Shane Fikken, Jonah Aoina, Jackson Dempster, Cam Allan-McNeill

Hookers
Ricky Jackson
Henry Bell
(Harry Press)
Others: Austin Atiga, Brady Robertson, Jake McEwan

Liam Coltman is gone as we know

Locks
Will Tucker
Josh Dickson
Josh Hill
(Fabian Holland)
Others: Harrison Morton, Aron Einarsson also 6,8, Oliver Haig also 6, Taylor Dale also 6,8

Loosies
Christian Lio-Willie 8
Sam Fischli 6/8
James Lentjes 7
(Sean Withy) 7
(Tom Marshall) 6/8
(Toni Taufa) 7
Others: Leroy Ferguson 7, Jake Russ 6.7, Harry Taylor 6

Slade McDowall is somewhere I believe
Dylan Nel won't be back this season if I'm correct
Charles Elton is overseas

Half Backs
(James Arscott)
(Kieran McClea)
Others: Bob Martin, Motoki Tanaka if fit, Possible outter region import)

Kayne Hammington has left
Nathan Hastie has season ending injury

Fly Halves
Josh Ioane
(Cam Millar)
(Ajay Faleafaga)
Others: Ben McCarthy, Obey Samate, Josh Robertson-Weepu

Midfielders
Raymond Nu'u
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Josh Timu
(Aleki Morris-Lome)
(Jake Te Hiwi)
Others: Jack Leslie, Brayden Laing, Al Momoisea, Filipo Whitehouse-Opetaia Tovio

Giovanni Leituala is back in Aussie
Sio Tomkinson is heading overseas

Wings
Jona Nareki
(Viliami Fine)
(Joe Cooke)
(Freedom Vaha'akolo)
Others: Jermaine Pepe, Jeremiah Asi

Michael Manson has headed down to Southland
Matt Faddes is I don't know where but won't be back
Mitchell Scott is believed to not want to play rep rugby

Full Backs
Sam Gilbert
Vilimoni Koroi
Others: Levi Emery, Caleb Leef, Finn Hurley

Grooter

@NateHill74 would have Finn Hurley make the final cut seeing as tho Gilbert will miss the opening rounds

NateHill74

@FakatavaAllBlack yeah, definitely a lot of strength that could be brought in through injuries or abs callups. Pretty much looking at as much options as possible. A lot of youth which is promising

Smudge

@NateHill74 said in Otago 2022:

Props
Abraham Pole
Josh Hohneck
Tau Koloamatangi
George Bower*
Jermaine Ainsley
Saula Ma'u
(Rohan Wingham)
Others: Tevita Pole, Shane Fikken, Jonah Aoina, Jackson Dempster, Cam Allan-McNeill

Hookers
Ricky Jackson
Henry Bell
(Harry Press)
Others: Austin Atiga, Brady Robertson, Jake McEwan

Liam Coltman is gone as we know

Locks
Will Tucker
Josh Dickson
Josh Hill
(Fabian Holland)
Others: Harrison Morton, Aron Einarsson also 6,8, Oliver Haig also 6, Taylor Dale also 6,8

Loosies
Christian Lio-Willie 8
Sam Fischli 6/8
James Lentjes 7
(Sean Withy) 7
(Tom Marshall) 6/8
(Toni Taufa) 7
Others: Leroy Ferguson 7, Jake Russ 6.7, Harry Taylor 6

Slade McDowall is somewhere I believe
Dylan Nel won't be back this season if I'm correct
Charles Elton is overseas

Half Backs
(James Arscott)
(Kieran McClea)
Others: Bob Martin, Motoki Tanaka if fit, Possible outter region import)

Kayne Hammington has left
Nathan Hastie has season ending injury

Fly Halves
Josh Ioane
(Cam Millar)
(Ajay Faleafaga)
Others: Ben McCarthy, Obey Damage, Josh Robertson-Weepu

Midfielders
Raymond Nu'u
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
Josh Timu
(Aleki Morris-Lome)
(Jake Te Hiwi)
Others: Jack Leslie, Brayden Laing, Al Momoisea, Filipo Whitehouse-Opetaia Tovio

Giovanni Leituala is back in Aussie
Sio Tomkinson is heading overseas

Wings
Jona Nareki
(Viliami Fine)
(Joe Cooke)
(Freedom Vaha'akolo)
Others: Jermaine Pepe, Jeremiah Asi

Michael Manson has headed down to Southland
Matt Faddes is I don't know where but won't be back
Mitchell Scott is believed to not want to play rep rugby

Full Backs
Sam Gilbert
Vilimoni Koroi
Others: Levi Emery, Caleb Leef, Finn Hurley

Faddes has been playing club rugby for Kurow. Might see him in an Old Golds jersey!

SouthernMann

Jeez it would be nice seeing both Faddes and Hayden Parker running around for North Otago.

As for Otago; props, locks (Holland is signed), loosies and midfield are strong.

Halfbacks weak at the moment, if only we didn't arrogantly tell Noah Hotham to bugger off last year.

I think Sam Gilbert should be still viewed as a 10. There is a big fast winger playing for Dunedin I have seen some footage of who looks great. Although have heard he is focusing on his study. Would think both Pepe and Asi will both make the squad as well, same as Faleafaga.

The Silver Fern

Otago 2022