Blues 2023

[Tim]

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2022/10/super-rugby-pacific-blues-coach-leon-macdonald-leaning-on-nrl-mastermind-ivan-cleary-in-2023-title-bid.html

[cgrant]

Hamish Dalzell would have been useful at lock.

[Mackerzzzz]

So best 23:?

1. A Hogman
2. K Ekland
3. O Tu'ungafasi
4. S Darry
5. P Tuitupou
6. A Ioane
7. D Papalii
8. H Sotutu
9. F Christie
10. B Barrett
11. C Clarke
12. R Tuivasa-Sheck
13. R Ioane
14. A Lam
15. S Perofeta

16. S Vikena
17. J Lay
18. N Laulala
19. T Robinson
20. A Segner
21. T Funaki
22. Z Sullivan
23. M Telea

[Crazy Horse]

@Mackerzzzz said in Blues 2023:

So best 23:?

1. A Hogman

2. K Ekland

3. O Tu'ungafasi

4. S Darry

5. P Tuitupou

6. A Ioane

7. D Papalii

8. H Sotutu

9. F Christie

10. B Barrett

11. C Clarke

12. R Tuivasa-Sheck

13. R Ioane

14. A Lam

15. S Perofeta

16. S Vikena

17. J Lay

18. N Laulala

19. T Robinson

20. A Segner

21. T Funaki

22. Z Sullivan

23. M Telea

You could be right, but it will be disappointing if Sullivan is used more from the bench.

[Mackerzzzz]

@Crazy-Horse said in Blues 2023:

@Mackerzzzz said in Blues 2023:

So best 23:?

1. A Hogman

2. K Ekland

3. O Tu'ungafasi

4. S Darry

5. P Tuitupou

6. A Ioane

7. D Papalii

8. H Sotutu

9. F Christie

10. B Barrett

11. C Clarke

12. R Tuivasa-Sheck

13. R Ioane

14. A Lam

15. S Perofeta

16. S Vikena

17. J Lay

18. N Laulala

19. T Robinson

20. A Segner

21. T Funaki

22. Z Sullivan

23. M Telea

You could be right, but it will be disappointing if Sullivan is used more from the bench.

Would you play him over Perofeta ?

[Tim]

@Mackerzzzz Telea will start, and Choat on the bench. Maybe Suafoa will surpass the German.

[Mackerzzzz]

@Tim said in Blues 2023:

@Mackerzzzz Telea will start, and Choat on the bench. Maybe Suafoa will surpass the German.

Choat?... get out..... de German, Robinson & suafoa are better than him

[Crazy Horse]

@Mackerzzzz said in Blues 2023:

@Crazy-Horse said in Blues 2023:

@Mackerzzzz said in Blues 2023:

So best 23:?

1. A Hogman

2. K Ekland

3. O Tu'ungafasi

4. S Darry

5. P Tuitupou

6. A Ioane

7. D Papalii

8. H Sotutu

9. F Christie

10. B Barrett

11. C Clarke

12. R Tuivasa-Sheck

13. R Ioane

14. A Lam

15. S Perofeta

16. S Vikena

17. J Lay

18. N Laulala

19. T Robinson

20. A Segner

21. T Funaki

22. Z Sullivan

23. M Telea

You could be right, but it will be disappointing if Sullivan is used more from the bench.

Would you play him over Perofeta ?

I honestly don't know.

[taniwharugby]

I'm hoping Rush gets some decent opportunities (even though he has a queue in front of him) reckon he has a huge upside with his aggressive style and huge work rate.

Has put on some size since he was in the blues WTG last year, when he finished first in annual mud run even after catching eels in bare feet!

He is only 22 next month too.

[Tim]

@Mackerzzzz Choat played every game last year. They want his 7 skills off the bench.

[KiwiMurph]

@taniwharugby Agreed - gut says Rush may move up the pecking order quicker than anticipated.

[Winger]

@Duluth said in Blues 2023:

@Tim

Tuipulotu is 1.98 apparently. Same as Robinson. Tucker 1.97

Scott Barrett is 1.97 which isn’t an issue

Then there’s wingspan.. a more meaningful stat would be height with arms above the head etc etc

Power in the scrum might be more of an issue? Hard to know unless we get some Blues props posting here

Blackwell's 1.90. yet somehow he does ok in the lineouts. Esp with a tall lock partner like Bird and a good lineout 6

[antipodean]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2023:

Confirming Romano won't be back -
"Congratulations on a career to remember! Doors always open for you"

This surprises me somewhat. I think Barry needs more kilos and NZ Rugby isn't overwhelmed with (genuine) locks.

[Mackerzzzz]

@Tim said in Blues 2023:

@Mackerzzzz Choat played every game last year. They want his 7 skills off the bench.

That doesn't necessarily mean he should have?!...🧐

[Tim]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/next-generation-star-son-of-former-all-black-carlos-spencer-signs-with-nz-sevens-blues-super-rugby/JWMLZXJKZBFI7EJPEZEW4ZX5JM/

[Winger]

@Tim Canes didn't even try . The other 4 did. Thankfully the crusaders missed out. We need an even super rugby and crusaders grabbing lots of the best young players will ensure it never happens

[Canes4life]

@Winger said in Blues 2023:

@Tim Canes didn't even try . The other 4 did. Thankfully the crusaders missed out. We need an even super rugby and crusaders grabbing lots of the best young players will ensure it never happens

The Canes have Love, Moorby and Barrett who can all play fullback, and they are all young so no real room, I guess.

[Stargazer]

@Tim So that will be a development contract. I wish SR franchises would just publish a complete list! Only the Highlanders sometimes publish the names of development players.

[Daffy Jaffy]

https://www.blues.rugby/blues-rugby-news/scholarship-recipient

[Stargazer]

https://twitter.com/BluesRugbyTeam/status/1592274340678356992