The Silver Fern

@barbarian said in AFL 2025:

@mariner4life Genuinely think NWM is the best player in the competition at the moment. If you held a draft with every player available, he'd be my first pick. The skill set that every team needs.

Plenty of decent on-ballers but only a couple who can move back, move forward, go into the middle and be so impactful everywhere.

The pull to go back home (Adelaide) is very strong.

But he should be able to name his price and Saints get the deal done. Two things - he’s a phenomenal player and a rare player that can do it all. But he’s not the superstar type that will want the limelight and be ‘out there’

On a different contract - did you see the stupid numbers being touted for Reid? $24 million over 10 years. Yeah nah.

@barbarian said in Wallabies v Lions II:

I read somewhere that Valetini felt a tweak in his calf at half time, which is why he was subbed.

Yes there was definitely something because Valetini certainly wasn’t labouring up until the 40th minute whereas Skelton looked a little weary at about the 35th minute and then was given another 5 after HT.

Kia ora, I’m new here

@antipodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

Bit of a stitch up for Papali'i. His only opportunity comes as a blindside/lock cover. Be interesting to see if the French stack their bench with experienced players again.

Or we go old school and he doesn’t get a run at all or comes on with 3 minutes left on the clock.

A coaching plan I like to call "The Plummer".

I used to call it the Kevin Senio

@Canes4life said in All Blacks v France III:

If Beaudy is out, I wonder if they will bring in another option like Reihana?

Would love to see it for the RC.

@Windows97 doubt the latter given they started playing Savea at 7 last year and wanted to continue in this series.

I think you’re reading too much into the Papali’i selection. He was bought in as injury cover and then added to the squad late in the piece. He’s knows the systems etc and I think with this series the focus was on a couple of the other new faces as opposed to brining in another new one.

I don’t want to talk about the contract stuff, but that’s also a consideration too.

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

Bit of a stitch up for Papali'i. His only opportunity comes as a blindside/lock cover. Be interesting to see if the French stack their bench with experienced players again.

Or we go old school and he doesn’t get a run at all or comes on with 3 minutes left on the clock.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Some positives for me:

Patty T being fit
Lomax being back
Ardie remaining at #7
McAlister making his debut
Reece back in the lineup
The Chiefs 9-10-12-13 combo

Love getting his first start not a positive?

I was saving that for @Canes4life

Although I was going to wait for @Bones to post that Jordan should be starting at fullback….

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

Some positives for me:

Patty T being fit
Lomax being back
Ardie remaining at #7
McAlister making his debut
Reece back in the lineup
The Chiefs 9-10-12-13 combo

I agree

Some positives for me:

Patty T being fit
Lomax being back
Ardie remaining at #7
McAlister making his debut
Reece back in the lineup
The Chiefs 9-10-12-13 combo

@Quarky said in All Blacks v France III:

Who will lead the Haka?

Ioane or even QT

@akan004 said in All Blacks v France III:

Really don't see the point of picking Bower when he wasn't even named in the original squad. Norris is the future, so why not give him another go. Happy with the other selections.

Giving every one a run that was named in the original squad and all the replacements that were officially added eg Bower and Papali’.

@george33 said in All Blacks v France III:

@Landers92 that lashes guy read out exact backline yesterday on Radio and didn't mention any forwards .

Forget about who may have shared it on social media, the biggest mystery is have lashes and Landers92 ever been seen in the same room together……

For a few of the 10 test players born in Fiji, their AB playing careers have crossed over., but how many tests have the ABs started two players born in Fiji?

@mikedogz said in All Blacks 2025:

Bernie Fraser
Joeli Vidiri
Joe Rokocoko
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Waisake Naholo
Seta Tamanivalu
Sevu Reece
Pita Gus Sowakula
Emoni Narawa
Timoci Tavatavanawai

Nice one.

Now look us all in the spycam and tell us you didn’t use doctor Google

@Bovidae said in All Blacks 2025:

Ron Williams is the one to know!

Edit: I see test matches was the qualifier.

There’s a few that didn’t play test matches.

So TNT became the 10th All Black to be born in Fiji and play a test match.

Without using the interweb, can you name the other 9 and for an extra chocolate fish, name them in order of when they first played for the ABs?

Grace has only been used at lock at super rugby level in emergencies. Barrett, Tuipoluto, Vaa’i, Darry, Lord all out, options are stretched, but with the MABs back we do have a couple of options that are at least match fit.

@Windows97 said in All Blacks v France III:

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks v France III:

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

Reece already had a run for a few minutes. That's enough for me.

How wrong you are. t wasn’t even a minute….

Was this some sort of record for the shortest time on the field in a test match as a starting player?

It wasn’t a test match and not a HIA, but I recall a match where a player did a hamstring running in the kick off

@brodean said in All Blacks v France III:

Reece already had a run for a few minutes. That's enough for me.

How wrong you are. t wasn’t even a minute….