The Silver Fern

QT is a massive greedy guts

That is try is just nuts

Fan boy James Parsons is painful

Telea is just so good at this level

@handa457 said in Otago v North Harbour:

Nareki on his day is a world class winger.

When you checl out the stars of him v Tito-Harris. While XTH is a brillant finisher. Nareki does so much more work. Experience is a massive bonus.

@Grooter said in Otago v North Harbour:

I've got a hot take all that time scotty Hansen wants to invest in Hotham should be for Pledger soon enough

Nareki was asked in an interview if he was quicker than Pledger. He said absolutely not. Pledger is way faster

Lovely from Oli Haig

@Grooter said in Otago v North Harbour:

Cheers Casey

Was crazy he was paying $3.4 to score.

That was library fine late from Jona

@brodean said in Otago v North Harbour:

@KiwiMurph said in Otago v North Harbour:

CLW should be playing 8 later at Eden Park.....

Maybe but for this particular game, Harbour haven't won a game yet so presumably almost everyone looked good against them all season.

Harbour is better than a winless season. Stats don't lie. But they can turn it on.

Pledger needs to watch the line balls. They are starting to get read a bit.

Pole very unfamiliar with being in the open. Absolutely butchered one there

Big try that going into the half

Ick. This is looking niggly.

This is a good opportunity to put in a statement performance.

@brodean said in Highlanders 2026:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:

It is the problem with offering guys contracts on promise like we did a few years ago. Some of them will never be at the level required while others take some years to get there. Michaels, in two years of Super has played just one game for 15 or 20 minutes of action. Funnily enough he is affiliated to the same club (Kaikorai) as Casey in Dunedin. Guys like Te Hiwi, Whaanga, Faleafaga, Millar, Arscott and Wingham either were not up to it or were not ready to compete at this level. We essentially soaked up high performance contracts onnfevelopment players. With several of them getting three year contracts.

When you look at the national U20s squads in recent years. As a franchise, we had the fewest players but the highest proportion of players graduating from national U20s to fully contracted players. We were so desperate to lock in youth, we effectively contracted guys who did not have the skills or experience ag that time to perform at that level. We weren't picking the best national reps. We were just picking our reps.

There was a feel good narrative to it. Young Otago/Southland kids getting professional gigs. We just set them up to fail and gave fans false hope that these lads cpuld succeed in a competition full of All Blacks and Wallabies.

It is clear we have now moved away from three year contracts for unproven players. In the past Pledger and Tengblad would have been given three years. Now just two. Three year deals are limited for guys who have proven themselves. This year JRK, Tangitau and Holland have all been extended until 2028.

Giving young guys long deals meant we didn't have the flexibility to lock in breakout stars like Casey. That approach is changing. The Highlander's squad while young, is now in the best position it has potentially ever been in.

Super is a very hard comp. There are very few players who are ready for it at 20 or 21.

I generally agree with your points but will add that in 2024 from purely a stats perspective Jake Te Hiwi looked to be a promising player.

Defensively he was in the top 3 NZ midfielders and in terms of total attack/defensive impacts per 80 minutes he was 13 out of 29 which was just ahead of Rona, Ioane, Macleod, Havili, Pohipi, and Tele'a. Not sure where he stands at the moment with the Highlanders but imo he has better long term promise than Tele'a who while physically talented lacks composure and still makes the same silly mistakes.

I am still fully on-board with Te Hiwi. The games he played before getting injured this year were really good. He has been injury prone though. What I meant when I mentioned him was he probably wasn't Super ready when initially contracted. I still have high hopes for him. The names I listed were more about reflecting who guys across a range that have taken up spots and for one reason or the other not quite got there at the time they were first contracted.

Te Hiwi for example, I think could really push into a starting type player over the next couple of years. We stick with him and his best years are in front of him.

Wingham is a guy who is benefiting from being in a high performance programme. His NPC has looked strong. Just at 21/22 he was not ready to compete against international props.

Cam Millar was not been ready to be the primary playmaker in a poor performing side. He was not the guy to lead change.

Josh Whaanga was handed a three year contract at 20. There was no threat of other teams taking him. Could have kept him in the set up without giving him a three year deal. Even now, he is probably still a year away from being an NPC starting centre. Then another couple from being a consistent force at Super level.

Then there have been several guys who have had some good, some bad. But, have shown promise and indications they are worth persevering with.

It isn't about individuals. It was a flawed youth first policy. Signing kids to long-term deals to get them ready for future campaigns.

It is difficult to work out whether this approach was borne out of necessity. Looking at the 2022 squad. We were picking up the left overs. A change of approach was required. It just meant there was going to be pain along the way and some tweaking required. We were not a desirable landing spot for good prospects.

The playing group we are developing is looking up. As well as having a future proofing element to it. Looking at the outside backs. Fullback we have JRK, Hurley and Solomon. Wings we have Tangitau, Tito-Harris, Nareki and Lowe. When Nareki and Lowe leave. There will not be a massive hole. As Tito-Harris will be ready to step in. Statistically, apart from tries he is still behind Nareki in the NPC campaign.

Loosies is another area we are now looking strong. Especially at six and seven. With players who fit the Joseph gameplan. Howden, Stodart and Haig at six. With Lasaqa and Casey at seven.

Tracking the signings and the players being brought in. There is becoming clear what the vision is.

Anyway, rant over.

@brodean said in Highlanders 2026:

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:

@handa457 said in Highlanders 2026:

A bit odd that Casey is only a WTG member for 2026. Would that indicate we’ve signed another loose forward?

There are probably some contractual issues being played out behind closed doors that mean he is being called a WTG member until they are ironed out. With them being Hayden Michaels, who as @frugby says we are trying to/have moved on. As well as the ongoing injury issues with Hugh Renton. Renton hasn't played since halfway through Super footy meaning there is a high chance he is scratched. Reflecting on those pieces of the puzzle at play, it is likely Casey is a full squad member for next year. They just can't say it.

Still sounds weird. It's poor if the best players in the NPC can't be elevated to a main Super Squad - especially a Super Squad that came dead last in the last SRP.

It is the problem with offering guys contracts on promise like we did a few years ago. Some of them will never be at the level required while others take some years to get there. Michaels, in two years of Super has played just one game for 15 or 20 minutes of action. Funnily enough he is affiliated to the same club (Kaikorai) as Casey in Dunedin. Guys like Te Hiwi, Whaanga, Faleafaga, Millar, Arscott and Wingham either were not up to it or were not ready to compete at this level. We essentially soaked up high performance contracts onnfevelopment players. With several of them getting three year contracts.

When you look at the national U20s squads in recent years. As a franchise, we had the fewest players but the highest proportion of players graduating from national U20s to fully contracted players. We were so desperate to lock in youth, we effectively contracted guys who did not have the skills or experience ag that time to perform at that level. We weren't picking the best national reps. We were just picking our reps.

There was a feel good narrative to it. Young Otago/Southland kids getting professional gigs. We just set them up to fail and gave fans false hope that these lads cpuld succeed in a competition full of All Blacks and Wallabies.

It is clear we have now moved away from three year contracts for unproven players. In the past Pledger and Tengblad would have been given three years. Now just two. Three year deals are limited for guys who have proven themselves. This year JRK, Tangitau and Holland have all been extended until 2028.

Giving young guys long deals meant we didn't have the flexibility to lock in breakout stars like Casey. That approach is changing. The Highlander's squad while young, is now in the best position it has potentially ever been in.

Super is a very hard comp. There are very few players who are ready for it at 20 or 21.

@handa457 said in Highlanders 2026:

A bit odd that Casey is only a WTG member for 2026. Would that indicate we’ve signed another loose forward?

There are probably some contractual issues being played out behind closed doors that mean he is being called a WTG member until they are ironed out. With them being Hayden Michaels, who as @frugby says we are trying to/have moved on. As well as the ongoing injury issues with Hugh Renton. Renton hasn't played since halfway through Super footy meaning there is a high chance he is scratched. Reflecting on those pieces of the puzzle at play, it is likely Casey is a full squad member for next year. They just can't say it.

All sorted. Probably announced earlier than they would have planned. Fans forced their hands.

Wouldn't be surprised if, as mentioned one it gets confirmed Michaels and or Renton drop out. Casey gets elevated to full squad.

@Tim said in Hawkes Bay v Auckland:

@SouthernMann Been huge turnover in the squad over last few seasons, and coach changes. With a one week preseason that makes a huge difference. Especially when replacing veterans with juniors.

Teams that rely on really young guys struggle.

Saw it with Otago when we went through a youth focus over the last few years. The playing group we had struggled. Same group now stepping up.

It isn't a comp for teams full for 20 - 22 year olds. Guys need some time in the saddle. Very few of the age grade lads step in straight away and dominate.

There is an expectation that they do. It is a long way from reality.

When you look at the current top four. There is a decent mix of experience.

@taniwharugby said in Hawkes Bay v Auckland:

@SouthernMann when Auckland rugby is strong...

So much talent. So little direction.

There are guys who have clearly regressed this season. Tangitau is making hesitant reads on defence causing overlaps and missed intercepts. He is kicking for territory on attack. Looks well behind the winger that played the first halfdozen Super rounds this year.

AJ Lam is lost. Peyton Spencer looks like a kid upagainst men. So does Taele. There are just too many of the young fellas in the playing group. Not enough direction and support around them.

The pack is just getting bullied.