65 replies to this topic

[Canes4life]

Does anyone know when the Transfers will be broadcasted?

[Sambo]

when do they actually name the super squads? Is that today or just the cut off to transfer for a super team?

[taniwharugby]

isnt it just the cut off for signing with a new union, which in essence ties one to a Franchise if they are protected?

If I were the Blues, I'd of been chasing Berquist over Brett...

[Canes4life]

Freuan to Crusaders
Hobbs to Otago
Hika To Waikato
Zona to Waikato
Craig Clarke to Waikato

[Crucial]

Squads aren't named until Nov 11(?)

Today was just the transfer deadline.

[hau22]

Canes4life said:

Freuan to Crusaders
Hobbs to Otago
Hika To Waikato
Zona to Waikato
Craig Clarke to Waikato

is this for real or guessing?
also missed out guilford and dagg.

[Sambo]

Freuan is a definite, Brett looks like will be a possible draft pick appears saders aren't playing ball....

Fruean heading south
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/supe ... ding-south

Fruean isn't the only player leaving Wellington. Sunday News understands Michael Hobbs, who was drafted to the Blues this season, has transferred to Otago to allow him to play for the Highlanders next year.

Canterbury's James Paterson will also be at the Highlanders next year, signing to play for Southland.

But it is the Chiefs who could have pulled off the best signing of all with strong rumours suggesting they've made the handy acquisition of promising prop Ben Afeaki into their region, from North Harbour.

Afeaki has been targeted as a future All Blacks tighthead prop. He played for the New Zealand under-20s last season and has looked solid for Harbour.

It is also highly likely Sona Taumalolo and Hika Elliot from Hawke's Bay will be announced as Waikato players tomorrow, along with Craig Clarke from Taranaki. All three players were drafted into the Chiefs this year before returning to their provinces.

Rugby: Blues aim to draft Brett

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/ar ... d=10603825

The draft is going to be the mechanism by which the Blues secure Canterbury first five Stephen Brett.

After a frantic last day of transfers, the future of Brett was still uncertain, with Blues coach Pat Lam saying he hasn't given up hope of luring the 24-year-old north

[taniwharugby]

Berquist would be a far better prospoect for the Blues, still has some flair but alot more consistant than Brett, maybe he knocked them back too, but it didnt get in the papers... eusa_think

[Unco-ordinated]

Sambo said:

But it is the Chiefs who could have pulled off the best signing of all with strong rumours suggesting they've made the handy acquisition of promising prop Ben Afeaki into their region, from North Harbour.

Afeaki has been targeted as a future All Blacks tighthead prop. He played for the New Zealand under-20s last season and has looked solid for Harbour.

It is also highly likely Sona Taumalolo and Hika Elliot from Hawke's Bay will be announced as Waikato players tomorrow, along with Craig Clarke from Taranaki. All three players were drafted into the Chiefs this year before returning to their provinces.

Sona signed with Waikato last year so I'm not sure why they'd announce that.

I'd be pretty stoked if Hika Elliot signed with Waikato though (obviously to be loaned back to HB), especially since he was on the bench a lot for the Chiefs. Afeaki should be a good signing too, even if Nathan White does miss out on a S14 contract.

[hau22]

afeaki? dont need him yet. he cant even make the blues. A fit McGougs is our man.

[Scorz]

Last I checked, "The Chiefs" is the name for the Super 14 team, and "Waikato"is the ANZC team. So, Craig Clarke remains a Taranaki player, but will be with the Chiefs for the Super 14. That's old news. Same with Taumalolo.

Hika has nowhere else to go for the S14 - he can be behind Mealamu, behind Hore/Coles, behind Flynn and the other guy, or compete with whoever turns up for the Draftlanders and enjoy a wooden spoon season. Two hookers that can't throw for the Chiefs again. Woo. Hoo. xzxshout

[Nepia]

Scorz said:

Last I checked, "The Chiefs" is the name for the Super 14 team, and "Waikato"is the ANZC team. So, Craig Clarke remains a Taranaki player, but will be with the Chiefs for the Super 14. That's old news. Same with Taumalolo.

Hika has nowhere else to go for the S14 - he can be behind Mealamu, behind Hore/Coles, behind Flynn and the other guy, or compete with whoever turns up for the Draftlanders and enjoy a wooden spoon season. Two hookers that can't throw for the Chiefs again. Woo. Hoo. xzxshout

Hika manages to throw pretty well in black and white hoops, it's when he heads up to Mooloo/Foster country that his throwing goes to custard.
The Chiefs will have two awesome around the park hookers though. ADM is great with the ball in hand and Hika has been the hardest working forward for us this year.

[Southern Man]

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

[Scorz]

Both those hookers are still useless pricks though Neps. We have enough robust ball carriers. We need to win Lineouts consistently.

[Scorz]

Southern Man said:

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.

[Nepia]

Scorz said:

Both those hookers are still useless pricks though Neps. We have enough robust ball carriers. We need to win Lineouts consistently.

As I said, Hika is good before he dons the red, black, and yellow. At any rate, name me a hooker in NZ who is a good thrower? There aren't any - the best we've had in recent years was Hika last year, until he got poisoned with ineptitude up your way .

[DangerMan]

Scorz said:

Southern Man said:

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.

I bet you weren't when the Chiefs were shite for ten years in a row a few years ago.

[Freezing Works]

Scorz said:

Southern Man said:

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.

Thatll be great for Southland Rugby, might aswel cut the ANZC down to 5 provinces...actually franchises would be bettter.

[ploughboy]

interesting how our draft players want to return.must be something good going on

[shark]

DangerMan said:

Scorz said:

Southern Man said:

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.

I bet you weren't when the Chiefs were shite for ten years in a row a few years ago.

Well said. The Chiefs were a shambles for years before Waikato really started taking charge and brought in the likes of Bates, Lauaki, Mils, Sivivatu, Donald, O'Neill, Kelleher, Bruce, Smith etc etc. Between Otago and Southland it now looks like they're starting to bring some useful players into the Highlanders set-up.

[hau22]

can anyone see a team beating the crusaders next year? going to have a great team. Who is their likely fullback? could be their only weekness, or position of no real star Unless Payne starts.

sorry Blues, i think you're going to get hammered again.

[Unco-ordinated]

Scorz said:

Last I checked, "The Chiefs" is the name for the Super 14 team, and "Waikato"is the ANZC team. So, Craig Clarke remains a Taranaki player, but will be with the Chiefs for the Super 14. That's old news. Same with Taumalolo.

Hika has nowhere else to go for the S14 - he can be behind Mealamu, behind Hore/Coles, behind Flynn and the other guy, or compete with whoever turns up for the Draftlanders and enjoy a wooden spoon season. Two hookers that can't throw for the Chiefs again. Woo. Hoo. xzxshout

Waikato are the ones signing them, regardless of whether they loan them back to their province afterwards.

As for Hika, who exactly are you suggesting we replace him with? Aled and Hika are both great players and did really well for us this year.

While we're talking about the Chiefs, has Delany played at 2nd five much? We could get rid of Bruce (who has been absolutely rubbish the last few weeks) and have an all AB's backline (assuming Kahui and Sivivatu manage to stay fit).

hau22: What's wrong with Slade?

[Chris B.]

Will be interesting to see how the Crusaders play the protection game - and whether Freuan will actually get protected. He may not depending on whether he's seen as definitely more valuable than Adam Whitelock.

If I was Todd, I reckon I'd be protecting:

Franks, O
Franks, B
Crockett
Flynn
Paulo or McDonald Q
Thorn
Ross
Jack
McCaw
Read
Patterson
Whitelock, G
Waldrom

Ellis
Fotuali'i
Carter
Brett
Bateman
Crotty
Whitelock or Freuan
Guildford
Maitland or Poki
Slade
Payne

I'd be hoping to pick up the two "or" backs in the draft along with Bronson Murray (but with perhaps Tristan Moran or Borlase as able second choices) and any of Poff, Manu, or Parker as an additional loosie.

Hooker will be bloody interesting with Ti'i Paulo, Quentin and Jason McDonald and Dan Perrin all viable options to back up Flynn - though Perrin seems highly unlikely in this contest. I'd like to see Quentin McDonald - he doesn't seem to have had major problems getting the ball in accurately to the Tasman lineout, strong around the park, and Tasman's scrum has been good. They may decide to protect Bronson and leave the 2nd hooker to the winds?

[Freezing Works]

[quote name='"Unco-ordinated"']While we're talking about the Chiefs, has Delany played at 2nd five much? We could get rid of Bruce (who has been absolutely rubbish the last few weeks) and have an all AB's backline (assuming Kahui and Sivivatu manage to stay fit).

quote]


What if they put Delany at 10, and Donald at 12?. Saw in the announcement thread of the trail of Donald at 12 again. Sure it didnt work last time, but thats what happens when you try things like that against the no.1 team in the world. With this, atleast they have a full season to practice, especially if Delany is able to remain within the ABs beyond this tour...

I personally thought Bruce was doing ok this season.

[shark]

I hope no-one actually thinks the draft is a very straightforward system of protecting 24 players and then allowing everyone else to grab the next best four players in the region: and if you do, go back and have a look at some of the Crusaders squads of the past. In reality, it's a negotiation. Witness the Crusaders playing hardball with Brett - he'll become a bargaining chip to the NZRFU so that we don't lose any other players we may want. How often do you see a franchise lose a player they would most likely want in the draft? The draft will become less and less important as loan-back deals increase as those extra handfuls of players in the franchises that may see themselves as not being starters will find other franchises before risking the draft.

Crusaders 2010

O Franks
B Franks
Crockett
Borlase/Murray
Flynn
Paulo/Q McDonald
Thorn
Ross
Jack
Paterson
Read
McCaw
Whitelock
Manu
T Waldrom

Ellis
Fotuali'i
Carter
Slade
Bateman
Crotty
Fruean
Whitelock
Poki
Guildford
Umaga-Marshall
Maitland
Payne

[Donsteppa]

shark said:

Well said. The Chiefs were a shambles for years before Waikato really started taking charge and brought in the likes of Bates, Lauaki, Mils, Sivivatu, Donald, O'Neill, Kelleher, Bruce, Smith etc etc. Between Otago and Southland it now looks like they're starting to bring some useful players into the Highlanders set-up.

The Chiefs had a great track record of finishing mid-table-ish for a long period of time, with the odd utter fail interspersed with one semi final and one final. I'm hoping for big things next year too, but so far with the exception of 3-4 seasons we've never consistently propped up the table or threatened the title. We were no more a shambles in 1998 than say 2006 results wise, though the whole marriage with North Harbour did get us off to a slow start (through the sheer nature of the set-up than through any fault of the parties involved in my view.)

Very handy that Waikato did start getting in Kelleher et al though.

Thought I'd better check the stats: 6th, 11th, 7th, 6th, 10th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 4th, 6th, 7th, 6th, 7th, 2nd.

[Scorz]

DangerMan said:

Scorz said:

Southern Man said:

The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.

Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.

I bet you weren't when the Chiefs were shite for ten years in a row a few years ago.

Actually, to some extent I was, the Chiefs still mean very little to me. My attitude is that the franchise that consistently relies on draft players should be moved as and when it needs to be.

[Scorz]

[quote name='Freezing Works'][quote name='Scorz'][quote name='"Southern Man":3gfwthnu']The Highlanders will not be in wooden spoon contention next year, they are actually developing quite a good squad and have players with the capability of playing an exciting brand of footy.[/quote]
Don't take this personally, but I'm a big supporter of the "disband, rename and relocate" movement when it comes to that team.[/quote]
Thatll be great for Southland Rugby, might aswel cut the ANZC down to 5 provinces...actually franchises would be bettter.[/quote:3gfwthnu]
Wouldn't really affect them too much, because their best players would still end up in the Crusaders or at worst the relocated "Drafters".

[Scorz]

Unco-ordinated said:

Scorz said:

Last I checked, "The Chiefs" is the name for the Super 14 team, and "Waikato"is the ANZC team. So, Craig Clarke remains a Taranaki player, but will be with the Chiefs for the Super 14. That's old news. Same with Taumalolo.

Hika has nowhere else to go for the S14 - he can be behind Mealamu, behind Hore/Coles, behind Flynn and the other guy, or compete with whoever turns up for the Draftlanders and enjoy a wooden spoon season. Two hookers that can't throw for the Chiefs again. Woo. Hoo. xzxshout

Waikato are the ones signing them, regardless of whether they loan them back to their province afterwards.

Doesn't make them Waikato players until they pull on the Red Black and Yellow though does it...

Quote

As for Hika, who exactly are you suggesting we replace him with? Aled and Hika are both great players and did really well for us this year.

This year every team will be out to exploit their weaknesses further - hence, the lineout (just like the AB's) will be targeted and exploited. I'm not suggesting replacements - there aren't any really. Just not going to pretend to be stoked with mediocrity.

Quote

While we're talking about the Chiefs, has Delany played at 2nd five much? We could get rid of Bruce (who has been absolutely rubbish the last few weeks) and have an all AB's backline (assuming Kahui and Sivivatu manage to stay fit).

hau22: What's wrong with Slade?

Bruce will come back on form - he has been gold to Waikato in Donald Dumbfuck's absence with his kicking and defensive play!

[Southern Man]

So a Crusaders squad would have these players competing for positions

Tom Donnelly vs Isaac Ross
Robbie Robinson vs Colin Slade
Adam Thompson vs Kieran Reid
Andrew Ellis vs Jimmy Cowan
Ben Smith vs ZAc Gilford

Could you say super franchise, excuse the pun.

Any for the Highlanders next season I could almost see them picking a squad with only one or two draft players being a no8 and Shoemark again. I find it rather ironic you having a go at the Highlanders when the Chiefs have been making a great deal of use of the loan back system.