BayWatch in the Chiefs

[KiwiPie]

Starting
Latimer, Bourke, Delany
Bench
Googs, Retallick, Junior
Injured
Masaga
Omitted
Braid, Hona

[Baron Silas Greenback]

Injured
Masaga

That takes some getting used to!

These 3 games could make or break Delanys season. If we does well at 15, he could become a valuabe bench player at AB level.

[KiwiPie]

Injured
Masaga

That takes some getting used to!

These 3 games could make or break Delanys season. If we does well at 15, he could become a valuabe bench player at AB level.

I'm never comfortable with the Chiefs in early season, it always seems to turn to crap and the Bay players are the ones sidelined. Really hoping Delany does well at full-back this weekend.

[LAKiwi]

What's up with Masaga? How long out for?

[KiwiPie]

What's up with Masaga? How long out for?

This is all I have seen so far from the Chiefs website:-

Hona, 23, a member of the Chiefs Wider Training Group, travels with the Chiefs while winger Lelia Masaga stays at home to continue rehabilitation on his shoulder. Masaga's shoulder is progressing well and he has been training with the Chiefs in their preseason build-up.

[MajorRage]

Whats the view from the Mafia on Delaney at FB? Has he ever played there before? Much confidence?

[KiwiPie]

Whats the view from the Mafia on Delaney at FB?

He's better at 10!

Has he ever played there before?

He did a stint at 15 while Murray Williams was playing 10 - but that was at least 3 years ago.

Much confidence?

He's a great punter of the ball so no worries in a kicking duel. He's a great runner in traffic which might suit full-back but doesn't have the wheels to be really dangerous as the winger/full-backs do. Brave defender but different defensive skills required at 15 than 10 and no loosies to help you out.

[Baron Silas Greenback]

Whats the view from the Mafia on Delaney at FB? Has he ever played there before? Much confidence?

I am not filled with confidence with him at the back.
He played there poorly last season for the Chiefs. Shame as it might also wreck his chances at playing 10 with confidence during the season.

[MajorRage]

Cheers.. hope that foster gives him a run at 10 at some stage throughout the tourney. Should be able to catch this game this weekend with any lucky, so will keep my eyes open and see how it goes.

[KiwiPie]

I thought Delany was just about a pass mark in that game, nothing disastrously wrong and busy on attack.

Bay MoM was definitely Retallick, the boy just keeps getting better and better.

[KiwiPie]

BayWatch Game 2 v Lions

Starting
Braid, Retallick, Junior, Delany
Bench
Latimer.
Injured
Googs, Masaga
Omitted
Bourke, Hona

Retallick. Very good, seems to work very hard and attends most rucks. Chiefs scrum under pressure so maybe a part of his game to work on.
Braid. Not really the game for him as he was playing tight to let Lauaki (& Messam) roam and there was no tightness in the game. Didn't notice him do anything wrong or particularly good but he always seemed to be where he should be.
Polu. Pretty solid game, he's a solid man.
Delany. Not a full-back. A couple of nice jinking runs but always seemed to lose the ball in contact. I predict pine-riding for him when Mils is back, barring injuries.
Latimer. Not on for long.

Googs is flying home, Masaga is flying out to Perth. Clarke injured so Retallick is now the main lock. Lauaki suspended for 2 so Bourke should return. (emphasise "should", this is Foster remember).

[KiwiPie]

Chiefs:

1. Sona Taumalolo 2. Hika Elliot 3. Nathan White 4. Romana Graham 5. Culum Retallick 6. Liam Messam (captain) 7. Tanerau Latimer 8. Colin Bourke
9. Brendon Leonard 10. Stephen Donald 11. Dwayne Sweeney 12. Callum Bruce 13. Richard Kahui 14. Lelia Masaga 15. Mike Delany
Reserves: 16. Aled de Malmanche, 17. Ben Afeaki, 18. Jarrad Hoeata, 19. Luke Braid , 20. Junior Poluleuligaga, 21. Jackson Willison, 22. Tim Nanai-Williams.

Force:

1.Nic Henderson 2.Pek Cowan 3.Tim Fairbrother 4.Tom Hockings 5.Nathan Sharpe (c) 6.Ben McCalman 7.Matt Hodgson 8.Sam Wykes
9.Brett Sheehan 10.James O'Connor 11.Nick Cummins 12.Mitch Inman 13.Ryan Cross 14.Scott Staniforth 15.Mark Bartholomeusz
Reserves: 16.Ryan Tyrrell; 17. Matt Dunning; 18.Richard Stanford; 19.Luke Jones; 20.Chris O'Young; 21.Sam Harris;22.Dane Haylett-Petty

BayWatch Game 3 v Force

Starting
Retallick, Latimer, Bourke, Masaga, Delany
Bench
Braid, Polu
Injured
Googs
Omitted
Hona

[KiwiPie]

Chiefs v Reds

1. Sona Taumalolo 2. Hika Elliot 3. Nathan White 4. Romana Graham 5. Culum Retallick 6. Liam Messam 7. Tanerau Latimer 8. Colin Bourke 9. Brendon Leonard 10. Stephen Donald 11. Sitiveni Sivivatu 12. Callum Bruce 13. Richard Kahui 14. Lelia Masaga 15. Mils Muliaina (captain)
Reserves: 16. Aled de Malmanche 17.Toby Smith 18. Jarrad Hoeata 19. Luke Braid 20. Junior Poluleuligaga 21. Mike Delany 22. Dwayne Sweeney

1 Ben Daley 2 Saia Faingaa 3 Laurie Weeks 4 Adam Byrnes 5 Van Humphries 6 Scott Higginbotham 7 Daniel Braid (vc) 8 Leroy Houston 9 Will Genia (c) 10 Quade Cooper 11 Brando Va'aulu 12 Anthony Faingaa 13 Morgan Turinui 14 Will Chambers 15 Luke Morahan
Reserves: 16 Sean Hardman 17 Greg Holmes 18 Robert Simmons 19 Jake Schatz 20 Ben Lucas 21 Ben Tapuai 22 Blair Connor

My views on the Force game last week

Retallick - The lad just seems to get better and better, he must be very fit as he just seems to keep going and is present at every ruck. Lineout work excellent again and grabbed the important steal that ended at the other end of the pitch with Flash Masaga dotting down.

Latimer - I think Lats does what Foster requires of him. With Messam and Bourke playing loose, Lats makes his tackles and is first in support to every ruck. It won't win him many headlines but it is vital to the Chiefs fast game.

Bourke - Awful start for Bourkey, forward pass on a kick return and poor hands. I suspect he knows he won't get many starts so is desperate to do well. In the second half he looked more at ease and showed what he can do off the back of the scrum, I was picking he could get over for the try if he went hard.

Masaga - Flash is back. I still find it difficult to believe that he is now one of ours and it was a heady thought when he ran at defenders in Perth. Pace, power and just a tough man to bring down once he is moving. I am praying he plays really well for the Chiefs but not quite well enough to make the All Blacks so he plays a full season for the Bay. He'd put 2,000 on the gate alone.

Delany - Best game so far, came into the line well and did his full-back duties efficiently. Expect him to ride the pine for the rest of the season with Muliaina back which is a damn shame especially as it forces Nanai-Williams out of the 22 altogether. Hard for Foster to break up that backline though, it is fair humming.

BayWatch Game 4 v Reds

Starting
Retallick, Latimer, Bourke, Masaga
Bench
Braid, Polu, Delany
Injured
Googs

[KiwiPie]

BayWatch Game 5 v Crusaders

Starting
Latimer, Bourke, Masaga
Bench
Retallick, Braid, Polu, Delany
Injured
Googs

[Baron Silas Greenback]

Read in the paper that Googos might be out for a long time. Bummer if that turns true.

[Donsteppa]

Read in the paper that Googos might be out for a long time. Bummer if that turns true.

3 bulging discs if I remember a quick scan of the BoP Times correctly?

Bugger.

[KiwiPie]

Googs on Friday night football tonight prior to Chiefs v Crusaders game.

[BOPRED]

How about Delany at 10 against the highlanders. He played well. Gave Donald some clean room in the early channel.

Its a shame he is going to go back to 15 now that Mils is hurt. How long is he out with the broken thumb?

Mind you I think he played better at 15 this year than Mils did.

[KiwiPie]

I lost interest in this thread, sorry.

Team to be trampled by the Canes

1. Sona Taumalolo, 2. Hika Elliot, 3. Nathan White, 4. Craig Clarke, 5. Culum Retallick, 6. Liam Messam (captain), 7. Tanerau Latimer, 8. Colin Bourke, 9. Junior Poluleuligaga, 10. Callum Bruce, 11. Jason Hona, 12. Jackson Willison, 13. Richard Kahui, 14. Dwayne Sweeney, 15. Tim Nanai-Williams
Reserves:
16. Aled de Malmanche/Vern Kamo, 17.Ben Afeaki, 18. Kevin O'Neill, 19. Luke Braid, 20. Brendon Leonard, 21. Trent Renata, 22. Phil Burleigh

5 Bay players + 2 on the bench and the PBFC can get into top gear.

[Donsteppa]

Really pleased about Jason Hona. When he first converted to the wing I wasn't that sure, but in his second season there for the Steamers he really found his feet and looks to have the goods.

[BOPRED]

Hona played ok in the early games in SAFFA I thought oo.

[Baron Silas Greenback]

and the PBFC can get into top gear.

Damn straight!!! Go the mighty Philster!!!!!

[KiwiPie]

Just for the Baron :-

It's either the mother of all hospital passes or an ideal chance to shine.
Phil Burleigh won't know exactly what to make of his starting debut for the Chiefs until after 80 minutes is up against the Blues in Auckland tomorrow night.
The Steamers midfielder started the season in the wide training group but thanks to the cataclysmic injury toll at the franchise, he's been thrust into second-five for the final game of the season.
With both teams well out of title contention, Burleigh is mixing equal parts excitement with wariness.
"We've heard they're looking to move the ball as well and they're probably looking at our team thinking they've got the wood on us," Burleigh said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they target us, especially in the backs. But we're going to take a similar approach - we've got nothing to lose so we can get out there and show our wares and prove we should be there next year."
On top of season-ending injuries to Mike Delany, Stephen Donald, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Lelia Masaga and Mils Muliaina, Chiefs coach Ian Foster lost Callum Bruce (ankle sprain) and Richard Kahui (shoulder strain) for this week.
It's meant he's had to promote another wider training group rookie, Waikato 22-year-old Trent Renata, to first-five and bring in Waikato wing Save Tokula to partner Steamer Jason Hona on the flanks.
New Bay signing Tristan Moran will cover prop off the bench in his first appearance for the franchise, joining new back reserves Siale Piutau and Tim Mikkelson.
"There is no hiding the fact we have lost a lot of experience in our backline," the Chiefs coach said.
In all, the franchise has used 34 players this season, while the Chiefs backs set to run on to Eden Park boast just 75 Super 14 caps between them, of which 43 belong solely to halfback Brendan Leonard.
Burleigh, 23, had 12 minutes off the bench against the Waratahs and is hoping the effervescence of youth shines through.
"I've learned heaps this year from experienced guys like Mils and Stephen Donald and Callum Bruce.
"We'll be pretty young out there against the Blues but the guys need to have a crack at some stage and show that they compete at that level"
Team: Tim Nanai-Williams, Save Tokula, Jackson Willison, Phil Burleigh, Jason Hona, Trent Renata, Brendon Leonard, Colin Bourke, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam (captain), Culum Retallick, Craig Clarke, Ben Afeaki, Aled de Malmanche, Toby Smith.
Reserves: Hika Elliot, Tristan Moran, Kevin O'Neill, Luke Braid, Junior Poluleuligaga, Siale Piutau, Tim Mikkelson.

[BOPRED]

8 out of 22 aint bad.. SO long as we dont get crushed