Match thread

Tim

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Sean Wainui, Anton Lienert-Brown, Johnny Fa'auli, Solomon Alaimalo, Tiaan Falcon, Brad Weber, Liam Messam, Sam Cane (c), Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Brown, Brodie Retallick, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Aidan Ross.

Reserves: Liam Polwart, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Jeff Thwaites, Michael Allardice, Luke Jacobson, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Marty McKenzie/Bailyn Sullivan, Declan O'Donnell.

Stargazer

Ah, yes! From a completely one-eyed Magpies perspective, I'm very happy to see Weber and Falcon as the starting halves-combo! The more they play together, the better!

Stargazer

This is a very lightweight forward pack. I guess the Chiefs will try to play the game at a high pace to disrupt the big Bulls front five.

No Quarter

Well the DMac at 10 experiment got shelved pretty quickly.

Crucial

@no-quarter said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

Well the DMac at 10 experiment got shelved pretty quickly.

Needs must.

Fuck, that bench is scraping around. Here's hoping there are no early injuries.

Nepia

Why the hell is Mitchell Brown starting over Allardice? You have a lock in the squad you play him.

KiwiMurph

@nepia because 'Naki.

No Quarter

@crucial said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

@no-quarter said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

Well the DMac at 10 experiment got shelved pretty quickly.

Needs must.

Fuck, that bench is scraping around. Here's hoping there are no early injuries.

I would hope Cooper understood the need for a good 10 after his years with the Canes... most important position in the backline.

A little bit tongue-in-cheek though, that injury list is farking brutal.

Bovidae

@nepia said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

Why the hell is Mitchell Brown starting over Allardice? You have a lock in the squad you play him.

That does seem a strange selection but the coaches must like Brown's workrate around the field. He played at lock in the QF vs the Stormers last year.

I'm interested to know what the situation is with Toni Pulu and Levi Aumua. Neither are listed as unavailable for selection, but both are yet to be sighted. There can't be many Naki players left to pick. 🙂

No Quarter

@Bovidae the article says they're not quite ready, so I assume they'll be back next week.

booboo

@no-quarter said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

Well the DMac at 10 experiment got shelved pretty quickly.

Shame that.

Don't think DMac at 10 is an experiment as much as Falcon at 10 is.

Will be interested in how the younfmg fulla steps up. No pressure Tiaan.

Crucial

I think it’s a balance thing and beat possible is Falcon at 10/DMac at 15
This has to be preferable to DMac at 10 and ‘has this person ever played at fullback before?’
DMac will also have the responsibility to take control when he feels the need and I think we will see a fair bit of swapping around

Duluth

Bulls: Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, Jesse Kriel, Burger Odendaal (c), Divan Rossouw, Handre Pollard, Andre Warner, Hanro Liebenberg, Thembelani Bholi, Roelof Smit, Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Trevor Nyakane, Jaco Visagie, Pierre Schoeman

Reserves: Adriaan Strauss, Lizo Gqoboka, Conraad van Vuuren, Jason Jenkins/Tim Agaba, Marco van Staden, Embrose Papier, Manie Libbok, Johnny Kotze

taniwharugby

@crucial that Alaimalo fella would probably go alright at FB...finding a competent winger would be easier than a FB or 10?

KiwiMurph

@booboo didn't Falcon already play 10 in the Blues game?

Stargazer

@kiwimurph Yes. He wore Stevenson's 15 jersey, but played at 10 and Dmac was moved to fullback.

Bovidae

I think they are rewarding the backline that played against the Blues. As in that game, DMac and Falcon will alternate as DMac spent a lot of time at first receiver.

Bovidae

@no-quarter said in Chiefs vs Bulls:

@Bovidae the article says they're not quite ready, so I assume they'll be back next week.

The article has been updated as neither were mentioned in the original article, hence my query.

gt12

Bulls up by 7 thanks to a good try. Chiefs a bit lost on defense in the midfield.

gt12

Terrible by the Chiefs. Kick it away and give away a penalty - second time they were late. Yikes.

gt12

Fa’auli in after a bit of good work and some luck.

Stargazer

Sloppy defence by both teams. Fa'auli making up for his mistake that lead to the Bulls' try by scoring one at the other side of the field. Good grubber from Falcon. 7 all

gt12

Christ, now ALB is off with a headknock

Stargazer

@gt12 ABs are dropping like flies. 😞

gt12

Bulls really having a go, but the Chiefs keep on infringing. Another penalty.

gt12

Terrible at Maul defense.

gt12

Looks like the Bulls are in again. Good effort by the Bulls winger, pretty weak by DMac.

Tim

The Chiefs better run them around and tire them out!

gt12

@tim

They’re running plenty, not much defense out there.

Pollard with a cracking kick. 7-14.

gt12

My god. Another penalty. That looked ok to me on first watch.

Bulls back on attack.

taniwharugby

Chiefs making the Bulls look like champions!

Stargazer

ALB passed his HIA; back on the field.

gt12

Card time?

Another penalty....

antipodean

Time for some captaincy: Stop being morons and giving away penalties.

Stargazer

Fa'auli is a liability. He's terrible on defence.

gt12

Chiefs look like a rabble. We’ve been predicting a bad year, but I thought they might be able to deal with the Bulls.

Another ducking penalty.

Tim

@gt12 Clearly they caught something in Auckland.

gt12

That penalty is a fucking joke btw.

antipodean

Harsh penalty on Cane with the Bulls diving into tackles.