@shark said in Bledisloe I:

I'm obviously on the wind-up a little bit re ALB. But I am concerned about whether we have enough punch in midfield with ALB and Crotty together. In saying that, it worked ok in 2016 in a number of tests. I'll hardly throw my toys if they're named together though.

How about ALB at 12 with Goodhue as a long-term combination? I think ALB's size and jinking feet are possibly more suited to playing one further in, and his pace also might offer a counter-point if Goodhue is in fact found to be an ponderous as several people have suggested.

Wasn't it about 3 seasons ago when the midfield was Crotty/ALB for most of the tests? The best the midfield has looked since Nons and Connie.

@bones said in Bledisloe I:

Nons and Connie

bro...

@mariner4life it fits for them to be replaced by Ants and Ryzzaaaa.

Bones has been banned.

Not sure pace is an issue for our midfield options. Other than when ALB played the Lions, all of our first choice options - Crotty, ALB, SBW have looked fine. Laumape hasn’t struggled for speed and I think Goodhues pace is fine.

Where our issues have been is with combination and fitness (ie not getting crook). I thought Crotty/ALB looked the goods a couple of years ago. ALB was young and eager and had a bit of edge to his game. Crotty was the organiser and Mr Reliable on defence.

A combination of Crottys injuries, ALBs second year form slump and SBW coming back, the selections have been a little all over the place and we have seen a few different combos that just quite haven’t hit the mark. Don’t get me wrong I think we are well served with these guys (although I worry about Laumapes defence) but we hope that guys can stay fit and build towards 2019 with the least interruption.

My concerns are backup hooker should Coles not get back to where he needs to be; loose forward bench option, back 3 combination.

@tim said in Bledisloe I:

Bones has been banned.

The contents of this post have been removed due to the member being banned.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

hit him you pussy!

@act-crusader said in Bledisloe I:

A combination of Crottys injuries, ALBs second year form slump and SBW coming back, the selections have been a little all over the place and we have seen a few different combos that just quite haven’t hit the mark. Don’t get me wrong I think we are well served with these guys (although I worry about Laumapes defence) but we hope that guys can stay fit and build towards 2019 with the least interruption.

I think we need to see a big hard running munter at 12. Like Laumape. I wouldn't be surprised to see 10 Barrett 12 Laumape 13 Crotty .

I guess that means 15 JB, 14 BFA, 11 God after a few weeks rest

@act-crusader yeah I really would have liked to see Makalio brought into the fold. Although I guess they've put their chips on Aumua so looking for him to make it back strong.

@mariner4life you got suckered.

@nzzp said in Bledisloe I:

@act-crusader said in Bledisloe I:

A combination of Crottys injuries, ALBs second year form slump and SBW coming back, the selections have been a little all over the place and we have seen a few different combos that just quite haven’t hit the mark. Don’t get me wrong I think we are well served with these guys (although I worry about Laumapes defence) but we hope that guys can stay fit and build towards 2019 with the least interruption.

I think we need to see a big hard running munter at 12. Like Laumape. I wouldn't be surprised to see 10 Barrett 12 Laumape 13 Crotty .

I guess that means 15 JB, 14 BFA, 11 God after a few weeks rest

Laumape definitely punches above his size, but he isn't big. Given he didn't make the original squad but was brought in because of SBW's injury, I'm not sure they see him as the answer.

@nzzp said in Bledisloe I:

@act-crusader said in Bledisloe I:

A combination of Crottys injuries, ALBs second year form slump and SBW coming back, the selections have been a little all over the place and we have seen a few different combos that just quite haven’t hit the mark. Don’t get me wrong I think we are well served with these guys (although I worry about Laumapes defence) but we hope that guys can stay fit and build towards 2019 with the least interruption.

I think we need to see a big hard running munter at 12. Like Laumape. I wouldn't be surprised to see 10 Barrett 12 Laumape 13 Crotty .

I guess that means 15 JB, 14 BFA, 11 God after a few weeks rest

I reckon 12. Crotty 13. ALB
DMac and Laumape on the bench for impact.

Everyone keeps moaning about our lack of right wings, while completely forgetting how good Beauds has been there. You're welcome.

If we want a stable centre pairing, then the solution is to stop picking SBW and Crotty. Neither are good for more than half the games, although SBW at least finishes when he starts, if he isn't red carded.

Picking the Crusaders pair to "give stability" sucks. Why not just pick Hall and Mo'unga as well? (which of course, some have asked for).

And picking Goodhue because our other centres are too small is beyond bizarre. He's exactly the same size as the other options.

@dogmeat said in Bledisloe I:

@barbarian said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life I'm in Switzerland, no idea how I'm going to watch the game.

After the last two Sydney Bledisloe matches I've decided that I am the problem. I'm the bad luck charm, and so have taken myself as far from the ground as feasibly possible.

View embedded content

Antipode of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The opposite side of the world to Sydney is Relva, Azores, Portugal
If You're quick - there's still time

Mine
The opposite side of the world to Llandeilo is Papatowai, Otago, New Zealand.

Worth a trip?

@mikethesnow said in Bledisloe I:

@dogmeat said in Bledisloe I:

@barbarian said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life I'm in Switzerland, no idea how I'm going to watch the game.

After the last two Sydney Bledisloe matches I've decided that I am the problem. I'm the bad luck charm, and so have taken myself as far from the ground as feasibly possible.

View embedded content

Antipode of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The opposite side of the world to Sydney is Relva, Azores, Portugal
If You're quick - there's still time

Mine
The opposite side of the world to Llandeilo is Papatowai, Otago, New Zealand.

Worth a trip?

Hell yeah, the Catlins are a sensational part of NZ. Chronically underrated.

@chester-draws said in Bledisloe I:

If we want a stable centre pairing, then the solution is to stop picking SBW and Crotty. Neither are good for more than half the games, although SBW at least finishes when he starts, if he isn't red carded.

Picking the Crusaders pair to "give stability" sucks. Why not just pick Hall and Mo'unga as well? (which of course, some have asked for).

And picking Goodhue because our other centres are too small is beyond bizarre. He's exactly the same size as the other options.

Goodhue is marginally bigger at 1.87m and 98kg but for some reason he looks a lot bigger than that. Possibly due to his guns. Which may also be why he appears ponderous to some.

@chester-draws said in Bledisloe I:

If we want a stable centre pairing, then the solution is to stop picking SBW and Crotty. Neither are good for more than half the games, although SBW at least finishes when he starts, if he isn't red carded.

Picking the Crusaders pair to "give stability" sucks. Why not just pick Hall and Mo'unga as well? (which of course, some have asked for).

And picking Goodhue because our other centres are too small is beyond bizarre. He's exactly the same size as the other options.

Sounds good.

J. Moody
C. Taylor
O. Franks
T. Chief
S. Whitelock
S. Barrett
M. Todd
K. Read
B. Hall
R. Mo’unga
T. Blue
R. Crotty
J. Goodhue
T. Lander
T. Cane

Every franchise represented.

@shark I wonder about some of those stats.

The Chiefs have had ALB at 96 kg for three years. Has he seriously put on no upper-body strength in three years of AB conditioning? That would amaze me, given that they have insisted that other, similar, players work on it.

@chester-draws Oddly, ALB looked quicker on his feet than ever before towards the end of the SR season, too.

@nzzp said in Bledisloe I:

@mikethesnow said in Bledisloe I:

@dogmeat said in Bledisloe I:

@barbarian said in Bledisloe I:

@mariner4life I'm in Switzerland, no idea how I'm going to watch the game.

After the last two Sydney Bledisloe matches I've decided that I am the problem. I'm the bad luck charm, and so have taken myself as far from the ground as feasibly possible.

View embedded content

Antipode of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The opposite side of the world to Sydney is Relva, Azores, Portugal
If You're quick - there's still time

Mine
The opposite side of the world to Llandeilo is Papatowai, Otago, New Zealand.

Worth a trip?

Hell yeah, the Catlins are a sensational part of NZ. Chronically underrated.

View embedded content

Cheers. Looks uncannily like where I am