Sunday 4:35pm - McLean Park
Hawkes Bay
Match thread
Counties
Hawkes Bay
1 Pouri Rakete-Stones
2 Jacob Devery
3 Joshua Smith
4 Geoff Cridge
5 Tom Parsons
6 Miracle Faiilagi
7 Cooper Flanders
8 Devan Flanders
9 Ere Enari
10 Harry Godfrey
11 Lukas Ripley
12 Kienan Higgins
13 Nick Grigg
14 Jonah Lowe
15 Zarn Sullivan
16 Kianu Kereru-Symes
17 Hadlee Hay-Horton
18 Lolani Faleiva
19 Hunter Morrison
20 Frank Lochore
21 Folau Fakatava
22 Lincoln McClutchie
23 Andrew Tauatevalu
Counties
1 Junior Passi
2 Zuriel Togiatama
3 Keran van Staden
4 Jimmy Tupou
5 Leo Ngatai-Tafau
6 Adam Brash
7 Jonty Short
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Jonathan Taumateine
10 Riley Hohepa
11 Peniasi Malimali
12 Gibson Popoali'i
13 Tevita Ofa
14 Josh Gray
15 Etene Nanai-Seturo
16 Ioane Moananu
17 Siate Taupaki
18 Suetena Asomua
19 William Furniss
20 Cameron Church
21 Sam Wye
22 Sione Molia
23 AJ Alatimu
@Duluth said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
No Dalton Papali'i?
Hopefully he'll be on the plane to Argentina.
@sparky said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
@Duluth said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
No Dalton Papali'i?
Hopefully he'll be on the plane to Argentina.
Still unusual given he was released, and only had minimal minutes throughout July, but maybe plans have changed.
Papalii might be missing for paternity leave? He posted something ages ago about a baby being due in August
I have been impressed by Enari this afternoon - a lot quicker and more accurate service than I remember
@Stockcar86 Hey I will not have an ex Wainui boy spoken about like that..nah good he’s been given a chance
@Steven-Harris said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
Magpies have been ruthless when opportunities have been on offer
Godfrey putting on a clinic
Missed the game but good to hear. He was excellent for the Canes at 10 before injury. Seems to be getting better and better.
@Canes4life said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
@Steven-Harris said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
Magpies have been ruthless when opportunities have been on offer
Godfrey putting on a clinicMissed the game but good to hear. He was excellent for the Canes at 10 before injury. Seems to be getting better and better.
You would of enjoyed his game mate, he looked real good.
With all the talk of young first fives, it’s good to keep an eye on some of the talent running around in the NPC. One of these talented young 10s is Harry Godfrey. Godfrey, like so many of his peers in NZ, is a hybrid, a player who shifts between 10 and 15.
It looks like Godfrey might want to focus on being a first five. But if he’s going to do that, he’ll have to remember that the protocols for first fives and fullbacks are different. Whereas fullbacks like to attack and break the line, the first five’s first priority is to play the ball into space, through (1) the pass, (2) kick, or (3) carry. As a general rule, the 10 should want the ball often in his hands but for as short as possible a time, using his positioning and depth instead as a way to manipulate the defenders in front of him.
A good example of Godfrey’s fullback-instincts were on display in this game against Counties Manukau, early in the second half. From the 2nd half restart, Godfrey does well to create a contestable, with Hawke’s Bay able to retain possession. From there, the Magpies go through the phases, a line break eventually coming from a post-contact Kienan Higgins offload to Grigg. With Hawke’s Bay on attack inside the Counties’ 22, this is an excellent opportunity for a strike.
From a midfield ruck and with the Counties defence condensed, Godfrey calls for the ball out the back, the Magpies having a 3-on-2 out wide, with Zarn Sullivan looping around Godfrey and Devan Flanders holding the width on the edge.
Godfrey receives the ball, with Sullivan and Flanders to his left
Realizing there’s an overlap, the Counties’ final defender in the line, Josh Gray (14), rushes Godfrey to pressure his pass. While Godfrey does well to fake the pass and step, he doesn’t then pass to an unmarked Sullivan (who has a 2-on-1) but rather crabs back inside, until he’s eventually tackled close to the 22 metre-line.
After side-stepping Gray, Godfrey needed to still find a way to connect with Sullivan, as the try is still on
While Hawke’s Bay eventually recover and score a few phases later, this was still a win for the Counties defence, the available space not efficiently exploited by Godfrey, the latter forced back inside by the defensive shooter.
And this is where the main lesson for Godfrey, as a first five, lies. Opportunities become more and more sparse as you go up the levels. At Super, the defence could’ve held for longer after the failed execution, with the risk of an attacking mistake increasing. At Test level, defenders are so switched on that, when Godfrey starts crabbing, you’d have hunters immediately over the ball looking for the turnover. And then, you’d have gone from a scoring opportunity to a defensive lineout around the halfway line.
If Godfrey, in other words, wants to make a case as a first 5/8 for the Hurricanes (and beyond), he’ll have to showcase real attacking efficiency at NPC-level. Otherwise, he might have to settle for an extended stint at fullback, where his tendencies to hold the ball in search of the line break are likely to be more welcomed and encouraged.
@Dan54 said in Hawkes Bay v Counties:
@Mauss I will be interested to see if Coles gets a bit of time for Hawke Eyes too, he another kid who doesn't look bad.
I think Will Cole is an excellent young 10, and I agree, I'd like to see him get an opportunity. But game time will be hard to come by at the Magpies, with Godfrey and McClutchie ahead of him.
But he's a genuine first five, so it would be good to see him being developed.