@Grooter said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann would hope Rique Miln is in as injury cover, he's a 10 but might be able to provide similar dynamic plays to Finn Hurley
I want to see Miln get some starts at 10. We all now know what Millar can do. Try to see what some of the other options are like.
Not naming Tengblad in the full squad is just ridiculous. He can be ‘developed carefully’ in the full squad, he’s clearly up to NPC level. Unless there is some loophole they are utilizing where they can elevate him due to other injuries it doesn’t really make much sense. Same for Kyan Rangitutia. Get your young guys locked in.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.
This was posted in another thread:
@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?
@Duluth said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.
This was posted in another thread:
@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?
Probably a Highlanders directive of don't break our injury prone big man before the start of the Super season by thrashing him every week during the NPC
Which could achieved with a normal contract. I know NPC isn't lucrative but I assume a dev contract will pay less
@Duluth said in Otago 2025:
Which could achieved with a normal contract. I know NPC isn't lucrative but I assume a dev contract will pay less
My understanding is all national U20 players get NPC level contracts anyway.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Duluth said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.
This was posted in another thread:
@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?
Probably a Highlanders directive of don't break our injury prone big man before the start of the Super season by thrashing him every week during the NPC
That’s possible but I hope not. He needs NPC time before being thrown into Super rugby, especially in the tight 5. Would be counter productive in my opinion.
Like I said above, there has to be some loophole here or else it just doesn’t make sense at all…
@Duluth said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.
This was posted in another thread:
@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?
I think this rumour is definitely true, hence why everyone heard he was leaving (clearly he just isn’t leaving yet)
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@Duluth said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Tengblad has indeed been lost then... had some sauce last week that he was sticking around for this season but clearly that was referring to the Highlanders.
This was posted in another thread:
@Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
The Otago line about him "being developed carefully" is strange. If the above rumour is true they have two years to make use of him. Are they punishing him for moving at a later date?
I think this rumour is definitely true, hence why everyone heard he was leaving (clearly he just isn’t leaving yet)
Yeah. Well Steve Harris has been saying will depart in 2027
This whole squad feels like talent mismanagement. What happened to Ale Aho - he's gone from hugely promising prospect to MIA. Reuben Palmer was on a national development contract and is nowhere to be seen. No Tengblad to pure madness which feels like the Hotham situation all over again. Quentin Holland presumably should have been in the frame. While No Rangitura feels just dumb, especially after the season he had last year. Stan Mclurie is another prospect who seems to have gone missing too.
It's hard to understand how Otago is SO bad to developing talent.
@Fredsaua12 said in Otago 2025:
I believe the midfielder from Canterbury is Jae Broomfield. Was Canterbury B player of the year last season and can also cover wing. Very classy player with great turn of pace
Following up on my oil here, I believe Jae was offered a contract but it wasn't taken up. unsure on whether he will end up with Canterbury or elsewhere. Trying to find more info now
@Bovidae he did. But didn't someone say he got dropped from Tah's on here? Feels like there's a bit of a story there. He was a massive unit, and you have to feel highlanders would have been interested in a 135kg lock.
Interested if anyone has the inside word on what happened, and where he landed?
@handa457 said in Otago 2025:
Interested if anyone has the inside word on what happened, and where he landed?
As Bovidae posted, he’s in NSW. Linked up with the Waratahs and is playing in the Shute Shield.
@handa457 said in Otago 2025:
This whole squad feels like talent mismanagement. What happened to Ale Aho - he's gone from hugely promising prospect to MIA. Reuben Palmer was on a national development contract and is nowhere to be seen. No Tengblad to pure madness which feels like the Hotham situation all over again. Quentin Holland presumably should have been in the frame. While No Rangitura feels just dumb, especially after the season he had last year. Stan Mclurie is another prospect who seems to have gone missing too.
It's hard to understand how Otago is SO bad to developing talent.
stan mcure did a knee training with otago npc last year and has not played this year as he recovers
Have thought about how the Union has gone about things since it dropped the squad this morning. And have a few thoughts
A part from the ring ins. The rest of the squad was confirmed months ago
We wouldn't be able to strip a fit team out of the named squad.
not naming the back up players diminishes the likely significant role they are likely going to play in the campaign
the current named group lacks balance. We have no back up 10. No fullback, and like the Highlanders, only two locks.
Almost reads as if there was little wiggle room around adding additional guys.
Nothing against the guys who are named. Injuries sadly will be impacting several of our key guys.
The lads I'm hoping will get a good go are A one Lolofie, Lucas Casey, Konrad Toleafoa and Dylan Pledger.
While Nareki, Te Hiwi, Whaanga, Haig and fingers crossed Hurley will be champing at the bit if they can recover from their injuries.
I'm also hopeful we see the likes of Rique Miln, big Tengblad, Christian MacEwan and Kyan Rangitutia. It would be disappointing if Rangitutia got a decent run last year and not seen this season.
Much more pessimistic this year than last.
Hi everyone, just got put onto this forum by a work colleague here in Dunedin. Great to see people actually talk about this stuff, been a long time sufferer relying on the Roar for rugby chat.
Seems like it might be another season of hurt unless everyone can stay 100% fit. 10 and lock remain massive issues, particularly if Holland is out on All Black duty. Shoe horning Haig in seems like a waste. Will be interesting to see who the captain is
Hurley being gone for the season is a blow for us, but Gilbert is a very tidy 15 at NPC level - to say we have no fullback is harsh. Ditto, to say 10 is an issue I think is equally harsh. At NPC level, Cam Millar is a very good first five - getting a run of games will probably do him a world of good. Accounting for injuries, here is what we could look like v the Stags in R1:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?
@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?
@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?
I actually think loose forward shapes as a bigger problem straight off the bat with Haig out. Unless someone really steps up, I think we screwed there… I’m not so concerned about the lack of a backup for Millar, because there will be someone (probably Miln), even if not on a full contract. Likewise at lock, I still fully expect to see heaps of Tengblad.
@Kiwiwomble See the other post. Otago have just named their squad really weirdly. There is loads of development players, I can’t understand why they don’t just name them.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?
@jimmyb said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
@frugby in fairness...he said no BACK UP 10...
Cheers for that. If he read the post properly it would have blunted his swipe a bit.
I stand by what I wrote yesterday. The fact the team listed above has question marks instead of options is reflective of the issues with the squad that was named yesterday.
I'd change that pack around a bit. I do not want to see Coltman there unless we have to. So same front row. Then
Stodart and Tucker at lock. With Casey, Taylor and Toleafoa in the loose.
There’s two posts mate. Was referring to the other one which said 10 is an issue
I meant 10 is an issue if Millar goes down injured. The same way lock “isn’t an issue” Holland can play and there aren’t any injuries. The lack of cover is an issue, particularly if Hurley is out. Gilbert shifts to 10 then who plays fullback? That’s definitely an issue wouldn’t you say?
I actually think loose forward shapes as a bigger problem straight off the bat with Haig out. Unless someone really steps up, I think we screwed there… I’m not so concerned about the lack of a backup for Millar, because there will be someone (probably Miln), even if not on a full contract. Likewise at lock, I still fully expect to see heaps of Tengblad.
Wasn’t aware that the development players could just come straight in. Seems incredibly stupid not to just to have them as full contracted players from the start. Agreed with the loose forwards. Without Haig (and likely Holland and CLW), the set piece and ruck is going to be a massive issue.
Otago alongside Southland will be running a mini in-season sub union tournament.
The two Otago metro sides feature several fuys who will feature heavily in the NPC
@SouthernMann - The good thing with Kyan Rangitutia he can cover both wings, fullback and midfield. He has had his first year, he be more confidant this year, just needs the coaches to show him some trust and he will get the job done week in week out.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
Hopefully with Hastie gone, we prioritise Dylan Pledger as our starting 9
It would make sense and here’s hoping he starts the majority of games but this is modern day Otago we are talking about… let’s hope the approach is a bit different under Mark Brown.
@SouthernMann I expect Pledger to be better than Hastie anyway, but I honestly hope Otago do what is best for Otago... I am sick and tired of us being crap.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann I expect Pledger to be better than Hastie anyway, but I honestly hope Otago do what is best for Otago... I am sick and tired of us being crap.
Nah. Prioritise the guys who will be around. We are already without several of our better players due to injuries. Get lads on the paddock. I would much rather finish ninth and see lads get game time. Than finish seventh and see our younger guys spend all the time on the pine.
In terms of Hastie. I reckon he made the call halfway through the season. Pinpointed the time he got dropped.
And Pledger won't be better than Hastie already. He will be. Isn't yet.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
Ale Aho has popped up, playing for Southland.
Southland socials are usually pretty good with announcements, but that one really came out of the blue.
Few notable inclusions for the two dirt trackers sides named for the weekend.
