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

All Blacks team
ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 10.05pm

15: Ben Smith
14: Waisake Naholo
13: Jack Goodhue
12: Ryan Crotty
11: Rieko Ioane
10: Beauden Barrett
9: Aaron Smith
8: Kieran Read (c)
7: Sam Cane
6: Liam Squire
5: Sam Whitelock
4: Brodie Retallick
3: Owen Franks
2: Codie Taylor
1: Joe Moody

16. Nathan Harris
17. Karl Tu'inukuafe
18. Ofa Tuungafasi
19. Scott Barrett
20. Ardie Savea
21. TJ Perenara
22. Damian McKenzie
23. Anton Lienert-Brown

Ah. Read and Retallick. Just looks better than the French series.

Happy with that especially Goodhue starting. Only qualm is 14, but I prefer the guy from marketing (or is it IT or maybe accounts, I forget) at 15.

I feel a lot better with Smith at full back.

Just looked up the team that played in Dunners last year - this team isn't that far off at all - DMac at fullback, and the midfield are the real significant changes.
I can't really remember that game, but reading the player ratings it was the midfield that let us down / broke down early due to head knocks:

Ryan Crotty 6: Not up to his usual high standards, as went off twice for head assessments (second permanent). Left for dead by Foley in his try and early tackle on Folau rubbed one out for Ioane. Will bounce back.
Sonny Bill Williams 7: Poor start with four early handling errors. But tidied his play after that and came into his own in second half with some nice offloads in the tackle. A night when the chances came outside his channels.

Excited to see how Crotty and Goodhue work out with a different support cast around them.

@jaycee said in Bledisloe I:

I feel a lot better with Smith at full back.

Just looked up the team that played in Dunners last year - this team isn't that far off at all - DMac at fullback, and the midfield are the real significant changes.

wasn't Lima starting at 10 in Dunners ?