Chiefs 2018

The 2018 Super Rugby draw for the Chiefs:

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Article on the Chiefs website: http://chiefs.co.nz/news/news/latest-news/508-gallagher-chiefs-to-host-four-home-nz-derbies-in-2018

What's your first choice XXIII going to be? I'm hesitant to assume that Ngatai will be available for > 50% of games.

1. Hames
2. Harris
3. Laulala
4. Retallick
5. Bird/Allardice/Brown
6. Seu/Brown
7. Cane
8. Brown/Messam
9. TTT/Weber
10. McKenzie
11. Alaimalo
12. Fa'auli
13. Lienert-Brown
14. Pulu
15. Stevenson
16. Polwart?
17. is Mitchell Graham signed up?
18. Moli
19. Bird/Allardice/Brown
20. Boshier/Karpick/Brown/Messam/Seu
21. Weber/TTT
22. Tiaan Falcon
23. TNW

@tim I don't see McNicol's name in that list. Is he still under contract in 2018?

And, can you remind me, which Brown is that at 5, 6 and 8?
What about Boshier?

Haven't seen anything about a contract extension for McNicol. Also, he's been unavailable so often that I wouldn't want to count on him playing.

Forgot about Boshier for the bench.

@tim Yeah, it's such a waste. McNicol, when fit and healthy, is a hugely talented player and he could have gotten far if he hadn't been plagued by injury so often and for so long.

while I see no reason why Alaimalo wont go back to the Chiefs, I dont believe he is signed with anyone yet (initially only 1 year contract) but heard there are a few teams interested.

@taniwharugby

According to the following article he has been signed for next year too.

Gone:
Hika Elliot, Tom Sanders, Michael Leitch, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Finlay Christie, Aaron Cruden, Stephen Donald, James Lowe.

Staying:
2018: Liam Messam, Dominic Bird, Damian McKenzie, Charlie Ngatai, Tim Nanai-Williams, Toni Pulu, Solomon Alaimalo, Shaun Stevenson.

2019: Kane Hames, Sosefo Kautai, Nathan Harris, Brodie Retallick, Michael Allardice, Taleni Seu, Mitchell Brown, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Karpik, Jonathan Taumateine.

2020: Nepo Laulala, Atu Moli, Brad Weber, Anton Lienert-Brown.

TBC:
Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Mitchell Graham, Liam Polwart, James Tucker, Sam Cane, Sam McNicol, Glen Fisiiahi, Johnny Fa'auli, Chase Tiatia.

Arriving:
Tyler Ardron (till 2019), Luke Jacobson (till 2020), Tiaan Falcon (till 2019), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (till 2019).

@tim ah ok, good for them and him...musta mis-heard what I had been told.

@mikedogz Do you know if Orbyn Leger has been signed?

Not that I know of. I would imagine he will get a WTG contract at least and play in development games.

Siegfried Fisi'ihoi is playing in France (with Stade Français).

To me Stevenson looks like a winger that can play fullback and Alaimalo looks like a fullback that can play wing.

Is it rumour or fact that DMac is playing 10 in 2018 for The Chiefs?

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

Is it rumour or fact that DMac is playing 10 in 2018 for The Chiefs?

I'm not answering as I have no idea (obviously ) but (genuine question: who are the other options? Falcon (from @Tim 's post above)? And?

@booboo said in Chiefs 2018:

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

Is it rumour or fact that DMac is playing 10 in 2018 for The Chiefs?

I'm not answering as I have no idea (obviously ) but (genuine question: who are the other options? Falcon (from @Tim 's post above)? And?

But your post isn't the first I've heard.

I hear the AB's have asked that he play 1st 5 which is against Colin Coopers wishes but I can't back that up as I can't for the life of me remember where I heard or read it.

I was hoping you would solve for me

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

@booboo said in Chiefs 2018:

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

Is it rumour or fact that DMac is playing 10 in 2018 for The Chiefs?

I'm not answering as I have no idea (obviously ) but (genuine question: who are the other options? Falcon (from @Tim 's post above)? And?

But your post isn't the first I've heard.

I hear the AB's have asked that he play 1st 5 which is against Colin Coopers wishes but I can't back that up as I can't for the life of me remember where I heard or read it.

I was hoping you would solve for me

Interesting that Cooper picked DMac at 10 for the Maori vs the Lions then

@kiwimurph solid point! Maybe I have it the other way round?!?

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

@kiwimurph solid point! Maybe I have it the other way round?!?

You sure you're not thinking of Rennie, Nisbo?

Wayne Smith has always been said to see DMac as a 10 and disagreed with Rennie playing him at 15 all the time, so no surprise if Hansen's thinking along the same lines too. I don't think we know what Cooper's planning yet but seeing as Cruden's gone and Beaver's been dropped (for shame!), there aren't exactly many options.

@unco said in Chiefs 2018:

@hooroo said in Chiefs 2018:

@kiwimurph solid point! Maybe I have it the other way round?!?

You sure you're not thinking of Rennie, Nisbo?

Wayne Smith has always been said to see DMac as a 10 and disagreed with Rennie playing him at 15 all the time, so no surprise if Hansen's thinking along the same lines too. I don't think we know what Cooper's planning yet but seeing as Cruden's gone and Beaver's been dropped (for shame!), there aren't exactly many options.

I think if Wayne Smith was the coach of the Chiefs he would have been playing D Mac at 10 while Cruden was around too.

He does look to be the starting 10 in the squad at this stage - is Falcon the only other 10? M Mac hasn't been signed up has he?