All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC

ABs locks availablity post RWC:

Available for the ABs in 2020: Whitelock, Barrett and Tuipulotu (signed, but not available: Retallick)
Available for the ABs in 2021: Whitelock, Retallick

Not yet signed for 2021: Barrett and Tuipulotu

The ABs selectors will be looking for one or two other locks post RWC. Who are the candidates?

List of locks currently signed to NZ franchises (incl contract duration as far as known):

• Michael Allardice (Chiefs, 2020)
• James Blackwell (Hurricanes, 2021)
• Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (Blues, 2019)
• Geoff Cridge (Hurricanes, 2019)
• Josh Dickson (Highlanders, ?)
• Mitchell Dunshea (Crusaders, 2020)
• Josh Goodhue (Blues, 2020?)
• Fin Hoeata (Chiefs, 2019?)
• Laghlan McWhannell (Chiefs, ?)
• Kane Leaupepe (Hurricanes, 2021)
• Liam Mitchell (Hurricanes, 2021)
• Pari Pari Parkinson (Highlanders, 2019)
• Jacob Pierce (Blues, ?)
• Luke Romano (Crusaders, 2019?)
• Scot Scrafton (Blues, 2019 - unofficial: signed with Canes)
• Quinten Strange (Crusaders, 2021)
• Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes, ?)
• Jack Whetton (Highlanders, ?)

Lock/loosies:

• Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes, 2020)
• Jesse Parete (Chiefs, 2019?)
• Tom Robinson (Blues, 2021)
• Taleni Seu (Chiefs, 2019) - is he NZ eligible?
• Jimmy Tupou (Blues, 2019)

Leaving after the RWC:

• Tom Franklin (has been in the ABs set-up; is still signed with Kobelco Steelers, but not confirmed that he won't return to NZ)
• Jackson Hemopo (Highlanders)
• Sam Lousi (Hurricanes)

IMO it's too soon to look at the current NZ U20s locks.

It's easy to scratch a lot of names from the list, as most of them are clearly not ABs material.

Names that have been mentioned as possible future ABs:

• Quinten Strange (not on this year's form, but has potential)
• Pari Pari Parkinson
• Isaia Walker-Leawere

Add to that an aging Luke Romano, who has more than proven himself, but will he continue playing post RWC?
And Vaea Fifita, who is already an AB, but used as loosie.

Possibly:

• Tom Robinson, but should first prove himself as a lock for the Blues.

I'll give my opinion on a few of them based on what I have seen.

Michael Allardice - Average

Mitchell Dunshea - Looks good and will only get better in the Crusaders

Tom Franklin - Good player, I like his style and mostly consistent.

Josh Goodhue - Average. Could do better at another franchise but would benefit from more game time.

Laghlan McWhannell - Looked good at NPC level. Needs game time at Super level.

Pari Pari Parkinson - Massive unit. Hopefully develops well. Needs more game time.

Luke Romano - Consistent performer. A good option.

Scot Scrafton - Will benefit with the (rumoured) team change. Looks good though.

Isaia Walker-Leawere - Decent player. Maybe not big enough?

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Tom Franklin going to Japan 2020 and beyond the article from Otago Times names all the Highlanders players leaving

[link text](link url)https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/highlanders/influx-new-players-needed-replace-those-leaving

@Chris There are a lot of assumptions in that article.

@Stargazer Yeah Sure but I hear he's off to Japan from a few sources in this article as well
[link text](link url)https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/highlanders/departed-highlanders-losing-key-players

@Chris Yeah, I just read it in an other article from the ODT. I'll edit the list in my first post.

Outside of Retallick and Whitelock do we have any potentially world-class locks coming through?

It seems -
Either too light or short for internationals.
Or big enough (but not workrate, mobility or skills not up to standard)

@Yeetyaah said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

I'll give my opinion on a few of them based on what I have seen.

Michael Allardice - Average

Mitchell Dunshea - Looks good and will only get better in the Crusaders

Tom Franklin - Good player, I like his style and mostly consistent.

Josh Goodhue - Average. Could do better at another franchise but would benefit from more game time.

Laghlan McWhannell - Looked good at NPC level. Needs game time at Super level.

Pari Pari Parkinson - Massive unit. Hopefully develops well. Needs more game time.

Luke Romano - Consistent performer. A good option.

Scot Scrafton - Will benefit with the (rumoured) team change. Looks good though.

Isaia Walker-Leawere - Decent player. Maybe not big enough?

The latter is 1.97m / 128 kg so I would rather ask "Maybe not tall enough ?"

@cgrant That's what I meant but sure.

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

I’ve got time for Parkinson of all the up and comers. I’d like to see Strange bulk out a little bit more. Definitely bigger than his first Crusaders year, but a bit narrow or something.

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

shark you've been around the fern long enough to know "listed" heights are quite often plucked out of someones arse.

Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino definitely stood on bricks when they were measured.

@MN5 said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

shark you've been around the fern long enough to know "listed" heights are quite often plucked out of someones arse.

Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino definitely stood on bricks when they were measured.

The Highlanders list him at 2m. Wikipedia at 1.99m. All Blacks.com at 1.97. So I’ll defer to the median.

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@MN5 said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

shark you've been around the fern long enough to know "listed" heights are quite often plucked out of someones arse.

Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino definitely stood on bricks when they were measured.

The Highlanders list him at 2m. Wikipedia at 1.99m. All Blacks.com at 1.97. So I’ll defer to the median.

True, they're not all Robert Wadlows.

We all tend to slouch late in the day.

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

Yep, many seem unimpressed with sub 2m. Not me, but our 2 current blokes are easily above this.

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

Yep, many seem unimpressed with sub 2m. Not me, but our 2 current blokes are easily above this.

I think you need to have at least one bloke of the three in your 23, over 2m. Of course this can be influenced by the heights of your 6 and 8, but as a general rule.

In saying that, the 2017 Lions’ starting locks were only 1.96-1.98 or so.

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@shark said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@Yeetyaah I've obviously seen a bit of Dickson and I think he looks like he has the goods, like Franklin he's a bit undertall though.

Franklin is listed at 1.99m

Yep, many seem unimpressed with sub 2m. Not me, but our 2 current blokes are easily above this.

I think you need to have at least one bloke of the three in your 23, over 2m. Of course this can be influenced by the heights of your 6 and 8, but as a general rule.

In saying that, the 2017 Lions’ starting locks were only 1.96-1.98 or so.

If they win the lineout then who cares ?

@shark I'm not that fussed by height, who's to say the shorter lock can't jump higher anyway?

@Bones said in All Blacks locking stocks post 2019 RWC:

@shark I'm not that fussed by height, who's to say the shorter lock can't jump higher anyway?

If that were the case then why would we predominantly select guys around 2m?