Well, this one will be interesting...I think damage control is all this week is about, I have zero faith or expectation of a win, or even getting close, so we need to work on limiting the score.
Have heard a couple more from the Dev side are being called in to replace our ever growing injury list, which on one hand is a good thing, but by the same token, the way the season is going, coming in to try and fill a gap now, kinda like stopping a dam from bursting....
@taniwharugby That cartoon is the perfect way to describe Northland rugby in general.
All I want to see is some interest in actually being on the paddock this week. Cut the individual crap and work together. No dumbass offloads and chip/grubber kicks.
I agree, it’s definitely damage control against Wellington, no way we’re winning, you’d be a fool to even entertain the idea.
Sounds like the injury spiral is getting worse, but there are guys who’ve been out a while now who must be close to coming back?
Would like Lieven to start over Nock, he sped things up tenfold when he came on against BOP. Give J Deb the captains armband.
Will we see Ranger make a surprise return? If not the midfield has to change. Anything but what we’ve got would suit me!
If we can walk off the stadium down there with our heads held high, that’s as good as a win for me.
Team named to face Wellington:
Wright, Atkins, Straker
Sweetman, Caird
McNamara, Byrnes, Matiu
Nock, Debreczeni
Hohaia, Johnson
Leilua, Gregory, Rae
Bench: Hyde, Tu'ungafasi, Te Whata-Colley, Mayanavanua, Stokes, Levien, Smith, Cherrington
Injured: Ranger, Robinson, Goodhue, Hawkins, Matich, Olsen, Jacobson
I have to assume Hyland is still injured and also Roberts-Te Nana is too (best game from him and dropped? possibly concussion?)
Good to see Mayanavanua back, great to see Byrnes get a start, problem area at 12/13 remains ( @J77 ) Cherrington finally to get a run, probably tear it up now, haha!
As I keep banging on about, would like to see Levien given a start too.
@taniwharugby said in Wellington vs Northland:
As I keep banging on about, would like to see Levien given a start too.
I would've made multiple changes in the backs.. I don't see the point of persisting with what hasn't worked.
Might as well find out if some other combinations are an improvement
@Duluth I know we are somewhat restricted with injuries, but CHerrington, a mid-fielder is getting his debut (possibly) this week, and our mid-field has been a massive issue all year...
Hope Gregory takes a chill pill and plays his natural game, rather than looking for the hero play all the time (seems sometimes before he even gets the ball) as it is forcing him to make silly unforced errors...
Really like what Levien brings to the game when he comes on, if he could replicate that in a starting role I think he'd go great!
Tua is also missing from the injury list (assume he'd have been ahead of a couple in the 23, deservedly or not)
I would've started Levien, moved Debra to fullback, tried the young ten and moved Gregory to the midfield
The jury is out on Gregory as a xv's player. He's a very good 7's player but that hasn't translated to xv's yet.
What is his best position? I suspect it's 13.
He can still use his pace to get the outside break. One of strengths in 7's is how many turnovers he forces. That midfield role will allow him to get over the ball more often.
@Duluth I just think Gregory is suffering with trying too hard, particularly with everything else around him turning to custard...something Ranger was guilty of in his early days (and even still does now and then) immense talent, but when things are going wrong, he makes really poor decisions and errors and looks out of his depth.
But yeah, I think 13 is probably best for him, shame he is off to 7s next year as I think he would have been better served for 15s playing in super rugby.
It seems the coaches have had decided certain players are this position, and thats that...although v Auckland they did run Debreczeni at 15, but with Hawkins at 10...think that was 1 of 2 games they put Gregory in the mid-field too...
@taniwharugby I would hate to see Levien and Cherrington play really well at this late stage..which would leave more questions than answers
I think with absolutely nothing to play for other than pride..I personally think we may have missed a trick to some guys from the extended squads, can understand the issues in and around the contracted squad..but Really and truthfully ..what have we got to lose..?
@taniwharugby said in Wellington vs Northland:
@Duluth I just think Gregory is suffering with trying too hard, particularly with everything else around him turning to custard...something Ranger was guilty of in his early days (and even still does now and then) immense talent, but when things are going wrong, he makes really poor decisions and errors and looks out of his depth.
But yeah, I think 13 is probably best for him, shame he is off to 7s next year as I think he would have been better served for 15s playing in super rugby.
It seems the coaches have had decided certain players are this position, and thats that...although v Auckland they did run Debreczeni at 15, but with Hawkins at 10...think that was 1 of 2 games they put Gregory in the mid-field too...
Hasn’t he signed with the Highlanders?
@kev said in Wellington vs Northland:
Hasn’t he signed with the Highlanders?
Yes. Seems like they took a gamble that he’ll come good. His NPC form doesn’t demand selection
He’s primarily with the 7s still, so he probably won’t play SR until 2021
@Steven-Harris We all remember the Argentina props who would have struggled to make a 2nd division club rugby team in one of our sub unions. If we don’t have performance based contracts that allow players to be dropped then we have a massive issue.
But I blame coaching and our setup. It is still not right. We started the season badly and have got worse.
When your best talent - Nock, Debreczeni, and Gregory - have all looked very average it says something about team structures and the coaching. Debreczeni has got progressively worse, Nock needs to speed his game up and Gregory slow his down.
But amongst the shambles we are seeing on the field it’s hard to tell where to start because nothing has worked before or since that superb try last week.
@kev said in Wellington vs Northland:
We all remember the Argentina props who would have struggled to make a 2nd division club rugby team in one of our sub unions.
although, TBF, one had been capped a few times for Argentina and the other was an Argentine Colts player, so easy to see why they appealed given our scrum woes at the time....
Heard Sweetman has been replaced by Mayanavanua and Funkai into bench.
Pretty much sums things up for us.
For me, a good result this weekend is us keeping them under 40, and us nabbing a couple of tries....man, it sucks looking at my team like that, in the past, I have always had a small part of me thinking yea we could pull off an upset if we play well, the way we are playing presently, we would have to have all 23 play the games of thier lives and Wellington to have the worst game of thier lives... 
@taniwharugby Our only hope as you say is if Wellington have one of their off days that they are known for from time to time. Having said that even on an off day they’ll probably be 20-30 points better than us.
I’d like to see us pick on fat boy Garden-Bachop, usually when he’s faltering the team start getting the wobbles. If we allow him to dictate that could be trouble.
Will be praying for a miracle tomorrow.
@J77 JGB does great things and then turns around with some complete shite. Very much a rocks and diamonds type player.
He has been fairly poor this year, but against Auckland last week he probably put on his best performance in a long time. Controlled the game well, kicking out of hand was great and he even tested the dline a couple of times. Long may that form continue.
@Canes4life yeah even if he’s complete shit I still think you guys will cricket score us! But as with any side if you get under the 10’s skin it can have a snowball effect.
@J77 It will also depend on what kind of side Wellington put out. They may use this game as a perfect opportunity to rest the likes of Kirifi, Blackwell & Aumua, ensuring they are fresh for the business end of the comp.
At full strength Wellington would expect to hit the 50 fairly comfortably, especially on a dry track.
@Canes4life I’m anticipating Wellington will put out close to their strongest side. For some reason teams still show us maximum respect even though we are a complete pile of dog shit this year.
