Highlanders 2025

I'd find the Fakatava information to be a bit of a weird decision on his behalf. In 2023 it was confirmed he was re-signed until the end of 2025. Strange for him, off the back of a poor 2024, slipping down the pecking order to re-sign for another three years. My bet, based on vibes and no information is gooooone at the end of next year. I'd expect him to be playing for Tonga at the end of next year. Same with Nareki and Fiji. Hastie being slow? You mean speed? I'd say it is probably his only saving grace, apart from his kicking game. He has filled in from time to time in the back three. Hasn't got into the open field very regularly.

On Casey and Taylor. I wasn't meaning I see them as Super players right now. Just that I don't see them as being any worse than an injury prone Michaels. We also have Max Ratcliffe who was the Highlanders U20 player of the year.
I'd hate to write off Faleafaga from Otago now. I also doubt there is space at Auckland for him with all the talent they have. Best he sticks with us. He is still only 21.
I think you have some loyalty to the Bell boys. I don't think there is anything Henry Bell can do that Jack Taylor can't. Taylor is slightly taller, and will fill out more than Bell. He'd be quicker as well. At 25 Bell is 106kg. Taylor's listed as the same right now, and will fill out over the next couple of years. He has a much high ceiling than Bell.

I'd hope Fakatava would hang around. He still makes too many mistakes / poor decisions, but if you're looking for a sniping halfback offloading to forwards to get go-forward around the ruck, he is probably the pick of the NZ halfbacks, and his speed of delivery from the ruck is pretty good.
FF + Ledger would be a really strong combination.

@reprobate said in Highlanders 2025:

I'd hope Fakatava would hang around. He still makes too many mistakes / poor decisions, but if you're looking for a sniping halfback offloading to forwards to get go-forward around the ruck, he is probably the pick of the NZ halfbacks, and his speed of delivery from the ruck is pretty good.
FF + Ledger would be a really strong combination.

The good advice will be saying to leave, if he is the 5th choice NZ halfback. Especially being eligible for Tonga at the end of next year. Of the players rated above him, only Christie is older. He'd be much better off to take the money and have a long career with Tonga internationally. He's also got a young child, and it looked like his partner was up in HB during the Super season.

@frugby said in Highlanders 2025:

• Rohan Wingham: Has actually stepped up for Otago, so good for him. Was chucked into Super way too early, but should be kept on as the number three tighthead (I still see him eventually as a loosehead)

When I first saw him play in the NZ Schools trial he did play LH for his team. BTW, I was really impressed with his effort around the field vs Wellington.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:

Josh Tengblad.

Interview with Uncle Arthur- JT is 207cm?!

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:

Hastie being slow? You mean speed? I'd say it is probably his only saving grace, apart from his kicking game. He has filled in from time to time in the back three. Hasn't got into the open field very regularly.

So slow to the breakdown. He might be quick once he gets moving, but it's all about ruck speed. No coincidence we looked better when Pledger came on.

I'd hate to write off Faleafaga from Otago now. I also doubt there is space at Auckland for him with all the talent they have. Best he sticks with us. He is still only 21.

Faleafaga needs to be playing. If he goes to Counties for example, it is not writing him off, but at the moment the 10 jersey belongs to Millar.

I don't think there is anything Henry Bell can do that Jack Taylor can't. Taylor is slightly taller, and will fill out more than Bell. He'd be quicker as well. At 25 Bell is 106kg. Taylor's listed as the same right now, and will fill out over the next couple of years.

I never said there wasn't, and I think they can quite easily co-exist as a second and third choice in your squad. My comment was on current evidence. There is a reason why one started as many games as he did.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:

@reprobate said in Highlanders 2025:

I'd hope Fakatava would hang around. He still makes too many mistakes / poor decisions, but if you're looking for a sniping halfback offloading to forwards to get go-forward around the ruck, he is probably the pick of the NZ halfbacks, and his speed of delivery from the ruck is pretty good.
FF + Ledger would be a really strong combination.

The good advice will be saying to leave, if he is the 5th choice NZ halfback. Especially being eligible for Tonga at the end of next year. Of the players rated above him, only Christie is older. He'd be much better off to take the money and have a long career with Tonga internationally.

He sacrificed a lot to come to New Zealand though don't forget. He'll want to be an All Black... can take a while to shake off an injury, he has been excellent and accurate for Hawke's Bay. I don't think it is inconceivable he sticks around until 2027, when he will still only be 27. The money for top-end Super players is also a lot better than people realise.

Fifita still in NZ so his mission hasn't started yet and his mission will be for two years I beleive

@reprobate said in Highlanders 2025:

I'd hope Fakatava would hang around. He still makes too many mistakes / poor decisions, but if you're looking for a sniping halfback offloading to forwards to get go-forward around the ruck, he is probably the pick of the NZ halfbacks, and his speed of delivery from the ruck is pretty good.
FF + Ledger would be a really strong combination.

Fakatava sounds like a good bench option. In 3 years we will have 2 to 3 good HBS but likely at least one will be injured.

@frugby you are always going to side with the Bell boys. Henry Bell is a handy hooker. He is just the less good version of his brother. Of course he got the starts this season. Taylor is still filling out, and had played fewer than 10 senior games prior to the season starting. Jackson was a, shit, we have no one else selection. At the moment Bell isn't even the top Otago hooker. Having slipped behind Coltman. Henry Bell's biggest upside has been his running game. Apart from that he is just a small hooker who is currently struggling with his throwing. He's smaller than Ricky Riccitelli. There isn't a lot between the three hookers. Any of them can start next year. I think Jospeh will go with the beat thrower. We aren't good enough to throw ball away in attacking positions with good lineout options. On NPC form, Taylor has been the best of the three.
With Fakatava, certainly agree he moved to NZ and away from his family for footy. So do dozens of young lads from the islands each year. His priority, like many others will be to get as much as possible for his family, both here and at home. This will be a wait and see approach.
Faleafaga, as soon as you say off you go, you lose oversight. With a player who is still that young. It is a foolish decision. It is my preference we keep him for at least another couple of years.

@ploughboy said in Highlanders 2025:

Fifita still in NZ so his mission hasn't started yet and his mission will be for two years I beleive

Disappointing if he is still waiting that he hasn't played any footy while waiting. Could have played club footy and potentially some rep stuff

Haig's too articulate to be a tight forward..Needs a few months to practice his grunts. Oh and maybe let slip he could play for others, his agent has probably gone ballistic he's admitted his loyalty...

@nostrildamus Scottish grandparents as well. So that’s a fourth country ( though who wants to play for Scotland)

@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:

@nostrildamus Scottish grandparents as well. So that’s a fourth country ( though who wants to play for Scotland)

Don't tell you know who on here, he's trying to change Scottish rugby into something akin to the French Foreign Legion.
NB Haig (high, noble) is also originally a Viking/Norse name.

@KiwiInLondon said in Highlanders 2025:

@nostrildamus Scottish grandparents as well. So that’s a fourth country ( though who wants to play for Scotland)

They are well and truly a team on the up and would probably give us a good run for our money right now

Looks like we are in agreement Haig will play international rugby. Just a question of for who. Hopefully it will be for us, and we have a dutchman and an English accent in our starting pack.

@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2025:

Looks like we are in agreement Haig will play international rugby. Just a question of for who. Hopefully it will be for us, and we have a dutchman and an English accent in our starting pack.

And maybe a German.

i acknowledge my bias right, we can get past that

he's exactly the kind of person i was hoping would be a bolter this year...loosies for the ab's havent really jelled for a while...and yet we still try and use the same 6 guys

Imagine the poaching chat if we have those three in black. @Kiwiwomble agree, a lot of the loosies we are picking at the moment play in a very similar style to eachother too.

@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2025:

i acknowledge my bias right, we can get past that

he's exactly the kind of person i was hoping would be a bolter this year...loosies for the ab's havent really jelled for a while...and yet we still try and use the same 6 guys

I like the fact he is a specialist 6* and just wants to do the core roles well, plus that height would be useful in the lineout

*ok, can be a lock a well.