Sam Nemec-Vial is currently injured but should be back before club season finishes (fingers crossed) Timu will be back
14 days later
Otago coaching team confirmed.
Head coach - Mark Brown
Back & Attack coach - Ryan Bambry
Forwards and Set Piece coach - Will Henry
Defence coach - Lee Allen
Back & Skills coach - Mitchell Scott
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
anyone got the Mark Browns history?
Not a household name but I found this was the best information I could find when he was first named. Should give you an idea.
Dunedin man. Played Otago B’s then took off overseas. Coached Canterbury age grade then co coached Canterbury with Rueben Thorne. Those are the key parts.
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
anyone got the Mark Browns history?
He didn't have a great record with Canterbury and got moved aside.
@Chris said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
anyone got the Mark Browns history?
He didn't have a great record with Canterbury and got moved aside.
Now now, I know Reuben Thorne is a protected species in Canterbury land but Mark can’t take all the blame 
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@Chris said in Otago 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in Otago 2025:
anyone got the Mark Browns history?
He didn't have a great record with Canterbury and got moved aside.
Now now, I know Reuben Thorne is a protected species in Canterbury land but Mark can’t take all the blame
I wasn’t talking about Thorne he was shit as well.
Someone asked about Browns record and it was answered Brown was poor.
I have talked to people who were coached by Brown I was not given a great response .
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@Chris haha I’m only kidding around mate.
Put it this way though, he can’t be worse than Donnelly.
Yeah no idea how he will go in a different enviroment a change maybe good for him.
12 days later
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
Max Ratcliffe has been signed for the upcoming season.
for those of us out the the region, good? bad?
obvious will google but in the interest of some chat
From what I have read. Is a Hawke's Bay product out, playing for the Sharks. Primarily a seven, can play eight as well. Big strong kid. Had some injuries. Is still only 21. Played for NZ baabaas during the U20s comp. He was also thr 2024 U20s player of the year for the Landers.
Probably the back up 7 to Harry Taylor. If Lio-Willie is with the ABs all season. One of Toleafoa or Casey will be af 8.
@SouthernMann I hope not. Needs to be playing 8.
I tend to disagree. He is our best lock out of the playing group. With Tengblad on the up. We know what Tucker has to offer. The two most dominant players in club rugby are Casey and Toleafoa. Both 8s.
Apart from Tucker and Tengblad. We are then dropping down to Eric Peita, Boston Hunt, Reuben Palmer as well as potentially Quintin Holland, Mitch Tinnock and Christian MacEwan as locks.
@Kiwiwomble haven’t followed in club rugby. But I remember when he came down south he was highly touted and then everything seemed to go a bit quiet around him.
Suppose that makes sense if he’s been injured. But a few former highlanders academy boys need big seasons if they’re going to push for super contracts. Kyan Rangitura, Jeremiah Asi, Toleafoa, Ratcliff, Reuben Palmer, Moana Takaka and Stan Mclurie all missed out on NZU20’s Squads, while Hunter Fahey made it but hadn’t yet kicked on.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I tend to disagree. He is our best lock out of the playing group. With Tengblad on the up. We know what Tucker has to offer. The two most dominant players in club rugby are Casey and Toleafoa. Both 8s.
Apart from Tucker and Tengblad. We are then dropping down to Eric Peita, Boston Hunt, Reuben Palmer as well as potentially Quintin Holland, Mitch Tinnock and Christian MacEwan as locks.
Stodart long-term needs to be playing 8 though. Begs the question why we didn't re-sign Fischli. I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I tend to disagree. He is our best lock out of the playing group. With Tengblad on the up. We know what Tucker has to offer. The two most dominant players in club rugby are Casey and Toleafoa. Both 8s.
Apart from Tucker and Tengblad. We are then dropping down to Eric Peita, Boston Hunt, Reuben Palmer as well as potentially Quintin Holland, Mitch Tinnock and Christian MacEwan as locks.
Stodart long-term needs to be playing 8 though. Begs the question why we didn't re-sign Fischli. I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.
I expect we will fill out lock internally. Boston Hunt from all accounts was one of the best locks in Wellington, and got injured before the NPC last year. Christian MacEwan almost made the U20s. Then they will use Stodart and at a pinch Haig there as well.
Stodart has primarily played at lock for the Landers. That bench utility role is best best spot, game time wise at the moment.
As for Fischli. He is too similar to some of the other Super guys. Also a perfect replacement for Blair Ryall at Southland.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.
Could be headed the same way with our midfield again after the news that Josh Whaanga has injured his knee. Doesn’t sound too great at the moment.
At the moment it’s looking like TUJ, Gilbert could be asked to play there and a Josh Timu recall. Expect Joe Cooke to be around the squad again too.
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.Could be headed the same way with our midfield again after the news that Josh Whaanga has injured his knee. Doesn’t sound too great at the moment.
At the moment it’s looking like TUJ, Gilbert could be asked to play there and a Josh Timu recall. Expect Joe Cooke to be around the squad again too.
Hopefully Jake Te Hiwi is back from his injury troubles. Would be good to see him have a long run of consistent selections. Riley Lucas is probably the only guy running around in club footy that is worth a go. So we will probably have to go to the provincial wishing well. Southland on the other hand have six midfielders.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.Could be headed the same way with our midfield again after the news that Josh Whaanga has injured his knee. Doesn’t sound too great at the moment.
At the moment it’s looking like TUJ, Gilbert could be asked to play there and a Josh Timu recall. Expect Joe Cooke to be around the squad again too.
Hopefully Jake Te Hiwi is back from his injury troubles. Would be good to see him have a long run of consistent selections. Riley Lucas is probably the only guy running around in club footy that is worth a go. So we will probably have to go to the provincial wishing well. Southland on the other hand have six midfielders.
Shit I completely forgot about Te Hiwi, knew I was forgetting someone. Yeah would like to see him get first shot at 12 if healthy. He is one that needs a big NPC campaign. Would help if he could stay healthy.
Just got official news on Josh Whaanga. It’s an MCL, expected 8 weeks recovery. Avoided the dreaded ACL which is awesome news.
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.Could be headed the same way with our midfield again after the news that Josh Whaanga has injured his knee. Doesn’t sound too great at the moment.
At the moment it’s looking like TUJ, Gilbert could be asked to play there and a Josh Timu recall. Expect Joe Cooke to be around the squad again too.
Whaanga as you say is MCL - but I've heard he is gone for the season. Timu trained as a tackle bag holder with the ABs, so expect him to get named. With Te Hiwi & probably TUJ that should leave us reasonably covered in the first instance. Gilbert will probably be used as an outside back?
Wonder if Creighton is coming back.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@Landers92 said in Otago 2025:
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
I'm expecting to see some plonker from outside Otago bought in at lock.Could be headed the same way with our midfield again after the news that Josh Whaanga has injured his knee. Doesn’t sound too great at the moment.
At the moment it’s looking like TUJ, Gilbert could be asked to play there and a Josh Timu recall. Expect Joe Cooke to be around the squad again too.
Whaanga as you say is MCL - but I've heard he is gone for the season. Timu trained as a tackle bag holder with the ABs, so expect him to get named. With Te Hiwi & probably TUJ that should leave us reasonably covered in the first instance. Gilbert will probably be used as an outside back?
Wonder if Creighton is coming back.
He is out for 8 weeks. The goal is he will be back by the middle of the season
I'd treat Gilbert like a band-aid. Just go where the gaps are. Everywhere from 10 out. Spend most of the year in the 22 jersey
@SouthernMann For right or for wrong, I'd expect him to be captain which means he basically has to start. I suppose they might use him at 12 as a glue kind of guy.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann For right or for wrong, I'd expect him to be captain which means he basically has to start. I suppose they might use him at 12 as a glue kind of guy.
That would be massively disappointing from a succession planning perspective. He is leaving. He has guys in the positions he plays staying and available. Leadership group, fine. Captain, just stupid. There are a lack of options, but a roadblock is not the right one. Give it to either Haig or Stodart.
Side will be announced on Tuesday at a breakfast.
@SouthernMann can you copy the text? Thanks
@macmanus said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann can you copy the text? Thanks
Nah. The forum has a policy of not copying text from behind paywalls. ODT subscriptions are only $17 a month. It helps ensure content keeps getting delivered.
@SouthernMann sorry, I didn’t know.
Paul Dwyer talking about three guys coming in from out of province. Two from Australia and one from Christchurch. Likely filling the obvious holes at lock, midfield and probably outside back.
Fairly confident the overseas midfielder is Charlie Powell who played for Southland last year.
Otago squad.
Players unavailable:
Holland, Christian Lio-Willie and George Bower are with the All Blacks, and Finn Hurley (quad, 10-12 weeks), Oliver Haig (ankle, 4-6 weeks), Jona Nareki (knee, 4-6 weeks), Josh Whaanga (knee, 6-8 weeks) and Jake Te Hiwi (groin, 4-6 weeks) are sidelined.
NPC squad
Hookers: Liam Coltman (Utah Warriors), Henry Bell (Kaikorai), A-One Lolofie (Zingari-Richmond).
Props: George Bower (Harbour), Benjamin Lopas (Green Island), Saula Ma’u (Harbour), Abraham Pole (Harbour), Moana Takataka (Kaikorai), Rohan Wingham (Dunedin).
Locks: Fabian Holland (Dunedin), Joseva Tamani (Fijian Drua), Will Tucker (Kaikorai).
Loose forwards: Lucas Casey (Kaikorai), Max Ratcliffe (Dunedin), Will Stodart (University), Harry Taylor (Southern), Konrad Toleafoa (Southern), Christian Lio-Willie (Kaikorai), Oliver Haig (Green Island).
Halfbacks: Nathan Hastie (Harbour), Dylan Pledger (Kaikorai), Bob Martin (Taieri).
First five: Cameron Millar (Taieri).
Midfield backs: Sam Gilbert (Green Island), Jake Te Hiwi (Green Island), Josh Timu (Southern), Thomas Umaga-Jensen (University), Josh Whaanga (Taieri).
Outside backs: Jeremiah Asi (University), Finn Hurley (Green Island), Jona Nareki (Alhambra-Union), Charlie Powell (Manly Marlins).
With all the injured players. There wil be several listed as cover/development players