Possible All Blacks 2020
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@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth I've seen way more stupid posts. Like the constant fanboying and victim card playing regarding poor Akira.
And yes, I've way more confidence in the ability of ABs selectors to assess a player's abilities and shortcomings than that of some people on the Fern who haven't been present at trainings and who don't know the players. Who knows, he may have discipline issues or character flaws we don't know about. They'll hardly say that in public, won't they?
The new selection panel still has Foster and Fox, but yes, Akira may get another shot at it, if he deserves one. Let's hope he grabs that opportunity with both hands if it comes.
Sheesh dude, the year that Evans got a cap and Taufua was selected in the squad and Akira wasn't he outplayed them both easily. His detractors said look at the stats, and his run stats, tackle stats etc were all easily better, so then it came down to rucks being the only thing a loosie is judged on - and as good a player as Evans is he wasn't hitting lots of rucks, and you don't select Taufua for his ruck mastery.
He simply didn't get the same chances as other players and it's preposterous to claim otherwise.
On Frizell, I was one of his biggest detractors, dude should be playing for Tonga and shouldn't have been selected from the Highlanders bench, but I think he'd go ok with decent game time.
@Nepia said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth I've seen way more stupid posts. Like the constant fanboying and victim card playing regarding poor Akira.
And yes, I've way more confidence in the ability of ABs selectors to assess a player's abilities and shortcomings than that of some people on the Fern who haven't been present at trainings and who don't know the players. Who knows, he may have discipline issues or character flaws we don't know about. They'll hardly say that in public, won't they?
The new selection panel still has Foster and Fox, but yes, Akira may get another shot at it, if he deserves one. Let's hope he grabs that opportunity with both hands if it comes.
Sheesh dude, the year that Evans got a cap and Taufua was selected in the squad and Akira wasn't he outplayed them both easily. His detractors said look at the stats, and his run stats, tackle stats etc were all easily better, so then it came down to rucks being the only thing a loosie is judged on - and as good a player as Evans is he wasn't hitting lots of rucks, and you don't select Taufua for his ruck mastery.
He simply didn't get the same chances as other players and it's preposterous to claim otherwise
On Frizell, I was one of his biggest detractors, dude should be playing for Tonga and shouldn't have been selected from the Highlanders bench, but I think he'd go ok with decent game time.
But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Selections are subjective, it’s pretty clear they don’t run the same ruler over all players. And they shouldn’t have too.
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@Nepia said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth I've seen way more stupid posts. Like the constant fanboying and victim card playing regarding poor Akira.
And yes, I've way more confidence in the ability of ABs selectors to assess a player's abilities and shortcomings than that of some people on the Fern who haven't been present at trainings and who don't know the players. Who knows, he may have discipline issues or character flaws we don't know about. They'll hardly say that in public, won't they?
The new selection panel still has Foster and Fox, but yes, Akira may get another shot at it, if he deserves one. Let's hope he grabs that opportunity with both hands if it comes.
Sheesh dude, the year that Evans got a cap and Taufua was selected in the squad and Akira wasn't he outplayed them both easily. His detractors said look at the stats, and his run stats, tackle stats etc were all easily better, so then it came down to rucks being the only thing a loosie is judged on - and as good a player as Evans is he wasn't hitting lots of rucks, and you don't select Taufua for his ruck mastery.
He simply didn't get the same chances as other players and it's preposterous to claim otherwise
On Frizell, I was one of his biggest detractors, dude should be playing for Tonga and shouldn't have been selected from the Highlanders bench, but I think he'd go ok with decent game time.
But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Selections are subjective, it’s pretty clear they don’t run the same ruler over all players. And they shouldn’t have too.
@ACT-Crusader said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Nepia said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Stargazer said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth I've seen way more stupid posts. Like the constant fanboying and victim card playing regarding poor Akira.
And yes, I've way more confidence in the ability of ABs selectors to assess a player's abilities and shortcomings than that of some people on the Fern who haven't been present at trainings and who don't know the players. Who knows, he may have discipline issues or character flaws we don't know about. They'll hardly say that in public, won't they?
The new selection panel still has Foster and Fox, but yes, Akira may get another shot at it, if he deserves one. Let's hope he grabs that opportunity with both hands if it comes.
Sheesh dude, the year that Evans got a cap and Taufua was selected in the squad and Akira wasn't he outplayed them both easily. His detractors said look at the stats, and his run stats, tackle stats etc were all easily better, so then it came down to rucks being the only thing a loosie is judged on - and as good a player as Evans is he wasn't hitting lots of rucks, and you don't select Taufua for his ruck mastery.
He simply didn't get the same chances as other players and it's preposterous to claim otherwise
On Frizell, I was one of his biggest detractors, dude should be playing for Tonga and shouldn't have been selected from the Highlanders bench, but I think he'd go ok with decent game time.
But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Selections are subjective, it’s pretty clear they don’t run the same ruler over all players. And they shouldn’t have too.
Well it seems to be a surprise to some posters who think Akira got the same chances as other players, but yep, not a surprise to me.
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I reckon he must've have been a total fluffybunny in training, cos they've called him in often, but don't use him.
It's gotta be some sort of issue like that, or team values/buy in.
@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I reckon he must've have been a total fluffybunny in training, cos they've called him in often, but don't use him.
It's gotta be some sort of issue like that, or team values/buy in.
Pretty sure it's facials.
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@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Nah lets stick to Frizell being shit and provincialism of those defending him
You mean @Chris-B right?
Frizzel is annoying....he's always just bubbling under, although lack of gametime probably doesn't help. I should be really looking forward to him getting on the park and while he never does a bad job there's just always that spark missing.
And now he's being out performed by the two young fellas. Even Parete is hitting harder than him.
@Bones said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Nah lets stick to Frizell being shit and provincialism of those defending him
You mean @Chris-B right?
Frizzel is annoying....he's always just bubbling under, although lack of gametime probably doesn't help. I should be really looking forward to him getting on the park and while he never does a bad job there's just always that spark missing.
And now he's being out performed by the two young fellas. Even Parete is hitting harder than him.
That's a great description of Frizzel. He's solid enough but I don't see him as AB material - not yet anyway.
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Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could make the ABs squad.
@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could.make the ABs squad.
Good, but not ABs good. Esp as midfield is looking very good with capped ABs
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@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could.make the ABs squad.
Good, but not ABs good. Esp as midfield is looking very good with capped ABs
@Machpants If one or two of ALB or Goodhue or Laumape get injured or need a rest then I could see Alex Nankivell get the nod. Very tidy player who will get better under Gats' tuition.
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@Machpants If one or two of ALB or Goodhue or Laumape get injured or need a rest then I could see Alex Nankivell get the nod. Very tidy player who will get better under Gats' tuition.
@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Machpants If one or two of ALB or Goodhue or Laumape get injured or need a rest then I could see Alex Nankivell get the nod. Very tidy player who will get better under Gats' tuition.
I'm unconvinced, personally. A way too go yet tho
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Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could make the ABs squad.
@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he couldmake the ABs squad.
Yeah really like the cut of his jib. 100% in everything he does, accurate and abrasive. A really good foil to Laumape.
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@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I like the ginger from North Auckland, but he's going to need to play flanker more than lock to squeeze himself into the squad.
That versatility might help him get into the squad. A genuine lock/6 is very useful for the bench. There's not many players that can do it and I think he does it better than Barrett or Fafita
Fafita of course can't be ignored because he once did well on a TSF man of the match poll versus Argentina
Fafita has some mongrel about him which I like,But the Brain fades and drifting out of games too often ruins it somewhat for me.
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I like the ginger from North Auckland, but he's going to need to play flanker more than lock to squeeze himself into the squad.
That versatility might help him get into the squad. A genuine lock/6 is very useful for the bench. There's not many players that can do it and I think he does it better than Barrett or Fafita
Fafita of course can't be ignored because he once did well on a TSF man of the match poll versus Argentina
Fafita has some mongrel about him which I like,But the Brain fades and drifting out of games too often ruins it somewhat for me.
He does? Aside from the occasional clumsy high tackle, I've not seen anything to indicate that he has anything resembling mongrel in him
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@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could.make the ABs squad.
Good, but not ABs good. Esp as midfield is looking very good with capped ABs
@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@sparky said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Don't think anyone has mentioned Alex Nankivell yet. A good Super season and he could.make the ABs squad.
Good, but not ABs good. Esp as midfield is looking very good with capped ABs
Yeah, it's a shame for him, but we've just got too many good midfielders right now - it's made picking and sticking with the right combination very difficult
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@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I like the ginger from North Auckland, but he's going to need to play flanker more than lock to squeeze himself into the squad.
That versatility might help him get into the squad. A genuine lock/6 is very useful for the bench. There's not many players that can do it and I think he does it better than Barrett or Fafita
Fafita of course can't be ignored because he once did well on a TSF man of the match poll versus Argentina
Fafita has some mongrel about him which I like,But the Brain fades and drifting out of games too often ruins it somewhat for me.
He does? Aside from the occasional clumsy high tackle, I've not seen anything to indicate that he has anything resembling mongrel in him
@junior said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Chris said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Duluth said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@antipodean said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I like the ginger from North Auckland, but he's going to need to play flanker more than lock to squeeze himself into the squad.
That versatility might help him get into the squad. A genuine lock/6 is very useful for the bench. There's not many players that can do it and I think he does it better than Barrett or Fafita
Fafita of course can't be ignored because he once did well on a TSF man of the match poll versus Argentina
Fafita has some mongrel about him which I like,But the Brain fades and drifting out of games too often ruins it somewhat for me.
He does? Aside from the occasional clumsy high tackle, I've not seen anything to indicate that he has anything resembling mongrel in him
Yeah I think he has shown signs of mongrel usually it comes out in the form of a stupid act that gets penalised or sometimes a yellow card then he disappears from the game and cruises through the rest of his time on the field.
I think he has some mongrel but it is not consistent. -
This is the possibles thread. Where’s the probables one?
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@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I reckon he must've have been a total fluffybunny in training, cos they've called him in often, but don't use him.
It's gotta be some sort of issue like that, or team values/buy in.
Pretty sure it's facials.
@Bones said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
@Machpants said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
I reckon he must've have been a total fluffybunny in training, cos they've called him in often, but don't use him.
It's gotta be some sort of issue like that, or team values/buy in.
Pretty sure it's facials.
The facials whilst playing late night video games was the final straw.
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Josh Dickson ? He has added a lot of kgs to his frame. Everybody was expecting great things from PPP but Dickson is the best Highlanders lock, and probably one of the best in NZ so far.
@cgrant said in Possible All Blacks 2020:
Josh Dickson ? He has added a lot of kgs to his frame. Everybody was expecting great things from PPP but Dickson is the best Highlanders lock, and probably one of the best in NZ so far.
Well, his performance against the Crusaders has been very disappointing.
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Good performances again from Cullen Grace, David Havili and Hoskins Sotutu. Keep this up and they will be knocking on the door of the ABs squad come the end of June.
By contrast Aaron Cruden's and Josh Dickson's defence this weekend both looked a long way below international standard.
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Good performances again from Cullen Grace, David Havili and Hoskins Sotutu. Keep this up and they will be knocking on the door of the ABs squad come the end of June.
By contrast Aaron Cruden's and Josh Dickson's defence this weekend both looked a long way below international standard.
