Otago 2025
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Have thought about how the Union has gone about things since it dropped the squad this morning. And have a few thoughts
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A part from the ring ins. The rest of the squad was confirmed months ago
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We wouldn't be able to strip a fit team out of the named squad.
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not naming the back up players diminishes the likely significant role they are likely going to play in the campaign
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the current named group lacks balance. We have no back up 10. No fullback, and like the Highlanders, only two locks.
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Almost reads as if there was little wiggle room around adding additional guys.
Nothing against the guys who are named. Injuries sadly will be impacting several of our key guys.
The lads I'm hoping will get a good go are A one Lolofie, Lucas Casey, Konrad Toleafoa and Dylan Pledger.
While Nareki, Te Hiwi, Whaanga, Haig and fingers crossed Hurley will be champing at the bit if they can recover from their injuries.
I'm also hopeful we see the likes of Rique Miln, big Tengblad, Christian MacEwan and Kyan Rangitutia. It would be disappointing if Rangitutia got a decent run last year and not seen this season.
Much more pessimistic this year than last.
@SouthernMann - The good thing with Kyan Rangitutia he can cover both wings, fullback and midfield. He has had his first year, he be more confidant this year, just needs the coaches to show him some trust and he will get the job done week in week out.
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Looks like the Blue side is what we should almost expect for round 1
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMezvGAhPYD/?igsh=N3RrNXlub2Izd3Q5
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Ale Aho has popped up, playing for Southland.
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Hopefully with Hastie gone, we prioritise Dylan Pledger as our starting 9
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Hopefully with Hastie gone, we prioritise Dylan Pledger as our starting 9
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
Hopefully with Hastie gone, we prioritise Dylan Pledger as our starting 9
It would make sense and here’s hoping he starts the majority of games but this is modern day Otago we are talking about… let’s hope the approach is a bit different under Mark Brown.
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Hopefully with Hastie gone, we prioritise Dylan Pledger as our starting 9
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@SouthernMann I expect Pledger to be better than Hastie anyway, but I honestly hope Otago do what is best for Otago... I am sick and tired of us being crap.
@frugby said in Otago 2025:
@SouthernMann I expect Pledger to be better than Hastie anyway, but I honestly hope Otago do what is best for Otago... I am sick and tired of us being crap.
Nah. Prioritise the guys who will be around. We are already without several of our better players due to injuries. Get lads on the paddock. I would much rather finish ninth and see lads get game time. Than finish seventh and see our younger guys spend all the time on the pine.
In terms of Hastie. I reckon he made the call halfway through the season. Pinpointed the time he got dropped.
And Pledger won't be better than Hastie already. He will be. Isn't yet.
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Ale Aho has popped up, playing for Southland.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
Ale Aho has popped up, playing for Southland.
Southland socials are usually pretty good with announcements, but that one really came out of the blue.
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Few notable inclusions for the two dirt trackers sides named for the weekend.
- Josh Tengblad is making his return from injury
- Jake Te Hiwi also returning from injury
- Lolofie, Ratcliffe, Toleafoa, Rangitutia all lining up
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Josh Whaanga making his return from injury rhis weekend off the bench in B footy.
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Josh Whaanga making his return from injury rhis weekend off the bench in B footy.
@SouthernMann good to see him back. It’s a good month or so earlier than expected. Hope he isn’t being rushed back
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Taranaki next week will give a clear indication of where we are at. Win that and we are steaming towards a top four spot.
In past seasons we probably just put too much on some of the younger guys too early. Just because players make NZ U20s doesn’t mean they are ready to play provincial or Super rugby straight away.
There are probably one or two per team who can go straight in to matching it in men's footy. Luckily we have one in the Dylan Pledger.
Guys like Te Hiwi, Stodart, Casey, Whaanga are making decent strides. Have filled out too.
What I'm getting to is, we are seeing the value or having guys in the system. A lot was just expected of them in previous years when they weren't ready.
It is a tough balancing act, as players expect to get first team time and they may leave if they are stuck playing club or B footy.
As a living example we are seeing it with Auckland and it pretty much running an acadamey team. Manawatu who have been pushing a lot of young guys for a few years is seeing success too.
It would be good as well if more than 2k went to the games.
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Taranaki next week will give a clear indication of where we are at. Win that and we are steaming towards a top four spot.
In past seasons we probably just put too much on some of the younger guys too early. Just because players make NZ U20s doesn’t mean they are ready to play provincial or Super rugby straight away.
There are probably one or two per team who can go straight in to matching it in men's footy. Luckily we have one in the Dylan Pledger.
Guys like Te Hiwi, Stodart, Casey, Whaanga are making decent strides. Have filled out too.
What I'm getting to is, we are seeing the value or having guys in the system. A lot was just expected of them in previous years when they weren't ready.
It is a tough balancing act, as players expect to get first team time and they may leave if they are stuck playing club or B footy.
As a living example we are seeing it with Auckland and it pretty much running an acadamey team. Manawatu who have been pushing a lot of young guys for a few years is seeing success too.
It would be good as well if more than 2k went to the games.
@SouthernMann said in Otago 2025:
Taranaki next week will give a clear indication of where we are at. Win that and we are steaming towards a top four spot.
In past seasons we probably just put too much on some of the younger guys too early. Just because players make NZ U20s doesn’t mean they are ready to play provincial or Super rugby straight away.
There are probably one or two per team who can go straight in to matching it in men's footy. Luckily we have one in the Dylan Pledger.
Guys like Te Hiwi, Stodart, Casey, Whaanga are making decent strides. Have filled out too.
What I'm getting to is, we are seeing the value or having guys in the system. A lot was just expected of them in previous years when they weren't ready.
It is a tough balancing act, as players expect to get first team time and they may leave if they are stuck playing club or B footy.
As a living example we are seeing it with Auckland and it pretty much running an acadamey team. Manawatu who have been pushing a lot of young guys for a few years is seeing success too.
It would be good as well if more than 2k went to the games.
It’s been good progress. Just a shame Millar has regressed so much since last NPC season, where I thought he played pretty well.
Got the two top teams then the two bottom teams to finish. If we can squeeze out two bonus point losses or a win and a loss and then two bonus points wins, should see at least a top 4 finish
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@jimmyb I think Millar is playing to his level of capability. It is just that some fans thought he was going to be better than that.
He was always a 10 focused around kicking, with a decent flat pass. Is not an attacking threat outside of that. Never has been. His tries have come from intercepts and running support lines. He lacks the strength in contact that others have and is a bit of a liability under the highball.
Where he seems to have regressed is with his goal kicking and general play. We have been lucky that Pledger has come in and become the primary playmaker. He plays a role in so many of our tries.
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@jimmyb I think Millar is playing to his level of capability. It is just that some fans thought he was going to be better than that.
He was always a 10 focused around kicking, with a decent flat pass. Is not an attacking threat outside of that. Never has been. His tries have come from intercepts and running support lines. He lacks the strength in contact that others have and is a bit of a liability under the highball.
Where he seems to have regressed is with his goal kicking and general play. We have been lucky that Pledger has come in and become the primary playmaker. He plays a role in so many of our tries.
@SouthernMann I can see both sides of the coin, and I’m not convinced about this being his upper limit.
While I agree with all your points about strengths and weaknesses, they were all true two to three seasons ago. Good coaches and players both work on improving and plan to mitigate these.
To me, he’s a player who came on the scene with exceptional game management and kicking from a young age. Yet he hasn’t grown his game and seems to have plateaued in the core areas that were once his strengths.
That puzzles me, because based on his performances for Otago—and even in 2024—you’d have been forgiven for thinking he had a very high ceiling.
That’s not just my opinion. Apparently Razor was really keeping an eye on him last year, and if you watched the way he played during that string of games at the end of 2024, there was good reason to believe he was going places.
To me, it feels like he’s lost confidence, been mismanaged, and hasn’t really worked on things like his running game and strength in contact to improve.
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i kind of think millar fits whats we're doing, he's got a combo of potential firecrackers like nareki....and some enthusiastic youth...and irratic journymen all around him....a steady hand that will kick for territory, generally good kicking % and solid distribution fills things out nicely
watching the game on friday the thing that stood out is the confidence in themselves and each other, guys were having cracks...and supporting others having cracks...so when someone may a half break there was almost always someone on their shoulder to secure the ball if not carry things on. add to that the general skill level seems that little bit better, more 50/50 balls going to hand than not
winning more games than we loose would be amazing
