General Your 2025 team

[John Nick]

Nothing wrong with that team

Good blend of youth and speed

 

[jumpman5xl]

1. CNK
2. RTS
3. Pompey
4. Berry
5. DWZ
6. Metcalf
7. SJ
8. JFH
9. CHT
10. Barnett
11. Niukore
12. Capewell
13. Harris

14. Egan
15. Walker
16. Zyon Maiu’u
17. Halasima

 

[jumpman5xl]

After tonight with our season all but done this would be my team next year if fully fit and the pending retirements of SJ and Tohu.
CHT starts and come off after 20. Mitch Keny/Api style combo. Forces Webby to make use of carrying a hooker on the bench and Egan is far better when we're rolling. Get the first sting out.
Zyon Maiu’u to learn from Leniu how to be a monster impact prop. Walker will replace Tohu after 20 and he'll move to the middle rotation.

 

[Noitall]

For me RTS is the first choice fullback in 2025. Seems like it’s his destiny, especially at the moment with an injured and out of form CNK and Tuaupiki picking up a head knock. Tough for CNK but I think he’d be just as effective drifting through the roles RTS has this season between centre, wing and fullback, even playing at 6 at one point. Don’t feel like our defence at present is strong enough to carry an undersized Tuaupiki at the back

 

[JaggedJ]

Would love to have room in the team for Laban, Halasima, Sifakula and Zyon Maiu’u. but 2025 is probably a year too early for them to all be there. Can see them being rotated a fair bit next year though. Injury dependent, I'm hoping/expecting two of them in the team every week.

 

[WA Warrior]

For me RTS is the first choice fullback in 2025. Seems like it’s his destiny, especially at the moment with an injured and out of form CNK and Tuaupiki picking up a head knock. Tough for CNK but I think he’d be just as effective drifting through the roles RTS has this season between centre, wing and fullback, even playing at 6 at one point. Don’t feel like our defence at present is strong enough to carry an undersized Tuaupiki at the back

He is either FB or not in the 17.
I honestly think he is the best FB we have even when CNK is at his best.
CNK and Pompey starting centres and hopefully Leiataua can do his apprenticeship on the wing.
We will have injuries and that’s when Berry comes in for me.

 

[jumpman5xl]

Would love to have room in the team for Laban, Halasima, Sifakula and Zyon Maiu’u. but 2025 is probably a year too early for them to all be there. Can see them being rotated a fair bit next year though. Injury dependent, I'm hoping/expecting two of them in the team every week.

I'd be making room for all but Laban unfortunately. But would rotate through the season.

 

[Cces]

Bit concerning when we don't have a genuine #7 on the books for next season yet

 

[Dantheman]

Bit concerning when we don't have a genuine #7 on the books for next season yet

Maybe a bit more to that Dylan Brown rumour...?

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Maybe a bit more to that Dylan Brown rumour...?

His comments still stand even with that rumor.

 

[Cces]

Maybe a bit more to that Dylan Brown rumour...?

Funny how you mention him as I was just listening to Matty Johns suggesting that Parra move him to Lock going forward so he can focus on running the ball more

 

[Noitall]

Funny how you mention him as I was just listening to Matty Johns suggesting that Parra move him to Lock going forward so he can focus on running the ball more

Think that was as much to shift Gutherson to five eighth to accommodate Blaize Talagi at fullback

 

[Dannevegas]

Tuivasa-Scheck
New Winger
Nicoll-Klokstad
Leiataua
New Winger
Metcalf
Johnson
Fisher-Harris
Egan
Barnett
Capewell
Niukore
Ale

Harris-Tavita
Halasima
Sifakula
Walker

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Tuivasa-Scheck
New Winger
Nicoll-Klokstad
Leiataua
New Winger
Metcalf
Johnson
Fisher-Harris
Egan
Barnett
Capewell
Niukore
Ale

Harris-Tavita
Halasima
Sifakula
Walker

Funny how DWZ has gone from a leading points scorer in the comp outside a firing SJ last year to average this year (still 9 tries though).

Repeats of Fusitua and Maumalo in the past.

1 - if only SJ had fired this year. Our whole season went south with his form.

2 - could or should DWZ be replaced? Wingers are the lowest paid (so value) players in the team according to the stats so feel anyone solid and fast could go there. My feeling is we should be blooding upcoming backs through the wings before moving them to their preferred position. Ie Ali or Tuaupiki this year.

 

[Defence]

The halves are a real conundrum.
Was it just me or did the forwards get together with 20 to go and say fark the backs let’s just go through the front door?
Cht calling for the ball- Egan hits barney on a short blind instead and crashes over.
We take it to the right to set up a play on the left- Tmm sweeps around but walker hits afb short instead- crashes over…
Even on 5th with cht screaming for it barney goes fark no runs out of dummy half and kicks it himself haha.
Idk it’s at the back end of the game u expect the halves to take over but either they weren’t willing or were just ignored.
Neither of them have a good kicking game- for some reason cht can kick long but not high? Tmm can’t kick at all.
Sj could solve all this but has that ship sailed? Can he get his body right? Does he even want to play again?
Metcalf will be back and works well with Sj but if u team him up with cht or tmm youre still lacking a dominant game manager.
Theres no one on the market so we gotta make use of what we’ve got somehow.
Rolling the dice on Sj still seems the best option to me (if he wants to play on).

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

The halves are a real conundrum.
Was it just me or did the forwards get together with 20 to go and say fark the backs let’s just go through the front door?
Cht calling for the ball- Egan hits barney on a short blind instead and crashes over.
We take it to the right to set up a play on the left- Tmm sweeps around but walker hits afb short instead- crashes over…
Even on 5th with cht screaming for it barney goes fark no runs out of dummy half and kicks it himself haha.
Idk it’s at the back end of the game u expect the halves to take over but either they weren’t willing or were just ignored.
Neither of them have a good kicking game- for some reason cht can kick long but not high? Tmm can’t kick at all.
Sj could solve all this but has that ship sailed? Can he get his body right? Does he even want to play again?
Metcalf will be back and works well with Sj but if u team him up with cht or tmm youre still lacking a dominant game manager.
Theres no one on the market so we gotta make use of what we’ve got somehow.
Rolling the dice on Sj still seems the best option to me (if he wants to play on).

TMM was completely missing in the game. 6 kicks vs CHT’s 14. Our halves looked like they didn’t have a clue on how to set us up for points.

All our tries came from individual brilliance rather than breaking down the opposition. Not sustainable.

I feel we’ve completely lost any combinations and strategic plays due to the revolving door of injury. Hard when you don’t know who’s playing on either side of you each week…

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I’m going to say CHT had a good all round game (except the goal kicking).

If Pompey and Tuaupiki hadn’t been injured we would be saying he was one of our better players.

Our 4th choice half: 21/22 tackles! 448 kick meters; 1 try assist; 1 line break assist. Decent days work if he wasn’t thrown in the deep end as our goal kicker.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

TMM was completely missing in the game. 6 kicks vs CHT’s 14. Our halves looked like they didn’t have a clue on how to set us up for points.

All our tries came from individual brilliance rather than breaking down the opposition. Not sustainable.

I feel we’ve completely lost any combinations and strategic plays due to the revolving door of injury. Hard when you don’t know who’s playing on either side of you each week…

CHT was guilty of doing to much and TMM not doing enough

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

CHT was guilty of doing to much and TMM not doing enough

Common theme with TMM…

Had a run of form where he stepped up and was blowing away the competition but he’s disappeared again!

Real head scratcher for who plays there next year…

 

[Dannevegas]

Metcalf backs himself to be a game managing 7. So we’re just gonna have to trust him if SJ retires, he looked pretty good in that dolphins game when Shaun went off and Metcalf went to 7, had a good kicking game and was accurate with his Kicks and pass selection.