Best Halfback from the Autum AI's

[Hulk Hogan]

With the AI's well an truly over, who do you believe played best in the number 9. position?
In my opinion Kahn Fotuali'i played his heart out and was really a world class 9, however your opinions will no doubt differ.

 

[nickdnz]

Andy Ellis. He was class.

There was one time, I'm sure Wales will no doubt remember this, when Andy Ellis put his hands in the ruck to grab the ball, and then passed it to the flyhalf.

Pure class.

 

[Sam Owen]

Yep I too would go with Kahn Fotuali'i. Given the standard of his team, the standard of his opponents and Kahns consistant performances over the A.Is that made commentators and our own TRF members ask, who is this guy?..leaves me to believe Kahn performed better than other 9s.

Yes I do like him because he played for the Manu but of all the halfbacks in the A.Is that got themselves out of a hole to say they had a successful run of A.Is none of them climbed out of a hole as deep as the hole Kahn did.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Andy Ellis. He was class.

There was one time, I'm sure Wales will no doubt remember this, when Andy Ellis put his hands in the ruck to grab the ball, and then passed it to the flyhalf.

Pure class.

Kahn puts his hands into the ruck and passes it to the flyhalf better

 

[lynam1104]

^ I'm with him

 

[Shaggy]

Andy Ellis. He was class.

There was one time, I'm sure Wales will no doubt remember this, when Andy Ellis put his hands in the ruck to grab the ball, and then passed it to the flyhalf.

Pure class.

LOL nice one Nick ... jeez I hope Piri Weepu returns too the form he was in pre-injury

... I hope Andy Ellis gets relegated to the bench for the Crusaders, and doesn't get picked for the AB's again

I think Kahn's ability to play in the 10 jersey as well, will make him a great asset for Manu Samoa

Ben Youngs played pretty well for England in the AIs as well

 

[Dizzy]

Kahn Fotuali'i was outstanding for Hawkes Bay and I wish he could've been made an All Black. With Piri injured, I don't feel these other halfbacks are up to the task at hand...

 

[_George]

Alby Matthewson, dont forget him .

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Alby Matthewson, dont forget him .

You mean the guy they're all saying isn't as good as Kahn or the injured Piri?

 

[nickdnz]

I think Alby Mathewson could well be one of the best halfbacks in the world, he just hasn't had enough time to show it. He lacks a little on the playmaking side, like du Preez and Weepu, but he has the natural running game of players like Byron Kelleher, and probably the best pass of any halfback in New Zealand. I think he could well be ahead of Cowan in the NZ ranks, if he's actually given the oppertunity. It was my biggest gripe on the tour that Andy Ellis was given so many more chances to show what he couldn't obviously do.

 

[Peat]

Ben Youngs played pretty well for England in the AIs as well

True.

 

[Shaggy]

Kahn Fotuali'i was outstanding for Hawkes Bay and I wish he could've been made an All Black. With Piri injured, I don't feel these other halfbacks are up to the task at hand...

Yep, it's a shame in a way, but also good that he's got the opportunity with Manu Samoa ... a shame he left the Tasman Makos too

 

[Darwin]

You mean the guy they're all saying isn't as good as Kahn or the injured Piri?

No, the guy who was the form NZ halfback throughout the Super 14, who got selected ahead of Fotuali'i for the AB's, forcing Fotuali'i to switch his allegiance to Samoa if he wanted to get any international rugby

I'm not suggesting that Fotuali'i didn't have a number of strong games during the Autumn Internationals - far from it - indeed I think he was undoubtedly one of the top halfbacks on display. He is a great acquisition for Samoa, however if was still available for NZ I would only rate him as the forth best halfback in the country (behind Cowan, Weepu, and Mathewson). Fotuali'i had a good Super 14, but was generally poor playing halfback for Hawkes Bay - indeed he only started to play well for Hawkes Bay when he shifted out to first-five! Where his greatest value for Samoa is will be interesting - personally I would have liked to have seen him play at first-five a lot more during the AI's, as I thought Lavea was a weakness for Samoa. Samoa's bench halfback (Junior Polu), while not in the class of Fotuali'i, is certainly a serviceable international player. Hopefully this year Samoa will be better served at 10, with the likes of Fili back.

 

[ranger]

No, the guy who was the form NZ halfback throughout the Super 14, who got selected ahead of Fotuali'i for the AB's, forcing Fotuali'i to switch his allegiance to Samoa if he wanted to get any international rugby

I'm not suggesting that Fotuali'i didn't have a number of strong games during the Autumn Internationals - far from it - indeed I think he was undoubtedly one of the top halfbacks on display. He is a great acquisition for Samoa, however if was still available for NZ I would only rate him as the forth best halfback in the country (behind Cowan, Weepu, and Mathewson). Fotuali'i had a good Super 14, but was generally poor playing halfback for Hawkes Bay - indeed he only started to play well for Hawkes Bay when he shifted out to first-five! Where his greatest value for Samoa is will be interesting - personally I would have liked to have seen him play at first-five a lot more during the AI's, as I thought Lavea was a weakness for Samoa. Samoa's bench halfback (Junior Polu), while not in the class of Fotuali'i, is certainly a serviceable international player. Hopefully this year Samoa will be better served at 10, with the likes of Fili back.

Thats a pretty harsh appraisal of Fotuali'i really.. He wasn't forced into "switching alliegance" at all. You know that if he stuck around for long enough that he would have got himself a chance to play for New Zealand, especially because halfback is such a high turnover position.
The truth is that he still identifys as more of a samoan than a New Zealander. He was training with Manu Samoa before he was anywhere near NZ selection.

Also, I thought he was one of Hawkesbays top performers this year. Saying that he underperformed at halfback is just unfair, he had that trainwreck Kirkpatrick ruining everything at first five.. He played very well at halfback but all his work was sabotaged, the Hawkesbay side as a whole picked up when Kahn moved out one, but that is no reflection on his ability to play halfback.

I think Alby is the better option for the All Blacks, but Kahn is still an elite player, be fair.

 

[Darwin]

Thats a pretty harsh appraisal of Fotuali'i really.. He wasn't forced into "switching alliegance" at all. You know that if he stuck around for long enough that he would have got himself a chance to play for New Zealand, especially because halfback is such a high turnover position.
The truth is that he still identifys as more of a samoan than a New Zealander. He was training with Manu Samoa before he was anywhere near NZ selection.

Perhaps it was a poor choice of wording to suggest that he was forced to switch alliegence to get gametime, as to be fair I have no idea where his original allegiance lay. I was simply refuting the point that Mathewson wasn't as good as Fotuali'i - I don't know many people who would suggest that Fotuali'i is better than Mathewson as Woldog suggested (let alone everyone)...

Also, I thought he was one of Hawkesbays top performers this year. Saying that he underperformed at halfback is just unfair, he had that trainwreck Kirkpatrick ruining everything at first five.. He played very well at halfback but all his work was sabotaged, the Hawkesbay side as a whole picked up when Kahn moved out one, but that is no reflection on his ability to play halfback.

I think Alby is the better option for the All Blacks, but Kahn is still an elite player, be fair.

I've never stated that Kahn is not an elite player - indeed I stated he was one of the top halfbacks on display during Autumn Internationals....

 

[lance2010]

Perhaps it was a poor choice of wording to suggest that he was forced to switch alliegence to get gametime, as to be fair I have no idea where his original allegiance lay. I was simply refuting the point that Mathewson wasn't as good as Fotuali'i - I don't know many people who would suggest that Fotuali'i is better than Mathewson as Woldog suggested (let alone everyone)...

Fotuali'a is the mantis M.A.C repersent,He was a stand-out in the bay's horror season,i'll say he would of made a good AB half back with Carter outside him.

 

[Sam Owen]

They're both good, Mathewson and Fotuali'i to state the obvious. Both clear well, defend well although Kahn hits better I think.

Mathewson dosent need much of a gap and knows when that gap is present and thats what makes him handy as an impact player of the bench especially when opposition forwards are a little tired. A little over 2 yrs I think for Alby now so we should be seeing his best this year although they say the 3rd year is hard (dont know why).

Kahn is a strong number 9. Every physical part of the game that he does, he shows strength. Strong runner, strong defender just strong and safe and its that strength and reliability that saw him slowly take the Crusaders no.9 jersey of Andy Ellis. Im not saying Kahn is better than Andy its just what coach Blackadder done. We all know he can also play 10 not sure how well but he can. Kahn is been at top level over a year and shows good promise for the future, actually I think of him as the most promising halfback in NZ at the moment.

Both good players, still young and thats the bottom line with Alby and Kahn.

 

[nickdnz]

They're both good, Mathewson and Fotuali'i to state the obvious. Both clear well, defend well although Kahn hits better I think.

Mathewson dosent need much of a gap and knows when that gap is present and thats what makes him handy as an impact player of the bench especially when opposition forwards are a little tired. A little over 2 yrs I think for Alby now so we should be seeing his best this year although they say the 3rd year is hard (dont know why).

Kahn is a strong number 9. Every physical part of the game that he does, he shows strength. Strong runner, strong defender just strong and safe and its that strength and reliability that saw him slowly take the Crusaders no.9 jersey of Andy Ellis. Im not saying Kahn is better than Andy its just what coach Blackadder done. We all know he can also play 10 not sure how well but he can. Kahn is been at top level over a year and shows good promise for the future, actually I think of him as the most promising halfback in NZ at the moment.

Both good players, still young and thats the bottom line with Alby and Kahn.

Matt Dunning is a better halfback than Andy Ellis.

 

[Sker]

That's true, not many halfbacks can sink a drop goal like Matt Dunning

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Will Genia appeared to do a Rocky Elsom and have everyone singing his praises after one amazing season only to do nothing all that exciting this season.