Chris Noakes to Blues

[Draggs]

http://www.theblues.co.nz/News/2012-7-26/New-name-and-young-stars-commit-to-Blues.aspx

I quite liked him, big shame, especially with Sopoaga and Slade's injury issues.
What about luring Bleyendaal south?

 

[Darwin]

Meh, I'm not too worried to be honest. He was generally pretty solid for the Highlanders this season, but I don't think he is ever going to be any more than a solid back-up 10 at Super Rugby level (I can't see the Highlanders being a genuine ***le contender with him at 10...). I thought his defense was exposed quite a few times as the season progressed too, so that is certainly an area he needs to work on in the off-season. If Slade and Sopoaga are fit (a massive if, particularly in Slades case...) Noakes would have been a clear third choice. I would assume the Highlanders will wait until the end of the ITM Cup before they sign a third choice 10 - Bleyendaal would be great, but I can't see the Crusaders letting him go! The likes of Nathan George, James Marshall, Trent Renata, Scott Eade, Hayden Parker, and Ihia West (and others..) could all be options if they have strong ITM Cups....

 

[Keithmurdoch]

This is an average move for both parties.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

A great choice for third choice first five though, might mean someone can put their hand up in the itm cup

 

[Darwin]

A great choice for third choice first five though, might mean someone can put their hand up in the itm cup

Definitely a handy third choice 10, but I wouldn't have thought he was a 'must have' (obviously the Blues management disagree!). The Blues are now fully stocked at 10 for 2012, with Hobbs, Anscombe, and Noakes all now signed for next season....

 

[nickdnz]

Definitely a handy third choice 10, but I wouldn't have thought he was a 'must have' (obviously the Blues management disagree!). The Blues are now fully stocked at 10 for 2012, with Hobbs, Anscombe, and Noakes all now signed for next season....

If those three superstars don't install fear in the hearts of every rugby side in world rugby...

 

[Larksea]

I think it's a good move for the blues, good bench filler.

But really the blues success next season is all about Anscombe, I think i saw enough this year to suggest that he can be a very good 10. Next year he needs to lift a notch and o do the players around him. Piri and Mathewson and Nonu to some extent all had really bad starts to this season.

I think if the blues forwards get back to where they should be then Anscombe will be very good.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

It raises the question we were talking about the other week...who else is out there to step up? we have proven over the last two years the third choice fly half can bea pretty key position

 

[Draggs]

Hey guys!

 

[Darwin]

I think it's a good move for the blues, good bench filler.

But really the blues success next season is all about Anscombe, I think i saw enough this year to suggest that he can be a very good 10. Next year he needs to lift a notch and o do the players around him. Piri and Mathewson and Nonu to some extent all had really bad starts to this season.

I think if the blues forwards get back to where they should be then Anscombe will be very good.

The issue I have is that they already have a much more versatile bench filler (Hobbs). I don't really see the point in having Noakes on the bench backing up Anscombe, as (a) Noakes only covers one position, and (b) they are both very similar players. Apart from the fact they kick with different feet, Noakes is just really a downgraded version of Anscombe (e.g. a conservative 10, with a good kicking game, but not much of a threat with ball in hand...).

It just seems strange to me that a team would look to contract a third choice 10 now, considering the current contracting system limits the number of players that a franchise can sign at this stage (I think to around 22?). I would have thought that there were other players whose signatures would have been more important, but I'm sure the Blues management know what they are doing (or maybe not :lol. Likewise I was a bit disappointed when the Highlanders signed Tim Boys and Brayden Mitchell this early on - I'm happy to have them both in the squad, but I feel there are other players they could have targeted and still picked up Mitchell and Boys (or players of similar quality) after the ITM Cup.

It raises the question we were talking about the other week...who else is out there to step up? we have proven over the last two years the third choice fly half can bea pretty key position

I some ways the Highlanders are in a good position, with most of the NZ franchises well stocked at 10. The Blues and Crusaders already have three 10's, and the Chiefs seem happy with the cover they have at 10 (Cruden and Horrell, with Robinson and Nanai-Williams able to cover 10 too). Only the Hurricanes are really looking for 10's (probably two, as Kirkpatrick is leaving and I think Pisi is leaving too) - this means that the Highlanders probably have a good shot at nabbing any unsigned 10 that has a great ITM Cup. Who that will be at this stage I'm not sure, but there are plenty of young 10's around, and one or two of them are bound to step up....

 

[Larksea]

I see Noakes as a proper #10 for the bench, Hobbs not so much - he seems better at 12 even 13

I think that's the reasoning for it. maybe we will see hobbs move to take more of a midfield role.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I see Noakes as a proper #10 for the bench, Hobbs not so much - he seems better at 12 even 13

I think that's the reasoning for it. maybe we will see hobbs move to take more of a midfield role.

I'd be surprised if Hobbs gets on the bench next year after this. Noakes is clearly going to back up Anscombe and has made a much better fist of playing 10 at this level than Hobbs. Signing Hobbs to a two year deal was a bit of a disaster.

 

[Darwin]

I'd be surprised if Hobbs gets on the bench next year after this. Noakes is clearly going to back up Anscombe and has made a much better fist of playing 10 at this level than Hobbs. Signing Hobbs to a two year deal was a bit of a disaster.

I'm not so sure about this. Though I'm not a big fan of Hobbs, I don't think he is as bad as his form this season suggests. I can't imagine it is easy playing at first-five in a team like the Blues! Likewise, though Noakes looked ok this season, you have to remember he did have Aaron Smith inside him who seems to have the ability to make any 10 look good. When Hobbs was down at the Highlanders a couple of seasons ago he actually looked pretty comfortable at Super Rugby level (at least as comfortable as Noakes IMO). I really don't see much between Hobbs and Noakes in terms of ability - Noakes has the stronger kicking game and controls the game better, but does stand a bit deep (which makes the backline attack far less effective), whereas Hobbs plays a lot flatter, is a better ball runner, and a far better defender.

I just don't really see the point of having Noakes on the bench if you have Anscombe starting, as I like my subs to be able to make an impact or change the game in some way. There wouldn't really be any point in bringing on Noakes to replace Anscombe (unless Anscombe got injured), as they play a very similar style (except Anscombe is the better player) - all you would be doing is downgrading your 10. While there is no doubt you would be downgrading your 10 too if you brought Hobbs on to replace Anscombe, at least Hobbs has the ability to change up the gameplan (by playing a lot flatter on attack), and is able to cover multiple positions. If Anscombe were to get injured I would prefer Noakes over Hobbs as a starting 10 though. I suppose we will see how they both go next season!

 

[donmcdazzle]

I'm not so sure about this. Though I'm not a big fan of Hobbs, I don't think he is as bad as his form this season suggests. I can't imagine it is easy playing at first-five in a team like the Blues! Likewise, though Noakes looked ok this season, you have to remember he did have Aaron Smith inside him who seems to have the ability to make any 10 look good. When Hobbs was down at the Highlanders a couple of seasons ago he actually looked pretty comfortable at Super Rugby level (at least as comfortable as Noakes IMO). I really don't see much between Hobbs and Noakes in terms of ability - Noakes has the stronger kicking game and controls the game better, but does stand a bit deep (which makes the backline attack far less effective), whereas Hobbs plays a lot flatter, is a better ball runner, and a far better defender.

I just don't really see the point of having Noakes on the bench if you have Anscombe starting, as I like my subs to be able to make an impact or change the game in some way. There wouldn't really be any point in bringing on Noakes to replace Anscombe (unless Anscombe got injured), as they play a very similar style (except Anscombe is the better player) - all you would be doing is downgrading your 10. While there is no doubt you would be downgrading your 10 too if you brought Hobbs on to replace Anscombe, at least Hobbs has the ability to change up the gameplan (by playing a lot flatter on attack), and is able to cover multiple positions. If Anscombe were to get injured I would prefer Noakes over Hobbs as a starting 10 though. I suppose we will see how they both go next season!

Noakes can run a game better and is a much better goal kicker. They have Weepu if they need a 10 to be more attacking. Hobbs doesn't offer much of a threat; he tucks and runs half the time which he does resonably well but it is all very predictable. He also doesn't create a whole lot for anyone outside him. He is kind of like a poor man's Stephen Donald at 10 for me. Everything just seems a bit fast for him at 10 at this level.

I think of it like this; if you are chasing the game who would you want at 10 out of Anscombe, Noakes, Hobbs and Weepu? Probably Anscombe (or Weepu if a change of gameplan was needed). If you are wanting to close a game out? Probably Noakes as he is a decent territory kicker and a good goal kicker.

 

[Darwin]

Noakes can run a game better and is a much better goal kicker. They have Weepu if they need a 10 to be more attacking. Hobbs doesn't offer much of a threat; he tucks and runs half the time which he does resonably well but it is all very predictable. He also doesn't create a whole lot for anyone outside him. He is kind of like a poor man's Stephen Donald at 10 for me. Everything just seems a bit fast for him at 10 at this level.

I think of it like this; if you are chasing the game who would you want at 10 out of Anscombe, Noakes, Hobbs and Weepu? Probably Anscombe (or Weepu if a change of gameplan was needed). If you are wanting to close a game out? Probably Noakes as he is a decent territory kicker and a good goal kicker.

Than Anscombe? I would have thought they were similar in both respects (I'd actually give Anscombe a slight edge in both departments), and Anscombe is obviously still improving. I don't think Noakes would have done any better at the Blues this season than Hobbs. I've watched him for a number of years struggle to establish himself as Otago's first choice 10 (when his only real competition was Glenn Dickson), but he failed to do so. He sits far to deep to ever get the backline going - this works ok if you have a strong forward pack and your sole responsibility is kicking for the corners (see Morne Steyn), but if the strength of your team is your outside backs you need to play a lot flatter so your outside backs aren't 10m behind the advantage line by the time they get the ball.....

Yep I would agree that Hobbs is a poor man's Stephen Donald (It kinda feels mean calling someone that ). I do believe he can be effective at this level if used correctly, as most teams don't expect the opposition 10 to run straight at them! When he was playing for the Highlanders a couple of seasons ago he scored a few tries by running straight and hard - this resulted in a lot more attention being placed on him by the opposition, which meant there was a bit more space out wide for the rest of the team to exploit.

I personally would keep Weepu away from the 10 jersey and get him to focus on being a top-class halfback. In terms of your two questions - if I was chasing the game I'd go with either Anscombe or Hobbs (but definitely not Noakes). If I wanted to close out the game I would stick with Anscombe, as I think he is just as good a territory kicker and goal-kicker as Noakes, and shades him in a number of other areas too. I would be inclined to keep Anscombe on for 80 mins most games (as the Chiefs do with Cruden), I'd only bring Hobbs on for Anscombe if they were behind (or had identified a weakness in the opposition defense around the 10 channel), or more likely at 12 (where I think Hobbs is more suited) outside Anscombe to change up the mid-field a bit.

 

[Muzzy]

smh what a pointless signing, would have been better getting back Munro as first five or even Ai'i