Fekitoa - Blues didn't support me

[ABs2011]

Good talking with you Shaggy. At the end of the day its pretty subjective as to whether a team is underperforming or not so for sure we can agree to disagree

ON the "sharpening the axes and calling for coach's head" stuff. I probably haven't been clear here, but I am not one of those people. In general believe that a new coach needs to be given 3 years. If the Blues truly believed in JK from the start then anything less is really not enough for him to establish the things he needs. Hopefully along the way you would want to see incremental improvements, but sometimes the road is a bumpy one (see Mark Hammett's time at the Canes for example...).

I have concerns over JKs strategic abilities as a coach though. I am out of that loop but my impression of him is that he could well be a really good motivator, team man, role model etc, but when I watch the Blues, several times this season there appears to be a serious lack of direction there, one that seems to suggest a coaching issue. I hope I am wrong, I hope the Blues come right, and I hope that JK gets at least 1 more year regardless of what happens this year.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Good talking with you Shaggy. At the end of the day its pretty subjective as to whether a team is underperforming or not so for sure we can agree to disagree

ON the "sharpening the axes and calling for coach's head" stuff. I probably haven't been clear here, but I am not one of those people. In general believe that a new coach needs to be given 3 years. If the Blues truly believed in JK from the start then anything less is really not enough for him to establish the things he needs. Hopefully along the way you would want to see incremental improvements, but sometimes the road is a bumpy one (see Mark Hammett's time at the Canes for example...).

I have concerns over JKs strategic abilities as a coach though. I am out of that loop but my impression of him is that he could well be a really good motivator, team man, role model etc, but when I watch the Blues, several times this season there appears to be a serious lack of direction there, one that seems to suggest a coaching issue. I hope I am wrong, I hope the Blues come right, and I hope that JK gets at least 1 more year regardless of what happens this year.

Hi Shaggy & ABs2011,

Just to butt in here, but I AM involved at Club level in Auckland and can tell you that all is not well at the grass roots level.
I metioned this on another thread already, but I will repeat here.
My club continues to do well at Junior level, but the Senior numbers are dropping.
This year alone we have lost our Under 20s team, and have also had to absorb the Social team into the Presidents Grade as there are now only 4 clubs with a Social Team.
I realise Social grade isn't all that important, but it helps to illustrate the declining numbers at Senior level.

Rugby in Auckland has been mismanaged for years.
Steps are in place to recitfy things now, but as long as the self-interested are running the club competitions, we will continue to shoot ourselves in the foot.
I'm not going to go into anymore details, but suffice to say; there are people invooved from certain clubs that simply put the best interests of their clubs first, and not the good of the game itself.

Sad state of affairs.

 

[ABs2011]

Hi Shaggy & ABs2011,

Just to butt in here, but I AM involved at Club level in Auckland and can tell you that all is not well at the grass roots level.
I metioned this on another thread already, but I will repeat here.
My club continues to do well at Junior level, but the Senior numbers are dropping.
This year alone we have lost our Under 20s team, and have also had to absorb the Social team into the Presidents Grade as there are now only 4 clubs with a Social Team.
I realise Social grade isn't all that important, but it helps to illustrate the declining numbers at Senior level.

Rugby in Auckland has been mismanaged for years.
Steps are in place to recitfy things now, but as long as the self-interested are running the club competitions, we will continue to shoot ourselves in the foot.
I'm not going to go into anymore details, but suffice to say; there are people invooved from certain clubs that simply put the best interests of their clubs first, and not the good of the game itself.

Sad state of affairs.

Hey Fluke, thanks for posting that mate. Yeah that echos much of what I have heard from people involved up there! Sad state of affairs indeed.... I find it all a little similar to what has been happening down at the Canes franchise for a while, pretty much general mismanagement of the grass roots up, a lot of people putting their own self interests ahead of the greater need. Once you've stuffed things up as bad as these areas have it takes years to rebuild as well. I really hope Auckland can get things together. WAY too much talent up there to let it go to waste!

Hey do you hear much about Matt McGahan up there mate? I've seen him play a little, but the kid seems to have massive raps on him. Is he potentially the next big thing or is he being overhyped a little?

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hey Fluke, thanks for posting that mate. Yeah that echos much of what I have heard from people involved up there! Sad state of affairs indeed.... I find it all a little similar to what has been happening down at the Canes franchise for a while, pretty much general mismanagement of the grass roots up, a lot of people putting their own self interests ahead of the greater need. Once you've stuffed things up as bad as these areas have it takes years to rebuild as well. I really hope Auckland can get things together. WAY too much talent up there to let it go to waste!

Hey do you hear much about Matt McGahan up there mate? I've seen him play a little, but the kid seems to have massive raps on him. Is he potentially the next big thing or is he being overhyped a little?

I think McGahan will be with Harbour for the upcoming season. Can't say for sure though.

 

[ABs2011]

I think McGahan will be with Harbour for the upcoming season. Can't say for sure though.

Yup that's what I understand. If so, Ill be watching a few Harbour games. The wraps Ive heard on him come from people involved in his high school days mainly, so they could be a tad biased. His time at the Storm (NRL) sounds promising, but one has to wonder why he abandoned league - was he not good enough?? Im not sure.....

 

[Shaggy]

Hi ABs2011 ... I enjoyed the chat and differing points of view too, and Fluke ... I appreciate the inside info on grass roots rugby in your region (I hope it improves soon)

ABs/Fish, I was intrigued by your discussion regarding Matt McGahan, so I googled him and came up with this stuff article (it's a little old, and probably doesn't tell you much more than you already know, but it seems he wanted to play in the halves, and the storm wanted him in the hooker role, so that's one of the reasons for returning to union, although the article also implies that a return to union was part of the development plan.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/9277182/Matt-McGahan-eyes-rugby-as-he-quits-league

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yup that's what I understand. If so, Ill be watching a few Harbour games. The wraps Ive heard on him come from people involved in his high school days mainly, so they could be a tad biased. His time at the Storm (NRL) sounds promising, but one has to wonder why he abandoned league - was he not good enough?? Im not sure.....

Yeah he started off in the North Harbour competition at school then switched over to Auckland after a couple of years. He was certainly promising back then, plus he's obviously got the pedigree. Don't know if he's any good now, but he played well in the Blues preseason (albeit only briefly).

 

[steblin]

Yeah he started off in the North Harbour competition at school then switched over to Auckland after a couple of years. He was certainly promising back then, plus he's obviously got the pedigree. Don't know if he's any good now, but he played well in the Blues preseason (albeit only briefly).

So Harbour for next season would have Bryn Hall, Matt McGahan, Francis Saili, Pita Ahki and Tevita Li in the backs??? Things might be looking up for us after all! ;-)

 

[ABs2011]

So Harbour for next season would have Bryn Hall, Matt McGahan, Francis Saili, Pita Ahki and Tevita Li in the backs??? Things might be looking up for us after all! ;-)

Sounds good aye! You could add Nafi Tuitavake to that list as well I think! But can they find a forward pack? Always been the problem for Harbour hasn't it?? Well the last few years anyway.....

 

[steblin]

Sounds good aye! You could add Nafi Tuitavake to that list as well I think! But can they find a forward pack? Always been the problem for Harbour hasn't it?? Well the last few years anyway.....

Well, IN THEORY, the props would be Woodcock and Afeaki, which is a decent start. But with AB's and post Super injuries never works out that way ...

We have Parsons as well, which also means we won't win any lineouts ... so point taken

 

[ABs2011]

Well, IN THEORY, the props would be Woodcock and Afeaki, which is a decent start. But with AB's and post Super injuries never works out that way ...

We have Parsons as well, which also means we won't win any lineouts ... so point taken

Afeaki's injuries in Super Rugby may well be a blessing for N Harbour, He'll need game time. Good luck getting Woodcock to play. His goal will be the RWC so cant see him risking playing time at ITM cup level. Parsons is a good ITM cup player, if he and Afeaki play then you are right, its a good start. They could be the surprise team IF McGahan can direct the ship as well as I hear he can do and the forwards get him good enough ball to work with....Brynn Hall will be good to watch as well.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

So Harbour for next season would have Bryn Hall, Matt McGahan, Francis Saili, Pita Ahki and Tevita Li in the backs??? Things might be looking up for us after all! ;-)

Saili has transferred back to Auckland, sadly.

Auckland will have a crazy backline this year, actually.

Weepu, Hickey, Moala, Saili, Fekitoa, Visigia, Parkes

 

[steblin]

Saili has transferred back to Auckland, sadly.

Auckland will have a crazy backline this year, actually.

Weepu, Hickey, Moala, Saili, Fekitoa, Visigia, Parkes

Did he actually transfer back? Damn ... I'd heard a rumour towards the end of last ITM Cup season that he might but didn't know if it had actually happened...

Also, that back line .... DAMN! I guess the only thing that could scupper that would be call ups for Saili and Fekitoa.

Bryn Hall really shone in last years ITM Cup, but hopefully he'll be even better after his Super rugby exploits this year!

 

[nzlizard]

Hard to see Saili getting a call up tbh, Crotty covered pretty well last year and Saili didn't impress a lot which was a surprise as he played good super rugby.

Fekitoa deserves a run at least as he may be a long term solution after the world cup. For the love of god do not put Ben Smith at centre.

 

[Bogdam]

Hard to see Saili getting a call up tbh, Crotty covered pretty well last year and Saili didn't impress a lot which was a surprise as he played good super rugby.

Fekitoa deserves a run at least as he may be a long term solution after the world cup. For the love of god do not put Ben Smith at centre.

i do agree with u about fekitoa........i see in him the future AB`s number 13,and i think ben smith......is not 100% for 13 ..as he`s for number 14 or 15!sry for my bad english!

 

[Shaggy]

i do agree with u about fekitoa........i see in him the future AB`s number 13,and i think ben smith......is not 100% for 13 ..as he`s for number 14 or 15!sry for my bad english!

Nothing wrong with your English ... you guys are right of course, Ben Smith is wasted at Centre ... he's got to play at Fullback or on the Wing IMO

 

[Muzzy]

Ha did you know 12 of the Chiefs current squad were born and raised in Auckland. Ben Afeaki, Ben Tameifuna, Mahonri Schwalger, Gareth Anscombe, Mils Mulianina, Tim Nanai-Williams, Tom Marshall, Bundee Ahki, Augustine Pulu, Jordan Payne, Michael Fitzgerald, Pauliasi Manu. We have the biggest population in the country, all these talented players but we keep letting them go and instead bring in players from outside Auckland, that we don't need. They brought in Piri Weepu when we already just brought in Alby Mathewson, Ma'a Nonu when we had the likes of Rene Ranger at centre, Benji Marshall and letting go of Anscombe. Jackson Willison from Waikato when Fekitoa, Bundee Ahki and Pita Ahki have been so good at ITM Cup level. It makes me wonder if there some people buying in players just for marketing potential. Piri Weepu was brought in during the world cup over hype he had

 

[Shaggy]

Ha did you know 12 of the Chiefs current squad were born and raised in Auckland. Ben Afeaki, Ben Tameifuna, Mahonri Schwalger, Gareth Anscombe, Mils Mulianina, Tim Nanai-Williams, Tom Marshall, Bundee Ahki, Augustine Pulu, Jordan Payne, Michael Fitzgerald, Pauliasi Manu. We have the biggest population in the country, all these talented players but we keep letting them go and instead bring in players from outside Auckland, that we don't need. They brought in Piri Weepu when we already just brought in Alby Mathewson, Ma'a Nonu when we had the likes of Rene Ranger at centre, Benji Marshall and letting go of Anscombe. Jackson Willison from Waikato when Fekitoa, Bundee Ahki and Pita Ahki have been so good at ITM Cup level. It makes me wonder if there some people buying in players just for marketing potential. Piri Weepu was brought in during the world cup over hype he had

Yeah, I get your points Muzzy, although it's a bit of a stretch to say Tom Marshall was born and raised in Auckland ... he did his Secondary Schooling at Nelson College, and has played all of his ITM Cup Rugby for the Tasman Makos ... anyway, it's a fact of life in the New Zealand game that players are going to move around, and the coaches are going to contract players from outside their catchment

It's actually good for NZ rugby as a whole, because the best players get to play, regardless of where they come from

 

[ABs2011]

Wow, Ive only just seen the highlights of the Highlanders Sharks game - WHAT A TRY from Fekitoa! That is one of the best individual tries Ive seen for a while! Given the thread ***le it only seems appropriate to post the link to show what all the fuss is about. If you havent seen it it is a must watch!

http://tvnz.co.nz/one-news/super-rugby-highlights-sharks-v-highlanders-video-5941117

 

[Shaggy]

Wow, Ive only just seen the highlights of the Highlanders Sharks game - WHAT A TRY from Fekitoa! That is one of the best individual tries Ive seen for a while! Given the thread ***le it only seems appropriate to post the link to show what all the fuss is about. If you havent seen it it is a must watch!

http://tvnz.co.nz/one-news/super-rugby-highlights-sharks-v-highlanders-video-5941117

... Is that your subtle way of telling us we've gone off track in this thread ABs? :huh: ... LOL, yes, definitely worth another look