Team v Raiders

[Beavers Headgear]

Has barely rained in Christchurch for 6 months, forecast to be very wet tomorrow

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Ale probably needs a game in reggies soon where he plays 50-60 minutes just to give him some match fitness. Maybe also worth thinking about blooding Maiu'u once he's had a game or two back from suspension, game on game off with Ale?

I liked Ale (or maybe just the idea of Ale) as a low to the ground, strong stocky guy with a bit of footwork coming off the bench. However he just doesn't seem to have the physical presence and honestly maybe just isn't good enough. Those short stocky guys are supposed to be hard to tackle but he seems to get manhandled too much.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Has barely rained in Christchurch for 6 months, forecast to be very wet tomorrow

Damn. Really don't think this helps us.

 

[Izz]

I liked Ale (or maybe just the idea of Ale) as a low to the ground, strong stocky guy with a bit of footwork coming off the bench. However he just doesn't seem to have the physical presence and honestly maybe just isn't good enough. Those short stocky guys are supposed to be hard to tackle but he seems to get manhandled too much.

Yeah agree. Barely ever see him win the collision

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

To me, it's all well and good saying we'd like to move the likes of Barnett, Niukore etc back to the edge, where they are best suited. But we're too short on propping stocks. What would our rotation be if those guys moved to the back row?

Ale hasn't shown enough yet in a couple of seasons, and Bunty - as much as the fans love him 'coming off the back fence' - has played 130+ games yet but doesn't really perform like a veteran.

Pretty much resigned to one of Niukore and Barnett staying in the middle, but question is whether we’re overcompensating by moving both? and to your point, what the alternative is?

For mine….more or less the same pack took us to a qualifying final last year, so why not back them to do it again?

We lost Curran but replaced (IMO upgraded) with Capewell, and Addin is still here. Put Niukore back on his edge and throw a young fella, or even two, into the prop rotation… if not Ale, then Maiu’u and/or Laban. Back them to deliver. Back Bunty to lift. Risky yes, but back them. Webby has shown a willingness and knack for doing that and getting it right. In the meantime, Cappy keeps searching for a specialist front rower to join next year.

I know the big risk down the line is we get to year-end and none of that’s worked. AFB then leaves, and we’re in the shit for '25. But the risk of focusing so much on the future is missing out on opportunities today.

And right now we have the opportunity to field a backrow combination that not only asks lots of questions themselves, but IMO, better unlocks the guys outside them too.

 

[Meth]

Damn. Really don't think this helps us.

definitely not. Canberra will be used to miserable weather and there are still question marks over Webster’s warriors in the rain.

 

[Meth]

Pretty much resigned to one of Niukore and Barnett staying in the middle, but question is whether we’re overcompensating by moving both? and to your point, what the alternative is?

For mine….more or less the same pack took us to a qualifying final last year, so why not back them to do it again?

We lost Curran but replaced (IMO upgraded) with Capewell, and Addin is still here. Put Niukore back on his edge and throw a young fella, or even two, into the prop rotation… if not Ale, then Maiu’u and/or Laban. Back them to deliver. Back Bunty to lift. Risky yes, but back them. Webby has shown a willingness and knack for doing that and getting it right. In the meantime, Cappy keeps searching for a specialist front rower to join next year.

I know the big risk down the line is we get to year-end and none of that’s worked. AFB then leaves, and we’re in the shit for '25. But the risk of focusing so much on the future is missing out on opportunities today.

And right now we have the opportunity to field a backrow combination that not only asks lots of questions themselves, but IMO, better unlocks the guys outside them too.

I think we are in the shit for 25 without recruitment.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I think we are in the shit for 25 without recruitment.

You don't think one of the young fellas can/will step up? I'll admit, I'm more hopeful than anything else, but am I hoping in vain?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

You don't think one of the young fellas can/will step up? I'll admit, I'm more hopeful than anything else, but am I hoping in vain?

I’d like to see a bit of Maiu’u this year (if he can survive 5 minutes without a send off)

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Damn. Really don't think this helps us.

Good news, in the past few hours they have changed the forecast from rain all day to no rain at all !

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Good news, in the past few hours they have changed the forecast from rain all day to no rain at all !

Sounds like typical Saturday weather during cricket season when all I really want to do is go to the pub

 

[SpaceMonkey]

definitely not. Canberra will be used to miserable weather and there are still question marks over Webster’s warriors in the rain.

What makes you say that? Canberra gets less rain that Auckland. Its elevated inland location makes it cold in winter but its not a wet, gloomy sort of place at all. Its hot and dry in summer. in fact compared to Auckland it gets less than half the rainfall, 30% less rainy days, and about 40% more sunshine than Auckland.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

What makes you say that? Canberra gets less rain that Auckland. Its elevated inland location makes it cold in winter but its not a wet, gloomy sort of place at all. Its hot and dry in summer. in fact compared to Auckland it gets less than half the rainfall, 30% less rainy days, and about 40% more sunshine than Auckland.

Canberra always seems to get stereotyped that way by other Aussies - much like Auckland/NZ generally gets stereotyped as cold and miserable by Aussies when in a broader context (i.e. not comparing it to the most brutal extremes of Australian heat) that's not true at all. I don't think NZers have an independent stereotype of Canberra, it all comes from Aussies. Must just be based on it being colder during winter.

 

[Meth]

You don't think one of the young fellas can/will step up? I'll admit, I'm more hopeful than anything else, but am I hoping in vain?

I think they may step up to be a first grade prop. Not sure they can fill that AFB void and its probably an unfair expectation to put on them.

 

[Meth]

What makes you say that? Canberra gets less rain that Auckland. Its elevated inland location makes it cold in winter but its not a wet, gloomy sort of place at all. Its hot and dry in summer. in fact compared to Auckland it gets less than half the rainfall, 30% less rainy days, and about 40% more sunshine than Auckland.

Been there a few times. Was pretty miserable. Limited sample, but at least based on real experience.

 

[Blair]

Been there a few times. Was pretty miserable. Limited sample, but at least based on real experience.

The winter chill at night produces a damp-vibe even if it's not raining. The Raiders know all about a slippery pill, ditto slippery underfoot.

 

[Meth]

 

[Blair]

I bet the Raiders' completion rate was above 90%! This is not calming my nerves for tomorrow night.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

That happened once, I remember it well. Snow in Canberra is very rare though.

We really have no excuse to blame the weather when playing them.

 

[Big Marn]

Good news, in the past few hours they have changed the forecast from rain all day to no rain at all !

i was reading these posts chronologically just now and i was puzzled by your earlier post. So glad you cleared that up for everybody. I live just outside of ChCh and didnt see the same forecast as you for tomorrow lol.