Highlanders 2022 Season
Presuming we lose on Saturday here is a bit of a review of the season.
From a fan's perspective this has been the worst Highlanders season since we tried to buy a championship with Tony Woodcock, Brad Thorn and Ma'a Nonu in 2013. But, at least with that bunch there were names to create some false home each week. Most weeks we thought there is a chance Nonu will crack through the midfield, Gear will light it up down the wing and our All Black laden forward back will demo the opposition. Apart from a couple of occasions, this did not happen.
At the start of the season many Highlanders fans knew the side wouldn't be topping the Blues or the Crusaders, but thought it should be a 50/50 with the Chiefs and Hurricanes, and rack up consistent victories against the others. Not the case.
From the outset the side was woeful, could only score tries through pick and goes, or lineout drives. Players came back in poor nick, there were long-layoff guys coming back from injury who may have been pushed in a bit early and some lads who got were ruled out early on. Those factors plus poor depth and a lack of talent was a recipe of a mediocre season.
Tony Brown's once legendary backline moves dissolved to crash balls for Thomas Umaga-Jensen and hoping Connor Garden-Bachop could wriggle his way through some defenders from the back. Sadly, it took him a number of rounds to get back to match fitness after a long layoff. Hunt, Banks, Paea, Dawai, Coombes-Fabling and even Fakatava at the beginning of the season were all ineffective.
Fakatava came right and has flourished as the season went on, and Dawai had his moments. While Timu had his moments too and was looking good for a long run post his early season injury.
Above all else there was no consistency in selection, it reeked of desperation. In the midfield it was a pick in mix of Thomas Umaga-Jensen and who ever else wanted to play alongside him. Gregory, Paea, Timu and a couple of others as well. Same goes for the wingers, often the backline, apart from Umaga-Jensen offered as much punch as a celebrity boxing card.
The forwards looked like a tired group of journeymen supported by some real talent. De Groot was good once he shook off the Christmas ham. Daniel Lienert-Brown was a guy that shocked me, a man who had worn the no17 with pride for more than a decade suddenly became this stampeding menace. Our locks were a fine bunch if they were the playing group for a provincial team; A Super Rugby side, well they got flogged.
In the loose; Frizzell, Tu'u and Harmon quality players. Withy worth persevering with. The rest, if you ask whether they would make other squads, most would struggle to say they would. That should be the bar, are the Highlanders signing players other squads would want?
Historically the franchise has operated a model of turning unwanted players from rocks into diamonds. Sadly at the moment this prospecting mine is not delivering the results its followers are after.
Star performers
Backs: Thomas Umaga-Jensen. He showed everyone what he was capable, big strong and generally injury free. Let's hope who ever comes on board next year can also offer a bit of penetration and take some pressure off him.
Forwards: Marino Mikaele Tu'u. Since shaking off his injury rust he has been nothing short of fantastic. For teams coming against the Highlanders they only really need to worry about three or four players and Tu'u is one of them. Big, strong and consistently brushes off tackles. His defensive work rate also improved as well.
Need to see more of: Folau Fakatava and Sam Gilbert. These two will likely spend a lot time together and both have shown glimpses of what they are capable of. Fakatava is much more polished than Gilbert, but the newly minted 10 should get first go at the first five jersey next year.
Recruitment targets
George Bridge not getting the game time he would be liking in Christchurch. Could be a good option to add some stability to what has been a reasonably poor Highlanders back three.
Noah Hotham seems the Crusaders are sniffing around. Have also heard the same around Nathan Hastie. Management should bite the bullet and bring in one of the young fellas for Kayne Hammington.
Peter Umaga-Jensen not getting the game time he would be wanted in Wellington. Rumour is the 'Landers are trying to get him down. On the other side of the coin apparently he is quite happy in Wellington.
Fabian Holland full contact.
A hooker who isn't 30.
A coach following the season it might be difficult sadly to justify giving Dermody the reins.
There should be plenty of spots available in the squad, the management can't justify continuing with what is currently there.
Season rating** 3/10
Just one point short of the number of games the side won. Poor execution. Lack of consistent selection, injuries and missed opportunities. Been a tough season to watch.
@Bovidae bell venturing off to the red & blacks stings almost as bad as Corey Flynn?
@Bovidae George Bell is a great prospect. He’s better than McAlister and Klein
@SouthernMann Ricky Jackson is playing with Crusaders. He’s first option for Otago. Makalio, Marshall and Ricky would be great for 2023.
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2022:
Marshall (who replaced Jackson) is the youngest of the current three at 29.
So still significantly younger than the AB hookers?
Can't remember whether it has alreayd been posted somewhere:
All Blacks loose forward Shannon Frizell will make his injury return this weekend as the Highlanders target a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final berth on Sunday.
Frizell has been out of action for seven weeks after hurting his knee in the opening moments of his side’s win over Moana Pasifika last month, but will return to action in Dunedin club rugby this weekend.
The 17-test international will then become available for the Highlanders in what would be a major boost for the southerners, should they qualify for next week’s playoffs with a win over the Rebels in Melbourne on Sunday.
Shannon Frizell set for injury return as Highlanders target quarter-final berth
Shannon Frizell will make his injury return this weekend as the Highlanders target a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final berth on Sunday.
@SouthernMann pretty much read my mind
i feel one of the most annoying things is we were close...very close in several games...and then rather than building on the promising stuff...trying to fix the bad stuff....it was all change.....loose by one point...6 changes!
Ive said before, somethign is wrong when we would rather go to wider training group of injury cover (literally players not deemed good enough for a contract before) before trusting players we already had on the books
@SouthernMann Great write-up. I think you should do an update that includes the QF though.
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2022:
@SouthernMann Great write-up. I think you should do an update that includes the QF though.
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2022:
And what has happened to Tikoisolomone? If he wasn't ready for SR why give him a full contract as a replacement player. Has he been playing club rugby?
A big decision will need to be made on Solomon Alaimalo. He would offer a lot from fullback if playing.
i know right!? talk about setting ourselves up to fail
1 outside back we said we wanted to build up to be a 10 (koroi) and the barely played him
1 outside back having personal issues that has meant his played one game in two years, how did he manage to play for southland in between?
1 we signed and then decided very early he was one for the future...i mean, he's 23, thats not that young for super level
@SouthernMann I like your 2023 vision Smith/ Fakatava, Gilbert, Nareki, TUJ, PUJ, CGB & George Bridge?
@Tim would be more than happy with those, unsure about cameron but we need someone
I rated Florence when we had him as injury cover....2020 was it? and he was huge when otago played the naki last year
dont know about ioane,,,he looked like he was settling down during the NPC this year....but then i havent heard much of anything about him during the super season
What i think we need...and it wont happen...is for the Lander to work more with southland and otago, get more guys down on to play for both...so we can have them build even better combos with each other. I expect little will change...and next years squad will be a spattering of good players from around the country (largely hawksbay and tasman players not wanted by the canes or saders)...and the rest of the squad otago with the odd southland...and one or two guys trying to redeem/reignite their careers
@Tim surprised to see no mention of Devan Flanders! It's a shame Abraham Pole isn't a hooker as a front row of he, Ainsley & De Groot would be tasty
@Bovidae said in Highlanders 2022:
Lentjes, Harmon and Evans
All pretty limited players.
Brown has made a ton of excuses this year and blamed his limited squad. Well he selected them! Hasn't shown any ability to develop a squad the last few seasons, and his coaching has been poor. He has the excuse of being distracted by Japan, but I think his reputation has seriously declined, and I wouldn't want him anywhere near the ABs. Too much bullshit inside the squad to want him involved with the AB culture.
Really think the NZRU needs to put a stop to Super Rugby head coaches having major appointments overseas at the same time. Has resulted in disastrous seasons for the Chiefs and Highlanders, and squanders the five positions available.
@Tim At Super Rugby level, Harmon and G. Evans aren't limited players. I'd say they are very handy players at this level. Both very injury prone though. And Evans is 30 years old now, so may be looking at a stint overseas.
@Tim Fair comment about Brown. All I am saying is that if players are already contracted it is hard to find space for someone like Florence. I would happily have him at the Chiefs too, but the same applied.
A new coach might have completely different ideas on the merits of some current players. Dermody would have been involved in the selection choices so I wouldn't expect too many changes if he gets the job.
@Tim im slightly more forgiving, yes, very must distracted...but he's also just not a head coach i think.
He's an assistant/attack/backs coach
I had a similar argument with the coach of the club team i manage on the weekend. We have a very good winger that can cover fullback...but our 10 got pulled up to the 1's and our reserve 10 got injured, so we asked this guys to play 10...and he shat the bed. the coach pulled him at half time and the we had injuries and because we'd already used our reserve backs we had to throw a loosie on the wing...anyway...JF gets shitty at Alistar for playing badly...and i had to point out...we asked him to do it, and he did it because hes a club man. Yes he could have played better and so takes some responsibility for that...but we asked...so thats on us....and then you pulled him rather than just moving him back to the wing...so thats on you!
Browny has said before he wasn't interested in the top job, that he was a assistant/backs/attack coach...but we the fans wanted him....when no one else viable put their hand up...so yes...i dont understand some of the things hes done this year...but most of us wanted him, and thats on us
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2022:
@Tim At Super Rugby level, Harmon and G. Evans aren't limited players. I'd say they are very handy players at this level. Both very injury prone though. And Evans is 30 years old now, so may be looking at a stint overseas.
i agree, I actually think Harmon has played very well this year keeping in mind he has been injured for a fair chunk of it, similar to lentjes, hes had highs and lows but more highs than lows, and evans was brought in as 3-4 choice 6/8 and due to injury played a lot for his age
Get Mark Ozich back from the Force. He inherited a poor performing Magpies squad from Phil Crackpott, and made them into one of the better teams in the NPC in a few years time. Used more local talent, recruited better from outside and, most importantly, coached a lot better. He's one of upcoming coaches that NZR shouldn't let go (permanently). On top of that, he has already coached the Highlanders U20s last year.
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2022:
Get Mark Ozich back from the Force. He inherited a poor performing Magpies squad from Phil Crackpott, and made them into one of the better teams in the NPC in a few years time. Used more local talent, recruited better from outside and, most importantly, coached a lot better. He's one of upcoming coaches that NZR shouldn't let go (permanently). On top of that, he has already coached the Highlanders U20s last year.
Yep, especially as the Force signed a new (Kiwi) head coach this year too.
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2022:
This just popped up, it’s legit the type of thing we could have tried when hunt started struggling
I think you did when Gilbert was at 10.
“We were talking about championships before we even got to a playoff,” Smith said. “But that doesn’t buy you a championship.
“...it wasn’t built through hard work and trust and selflessness and doing your job creates a try for others, or wanting to tackle for your mate.
“Or were they [the All Blacks] just counting their money? Were they here just to get a bonus cheque and get ready for the All Blacks, some of them?
“It’s hard to say, but that’s what I saw.”
Smith also pointed to rancorous parties after the season had finished, when ill-feeling that had been building up within the squad exploded.
“There were fights,” Smith said. “You shouldn’t fight your team-mates. That’s one sign I knew there was poison.”
From that viewpoint, he could see the unhappiness building, and said that “double standards” started to creep in when the Highlanders’ All Blacks weren’t being pulled up by the coaches for errors in the same way that younger players were.
damn
@Kiwiwomble yeah the big party at Haskell's was pretty crazy. Dunno if you've read about it or anything, Lima went deep about it on a podcast I heard.
@Yeetyaah thats about as much as heard about it, big messy party
this is all stuff that i suspected but a big call to actually come out and say it i think
what was the podcast?
@Stargazer said in Highlanders 2022:
@Tim At Super Rugby level, Harmon and G. Evans aren't limited players. I'd say they are very handy players at this level. Both very injury prone though. And Evans is 30 years old now, so may be looking at a stint overseas.
Yeah Harmon is excellent, he's quite a bit more traditional openside than most - not quite test level good, but better than the likes of Choat, Lentjes, Gibson...
@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2022:
@Kiwiwomble What a Lad podcast hosted by James Marshall. Pretty decent tbh.
just listening to the solomon alaimalo one, interesting to hear he did get back to the point where he could train with the injured guys, thats good, really sounds like he'd just missed too much to force out one of the other guys rather than still really struggling
...also interesting he seemed to struggle to remember how many siblings he had!
@Kiwiwomble Yeah, I posted that in the match thread. Was a bit surprised to read that. Was wondering whether travellers still have to go into quarantine when they arrive in Japan ...