Alby Mathewson and Stephen Brett changing teams?

[jawmalawm24]

It's been confirmed that Albys off to play for the Blues in the Super14 but I've also heard that Stephen Brett could possibly be playing for them too. Also other names that have been in the mix for the Blues are Daniel Carter, Juan martine Hernandez, Aaron Cruden and Mike Delany.

Auckland trying to buy up all these 1st 5s and they've got Luke McAlistari unless they're thinking about playing him at 2nd 5.

 

[Nickdnz]

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.

 

[danger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him

 

[jawmalawm24]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 14 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him
[/b][/quote]You's can have Kirkpatrick if you want I don't really like him he's only in the team because he was a standout player in last years under20 but he's like Toeava taking a while to show his full potential.

I wonder where Mike Delanys gonna go because he wasn't really getting any gametime with the cheifs earlier this year and they've got Donald and possibly Lavea.

 

[Juggernaut]

Delany has confirmed he's staying put with the Chiefs, which I think is a dumb decision as he would have been guaranteed more game time with the Blues. Seems like he wants to give Donald a run for his money which I doubt will happen (Forster hates the Bays ).

Brett is at least an improvement with our current stocks of 5/8s and will have the luxury of playing with 2 AB midfielders in McAlister & Toeava, but leave the kicking to McAlister.

Mathewson is a young gun.....with our awesome pack & great backs, he'll be awesome for the Blues next season.

BLUES by 10.

 

[William18]

Smart moves by both players. I will be disappointed losing Mathewson but you can't blame him for wanting regular game time. He is a good player, hopefully he can kick on with the blues. Super14 is about getting the best 75 players in NZ starting on the field, so these are good moves.

 

[Flux]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 14 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him
[/b][/quote]

Personally I thought Ripia outplayed Cruden when Taranaki played Manawatu, so I think he'd be better off at Hawke's Bay. Then again, if he played for Wellington, they'd probably show him more preference when it comes for the Hurricanes, therefore enabling to go places with his career.

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Oct 16 2009, 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 14 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him
[/b][/quote]

Personally I thought Ripia outplayed Cruden when Taranaki played Manawatu, so I think he'd be better off at Hawke's Bay. Then again, if he played for Wellington, they'd probably show him more preference when it comes for the Hurricanes, therefore enabling to go places with his career.
[/b][/quote]
If you ask me, Cruden is far far overrated. He came down here and I thought Kirkpatrick outplayed him although obviously Wellington were well on top. I have see enough of him to say that he is a good player. I think people who call All Black are getting a bit carried away by the hype. Don't forget that Hawkes Bay has Berquist, I hope Cruden stays at manawatu.

 

[Flux]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Oct 17 2009, 07:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Oct 16 2009, 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 14 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him
[/b][/quote]

Personally I thought Ripia outplayed Cruden when Taranaki played Manawatu, so I think he'd be better off at Hawke's Bay. Then again, if he played for Wellington, they'd probably show him more preference when it comes for the Hurricanes, therefore enabling to go places with his career.
[/b][/quote]
If you ask me, Cruden is far far overrated. He came down here and I thought Kirkpatrick outplayed him although obviously Wellington were well on top. I have see enough of him to say that he is a good player. I think people who call All Black are getting a bit carried away by the hype. Don't forget that Hawkes Bay has Berquist, I hope Cruden stays at manawatu.
[/b][/quote]

I happen to agree. Especially as just about all the matches I've seen Manawatu in, he seems to be out injured.

 

[danger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Oct 16 2009, 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 14 2009, 11:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 14 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

McAlister isa better 2nd 5. Yeah, Alby is gone but he wont really be missed in my honest opinion. I think Weepu is generally considered better. I rate Steven Brett as one of the most usless, over rated players in the Air New Zealand Cup, which I don't care if he goes. I want Aaron Cruden to play for the Hurricanes and if Manawatu get relegated, then to play for Wellington, so if he moves I'll be kinda annoyed. Dan Carter has all ready signed with Cantebury and the Crusanders as Hernandez has all ready signed with the Sharks.[/b]

I really hope Cruden doesn't go to Wellington they already have Fili who is awesome and Kirkpatrick. I would much rather see him go to Taranaki or Hawkes bay, they actually need him
[/b][/quote]

Personally I thought Ripia outplayed Cruden when Taranaki played Manawatu, so I think he'd be better off at Hawke's Bay. Then again, if he played for Wellington, they'd probably show him more preference when it comes for the Hurricanes, therefore enabling to go places with his career.
[/b][/quote]

Ripia has a **** poor running game, is a liability in defence and makes alot of poor decisions. (his use, or lack there of, of the wind vs Auckland cost us the game.) His only claim to fame last season was his accurate goal kicking but even thats gone south now.

Cruden has it all, the way he tore through the Canterbury defence with no go forward ball and a less then world class backline was proof enough for me. Crudens only real weakness is goal kicking which i dont think is up to scratch, but if he was in the Taranaki team Jack Cameron could easily take over those responsibilities.

Ripia has one of the best forward packs in the competition to get him quality ball, Brett Goodin is one of the best in the buisness and takes alot of pressure off. He has electrifying talent such as Hayward and Perez outside him, yet he struggles to get the backline firing, theres no excuse.

The Taranaki backline i want to see next season;

9)Goodin
10)Cruden
11)G.Goodin
12)Hayward
13)Perez
14)Andre Taylor
15)Jack Cameron

20)Ormrod
21)Rei
22)Rickards

 

[sambãd5]

Anyone else baffeled on why the blues didnt put much pressure on delany to move up? to me, he is proberly the best 5/8, other than carter atm. big call, but if you have mcallister at 2nd 2/8, hes better than donald and there isnt that many 1st class 5/8s left. Brett is going to fit right in at the blues, which isnt a good thing. they needed someone who knows when to hold the ball and run, pass or kick it. all of which in my opinon, delany knows best. no wonder hes gotten into the all blacks, but someone of his age (hes about 28 or 29 off the top of my head) needs to think about moving around to get decent 1st class game time, and hes proberly going to go up north (Northern hemisphere up north) sooner rather than later, unless the all blacks really push him.

 

[Nickdnz]

I'd like to see Cruden in the Wellington team to be honest. He'll receive great great ball from Weepu, Wellington has a strong forward pack, and more excitingly we have a great back line. All Wellington have really been missing in recent years is a decent 1st 5/8. Goal kicking could be covered by Weepu as well. That being said, I realise that if Wellington got Cruden, we would be taking talent away from other smaller provinces, but I think it would be the best move for Cruden to come 2 Wellington.

 

[danger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 27 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'd like to see Cruden in the Wellington team to be honest. He'll receive great great ball from Weepu, Wellington has a strong forward pack, and more excitingly we have a great back line. All Wellington have really been missing in recent years is a decent 1st 5/8. Goal kicking could be covered by Weepu as well. That being said, I realise that if Wellington got Cruden, we would be taking talent away from other smaller provinces, but I think it would be the best move for Cruden to come 2 Wellington.[/b]

I'm just fully against stacking the Super provinces again, I dont want the NPC to be a 5 team competition like it used to be.

No one wins, places like Wellington stifle their homegrown players development due to perchased players coming in, and the few good players left in the provinces are made to look ordinary due to a poor supporting cast. Remember when the All Blacks team were pretty much just Auckland Wellington and Canterbury, with a few others scattered in? that sucks. I like that we are seeing Hawkes Bay, Southland and that represented.

If i had it my way, none of the super teams would get any players from the defunct teams, bar a few to Otago.

 

[Nickdnz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 27 2009, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 27 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to see Cruden in the Wellington team to be honest. He'll receive great great ball from Weepu, Wellington has a strong forward pack, and more excitingly we have a great back line. All Wellington have really been missing in recent years is a decent 1st 5/8. Goal kicking could be covered by Weepu as well. That being said, I realise that if Wellington got Cruden, we would be taking talent away from other smaller provinces, but I think it would be the best move for Cruden to come 2 Wellington.[/b]

I'm just fully against stacking the Super provinces again, I dont want the NPC to be a 5 team competition like it used to be.

No one wins, places like Wellington stifle their homegrown players development due to perchased players coming in, and the few good players left in the provinces are made to look ordinary due to a poor supporting cast. Remember when the All Blacks team were pretty much just Auckland Wellington and Canterbury, with a few others scattered in? that sucks. I like that we are seeing Hawkes Bay, Southland and that represented.

If i had it my way, none of the super teams would get any players from the defunct teams, bar a few to Otago.
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, I see where you are coming from, which is why I said I don't want 2 take away from smaller provinces, however as a career move for Cruden, I believe he would benafit most going to Wellington. I must admit I do enjoy watching Manawatu, and I really hope they stay alive, however if they fall, it wouldn't break my heart if Wellington took a few of their exceptional players. Players such as Aaron Cruden, Tomasi Cama, Kurt Baker are all awsome players, who I think would be wasted at a lower devision. I know Steve Tew says he is trying to make a "meaningful" devision 1 competition, however let's face it, noone is going to be picked for a Super 14 franchise if they arn't in a premier devision. On one respect I would complietly understand Manawatu players now changing provinces, however it does seem a shame that they are forced into this decision, and I think this move will really weaken the province.

 

[danger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 27 2009, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danger @ Oct 27 2009, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Oct 27 2009, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to see Cruden in the Wellington team to be honest. He'll receive great great ball from Weepu, Wellington has a strong forward pack, and more excitingly we have a great back line. All Wellington have really been missing in recent years is a decent 1st 5/8. Goal kicking could be covered by Weepu as well. That being said, I realise that if Wellington got Cruden, we would be taking talent away from other smaller provinces, but I think it would be the best move for Cruden to come 2 Wellington.[/b]

I'm just fully against stacking the Super provinces again, I dont want the NPC to be a 5 team competition like it used to be.

No one wins, places like Wellington stifle their homegrown players development due to perchased players coming in, and the few good players left in the provinces are made to look ordinary due to a poor supporting cast. Remember when the All Blacks team were pretty much just Auckland Wellington and Canterbury, with a few others scattered in? that sucks. I like that we are seeing Hawkes Bay, Southland and that represented.

If i had it my way, none of the super teams would get any players from the defunct teams, bar a few to Otago.
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, I see where you are coming from, which is why I said I don't want 2 take away from smaller provinces, however as a career move for Cruden, I believe he would benafit most going to Wellington. I must admit I do enjoy watching Manawatu, and I really hope they stay alive, however if they fall, it wouldn't break my heart if Wellington took a few of their exceptional players. Players such as Aaron Cruden, Tomasi Cama, Kurt Baker are all awsome players, who I think would be wasted at a lower devision. I know Steve Tew says he is trying to make a "meaningful" devision 1 competition, however let's face it, noone is going to be picked for a Super 14 franchise if they arn't in a premier devision. On one respect I would complietly understand Manawatu players now changing provinces, however it does seem a shame that they are forced into this decision, and I think this move will really weaken the province.
[/b][/quote]

I dont know about Cruden going to Wellington.. besides the fact that i dont like the big provinces getting stacked it seems like the kiss of death for talented young first fives to end up there. Flutey, Gopperth and Kirkpatrick all dominated at junior levels also. Wellington doesnt seem like a nice place to be for i first five.

You can have Tomasi Cama aswell. ive lived in Manawatu this year and played club rugby, hes ave compared to Kurt Baker, Casey Stone and especially Andre Taylor. Taylor is very underrated, he made his anzc debut while still in school, class act. I hope he ends up in Taranaki.