Prem squads 2017/18 season

[BPM]

Presumably Nic White is first choice? On paper at least, he is the most experienced, test quality player.

Maunder and Townsend are still young and learning from White is better than learning from Chudley ...

 

[Chief Pete]

Presumably Nic White is first choice? On paper at least, he is the most experienced, test quality player.

Maunder and Townsend are still young and learning from White is better than learning from Chudley ...

I think White will start the season but I'm hoping Maunder or Townsend will be first choice by the end, White's an upgrade but for me an unnecessary one.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think White will start the season but I'm hoping Maunder or Townsend will be first choice by the end, White's an upgrade but for me an unnecessary one.

Agree, with Chudley in good form as well as Maunder and Townsend both having tons of potential, the signing of White seemed hugely unnecessary and it's gonna stunt the growth of players.

 

[BPM]

Sadly I 100% agree.

Still, if Baxter can pull a rabbit out of the hat with Kvesic and keep Sam Simmonds developing, I'll be happy enough.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Sadly I 100% agree.

Still, if Baxter can pull a rabbit out of the hat with Kvesic and keep Sam Simmonds developing, I'll be happy enough.

I'd love to see a back row of Ewers, Kvesic and Simmonds in action. Such a good balance of strength, turnover ability and ball carrying. With Parling on his way out and Kvesic on his way I'm hoping that it means Baxter's looking to move Armand back to lock. A pack of Hepburn, LCD, Williams, Dennis, Armand, Ewers, Kvesic and Simmonds as well as Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Lees and Waldrom to come off the bench is a real force to be reckoned with.

 

[BPM]

Yep. I'm very much looking to seeing what Baxter can coax out of Kvesic and more game time for Simmonds. Easy to forget how good Hepburn was pre-injury too.

 

[Chief Pete]

I'd love to see a back row of Ewers, Kvesic and Simmonds in action. Such a good balance of strength, turnover ability and ball carrying. With Parling on his way out and Kvesic on his way I'm hoping that it means Baxter's looking to move Armand back to lock. A pack of Hepburn, LCD, Williams, Dennis, Armand, Ewers, Kvesic and Simmonds as well as Moon, Yeandle, Francis, Lees and Waldrom to come off the bench is a real force to be reckoned with.

Totally agree, that's the strongest pack available, need to keep LCD, Hepburn and Ewers fit though, Kvesic the best signing( in the league) this summer IMO, so quite happy as a Chiefs fan, only potential problem is the possibility of losing Williams and Francis for the six nation's, behind the scrum I'd like to see a bit more of Slade at 10 with Devoto at 12 and Campagnaro 13....

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Totally agree, that's the strongest pack available, need to keep LCD, Hepburn and Ewers fit though, Kvesic the best signing( in the league) this summer IMO, so quite happy as a Chiefs fan, only potential problem is the possibility of losing Williams and Francis for the six nation's, behind the scrum I'd like to see a bit more of Slade at 10 with Devoto at 12 and Campagnaro 13....

As a fully fit team I'd like to see:
1. Hepburn
2. LCD
3. Williams
4. Dennis
5. Armand
6. Ewers
7. Kvesic
8. Simmonds
9. Maunder
10. Steenson
11. Short
12. Devoto
13. Hill
14. Nowell
15. Slade

16. Yeandle
17. Moon
18. Francis
19. Lees
20. Waldrom
21. Townsend
22. Simmonds
23. Campagnaro

Some tough decisions in there.

I don't see Slade as a 10, and with Devoto, Hill, Campagnaro and Whitten all as centre options I don't think he's good enough to play there. Baxter brought him off the bench at FB in semi and the final so hopefully that's where he sees his future.

Dropping Woodburn is a huge call but I believe it to be the right one. Short is such a dangerous runner, he has to start, and when Woodburn only really covers wing, it's hard to make room for him on the bench.

I think Simmonds has been better than Waldrom all season, Waldrom just doesn't go anywhere ball in hand anymore and does nothing else around the field. A waste of a shirt IMO. Simmonds has a big future ahead of him, we need to give him game time.

Hill at 13 is a very close call between him, Campagnaro and Whitten and TBH I wouldn't mind seeing any of them take the shirt, Hill is just my personal preference.

I've put J. Simmonds on the bench over Whitten or Woodburn as, yes Slade covers 10 but only a Nowell covers FB and not very well, so it's hard to shift Slade to 10 if Steenson was injured, therefore a 10 is needed in the bench. Steenson won't be around forever and it's time we start developing a new, young 10, and I think Joe could turn out to be a quality player.

I haven't selected White as Jack and Stu are our boys, Devon born and bred, I'd hate to see one of them dropped in favour of a mediocre Aussie. I'm sure that will end up being the case though.

 

[Chief Pete]

I really like that 23, my issue with Slade is what ever position he end's up playing he need's to be locked down, he's too good (potentially) to be a "utility back" simply to fill in as and where and I always got the impression he wanted the 10 shirt, I was a bit worried someone like Bath or Quins would come in offer a big bag of cash and their starting FH spot...

 

[Which Tyler]

Slade is good enough to start in either centre berth; though he's always (to me) looked most natural at 12. He's probably good enough to deserve the FH or FB shirts as well, if given an extended run there - by which I'd mean 20-30 starts there; but in either of those you'd be paying a price in performance whilst he settles in.
Wherever he ends up playing he really needs to be given a position, and to stick there; he can provide versatility for the final 20 minutes when the subs change things around, but he needs to get himself 1600-2000 minutes in one position over a season.

Then you've got to take into account the other players. If Slade becomes a 12, then Devoto will waste away and be a tragic loss to the game; if HS sticks at 13 then Campagnaro and Hill will be stupidly wasted; if at 15 then Dolman is better for the moment, and Nowell possibly a better long-term bet; and if at 10 then you'll be losing matches you would have won with Steenson there; whilst wasting the chances to develop Simmonds.
IMO Exeter's best centres are Devoto and Slade; but they don't really work as a pair, which also complicates things (Maybe they could with 10. Slade; 12 Devoto). Of course, if you have no more need of either of them, both would be more than welcome a couple of hours northwards; where they'd probably get the starting IC jersey most weeks.

 

[Chief Pete]

Slade is good enough to start in either centre berth; though he's always (to me) looked most natural at 12. He's probably good enough to deserve the FH or FB shirts as well, if given an extended run there - by which I'd mean 20-30 starts there; but in either of those you'd be paying a price in performance whilst he settles in.
Wherever he ends up playing he really needs to be given a position, and to stick there; he can provide versatility for the final 20 minutes when the subs change things around, but he needs to get himself 1600-2000 minutes in one position over a season.

Then you've got to take into account the other players. If Slade becomes a 12, then Devoto will waste away and be a tragic loss to the game; if HS sticks at 13 then Campagnaro and Hill will be stupidly wasted; if at 15 then Dolman is better for the moment, and Nowell possibly a better long-term bet; and if at 10 then you'll be losing matches you would have won with Steenson there; whilst wasting the chances to develop Simmonds.
IMO Exeter's best centres are Devoto and Slade; but they don't really work as a pair, which also complicates things (Maybe they could with 10. Slade; 12 Devoto). Of course, if you have no more need of either of them, both would be more than welcome a couple of hours northwards; where they'd probably get the starting IC jersey most weeks.

Personally I'd give Slade game time at 10 with Devoto at 12 & Hill at 13, Steenson's a club legend but he's 33 now and at some point Slade has to nail down a position, start Slade more at FH and if need be bring Steenson on and move Slade to CN/FB for the final 20 mins of games..

 

[Which Tyler]

Personally I'd give Slade game time at 10 with Devoto at 12 & Hill at 13, Steenson's a club legend but he's 33 now and at some point Slade has to nail down a position, start Slade more at FH and if need be bring Steenson on and move Slade to CN/FB for the final 20 mins of games..

I think I would as well, but I'd be thinking twice about it given how last season started; and it would take a brave coach to stick with the experiment for more than 3-4 matches when you've still got Steenson on the bench. TBH, "If I were Baxter" I'de probably put Slade on the bench, starting Steenson, Devoto and Hill (I slightly prefer Campagnaro, but Hill's far more likely to still be there in a couple of years), giving HS 20 minutes a game at FH until he's become more settled there, and I'd be expecting him to have displaced GS from the starting shirt by the end of this coming season.
Tell him that he's a FH who can cover, and to train as a FH, and play as a FH as much as realistic, and hope that he settles back there quickly by concentrating there.

IMO that's what would be best for Exeter, not necessarily what gets the best out of Slade; but I don't think it's possible for Exeter to get the best out of Slade AND the best out of Devoto; both of whom could be genuine contenders for England if Ex. do manage to get the best out of them - to do that, one of them has to move (if only Ollie had gone to Wasp instead; despite my suport for Exeter)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tigers squad starting to look a bit barer.

 

[Chief Pete]

Tigers squad starting to look a bit barer.

Interested to know who you would like Tigers to be in for mate? Who's def confirmed leaving?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Interested to know who you would like Tigers to be in for mate? Who's def confirmed leaving?

I would take any of the players we have been linked to currently.

 

[Chief Pete]

I would take any of the players we have been linked to currently.

Didn't realise Pieterson had gone...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Didn't realise Pieterson had gone...

Yeh so far released Him and Betham.

Apparently Tait, Croft and McCaffrey to follow.

 

[BPM]

Yeh so far released Him and Betham.

Apparently Tait, Croft and McCaffrey to follow.

Yeah - I've seen that too.

Who are the guys they've been linked with? I've seen Wilson, Fekitoa and Mapapalangi.

The latter seems likely given O'Connor's Tongan links but Wilson and Fekitoa are longshots IMO.

 

[BPM]

Frankie Saili is now confirmed (finally).

 

[BPM]

Quins updated ...

1. Marler / Lambert / Boyce / Holenstein
2. Buchanan / Gray / Elia
3. Sinckler / Collier / Swainston / McNulty / A. Jones
4. Horwill / Twomey (Reddish?)
5. Merrick / Matthews
6. Robshaw / J. Chisholm
7. Wallace / Ward* / Hodson?
8. Clifford / Luamanu / Bothma
9. Care / Mulchrone / Lewis
10. Catrakilis / Swiel / Jackson
11. Visser / Alofa
12. Roberts / Sloan / Stanley
13. Marchant / Saili / Lowe
14. Yarde / Walker
15. Brown / Morris / J. Chisholm

*Ward is almost exclusively used at 7 these days.

Reddish barely played last season and is rumoured to be retiring now ... no news on this?

No-one seems to know what's happening with Lowe and Sloan's injuries so no update there.

Academy promotions haven't been confirmed AFAIK? I'd assume Aspland-Robinson (post injury) and South as well as possibly Archie White?

I don't think Mikalcius is coming back from Hartpury now?