There's your "10 years" timeframe again. We won the shield less than 10 years ago. We've been shithouse for 3-4 seasons.
Only the most one-eyed would say it's not been a miserable last ten years, and even winning the shield twice (I think) during that time didn't paper over the cracks. Southland, and I hate to say it, has been used alternately as a doormat, and a nursery by the bigger unions actually ever since the game went pro, but I'll not whinge about it. As I tried to get across in what I wrote, and obviously missed my target, the best thing was seeing the backs 'with the confidence to run' late in the game... and that is something that only comes with belief.
And anyway... why are we bitching at each other? We're both on the same side aren't we?
I’m not bitching. It’s just that 2008-2012 was the greatest Stags era in my 40+ years on the planet. A golden generation of home grown talent regularly beating the big boys. Even in 2013 & 14 we were knocking over Canterbury / Waikato and still making semi finals. 2015 the rot set in and we seemed to really struggle elevating home grown players into genuine NPC quality. The money dried up too
Wasn't able to watch the Canterbury vs HB match live, but recorded it and was going to watch it this morning. That idea was scuppered when I heard the result. As all Canterbury fans have pointed out, this year's squad is relatively weak, and we won't be in the picture to challenge for the title we find a decent no.10 to replace Mo'unga. This squad was weak even when it's All Blacks were included, but without them it's a mid to lower table team. We will just need to comfort ourselves over summer with our Super Rugby title four-peat.
I use an app called Tribe to track sports online. It’s bloody good... you just subscribe to the comp you want to follow and it adds tabs to the home screen linking straight to live update feeds.
An interesting game, normally I'd expect Auckland to romp it (and have tipped accordingly) but BOP have some quality players there notably OB at 10 ... should be a good game to watch.
Wignu wrote: ↑Fri Oct 02, 2020 5:57 am
An interesting game, normally I'd expect Auckland to romp it (and have tipped accordingly) but BOP have some quality players there notably OB at 10 ... should be a good game to watch.
Yeah, the bigger Aucklanders will grind them down I feel. (Just as Riasi scores)
BTW...as night follows day, the thick Canterbury coaches will take Mitchell Drummond off 20 minutes too early and the replacement halfback will be shithouse.
