General YOUR Team for 2026

Highlights Only (5)
Interesting that a few people have named Mellars in their teams for 2026. I would have thought he was very much a development project ? Even with all of Souths injuries this year he was still not able to break into their team.
 
Heard from a coach on streaming saying the right centre is a key position in defense because that's the attackers' better passing side...makes you think if Pompey should be on the right since he's durable and experienced to provide stability, and he seems to be a leftie so does the sweep passes pretty well for the winger
 
CWC said:
Heard from a coach on streaming saying the right centre is a key position in defense because that's the attackers' better passing side...makes you think if Pompey should be on the right since he's durable and experienced to provide stability, and he seems to be a leftie so does the sweep passes pretty well for the winger
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Pompey made Matt Feagai look like an elite Centre when he marked him on the right though
 
Dannevegas said:
Dunno why I thought Tauapiki was 21.
Except for Pompey over Roger and CHT at 6 I like that team. I don’t mind CHT at 6 I just think it’ll be Jye Linnane a halves pairing of Lynnane and Metcalf could be unreal
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That's probably the goal for '27 and how they build towards that in '26? CHT to take TMM's current "utility spot" and Metcalf x Linnane, Berry/Ali, AKP/Kali, Mellars 1st drop winger, Pompey 1st drop centre and Kali 2nd drop centre

Would be nice if Roger is still on fire and keeps 1 wing, then Kali can take a centre spot.

We still need a freaking fullback! 🤣
 
Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but I think we have to think about how our lock plays next year too. Don't get me wrong, Clark had an amazing year and I enjoyed watching him get to work - however his style of play meant that we became limited on attack in an area where we were previously very strong - we had both Tohu and Walker in that role taking on and expanding play-making possibilities close to the ruck - Clark is just an entirely different kind of player - Tohu at his best was a freak, and Walker was a high level ball player - Clark is not that. Was interesting that TMM came in and took on that role to some extent in the finals match - Perhaps we see Vaimauga at 13 more next season? He's got the hands that Clark seems to lack.
 
Canonball said:
Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but I think we have to think about how our lock plays next year too. Don't get me wrong, Clark had an amazing year and I enjoyed watching him get to work - however his style of play meant that we became limited on attack in an area where we were previously very strong - we had both Tohu and Walker in that role taking on and expanding play-making possibilities close to the ruck - Clark is just an entirely different kind of player - Tohu at his best was a freak, and Walker was a high level ball player - Clark is not that. Was interesting that TMM came in and took on that role to some extent in the finals match - Perhaps we see Vaimauga at 13 more next season? He's got the hands that Clark seems to lack.
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I like that idea. I could definitely see Vaimauga as a good 13 for us in the future. Has the power game but also has the ball playing skills.

I could see Clark transitioning into a good prop for us in the future as well.
 
Canonball said:
Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but I think we have to think about how our lock plays next year too. Don't get me wrong, Clark had an amazing year and I enjoyed watching him get to work - however his style of play meant that we became limited on attack in an area where we were previously very strong - we had both Tohu and Walker in that role taking on and expanding play-making possibilities close to the ruck - Clark is just an entirely different kind of player - Tohu at his best was a freak, and Walker was a high level ball player - Clark is not that. Was interesting that TMM came in and took on that role to some extent in the finals match - Perhaps we see Vaimauga at 13 more next season? He's got the hands that Clark seems to lack.
Click to expand...
Could be a bit to do with losing Metcalf because from accounts from Metcalf he credited a lot of his success to do with Erin Clark earlier in the season, they had something good going
 
Canonball said:
Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but I think we have to think about how our lock plays next year too. Don't get me wrong, Clark had an amazing year and I enjoyed watching him get to work - however his style of play meant that we became limited on attack in an area where we were previously very strong - we had both Tohu and Walker in that role taking on and expanding play-making possibilities close to the ruck - Clark is just an entirely different kind of player - Tohu at his best was a freak, and Walker was a high level ball player - Clark is not that. Was interesting that TMM came in and took on that role to some extent in the finals match - Perhaps we see Vaimauga at 13 more next season? He's got the hands that Clark seems to lack.
Click to expand...
To be honest they need to shift their attack wider just look at the effect Halasima has had with Pompey and RTS double figures in tries and CHT assists and tries.
 
Rick O’Shay said:
I have no idea about these things but is it reasonably common to do the ACL again after surgery or does the surgery make it stronger? As above, pretty important, bearing in mind the number we have.
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Depends on the person but usually for sport around 9 months is the typical safe return time basically back to same or better strength than before injury depending on how well you rehab. The only time people do their ACL's again after a reconstruction is if they don't rehab properly or from a new injury. Rehab's mostly about strengthening up the muscles as you lose strength from not using it plus generally they cut part of the hamstring to create the replacement ACL.

So as long as someone rehabs after doing an ACL properly it's the same risk of reinjuring as anyone else generally. Not like a dislocation where it weakens the joint which can cause repeated dislocations.
 
Warriorshopeful said:
Depends on the person but usually for sport around 9 months is the typical safe return time basically back to same or better strength than before injury depending on how well you rehab. The only time people do their ACL's again after a reconstruction is if they don't rehab properly or from a new injury. Rehab's mostly about strengthening up the muscles as you lose strength from not using it plus generally they cut part of the hamstring to create the replacement ACL.

So as long as someone rehabs after doing an ACL properly it's the same risk of reinjuring as anyone else generally. Not like a dislocation where it weakens the joint which can cause repeated dislocations.
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But if someone’s had 2 ACL’s they are more prone to more?

Or is it random luck and strengthening will lower future risk?
 
wizard of Tauranga said:
But if someone’s had 2 ACL’s they are more prone to more?

Or is it random luck and strengthening will lower future risk?
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Linnane should be in a good position.

ACL is typically not stronger so more prone to reinjuring again, but the longer the recovery the less likely that is.

Linnane will be over 12 months removed by the time the season starts.

The bigger concern will be Metcalf trying to get back too soon.
 
I just realized we actually missed Walker this year, we were trucking along with Metcalf but when he went down there wasn't much ball playing in the red zone without Tohu AND Walker, defense was not compressed, and we mostly resorted to bombs

If they want to change that, which they kinda did with TMM there in the finals, what options do they have, get Demi and Clark to do more? EIT? Or Gannon as 14 straight in after 20min of Clark (who goes to prop)?
 
CWC said:
I just realized we actually missed Walker this year, we were trucking along with Metcalf but when he went down there wasn't much ball playing in the red zone without Tohu AND Walker, defense was not compressed, and we mostly resorted to bombs

If they want to change that, which they kinda did with TMM there in the finals, what options do they have, get Demi and Clark to do more? EIT? Or Gannon as 14 straight in after 20min of Clark (who goes to prop)?
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it's crazy to think that Clark doesn't have any Try Assists since 2022 when he was still a #9
* actually he's got one since then vs Tigers this year. Very good player but doesn't score himself or set others up with an regularity which is surprising considering his background in the halves
 
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