2015 Auckland Nines Thread

[Big Pete]

POOLS
​

RANGITOTO
Parramatta Eels
Manly Sea Eagles
Newcastle Knights
St. George Illawarra Dragons

WAIHEKE
Melbourne Storm
North Queensland Cowboys
Penrith Panthers
South Sydney Rabbitohs

HUNUA
Wests Tigers
Warriors
Canberra Raiders
Gold Coast Titans

PIHA
Sydney Roosters
Brisbane Broncos
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Cronulla Sharks

Day 1, Saturday 31 January (QUEENSLAND TIMES)
Game 1, 9:30am: Eels v Sea Eagles
Game 2, 9:55am: Knights v Dragons
Game 3, 10:20am: Storm v Cowboys
Game 4, 10:45am: Panthers v Rabbitohs
Game 5, 11:20am: Wests Tigers v Raiders
Game 6, 11:45am: Titans v Warriors
Game 7, 12:10pm: Roosters v Broncos
Game 8, 12:35pm: Bulldogs v Sharks
Womens Game 1, 1pm: New Zealand v Australia
Game 9, 1:25pm: Eels v Knights
Game 10, 1:50pm: Sea Eagles v Dragons
Game 11, 2:15pm: Storm v Panthers
Game 12, 2:40pm: Cowboys v Rabbitohs
Game 13, 3:15pm: Wests Tigers v Titans
Game 14, 3:40pm: Raiders v Warriors
Game 15, 4:05pm: Roosters v Bulldogs
Game 16, 4:30pm: Broncos v Sharks

Day 2, Sunday 1 February
Game 17, 8:10am: Eels v Dragons
Game 18, 8:35am: Sea Eagles v Knights
Game 19, 9:00am: Storm v Rabbitohs
Game 20, 9:25am: Cowboys v Panthers
Game 21, 9:50am: Wests Tigers v Warriors
Game 22, 10:15am: Raiders v Titans
Game 23, 10:40am: Roosters v Sharks
Game 24, 11:05am: Broncos v Bulldogs

Quarter Finals
Game 25, 11:30am: QF1: 1st Rangitoto v 2nd Waiheke
Game 26, 11:55am: QF2: 2nd Rangitoto v 1st Waiheke
Game 27, 12:45pm: QF3: 1st Hunua v 2nd Piha
Game 28, 1:10pm: QF4: 2nd Hunua v 1st Piha
Womens Game 2, 1:35pm: New Zealand v Australia

Semi Finals
Game 29, 2:25pm: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
Game 30, 2:50pm: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
Womens Game 3, 3:40pm: New Zealand v Australia

Final
Game 31 – 4:30pm: Auckland Nines Final

 

[Harry Sack]

Is it just me or do the Warriors have the easiest draw......ever? Manly a tight 2nd. Based of course on last years form which could of course mean **** all in the 9's.

 

[subsbligh]

Well we've got Bulldogs, Sharks and Roosters.

Wonder if Barba will play

 

[subsbligh]

...also sounds like a hootin way to spend the weekend

 

[mitch222]

Is it just me or do the Warriors have the easiest draw......ever? Manly a tight 2nd. Based of course on last years form which could of course mean **** all in the 9's.

they need them to do well or the ground attendance will be halved once they are eliminated like the case last year

 

[Ari Gold]

Is it just me or do the Warriors have the easiest draw......ever? Manly a tight 2nd. Based of course on last years form which could of course mean **** all in the 9's.

I think it's quite hard frankly. This is the 9's. The Tigers have shit forwards mostly, but I expect them to be a decent 9's outfit this time around. Titans have a lot of speedy backs too. Cows actually strike me as being the easiest group because neither Souths nor the Storm take this seriously and will not send many big name players.

 

[Super Freak]

A status has just been posted on the NRL facebook page with a video of the Mitch Garbutt try in the 9's..

He has some speed for a bloke his size.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

A status has just been posted on the NRL facebook page with a video of the Mitch Garbutt try in the 9's..He has some speed for a bloke his size.

bit.ly

Hope Bennett gives him a run.

 

[Big Pete]

I think it's quite hard frankly. This is the 9's. The Tigers have shit forwards mostly, but I expect them to be a decent 9's outfit this time around. Titans have a lot of speedy backs too. Cows actually strike me as being the easiest group because neither Souths nor the Storm take this seriously and will not send many big name players.

If the Tigers were at full strength, I'd be right there with you but if memory serves, they'll be without Tedesco, Nofoaluma, Simona and Brooks among others. I think they'll go about as well as they did last time.

Titans will be solid, but should be outgunned by the Warriors unless they decide to rest their 4N players.

 

[KingWebcke]

'scuse my ignore but what is the significance of the group names? and will any of the commentators be able to pronounce them?

 

[OXY-351]

'scuse my ignore but what is the significance of the group names? and will any of the commentators be able to pronounce them?

Daryl Halligan will love them. I swear that bloke tries to pronounce every players name in a new zealand pronounciation, regardless of where they are from.

 

[Big Pete]

*SHAUN JOHNSON (c)
MATTHEW ALLWOOD
NATHAN FRIEND
BEN HENRY
*RYAN HOFFMAN
*SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
*SOLOMONE KATA
*NGANI LAUMAPE
SAM LISONE
*TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
*SIONE LOUSI
SIMON MANNERING
*SUAIA MATAGI
BEN MATULINO
KEN MAUMALO
*DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
NATHANIEL ROACHE
*BODENE THOMPSON
*SAM TOMKINS
CHAD TOWNSEND
MANU VATUVEI
*JONATHAN WRIGHT

*Denotes players with Auckland 9s Experience.

A strong line-up. They need to cut 4 players yet but I wouldn't be surprised to see them go all the way.

Graphic provided by Morkel.

 

[Big Pete]

Daryl Halligan will love them. I swear that bloke tries to pronounce every players name in a new zealand pronounciation, regardless of where they are from.

:laugh: Is that his excuse? I thought he was just struggling to speak.

Before they brought in Voss, they had a commentator by the name of Dale Husband who was really strict with traditional pronunciations and would even apply the same principle to away teams. The only example I can remember is him going on and on about this 'Martel' player. I was thinking there was some promising rookie coming through in the backrow - as it turns out it was Mateo.

 

[Big Pete]

1. Sam Williams
2. Mitch Cornish
3. Jarrod Croker (c)
4. Lachlan Croker
5. Sisa Waqa
6. Joel Edwards
7. Josh McCrone
8. Rhys Kennedy
9. Glen Buttriss
10. Brenko Lee
11. Bill Tupou
12. Jack Ahearn
13. Luke Bateman
14. Haydon Hodge
15. Mark Nicholls
16. Kyle O’Donnell
17. Tevita Pangai Jnr
18. Ken Nagas*
*Subject to NRL Approval

Not a bad side from the Raiders but if they can't string passes and score points, I can see them struggling in defence. They don't exactly have one of the best forward packs in the NRL and it appears they've named a lot of second string players.

For their sake, I hope their halves and backs can stand up but I suspect they'll be fodder in the long run.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Tevita Pangai Jnr handles this competition. He has a great offload and pending on form, could be their next Papalii. He certainly has the physical attributes.

 

[Foordy]

is this only being shown on fox sports?

 

[Cult]

is this only being shown on fox sports?

I'm hoping they play the games on the NRL app.

 

[Super Freak]

So, Broncos play Sharks. Hopefully it's a repeat of last year.

 

[Big Pete]

1. Sione Mata'utia
2. Jake Mamo
3. Dane Gagai
4. Chanel Mata'utia
5. Carlos Tuimavave
6. Jarrod Mullen (c)
7. Tyrone Roberts
8. Pat Mata'utia
9. Adam Clydsdale
10. Paterika Vaivai
11. Tyler Randell
12. Chris Houston
13. Robbie Rochow
14. Nathan Ross
15. Korbin Sims
16. Joseph Tapine
17. Jack Stockwell
18. Danny Levi

Last year's injury to Jarrod Mullen hasn't deterred the Knights from naming a strong line-up. I expect a good show from their backs but wouldn't be surprised to see them struggle up-front which will be their theme in 2015. Still if Mamo, the Mata'utia brothers, Ross and Gagai are allowed to run off of Mullen, we could be in for some very entertaining tries.