From Alf over at the www.thesilverfern.com Magpie Forum.

 Interested to see what others think of the progress of the Bay contingent's over the season, i'll attempt a quick run through;

The Good:
Karl Lowe - before injury looked very good. I read on some of the silverfern threads his tackle count and missed tackle rate are up there with the best in the competition. Will he get a look in with Vito playing well at the business end of the season?
Tom Waldrom - technically not a magpie yet but he's been in great form and i can't wait to see him in balck and White.
Bryn Evans - Must be pushing Eaton close for a starting run - has come on over the season.
Israel Dagg - must be pushing close to JAB selection, for a guy so young he has huge potential.

The So-So
Sona Taumalolo - thought he handled Tialata pretty well last week - again interested to see if he starts over thenext couple of weeks.
Matt Berquist - After not playing for the first five rounds now owns the No 10 jersey
Clint Newlands - Seems to have had and up and down season struggled in SA but must be amongst the strongest tightheads in the country
Jason Shoemark - started the season really well and looks like a intelligent centre.
Hika Elliot - Thought he would own the No2 jersey at the Cheifs - bad luck that ADM ahs been playing so well. Looks to have lost some of his effectiveness after slimming down - work rate looks good though.

The Dissapointing:
Zac Guilford - I don't think the Hurricanes have been using him very well, and hasn;t had much game time a late. To me looks like he needs to back himself a bit more.


and Snyman? has he had much game time?

Nepia responds....

Cheers Alf, I've been intending to do a thread like this but laziness got the better of me. You missed Naoupu though.

Lowe: Agree. Great number 7 who did ok at 6. Unfortunately I think he'll always suffer because of his height.
Tubby: Agree.
Evans: Agree.
Dagg: Agree. I haven't been overawed by him in the past but he's been good this year - imagine how good he'd be in a Chiefs or Canes backline!

Sona: Has not looked out of place but needs to tidy up in the loose.
Berquist: I wonder why he went walkabout early season - is another who would flourish in a better team.
Newlands: Aside from a lack of mobility he has been all good this season.
Shoemark: Agree.
Hika: Lacking gametime. Fullstop. As I've repeatedly said ADM got the break when the Chiefs team performance improved. Would rather Hika number 2 at the Canes than at the Chiefs.

Zac: Agree he hasn't been used very well. Still scoring the tries though - don't know if he'd have dropped the ball .... Hasn't starred this year though, but still a young fulla.

Naoupu: Has been in great form, I assume he'll move to blindside or lock for NPC.

Snyman: No idea, I don't even know which S14 team he plays for.

Stockcar86 replies...

I think the height thing with Lowe is more an impression rather than reality - he looks shorter because of his body shape - in fact he is the same height as Scott Waldrom, so if he can be an AB why not Lowe?

Have been really impressed with Evans in the time he has been on -has really made a step up from his NPC form.

With Thomas Waldrom, Dagg, Shoemark and Newlands starting in all games this year, they have got tons of game time in decent form which bodes well for the provincial championship.

Guilford looks tired, but still has the AB under 20's to play for later in the year - I am sure he will look like a man against boys in that.

Hika must be a chance for the end of year tour behind Hore and Kev - I think he would make a good impact player - the sort of person you can bring on in a close game in the last quarter when you really need to win your lineouts...

Apart from one bad grubber kick, Naoupu has been good once he got a start. I can see him starting at lock for the Magpies if Snyman or Egan aren't back (unless someone has put their hand up in club rugby) I'd really like to see Snyman back, to be the Brad Thorn type player working alongside Bryn Evans. I know that Snyman has been on the bench for the Sharks in a few games, but don't remember him getting any game time. I am sure that Paarlbok can give us an update on that though.