Wanted: Size, line breaking ability
Hoani Macdonald says a key focus is on size as his coaching eye switches to 2017.
He feels his players need to be bigger and stronger to give them a much better chance to compete at provincial level.
It was a thought he carried for much of the season and it was simply hammered home in the final game against Tasman when Southland were crushed 56-0.
Macdonald is keen to address that lack of size, but stressed the players themselves need to take responsibility for that through the work they put in in the gym in the off-season.
He said Southland didn’t traditionally produce big rugby players and that provided challenges.
‘‘One thing we have learned and conveyed to the boys is we all have to improve ourselves for next season, and that is the coaches included.
‘‘It is probably more of a physical shape of player we need. We do need some more line breaking ability to get our game going.
‘‘We want to develop that within the squad, or within the province.
‘‘If we can’t obviously we might have to go outside to get that. But hopefully we don’t.’’
‘‘Personally I’d like to pick every player from Southland but the reality is that probably isn’t feasible.
‘‘It is the art of selection, sometimes you get it right and some times you don’t get it right.’’
Pinpointing more size and line breaking ability as an area of need is one thing, but filling that gap is another.
Macdonald wants to provide players within the province the chance to show they can bulk up and they can deliver those required line breaks.
But if they get close to the season and feel they have to go outside the province it might be too late.
Most players of quality are normally already snapped up by that stage. The other challenge is finances. Macdonald himself steers clear of publicly describing money as a handbrake.
But the reality is Southland’s 13th place finish this season mirrors where the Stags sit in regard to player spending compared to other teams.
Providing that size and line breaking ability isn’t as easy as writing a cheque.
‘‘Recruiting is pretty tough for us but that is one of the challenges. We know where we sit and that is what we have to live with, it is what it is.’’
Macdonald hopes to have about 20 players contracted by the end of November to provide some stability leading into next year.
He admitted the contracting process this year ended up being a bit rushed and he was keen to avoid that next year.
‘‘We are looking to keep as many of this group together as possible.
‘‘Obviously there is going to be some that leave through the course of rugby and selection, they might not make it.
‘‘But we feel like we’ve got a pretty good core of guys and that is what it was always about.’’
Macdonald finished his rookie season as a head coach with a two win-eight loss record.
The former Southland lock wasn’t thrilled with aspects of the campaign but his enthusiasm for coaching hasn’t been dented at all.
‘‘We didn’t meet our expectations this year,’’ Macdonald said
‘‘The group had high expectations on themselves, the coaches had reasonably high expectations. We are all disappointed.
‘‘But it is a young group and everyone has learned a lot.
‘‘If we take those learnings and take them forward I think we will be better for it.’’
‘‘There was definitely some teething issues from everyone. Even our scheduling through the week changed but by the end of the season we had a good template in place.
‘‘So we are taking things like that forward.’’
While the Stags didn’t pick up as many wins as some would have hoped and some of the losses were bigger than Macdonald would have liked, he said there were plenty of aspects to 2016 which were encouraging.
He highlighted the emergence of Jaye Te Thompson-Te Muunu and the growth of Brayden Mitchell as a leader as two of those pleasing parts of the campaign.
‘‘I’m extremely competitive and I don’t like losing. It can get frustrating but when you start to see the growth of some of those guys coming through it is rewarding.’’