Wrong thread. NZ RL is strong is all I got left to say about the win,

Firstly: thoughts are with they Steinwade family, NZ loses a top surfer :-(.  

Warriors have signed off moving large amount of home games to CCH, which Im all for given CCH produced a lot of competition in the Pirtek cup, clearly there is a large League fan base.

NRL: NZ Warriors announce long-term deal to play home games in Christchurch | Newshub

My only concern is, moving between CCH and auck going to create less at home wins? I hope CCH runs with it and makes a real fortress of it,

IMO it just backs up, NZ has had a long time a LaRGE amount of high end NRL players yet all kiwi kids get is the Warriors. IMO there is room for two NZ teams, rather than the Sonny Bills being shipped off at sixteen yo to play club footy. That is not a good path for young kids despite there being a huge amount of professionalism in the aussies by that age, which NZ u20 has to instill and catch up with. Better to have our kids training at NRL expectation just like the aussies, but in NZ under a NZ club. 

about bloody time !!!!! why on earth the NRL thought it was fair for Melb to host aNZac day clash EVERY year has pissed a lot of us warriors fans off. looks like they finally got the msg. Cant wait, frothing.

NRL: NZ Warriors to reportedly host drought-ending Anzac Day clash in 2024 as new season fixtures to be announced on Monday | Newshub

and in more aFB news, so he does want to go back to NSW? after being released early by Manly to leave NSW. just signed a fresh contract with Warriors so he can move to...... NSW sure, they humans lol. anyway, this was bound to happen.

NRL: St George Illawarra Dragons reportedly planning mega offer to sign NZ Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake in 2025 | Newshub

NRL: NZ Warriors reportedly set terms to allow Addin Fonua-Blake's release after 2024 season | Newshub

Hardly an update but confirmation he is staying with a maiden Premiership being the motivation.

But I still dont buy the reasonings for wanting to move. Its counter intuitive to say I want to be released on companionate grounds to leave Sydney for family, then 2 years later say you want to be released to join family in Sydney on compassionate reasons.

Its $ imo. But I think a LOT of his vast improvement last year was our coach's vision for him, our trainer and our halves, primarily SJ. He clearly has the skills, but he is a hugely different player than when we go him, I think he could even become an 80min player, but that takes a LOT of push from the Coach and Trainer. If he doesnt go to a top club, not only will his form plummett but so will is $ value. Teams who can afford him are likely going to be fringe top 8 or lower as most top teams have a top 30 (Roster) that is close to $ capacity, outside if they have had/expecting a release that has either increased or decreased in value (thats the only bright side for Warriors outside buying the best 19yo aFB type player they can buy on the cheap and mold into what they need, but realistically they need it immediately so will spend most of what they gain.

Im still of hope he will see his contract out, the Warriors will pay to move family etc. Its known as being a "Family" club in the NRL.

Thou I am a big AFB fan, he had weeks where he just wasnt on at all, compared to Shaun Johnson who had an amazing season...  I do start to wonder if this was all started by the Dragons wanting him, offering him the big money and a cover story???

I think the warriors will still thrive and do very well without him.

Bee:

 

I do start to wonder if this was all started by the Dragons wanting him, offering him the big money and a cover story???

 

I think the warriors will still thrive and do very well without him.

 

Spot on, I think there is ls little doubt, now, there is little doubt he is in an even better position as Id imagine nearly every single club will try some kind of offer. all he has to do is play as well as last year, I think he will play better, he will set the record for highest paid player. 

No doubt hes a huge loss, but we have so much depth with 4-5 young guns yet to stamp their mark. If anything given the price of players we will lose this year there is no doubt we will go very well without him. Sure Id like another aFB, love watching him run of SJ, but no doubt we can either buy or build another. aFB for me is clear Coach knows what he wants from players and how to build that from them.

Draw is better than last year, perhaps some could say playing 4x top 8 sides is worrying, but flap, only Storm were ahead of us, the other 3 not close, we should never have lost to the knights, we were rebuilding, but we did take if not in the end brake Raiders. In saying that the other 3 will be pushing top 8 (yep I think the doggies will go much better this year). It could turn out a crappy draw. But until the make it so you only play each other once or twice, then its never going to be a fair system for any team. They put out the official best and worse draw around round 3, but meh, Id rather play and beat top 8 teams.

My biggest concern is how we go without SJ and the fact we havnt been putting Volkman alongside him enough. In saying that Volkman was so dominant in NSW cup last year Im concerned about holding him. He reminds me of a more modern style Stacy Jones.

I will be surprised if we not pushing for MP next year

2024 NRL Draw, Warriors, Key games, matchups, travel details, Magic Round information, turnaround, Origin watch | NRL.com

NRL: Canterbury Bulldogs ready to enter race to sign wantaway NZ Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake, hints Phil Gould | Newshub

haha I said the doggies would join the aFB chase.

there will be a lot of bottom teams hoping the one player wonder will change their fortunes. I think for the Doggies, there money is better spent elsewhere. Ciraldo the coach, was the 2IC for the Panthers, he turned the Warriors down so we went for his assistant Webster, which turned out to be a MUCH better fit in hind sight. aFB was a good player prior to the Warriors with much potential. Webster being use to being closer to the players at Penrith than Ciraldo, was what aFB needed to unlock his potential. Its little things like asking the players to review their games performance using tools like video, prior to Webster giving his feedback and what he would like to see. That puts the onus on the players to buy into not just their performance but their development. Its many things like this that make Webster a development focussed player, which is what the Warriors have needed since inception. The talent has always been there. But you need player respect so you can get their buy in, in Websters case its an even greater fit as that means the players are buying into their own development along with the teams development. This ultimately leads to performance. You see Webster sounding not phased by losses but what players delivered, even with losses he is often as happy sounding as a win.

I just don't think aFB will perform to the same level under many Head Coaches. I can think of a couple but they already have great players locked into ths position.

This is why we need to develop this Warriors pathway in NZ, with NZ being seen as the ultimate team for youth players to aspire too. There are many benefits, but the main one for me is one club players. You will see less players using the platform, which occurs so often when utilising top aussie based players.

What would be a cool twist is if aFB somehow decides to stay. Hes already the highest paid player I think, but with SJ (who is on unders, but still $500k, much respect to the best player not doing it for the money) and a couple of others leaving next year it does open the piggy bank to keep aFB, provided he puts in the same performance as last year, going from the usual 40 min big Prop (ie like Payne Hass) to over 70 mins a game, with no drop in output ie post contact metres. 

If we do lose him its far from team shattering, but given SJ is likely (I still think he could put out another year) to hand the reigns over to our next #7 which should be Volkman, it is a lot of change in one season, so whoever comes in needs to be top shelf, if not do not spend the money. We have an Epic 30 roster next year, so injuries shouldnt impact results should they occur.

But having the top Prop in the game never hurts your front foot drive :-)

anyway, the team who takes aFB also have to offer a player the Warriors deem suitable, which has monetary implications. also the Warriors now have top level player in every starting position and plenty in Reserves/NSW CUP, so this will be interesting as to whom/what St George think they could offer us in return.

aFB has been offered $1M per year for FOUR year deal by Wests, WHOaH. He could get more on short term contract ie 2 years for $3M. But not often clubs lock up that much salary in a player. I dont think they have the coach for him, but if moving back to NSW is the real reason (after moving to us wanting to leave Syd), then I wish him well and hope he takes this deal. 

But in a win-win, West Tigres have to offer us a player due to our loss. I forget the rules, but I think they also pay us anything above his current worth vs what we signed him for, I could have that wrong, but the bigger news is they have one of our best junior forwards ever that we let go, who ended up becoming Dally M worthy under the Eels, Isaiah Papali'I. I believe we will want him back.

I nearly cried the dy we let him go, simply "what the" moment. 

We just signed Qld Origin and GF plyer, who was under Webby at Penrith Kurt Capewell thinks to Webby's pitch supposedly, Josh Curran upgrade they are saying, we sign Isaiah Papali'I and we become powerhouse level.

If last year was good, next year is the best Warriors team ever and not too many other teams with the consistency of high end players across the pitch and Bench. Tohu Harris, the ultimate Warrior just resigned another couple of years.

if Webby is the real deal then I can see us winning Minor Premiers, clearly nobody remembers the MP's though like they do in sports like the EPL, finals is a lottery, you usually get two of the top 4 teams in the Final though and having home ground first round advantage is huge in Finals as you go straight to week 3 and one game from the Final. Here is hoping.

Possibly just as big news to me, which some may not be familiar with, but our highly successful u20 and Womans coach, Slade Griffin has been promoted to NRL Assistant Coach, so stoked about this, said we should have signed Slade if we cant find a good head coach and when we did I said we should sign Slade as 2IC which we now have. 

I think Maiu'u in the forward and Leiataua in the centres will become stand outs next year. Leiataua is impossible to stop within 5m of the line, he steps, hes quick, hes fast, he knows how to set his winger up in the corner. Maiu'u is just dam hard to tackle, scary build, not height, but genuine block of muscle sort (and hes still young).

Dang, Wests have pulled out of the bidding wars for aFB in 2025, possibly because the player we want is Papali'i back at the Warriors. He could pull the same card though if we can come up with the money for him that aFB will leave, being our highest paid player.

In other news, another highly paid player, but under paid as far as the NRL goes. RTS opening up on why hes coming back instead of taking the money in Japan. after speaking to Tohu and Jazz, he believes there is something significant happening at the Warriors. a lot of guys have taken serious pay cuts to be there, so there must be some belief. ie SJ, the best player last year hands down (Dally M shows how failed the system is) winning the
"players" player award (considered the most meaningful in the NRL) signed another year for the peanuts he is on to there (I think circa $550k).

Going to be hard for RTS, we went from the centres being the main reason we lost games last year to one developing into a stand out and the other being reliable, then there is Leiataua, who is the right Leiataua age and was the stand out in last years NSW Cup Team (Reserves). So that is two very very good centres, one good one and one reliable. No longer a problem. Its genunely becoming hard to spot a weakness in this team developing over the off season, but if there was one, I would say without Metcalf, we dont have the share speed of Walsh, but Metcalf is quicker if he cant make it back from another ham string tear. Personally he is my first choice at #6, strong defender and can replace CNK at FB and is fast as anybody in the NRL there abouts.

NRL: Why Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turned down huge Japanese rugby contract to return to NZ Warriors for 2024 | Newshub

Warriors vs Tigers Pre season.  In the end I think the warriors just had bad luck not to have won - they could have won easily with 13 players and missed out on a few scoring chances, but really with the whole NSW Cup team on the bench it wasnt a proper indication of anything so far.

Highlights: I thought RTS slotted back in quite well. It will be interesting to see how many games he plays in the season thou, because we have lots of options for players in the backs.  CHT was ok but not that much of a stand out, Freddie and Luke did well and a few good plays from some of the NSW cup and SG Ball players also.

Next week, Dolphins at Mt Smart.  I have a season membership this year so looking forward to getting the season going properly and watching the Warriors win the Minor Premiership at least!

Well maybe second behind the Panthers :)

While its obviously good to win, I wasn't worried about the win, but woulda been nice. Both teams played the last 1/4 with almost totally different players than the first 3/4, so its more about trials. Having said that, the Wah's did what they started doing in 2023

They played fast, a lot of variable play, very good skills, just like last season. I was also very impressed with the newbies, many of whom I didn't know, so they seem to have plenty of depth. You would expect a few mistakes from them but they seemed solid as

Hoping that our 2024 bench will be very strong 

Bee:

 

In the end I think the warriors just had bad luck not to have won 

 

Highlights: I thought RTS slotted back in quite well. 

 

Yeh, I take it for it was, just testing what they practised pre season with largely our NSW cup side. We all know this is how pre season should be used. I think Webby would have been happy enough.

For me RTS and Metcalf were standouts, I worried about Luke given the injury to the opposite hamstring, but he is a super confident guy despite injury. We really derailed somewhat after he bowed out unluckily last season, more so in the halves combo, him and SJ are nearly like two SJs hehe. 

So I was quite happy with the performance. 

Second pre season is a more Tier 1 side, can't wait

tdgeek:

 

Second pre season is a more Tier 1 side, can't wait

 

Good match, doing what they did last year. As I mentioned earlier we have a good number of young up and comers, a LOT to like