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#3233313 21-May-2024 20:42

Real good news, getting some starting 17 first graders back vs Dolphins.

Our axe man on D, Niukore returns, boy we have missed him. Rocco Berry who has become another defensive wall and great ball runner is back, CHT returns as a utility and also one of our best defenders and Freddy Lussick luckily will be ok to play for Egan, who really needs to start wearing headgear with his technique getting his head down low into moving limbs.

But with SJ still out, we will keep CNK at 6, TMM at 7 and Tuaupiki at FB, Lussick at 9 completes the spine. While not what many would think a great spine, imo the team was more effective with TMM at 7 and CNK at 6, despite being in the top few FBs in the game, Tuauapiki brings some X factor too.

I think with those returning players and this unusually dynamic spine, we have a good chance against the Dolphins. Lussick is the weak link in the spine, but hes improved a lot and like all good 9s, hes fast off the mark vs offside markers, possibly linking to create open field play, just his errors/penalties are a concern but Im confident he can ut a solid game together, most importantly is how well he feeds the forwards and the half backs..

JPNZ

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#3233345 22-May-2024 07:46

TeaLeaf:

Real good news, getting some starting 17 first graders back vs Dolphins.

Our axe man on D, Niukore returns, boy we have missed him. Rocco Berry who has become another defensive wall and great ball runner is back, CHT returns as a utility and also one of our best defenders and Freddy Lussick luckily will be ok to play for Egan, who really needs to start wearing headgear with his technique getting his head down low into moving limbs.

But with SJ still out, we will keep CNK at 6, TMM at 7 and Tuaupiki at FB, Lussick at 9 completes the spine. While not what many would think a great spine, imo the team was more effective with TMM at 7 and CNK at 6, despite being in the top few FBs in the game, Tuauapiki brings some X factor too.

I think with those returning players and this unusually dynamic spine, we have a good chance against the Dolphins. Lussick is the weak link in the spine, but hes improved a lot and like all good 9s, hes fast off the mark vs offside markers, possibly linking to create open field play, just his errors/penalties are a concern but Im confident he can ut a solid game together, most importantly is how well he feeds the forwards and the half backs..

Yep, its dead even at the TAB, you'd like to think home advantage will get the warriors home. The dolphins are not to be taken lightly though, 4th on the table vs 13th.

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tdgeek

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#3233346 22-May-2024 07:50

IMO its less about who plays this weekend, but what game style will we play. Past Warriors, steady and reliable equals low rankings. 2023 fast play, running and passing, take time off the opposition etc. 2024 that only happened when we get smashed on the field then go wild last 15. Doesnt work long term. Last week, weaker team but the 2023 game style. That why we made top 4 2023. Win, lose or draw, if the Wahs play 2023 style the score/rankings will look after themselves.

Im still perplexed why 2024 we didnt play hardly any 2023 game style. Maybe the expectations were too much? Scared to lose as were expected to win, so choked? I doubt Webster said lets not play a fast open game.

As regards last weekend's weaker or reserve type team, we have depth. Much like the past Australia cricket team, their B team would beat most others. IMO Wahs are like that now, plenty of depth. We dont really have a B team as many players are A team players, but for some reason we are only allowed to play 13 + the bench :-)

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#3233349 22-May-2024 07:55

JPNZ:

Yep, its dead even at the TAB, you'd like to think home advantage will get the warriors home. The dolphins are not to be taken lightly though, 4th on the table vs 13th.

Yeah, 7 from 10 vs 4 from 11 looks poor, but the vast majority of our 11 games weren't played 2023 style. If Wahs had played 2024 like 2023 game style we would be solid favourites this weekend. Every game last half 2023 the commentators were continually praising the Warriors. We need to retain that mojo from here on, scores will look after themselves

JPNZ

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#3234043 24-May-2024 08:25

Gutted AFB has been left out due to missing the team song and recap last week. A lot of rumours swirling that he's not happy and maybe in sky blue before the end of the year.

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TeaLeaf

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#3234524 25-May-2024 10:33

JPNZ:

Yep, its dead even at the TAB, you'd like to think home advantage will get the warriors home. The dolphins are not to be taken lightly though, 4th on the table vs 13th.

Yeh home ground should always be advantage, its not just the crowd, but the familiarity, the sheds, the field, home training vs flights and logistics. But in saying that, Warriors fans are some of the most loyal and supportive in the game.

Spot on, the flippers are the kind of team you want to be beating, well coached etc. If the Warriors can execute team strategy without inviting them into our own redzone time after time with penalties, they should go well. So its really going to come down to can TMM "ice" the game if we are up with ten minutes to go etc and can CNK have the same impact at running half that he had last week to inject intensity into our offensive back line.

The return of Niukore, CHT and Berry is a big boost on defense, especially Niukore, we have missed him, so it is a downer for aFB to not be in the squad. Ive been feeling for a while, whilst hes scored a couple of tries and he has had some good runs, hes not been as direct as last year. Ale has been solid for us though. But nothing matches a huge player with the foot work of a half back like AFB

Interesting at the moment CHT is not listed as 14th man yet Dyl Walker is listed to start at 13. Id have thought with CHT being the best general play and offensive kicker, not to mention a good half, he would be on the bench at 14 as an auto pick, to play small forward or to take over at half should last weeks halves combo prove to be a flop.

One thing is near certain, Dolphins wont gift us field position, it will have to be earnt in defense, they will need to stick to the strategic bomb outside the 40 and with Berry back, nail the running OB they target around the 5-10m, then with tacklers like Niukore, Barnett, Berry, Walker etc, force those Errors inside their half to get the field position inside the 20. Im still keen for TMM to decide whether to bomb or call a set play on the 5th if at their 30-35m mark and run it. Going coast to coast needs to be tried at every few sets too, to see if we can catch them out on the edges like other teams have done to us so effectively.

Leiataua and especially Egan huge losses for us, but given the amount of Marquees players we still have injured, its testament to our recruiting the quality of team we have managed to field this year and whilst not winning like we would like, being within one try in nearly all losses shows just how good our 30 man squad is. Being close to half way, I feel we should have a much better second half of the year when we are closer to fielding our starting team.

TeaLeaf

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#3234786 26-May-2024 14:15

Lost CNK as well (ill), uggggh. CHT will play 6, but that is all our Marquees players out, one step forward, two steps back.

So am not expecting too much offensively.

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tdgeek

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#3234852 26-May-2024 16:40

TeaLeaf:

Lost CNK as well (ill), uggggh. CHT will play 6, but that is all our Marquees players out, one step forward, two steps back.

So am not expecting too much offensively.

Its 4-39pm here about to watch. To me its about the game style. As we saw last week the actual players isnt "that" important, its the game style. Because we have plenty of depth

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#3235051 26-May-2024 20:22

Up the NSW/NRL Wahs

TeaLeaf

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#3235054 26-May-2024 20:29

Incredibly proud of that effort and control. 10 regular first graders out including our entire spine, NRL Dally M half and Players player of last year, FB of last year and Prop of last year. Not to mention many others who are at the top few in their positions.

Barnett given the captaincy and lead from the front, I hope for his Sake he gets called into the SoO NSW Blues Team, he deserves it.

as Barnett just said, they have just gotten back to the basics with their kick chase and defense, which is the hallmark of both Websters Warriors and the Dolphins sides, very similar styles.

I thought that Ref decision not to go upstairs on half time was bonkers, and thats what the bunker is there to avoid, but thats footy, human error.

With the bye next week it should see a number of Marquees and First grade players return. I think we will have a better second half of the season than the first.

The whole team was good but the halves, TMM moving at 7 and CHT returning after not named to play was also very good at 6, with both showing excellent game management skills.

Which again raises the question with Jet Cleary joining next year, if SJ plays 7 (or even if he doesnt), how far into the season will it go before making a call on Metcalf getting an extension. I hope they do. Provided we can afford to keep him, you can never have enough pace on the footy field.

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#3235104 27-May-2024 07:17

Wow what a game! CHT, Te Maire Martin, DWZ and Mitch Barnett were the stand out players for me. The warriors fought hard to keep within reach in the first half then at the beginning of the second half I could see the Dolphins just didnt have the same motivation, they got the ball and didnt really have a plan of what to do with it. The warriors kept playing hard and once they were in front just kept going. The dolphins tried to fight back but it was too late!

I'd like to see CNK back but the rest of the injured should have to fight for their position. Im sure that wont happen, but I think our more experienced players had become too complacent, too comfortable, then with a fresh team and players all out of position we won two amazing games. We are behind quite a bit but still a lot of season to go and still hope we can get firmly into the top 8.

Up the Wahs!

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#3235124 27-May-2024 08:58

Barnett has made the Blues squad!!! not sure if he will take the field but he will go into Camp

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heavenlywild

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#3235128 27-May-2024 09:03

Great win again Wahs!

The million dollar question for Webster now is whether he keeps the team as is, or return all those back from injury. Considering how well the team has gone over the last two weeks with mostly second graders, should he change the formula?

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#3235196 27-May-2024 12:06

heavenlywild:

Great win again Wahs!

The million dollar question for Webster now is whether he keeps the team as is, or return all those back from injury. Considering how well the team has gone over the last two weeks with mostly second graders, should he change the formula?

Solid effort. Not without mistakes, but it's not the lead team.

IMO we have enough depth. That's why we have won twice without the main players. Its all about the game style, which we had 2023 but which we didn't have till last two games this year. Given what we have seen this year the Wah's/Webster game style matters. Losing players has been insulated by our depth

TeaLeaf

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#3235317 27-May-2024 17:14

nztim:

Barnett has made the Blues squad!!! not sure if he will take the field but he will go into Camp

How good, he deserves it, hes bought a dynamic pace to the game. If we can just get Niukore match fitness up things will be rosey with the injury list, which is bonkers, its nearly the entire starting team.

TLDR: Things look very rosey with everybody but RTS returning next round. Next year just looks even better. Management and coach are luring players for "Unders" with the draw of winning a premiership for NZ Warriors.

AFB (not injury, team behaviour). Dally M #1 NRL prop
Rocco Berry (our best centre at getting to the strategic bomb and shutting the dangerous offense down on the 5m)
SJ (pectorial injury thanks to a chicken wing by Kearie in the roosters game)Dally M #1 NRL 7 and prestigious Players chosen Player award.
Kurt Capewell, Qldr SoO player snaffled by Webby in off season. 80min centre or small forward, 70% win rate (thats nuts)
Wade Egan, thought to be in contention for SoO #9, but another concussion, imo needs headgear due to his tackle action
Tohu Harris, what else to say for a player who has done it all, legend
RTS, prior Dally M FB of the year and clearly one of our top Marquees signings
CNK, doing more at FB than RTS, hard to believe, avg 230m per game, was electric at #6
Luke Metcalf, the team really does have better shape with his speed on the other side at #6, serious injury prone
Paul Roache, experienced campaigner and a good #9 with clearance
Tuapiki, congrats to him becoming a father, dynamic FB, I would prefer him at #6 with his speed and footwork.
Ali Lieataua, similar to Taine, hes been sitting on the first grade reserves list for weeks before getting his chance and was brilliant

That is just beyond injury list, 9 Marquees players and prob like 90% of the 30 man budget. Ive not seen a team lose this many stars of the game and win, twice. Testament to the depth obviously.

To think we are averaging nearly 3 tries against us in the first twenty mins for the last 4 rounds. Clearly this needs fixing. The refs are always super strict on offside in the first quarter, our enthusiasm is getting caught out, just a minor adjustment should see us winning by 10-16.

We have lost 5 games similar to the last two games, that went against us with a try or less. We have played the same strategy but have gifted teams tries in the first half of those games that we should have won by two tries not lose by one. If we fix that obvious first quarter, we would win those 5 games and be at the top of table. We need to win these games and reverse the first quarter throughout the second half of season to make the 4, that draw gave us a single point which might be what sneaks us into the 8 and possibly the 4.

Everybody barring Metcalf with that broken Tibia will return in the next round after our Bye which couldnt com at a better time. RTS might not be ready, which is odd as they flagged it as a minor hammy cramp, surely it must have been a tear to be out this long.

So its all good news, we should finally be near full strength next round.

But I have complicated thoughts around the halves, You cant leave SJ out of the team, being one of the best game managers and top 7. But I dont feel we get the best out of TMM at 6, he isnt hitting the line like CNK or CHT did. But I think Webby will stick with him at 6. With CNK back to FB, leaves Tauapiki out, who imo would make an explosive 6, like Kodi Nikorima at the top of his game. Hes fast and elusive and injects X factor. What the could do is leave Pompey out and play Tuaupiki at Wing and bing Montoya into centre. Having Taine's pace on the wing is hard to ignoe as a genuine threat given a line break. Just gotta play your best players wherever they can as per Freddy Fitler with his NSW Blues team that stopped the ten year romp from Qld.

I dont know how we retain so many good players given most are on "Unders" and are here to win a premiership. Not to mention Jet Cleary (wont cost much, yet) and James Fisher-Harris both coming from Penrith. I honestly think despite aFB having great foot work, JFH being Kiwi captain is a better fit for what they are trying to do. I cant wait to see him play for us now, especially if aFB is let go on compassionate grounds. Ugggh. That would likely see another young FG reserve play Prop off the bench, Zyon Maiu'u. He is young and we have only seen limited time of him in FG, but hes tearing it apart for our NSW Cup team.

We have an excellent strategy, we just need to remain behind the Ref in the first quarter, but Berry nailing the danger player removes his potential broken field play in the game. Then the defense just hammering them on the ten metre line until they spill the ball etc. But one thing CNK, TMM and CHT proved which I was advocating for is chancing our arm a bit on the 5th tackle if we down around their 30m. I hope thats reinforced to SJ. If on the 40m, the strategic bomb makes sense. But we have the players to link up and score from 30 out. We need to PTB fast and get quick delivery from Egan which is one of his strengths, likewise we need to turn the opposition on their back in the tackle to slow their PTB speed (dominate tackle etc). We need intensity both in defense and on the quick offensive PTB, run over the top of them up the middle, then spread it coast to coast through the incredible backline roster with CNK joining in the back line from sitting back at FB, that will see an overlap or a step inside from the half or centre or possibly cut out pass to the Winger. :-)

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