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#3257382 8-Jul-2024 13:32

maoriboy:

Overlooking that late dangerous tackle to TMM's face was atrocious. That was a dead set penalty, bin and a kick to win it for the Wahs. I don't want to blame the ref for that loss but man it's hard not to think that way when they constantly have these calls not go their way.

Totally agree. When its not a 50/50 it is not blaming the ref, regardless of who is playing, it is stating a fact, gross incompetence by the refs, the touchies and the bunker Ref (who must have been asleep) cost the Warriors a penalty to win it and the Bulldogs should have been down to 12 men for the remainder.

Onfield refs and two touchies not making an obstructed call everybody can live with, its part of the game. But none of them were obstructed, then the bunker gets multiple angles and views while play continues to review it, that is the disturbing bit. aside from the standards being very low this season across many games for many teams. Instead of us going to 6th and leapfrogging, the bulldogs go to 5th.

NRL news 2024: Jaeman Salmon offered two-week suspension for jaw breaking tackle (nine.com.au)

Id like to see us sweep left then sweep back right inside the 30m on offense with livewire Tuaupiki up in the line inside RTS and DWZ on that right wing, with fast hands creating two on one for DWZ in the corner, or RTS to step inside the two on one.

a real blanket of teams 5-14 with one point seperating them. So beating Manly, Bulldogs and Dolphins could mean only needing to win 5/7.

But to be realistically to be sure we need 6/7. 12th Raiders, 17th Tigers, 16th Eels, 6th Dolphins, 7th Manly, 5th Bulldogs, 4th Sharks.

Warriors v Bulldogs: Andrew Webster counting injury toll after heartbreaking defeat - NZ Herald

JPNZ

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#3257461 8-Jul-2024 15:49

TeaLeaf:

But to be realistically to be sure we need 6/7. 12th Raiders, 17th Tigers, 16th Eels, 6th Dolphins, 7th Manly, 5th Bulldogs, 4th Sharks.

This is the bottom line, 6 wins (plus the 2 byes they have left) to get to 33 points. 32 Looks to be the cutoff so I can't imagine 31 will work.

To only lose one game out of those 7 you listed will be bloody hard. Only 3 are at home and 3 of the harder games Dolphins, Sharks and Manly are away.

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#3257597 8-Jul-2024 20:19

JPNZ:

This is the bottom line, 6 wins (plus the 2 byes they have left) to get to 33 points. 32 Looks to be the cutoff so I can't imagine 31 will work.

To only lose one game out of those 7 you listed will be bloody hard. Only 3 are at home and 3 of the harder games Dolphins, Sharks and Manly are away.

Yep, totally agree, which does make the ref mistake a little more salty.

But if Webby can get this group of broken down soldiers back to how they played that game without losing 3 players, they still have a lot of talent. I thought aside from that intercept which looked so much like a try for us, we really smashed them in defense. The intensity was right. I think we have to go to our talent, Barnett, addin, then coast to coast with TMM switching it back to CHT, to fleet footed Taine, on to RTS and with the overlap DWZ in the corner. With modern defence compressed drift, going coast to coast can really catch players not marking up correctly plus it creates a lot of metres at worst case. Gotta target our talent, try to get those points early, then rely on the bench. I think our new rookie could be real hard to stop 5 metres out, afb, barnett and nuikore, thats a good set of boppers, with the small forwards providing benc relief. Noting to lose. Cros field kicks to DWZ landing a couple metres out, maybe catching his marker compressed he will have the advantage to take the ball.

In other words, just throw everything we can into a block of games, one at a time. If we can put some serious points on Tigres and eels, beating Manly will have us equal on points but possibly just behind in for and against.

It could be tight. I saw a lot of effort in that first half, they got the game right, they just didnt get much go there way losing the 3 chargers.

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#3259354 14-Jul-2024 13:10

Well sadlly none of the key games have gone our way this weekend, with only Manly vs Newcastle left, it doesnt really matter much other than manly winning would mean one of the 5-8 will have Manly on 9 wins 1 draw, instead of 5-9 on 9 wins outright which is potentially better for any remote chance the Warriors have.

Broncos losing due to two penalties, 10 tries in a match, cant get much more entertaining. They wont make the 8 outside not dropping a game here to end of season which is shaping similar for us, although we have the 1pt for the draw, it will still take the team playing to their full potential which injuries aside, just hasnt been on point this year. I thought the first half of last weeks gaffe from the Refs was about the best we have played, bone crunching error creating high intensity defense and pretty sharp on offense, it could easily have gone in 18-0 half time aside the intercept try with TMM maybe should have held onto it. Thats why they take a "settler" mid field, when running a backline play, if too close to the try line the opposition can easily go for an intercept.

Id be happy seeing the season out positively, going into next year with some changes in personnel and highly unlikely to have a season of injuries like this for the next 30 years.

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#3260996 18-Jul-2024 11:38

Jeez game three of SOO was a beauty.

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#3261002 18-Jul-2024 12:18

JPNZ:

Jeez game three of SOO was a beauty.

Our mighty mighty NSW Blues cleaned them up via the halves. First the top #6 in the Game, Panthers Jarome Luai with the kind of footwork I reckon RTS would offer for us at 5/8th. To first make that break, but to somehow thread the needle with the pass to Best was top draw. Clutch player.

Then Mitchel Moses, possibly player of the series, from nowhere this guy has become one of the top 7s and did an amazing job to replace Nat Cleary. He should be commended for that, stepping up into huge shoes.

I knew the first game was just down to the send off and NSW would win it against historical odds game 2 and 3. Just a much better team. Great to see our Barnett play some minutes, so well deserved. I do expect him to back up for us though :-)

Dirty, dirty Walsh, if its not tripping, its kicking players. One run and thats all he offered. No wonder Broncos are well out of the 8.

Will be interesting for the Panthers with Luai leaving, they had planned to play Jett Cleary outside Nathan Cleary. But Jett Cleary has signed with us, clearly knows Webby well. Will the Panthers look for a Marquees 6 or just play a NSW cup promotion.....

I cant wait to see how Jett Cleary goes for us in NSW cup. He had a lot of wraps in age group footy coming up the ranks and NSW rep footy, Webby has wraps on him. But hes only 19 and needs quality coaching to keep the progression going to enter the NRL as an exciting half.

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#3261585 19-Jul-2024 20:03

Looking forward to this one, Warriors down key troops but Im excited to see the rookies, Halasima was so impressive in his first game and Leiataua who I have a very high opinion of coming in to play Centre for RTS, who moves from right side all the way to left wing to play for injured Montoya.

Raiders getting some key players back, they are a team capable of putting a lot of points on a team on there day, and this is a home game so it will be loud support.

Both teams playing for a realistic chance of the 8, more so Raiders without the 1 point Warriors carrying from a draw, 7 wins each. Warriors go on 3 game win spree and things would look a lot different for our chances. But one game at a time. given whats on the line, expecting Raiders to throw everything at it.

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#3261641 20-Jul-2024 03:50

Was at a friends 40th so only recorded the game. Know the results so is that warriors season over?

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#3262956 22-Jul-2024 16:23

JPNZ: Was at a friends 40th so only recorded the game. Know the results so is that warriors season over?

Not over, but close to terminal. A few bright spots in that game, but the injury toll does not let up. Having both Tuaupiki and Ppompey come off meant only 2 on the bench for most of the game, plus took away our main goal kickers which, in the end, proved to be the difference. Our halves combination was poor, esp TMM. It's like he suddenly lost form or something.

I guess at least this is giving the youngsters a chance to have a run in the 1st team but it's going to be a tough road to get into the Top 8 from here.

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#3263017 22-Jul-2024 17:00

maoriboy:

but it's going to be a tough road to get into the Top 8 from here.

yeh no doubt bro, we got Manly, Sharks, Dolphins in there. But none are teams we should have lost to, especially with a fit team, Manly was a draw. Tommy Turbo is there key, with him they win ~70%. without him ~35%. Last match he scored a double.

as I just posted, if we had not the injury toll we would have iced those 8 or less games and we would be top of the table.

So Im super confident if we do not have the worst injury toll in the sports history next year, we will be super strong contenders.

However I agree re TMM, if he is not taking the line on, he is ineffective. I watched the aussie commentary and was pointed out, the Warriors are pass centric, which does look good, but there needs to be a purpose, which is the half or centre with a giant step back against the direction of play. There just isnt enough of it. Pompey is not a dynamic line runner either, but the new kid Ali is.

If there is no SJ next year, then imo CHT has to play 7, hes an excellent 7 and why Cronk kept asking why CHT was taking the clearing and bomb kicks not TMM, its because he has both more distance on the clear kick, but hes also more accurate with the bomb.

Id love to have CHT at 7 and RTS taking on the line far more often playing 6. I feel his foowork, strength and reasonable pace is a waste at Centre when we have two quality young centres in Rocko and Leiataua with a backup in Pompey. If RTS cant play FB, play him 6. Hes a spine quality player imo. But it will depend on how well Metcalf has healed and if shows some footwork along with his blistering pace from a standing position. Then I guess RTS back to centre.

Either way based on what should have been with too many close ones to ignore the potential, I think 2025 is possibly the year.

TeaLeaf

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#3265164 27-Jul-2024 15:47

Good win, ignoring the last minute try to one of the best players on the field from either team, would have been 5 tries to 2. I thought our Rookie boys did amazing, Leiataua was awesome at centre, hes growing with every game 2 line breaks (most in game), 1 line break assist and 1 Try assist, to go with his own Try. imo they should consider putting him in play every week. RTS was amazing at FB

Today is big with 3 important matches to our chances.

Looking at how to get into a chance of the 8. I think we have to play a SJ who was at the point of not being able to walk end of his last match with that achiless tendonopothy thas plagued him. He is a very different player without it. In hind sight they may have let him recover earlier given he had been playing with it for a long time, such is the desperation to win with an injury plagued season.

The round after next week we have Manly, big match and we have the chance of Luke Metcalf. Metcalf and SJ together has always been the dream but one or both have broken down this season. It would be awesome to have TMM. CHT, MetCalf, SJ, RTS, DWZ from left edge to right edge with Tuaupiki at FB. all of them capable of stepping back inside the flowing bacline pass shape, which we need, players who know when its on to dummy and shoot off the drifting backline and come back hard against that direction.

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#3267804 3-Aug-2024 10:08

That was just horrid defense, clutching at players.

On the flip side SJ looked heaps better than prior to the achilles strain, should have rested it much earlier on. 4 try assists, that crossfield kick to DWZ Ive been looking for landed on a dime.

Now it really is must win all remaining, but they dont deserve it. Had they iced the close games they would be in the top 4 not struggling to make the 8 losing to the tail.

To do that they have to step up the consistency in defense. You are always going to lose some games to the lower teams, it happens as every team can win on their day and the Eels are a formidable side on paper (although losing Asi). Its losing 7 games by 8 or less that is the wrong side of close matches.

But its been the same all season, we come out flat and go down by 3 or 4 tries and try to play catch up footy via consistency footy which do not go together. Consistency footy (kicking to pin them in their 10m etc) goes with strong defense, ie Panthers.

Hopefully JFH and Jett Cleary to a lesser extent add to our ex Penrith players and Coach experience next year and we can look forward to winning consistently by 3-4 tries, not losing so many due to our early defense.

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#3268444 5-Aug-2024 21:33

Sean Johnson announces his NRL retirement at 34, at the end of the 2024 season.

Quite the career he has had. Wildly talented but more mercurial than consistent, likely robbing him of NRL Legend status I imagine.

End of an Era though, for certain.

TeaLeaf

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#3272664 16-Aug-2024 18:39

networkn:

Sean Johnson announces his NRL retirement at 34, at the end of the 2024 season.

Quite the career he has had. Wildly talented but more mercurial than consistent, likely robbing him of NRL Legend status I imagine.

End of an Era though, for certain.

TLDR: Yep, a Warrior by heart and soul and up there with Stacy. Next year should reset and be a contender year.

Excellent summary. He was easily Dally M last year, Ponga's performances in the last rounds were nowhere near enough to boost him one point passed SJ. But whilst the Warriors play in it, it still is called National Rugby League and Stacy Jones whilst being an unavoidable pick, was often worthy of it but because andrew johns was in the same era, Stacy was always over looked (different method back then too). But I would say SJ earning the "Players Player" last year meant a lot to him and in some peoples eyes its the real Dally M, not to forget a Golden Boot back when he was slaying aus and eng in the internationals as well.

He was consistent at being a genius in his first 4-5 seasons, I remember him reminiscing about the 2011 GF which he dragged NZ into, he thought it was going to be all GFs back then hehe. Quite the reflection.

IMO he was too good for the Warriors during that period a couple years after Cleary leaving. He just didnt have the calibre of team mates the current Warriors have. He had a couple of excellent seasons at the Sharks but it was hampered by injury so to a lot of kiwis it didnt seem all that great.

Not to forget he came back to the Warriors on 50% of his worth, because thats how much winning a Prem with the Warriors meant to him. So of all the Warriors, he stands out as one of the most whole hearted Warrior, who just wanted to win. Had we the current team and Cleary stayed on, I have no doubt we would have won a Prem, we were just so consistent at making the finals under Cleary.

I hope SJ joins Stacy with educating the halves, especially in the running HB 6 role (Metcalf and Jett Cleary). There is talent there which you need at least one of the halves to have outside managing the team upfield (traditionally the 7 role). But its not possible to coach freak level abilities at 6 that you see from a lot of league players who also play Touch in the off season. Metcalf has speed and strength, but its about him finding the holes, I think he will if he stays on and can stay injury free.

Next year will be a bit of a reset from an injury plagued season (far beyond the normal injury levels all teams get) and 8 close games which if iced would have them looking at the Minor Premiership rather than missing the 8.

If the dont use Metcalf in the halves Id love to see his speed on the wing or centre. Id also love to see RTS with his explosive speed off the step fit into the 6 role, he is an ideal ex FB converted to 6 which many teams have done over the years, Darren Lockyer being the most notable. CNK showed what a running back looks like in his couple of games there and he does not have the footwork of RTS. But Id also like to see Tuaupiki used somewhere in the back line as hes also X factor. Thats 3 players in the backline capable of finding holes with the speed to burn teams for long distance tries, if you add DWZ thats 4 and suddenly the back line goes from Solid to X Factor. Id prob keep TMM at 7 and play CHT off the bench as utility.

I think JFH will have a big impact on the forwards. I loved having AFB and he will be missed. James Fisher-Harris is more of a JWH for the Roosters. More intensity/anger of high impact minutes. Similar to Barnett. They will relentless together up the middle third.

So my outlook for next year is potentially back on track for competing for all the marbles, consistently round after round, winning those 8 tight games. But only if something dynamic occurs in the halves, what that looks like Im not sure. No dis respect to CHT and TMM together, CHT is a good 7 and is playing 6 and TMM was a FB, doesnt have the explosiveness at 6, so they are imo out of the best positions for what is best for the team. Webby and Stacy will figure that out with Metcalf.

Speaking of, will be good to see SJ and Metcalf play together for the first time since start of season. What was meant to be two X factor halves this year just ended up an injury mess. Id love to see them beat Manly tonight. We had so many ways we Lost a won game last weak, dropping the ball over the try line, conversions etc. The story of the year but they can turn it around for an excellent finish and start for next season.

Montoya and Pompey back, CHT goes to utility off the bench, Freddy Lussick in for Egan injured yet again.

Tonight, speaking of injuries, Tommy Turbo who has had a horrid run of injuries the last 1.5 seasons is back and put on points last week and set up points. Without doubt the NRL's top FB imo, manly win something like 70% with him and only 35% without him (not exact stat but close). I can see him running around some of our slower backs like Pompey. But Pompey is a fairly descent defender. No doubt TT will be in Manlys set plays both long range and in our redzone.

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#3273187 18-Aug-2024 11:02

It was a good game and we were in it until the lightning storm arrived. :-)

I know it was his first game back from a broken leg, so from that perspective Metcalf played really well. His pace off a standing start is still there and it creates opportunity. IMO our weak link in the team is our left edge. Pompey is a good defender, but not a great centre on offense. For me Lieataua has shown he is our future in the centres, so hard to tackle, has size, strength, pace and ball skills. He will be great on the left edge (or right if RTS can take the left). Either way Ali know how to score himself and when to pass to his winger. I feel like Montoya has lost pace, hes just not scoring much anymore, its almost all right edge offense, either that or its Pompey not knowing when to pass. Either way Id like to see Lieataua at centre and try some genuine speed on the wing, either play Metcalf on the wing or possibly Tuaupiki who is also a speedster. again id love to see RTS play 6, with him and Leiataua at centre, Im positive they would find ways to get Metcalf into open field play to score a lot of long range tries. So many options, so there are plenty of ways to make that happen, but we cant just rely on DWZ to do all the scoring, we need points from the left edge too.

Manly showed what having pace on the edges can do.

I think all the young guns had some game time to shine this year. In the forwards Sifakula is proving a handful already. He looks well over the listed 103kg. So hard to get to ground. But so is Zyon Maiu'u and Halasima. Then there is Laban. Those would be who I expect to see join our Marquees forwards. It is going to be an exciting forward pack with JFH joining from the Panthers, a lot of fast ball playing forwards should suit a more expansive game.

Then there is the next batch of 20yo's coming from the u20's cup.

Im looking forward to the reset next year with SJ sadly retiring, but new faces arriving, young guys coming of age/experience and plenty of options for a more expansive offense. And most of all this years ridiculously high casualty ward hopefully a thing of the past.

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