Post Match Manly v Warriors - [Round 24, 2024]

[John Nick]

Ali easily the biggest mistake in Warriors history

1. Ali
2.Cleary
3. SK contract extension
4. Bringing back RTS &!CHT

What else did I miss ??

Going back further.
Tomkins, Betts, Platt

 

[Makasene]

Ali easily the biggest mistake in Warriors history

1. Ali
2.Cleary
3. SK contract extension
4. Bringing back RTS &!CHT

What else did I miss ??

The team is crying out for a player like, I dunno.... Eli Katoa?

 

[Beastmode]

Going back further.
Tomkins, Betts, Platt

Yeah they definitely didn’t live up to the hype, but I don’t think by not signing them it would have altered history.

 

[Beastmode]

The team is crying out for a player like, I dunno.... Eli Katoa?

Nah fuck him
He checked out long ago… body was there but the mind wasn’t willing

 

[KPWarrior]

I agree, there are some who do make it personal rather than discussing or providing a counter argument to the point. It's easier just to say nothing if you can't add anything or perhaps use the reactions.

I honestly don't know where to stand on the SJ debate. The team and him have been so inconsistent over such a long period of time and for a number of different reasons.

Mercurial? Enigmatic? Flawed genius?

Is he a symptom of our last 12 years or a cause? A mix of both?

Prior to 2023 I was hoping he retired and we moved on. 2023 I dared to dream and was amazed he put together a season of consistency like he did. This year, he just doesn't have it. Maybe the mind does but the body is lacking? I dunno.

It's hard to argue against your point because of his career but likewise it's hard to agree given the talent he possesses.

Could over reliance on one player not be a good thing for a team sport, particularly a team like ours? I mean take him out of 2023 and the game plan doesn't work. Seemingly putting him in this year makes the team adjectly worse.

I'll buy your point of view and raise you a point that SJ is also a halves block. Maloney and Townsend left and went on to play better football and have premiership winning careers. Is that what we are seeing without him at 7 this year? Better performances from our halves without him?

Discuss.

A lot of us (myself included) will point to highlight reels as some kind of reference into what could/should have been.

The problem with highlight reels is they're only fleeting moments in a game we probably lost, or otherwise played poorly overall and only that kind of individual brilliance got us through, unfortunately that rarely wins premierships in this comp!

I made a post in the SJ thread about him being mismanaged from the start, which was probably unfair because that kind of talent didn't just show up on a regular basis.
My memory of that time is pretty vague, but I always seem to have it in my mind that Ivan was kinda pressured into debuting SJ...?, there was a lot of outside noise and hype from the likes of Joey Johns harping on every week about this kid at the Warriors, and then the fans probably jumped on board to the point where he was practically a household name before he'd even played a FG game.

That article posted up a couple of pages ago raised a few interesting points..... Shaun, with all the natural talent and ability in the world, had to 'learn' how to be methodical..... ie, how to manage a game, this took him a lot longer than it probably should have, compared to DCE, who had the management mindset without the flashy skills.

Also mentions that he "existed without limits"?...... nothing exists without limits..... he was either going to be the greatest Touch player ever, or a top level Rugby League player.
A half decent coach could have harnessed that ability into actually winning games, without detracting from his natural skills.

You could say his ability was also his weakness, it's just a whole bunch of 'what if's'.

 

[Tragic]

On a positive note I thought webby is getting better at using the youth on the bench, sifakula got a good stint in the weekend, he was struggling but kept going. Would love to see Laban for Marata, offers much better lateral movement and won't lose anything on attack unless he doesn't like an unders ball

 

[Stalefish540]

You’re right. I have opinions

But that’s what this forum is for. Opinions.

And it proves my point , some people on here can’t take them and resort to being personal.

I always try make a point to play the ball not the man, but that comment was just not based in reality.

Apologies either way.

 

[Aman 2.0]

I always try make a point to play the ball not the man, but that comment was just not based in reality.

Apologies either way.

Allgood brother

Me passionate and sad at what happened this year

 

[Boats n Hoes]

You’re right. I have opinions

But that’s what this forum is for. Opinions.

And it proves my point , some people on here can’t take them and resort to being personal.

Oh please

After constantly referring to players as retards, shitheads and dumb khunts.....players wives as "spiteful cunts" (all which btw i dont even have an issue with as we all vent) your now going to play the personal card over an arsehole insinuation? ....(whoops almost typed "insertion")

Didnt think youd be that precious tbh.

Will be looking forward to your new non personal posting style where players are respectfully referred to and judged and evaluated solely on game day efforts and criticisms made in a respectful tone I guess......

 

[Tonbridge(aka Swanley)]

He’s also returned from another code. Probably got too much respect to blood him into a new position in first grade all season but I’m not sure how people are expecting consistency when he’s played pretty well all back 5 positions at some point over the season

He's slow and has offered zero penetration.

He's well past his best and shouldn't be in first grade next year.

For starters Berry Pompey DWZ Montoya CNK all offer more than RTS.

 

[PhilsySH35]

The only thing that’s making me feel this way about SJ is that he just seems too fucking happy all the time regardless of what’s going on in our club or on the field.

It’s like he’s checked out of the game all togethor and just maintains his personal image.

He’s one of the oldest and most capped players in the most influential position but nobody respects him out there. He still has a childish demeanour about him.

Princess, baby face etc etc

We need a fucking tough, commanding bastard in the halfs. We have one in the forwards but just need one in the half’s.

Hate to say this, but agree, we need that type of player (hardnosed tough bugger, pissing vinegar etc), however, sj was never that type of person and will never be that type of person, like you said his demeaner is childlike and he won't be like afb or barny. just really grateful for what we got out of him playing wise, his enthusiasm and love of playing, he is a gentle soul playing the toughest game in the world.

 

[PhilsySH35]

A lot of us (myself included) will point to highlight reels as some kind of reference into what could/should have been.

The problem with highlight reels is they're only fleeting moments in a game we probably lost, or otherwise played poorly overall and only that kind of individual brilliance got us through, unfortunately that rarely wins premierships in this comp!

I made a post in the SJ thread about him being mismanaged from the start, which was probably unfair because that kind of talent didn't just show up on a regular basis.
My memory of that time is pretty vague, but I always seem to have it in my mind that Ivan was kinda pressured into debuting SJ...?, there was a lot of outside noise and hype from the likes of Joey Johns harping on every week about this kid at the Warriors, and then the fans probably jumped on board to the point where he was practically a household name before he'd even played a FG game.

That article posted up a couple of pages ago raised a few interesting points..... Shaun, with all the natural talent and ability in the world, had to 'learn' how to be methodical..... ie, how to manage a game, this took him a lot longer than it probably should have, compared to DCE, who had the management mindset without the flashy skills.

Also mentions that he "existed without limits"?...... nothing exists without limits..... he was either going to be the greatest Touch player ever, or a top level Rugby League player.
A half decent coach could have harnessed that ability into actually winning games, without detracting from his natural skills.

You could say his ability was also his weakness, it's just a whole bunch of 'what if's'.

Dam bro, that is so on point!!!, great post, if only...

 

[juju]

Ali easily the biggest mistake in Warriors history

1. Ali
2.Cleary
3. SK contract extension
4. Bringing back RTS &!CHT

What else did I miss ??

Not a player retention thing.... But DA playing a motivational tape in the grand final with a different team as to be up there as a huge WTF and if only sort of mistake.

Sum's up the lore of the club pretty well too.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I disagree, if used right he could be another Walsh, he is too good for NSW cup.

Interesting. What would we need to do to get it right for him?

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Some people on here seem to think we owe him something or he’s some kind of legend for being paid millions to play mediocre for so many years.

Cool he was fast, yay, and he did some cool things occasionally but don’t forget the minute we said he wasn’t going to be paid a $1million dollers a season for being average he fucked off to the sharks and then only came back after they told he could fuck off.

The guys just very well PR and media trained unlike some other players but he’s not a bleed and die for the club player some are making him out to be.

Super soft, super mediocre and can fuck off like you said.

He might not have bled or died for this team bro but he has had broken bones and names called at him.

Do we owe him anything? Not if we're relentlessly pursuing the premiership and profits. But then again he is a marketable and media darling so there's money in his branding which includes all of his younger days feats.

He doesn't need to fuck off. That's a bad approach for our club. This season is not going anywhere further or into the finals so it's an actual opportunity to thank him and send him off rather than unceremoniously dumping him and calling him a failure or loser etc.

It's a diplomatic decision I reckon and I support it

I mean he's not

Matt Lodge
Kane Evans
Taane Milne

Who I've been happy to get and release

 

[run_it_str8_again]

The team is crying out for a player like, I dunno.... Eli Katoa?

No. We would not use him how Bellamy uses him. We need a player like Melbourne Storm