Post Match NRL 2021 - Round 1 - Warriors vs Titans Post Match Discussion

[Sup42]

As regards the new rules and our forwards, I think it is hard to overstate the role of our Wings in keeping some gas in the big boys tanks.

Hiku was a man possessed, hope it continues.

The big Wing thing on the kick return of course goes back to Manu Vatuvie.

It worked really well to begin with, but eventually, all the other teams worked out that against the Warriors you put a specific talking team on Manu and that the runners after him were often small backs then some lazy small forwards who were living the Manu life.

Change that to the Kiwis, and Manu makes a charge, and then Martin Tapau hits it up next, and the Kiwis are on the half way and finish the set with the Kiwis scoring against the Kangaroos.

I have always wanted to see what some damaging props would look like running off that big wing first tackle against the Warriors (actually usually tackle two, the fb usually runs the first one).

Tackle two is the hardest run in League, It is the run when the defence has set itself and is fresh, and is targeting tackle two to dictate what the momentum of the rest of the set looks like.

As long as Ken keeps drawing in defenders, and not getting dominated in the tackle, it sets up everything that comes after.

Over the long game, (I know this is obvious) but it has to wear sides down. Any team with an extra forward hit up, is going to wear sides down.

NRL teams have the cardio to do the work, the problem is the relentless big contact, strength is being taxed.

Wresting big guys is harder than wrestling small guys. Physics 101.

Probably the most important staffer at our club right now is the conditioning guy. We have the size inbuilt, we just need the cardio and the agility work to be on point.

Ken will have his moments this year, he will get some dominance and go forward, he will work out that he is not carrying the team anymore, and like the others who have been carrying us (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Tohu Harris Harris) he will find his happy place.

 

[mt.wellington]

A wins a win. Always good to start the season off.

Impressed with most of our new signings. Was a dominant display by our pack. Addin Fonua-Blake is looking like the real deal. Easily our MoM. I cant remember the last time a forward outran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck?

Plenty to work on though.

Must be the heat getting to a few of them as there was a decent chunk of the team looking very fatigued out there.

Top of the list was Chanel Harris-Tavita. He was looking gassed at halftime. By the time he decided it was a good idea to trip someone up he was fully gone. That decision indicative of the type of brain farts one does under fatigue. Brownie is going to have to find a solution to this as we cant have our playmaker having to defend so much. As fantastic as his defence is its not his job and saps his energy. Whatever happened to sandwiching halves between minders?

While our middle is good Im shocked by how weak our edge defence is. There is a complete lack of communication and trust. No one seems to trust their inside man and even worse there is little cover in the way of sweepers. We are lucky we played a woeful Titans cause we will be sorely exposed in the upcoming rounds against the better teams if they dont get their system and attitudes right.

A lot has been made of our completion rate but thats not hard to do when 90% of your play is short balls with absolutely no shape whatsoever. No backdoor, no angle, no cutback, no inside ball, no decoy. Just a simple short ball . We'll see how effective this repetitious short play is against the Raiders and Roosters in Round 3 and 4. I wonder if it will crack the Storm in Round 7?

Maybe this the fabled Brownie back to basics style. In any case its not our year...

 

[Gizzyfan]

I think we need to remember this was the first competition game of the year in 32 degree heat, it was Chanel Harris-Tavita's first game so I think we can cut him some slack. Both sides were wilting in the heat.

What is it about Warrior Wingers drifting infield on D, if Fusitua had stayed wide Thompson was easy meat.

Still, good foundations to build on, it will not be any easier this week.

 

[john nick]

I think we need to remember this was the first competition game of the year in 32 degree heat, it was Chanel Harris-Tavita's first game so I think we can cut him some slack. Both sides were wilting in the heat.

What is it about Warrior Wingers drifting infield on D, if Fusitua had stayed wide Thompson was easy meat.

Still, good foundations to build on, it will not be any easier this week.

And man I thought Chanel Harris-Tavita was massive on D.Maybe doing too much and needs more protection

 

[wizards rage]

Over the long game, (I know this is obvious) but it has to wear sides down. Any team with an extra forward hit up, is going to wear sides down.

Our forwards should be fresher at the end as well when their defence is exhausted. That’s when we should be able to roll up late and have our haves cut them to pieces while they are backpedaling in the last 20 minutes...

Like Nikorima did for the last try!

 

[wizards rage]

And man I thought Chanel Harris-Tavita was massive on D.Maybe doing too much and needs more protection

Yea, not his job to put the hits on. Did it last year and we all cheered - then he got injured...

His job is to hide so he’s there to manage the attack and defend well if needed.

 

[john nick]

Our forwards should be fresher at the end as well when their defence is exhausted. That’s when we should be able to roll up late and have our haves cut them to pieces while they are backpedaling in the last 20 minutes...

Like Nikorima did for the last try!

Agreed and I think we could have a treasure in Turner. In his first/only game his stepping was sensational. Imagine him in the heat and tired forwards later in each half

 

[john nick]

As regards the new rules and our forwards, I think it is hard to overstate the role of our Wings in keeping some gas in the big boys tanks.

Hiku was a man possessed, hope it continues.

Yeah Gizzy a very important part as the big guys don't have to retire as far back

 

[john nick]

Yea, not his job to put the hits on. Did it last year and we all cheered - then he got injured...

His job is to hide so he’s there to manage the attack and defend well if needed.

Yeah mate I agree Needs the gas and concentration to attack and plan.Time to hold one's composure is very crucial

 

[HoRneT041]

Good point re Chanel Harris-Tavita’s injury. Beyond his defence I thought he was awful yesterday, however had forgotten about the injury so will refrain from further criticism at this point. However he must improve a lot because a lot of what he offered yesterday wasn’t good enough.

Those pop over the top kicks on the 5th, let the titans off the hook every time.

In contrast, I like how in a similar situations, Cleary will drive a low deep kick pinning the opposition at ther end and trying to force a mistake, it’s pressure football and unrelentingly!!

 

[Sup42]

A wins a win. Always good to start the season off.

Impressed with most of our new signings. Was a dominant display by our pack. Addin Fonua-Blake is looking like the real deal. Easily our MoM. I cant remember the last time a forward outran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck?

Plenty to work on though.

Must be the heat getting to a few of them as there was a decent chunk of the team looking very fatigued out there.

Top of the list was Chanel Harris-Tavita. He was looking gassed at halftime. By the time he decided it was a good idea to trip someone up he was fully gone. That decision indicative of the type of brain farts one does under fatigue. Brownie is going to have to find a solution to this as we cant have our playmaker having to defend so much. As fantastic as his defence is its not his job and saps his energy. Whatever happened to sandwiching halves between minders?

While our middle is good Im shocked by how weak our edge defence is. There is a complete lack of communication and trust. No one seems to trust their inside man and even worse there is little cover in the way of sweepers. We are lucky we played a woeful Titans cause we will be sorely exposed in the upcoming rounds against the better teams if they dont get their system and attitudes right.

A lot has been made of our completion rate but thats not hard to do when 90% of your play is short balls with absolutely no shape whatsoever. No backdoor, no angle, no cutback, no inside ball, no decoy. Just a simple short ball . We'll see how effective this repetitious short play is against the Raiders and Roosters in Round 3 and 4. I wonder if it will crack the Storm in Round 7?

Maybe this the fabled Brownie back to basics style. In any case its not our year...

Jarring reading.

I think like the fans the Warriors are focusing on their strengths.

Expect to see a game plan the same all year. The Warriors have arguably the most powerful middle runners (Plus Maumalo) in the NRL.

So they will run off short balls non stop all year.

They have never been consistent or any good at having forwards in motion. That may come, but it may well be a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Often times the Warriors forwards will try to second phase their way to wins, till the likes of Kearney and Cleary killed off that game, I think you will see that slowly creep back in a little, but the main focus will be Egan, quick clean shift to hard running forward over the advantage line. Next runner....

We have the team to smash at the middle, land endless heavy body shots.

We will use it, and bank on a combination of ptb dominance and the new rules to play us at the right part of the feild for the majority of contests....and I think that is how we make the eight.

It will be ugly compared to the flash boys, but it will be almost impossible to stop them enjoying a lot of territory.

Keeping it really simple should give them the start they need to the season, thereafter they can try to mix it up a bit, but for now I am really pleased they are playing a safe percentages game.

 

[Dunedin warrior]

I didn’t mind the way straight forward way we played given the conditions and the fact we lost a couple of our creative players in Egan and Sironen.

If we complete sets like that at the same intensity, we’ll beat the bottom 8 teams just by doing that. We’ll even give ourselves a chance against good teams if they play poorly.

However it’s obviously not going to be enough against good teams playing well, we are going to need a lot more cohesion on attack and far better last tackle options to do that. I’m not sure we have the cattle in the back line to make that happen.

I was thinking somewhere between 7-10th at the start of the season, I’m probably leaning towards 7th to 8th after Saturday’s performance. Given the fact that we have made the playoffs once in the last 10 years, that would be an achievement.

 

[Beastmode]

Plenty to work on though.

While our middle is good Im shocked by how weak our edge defence is. There is a complete lack of communication and trust. No one seems to trust their inside man and even worse there is little cover in the way of sweepers. We are lucky we played a woeful Titans cause we will be sorely exposed in the upcoming rounds against the better teams if they dont get their system and attitudes right.

Maybe this the fabled Brownie back to basics style. In any case its not our year...

Yeap, you’re right.

Even though we won by +12

We’re fucked.

 

[Sup42]

Two things about that game.

David Fafita was hospitalized with a virus, so we got lucky there, they deferred to running Side show Bob instead.

Also, the Titans won a lot of games towards the end of the season by shifting wide early.

That would have really troubled us.

But hey, we did the opposite, we played to our strengths and bush crashed our way to a win,

Stick to your strengths. Well done Brownie.

 

[snake77]

Had to laugh at the post match interviews. We sounded like an under 17s team. The plan was to get to the other end of the field through our big boys. I was expecting and then we can work off that instead we got so the big boys can barge over.

It wasn't flash but it go two competition points.

 

[Fonzie]

Had to laugh at the post match interviews. We sounded like an under 17s team. The plan was to get to the other end of the field through our big boys. I was expecting and then we can work off that instead we got so the big boys can barge over.

It wasn't flash but it go two competition points.

Yeah it was a bit concerning I hope they have higher ambitions as the season rolls on

 

[6Again]

I must be the only one who heard Brownie talking about the recognition of us not yet firing on attack like the Storm and Roosters etc, those sides that have embedded combinations.

Keeping things tight was a measure of our limited preseason and where we are in terms of our own combinations. I thought it was a smart game plan.

Was able to watch every game in the round, plenty of sides were throwing the ball around and came unstuck with errors that ultimately cost them, We managed not to do that.

Our attack will grow as our combinations grow, it’s only natural - too early to be jumping the gun.

Are we really thinking this is one out game model is set in stone for the season?? go back to the indicators what do they tell us about where we are currently as a Team.

 

[Rick O'Shay]

I must be the only one who heard Brownie talking about the recognition of us not yet firing on attack like the Storm and Roosters etc, those sides that have embedded combinations.

Keeping things tight was a measure of our limited preseason and where we are in terms of our own combinations. I thought it was a smart game plan.

Was able to watch every game in the round, plenty of sides were throwing the ball around and came unstuck with errors that ultimately cost them, We managed not to do that.

Our attack will grow as our combinations grow, it’s only natural - too early to be jumping the gun.

Are we really thinking this is one out game model is set in stone for the season?? go back to the indicators what do they tell us about where we are currently as a Team.

You're right. He wanted a simple gameplan which everyone understood and was easy to implement. He mentioned the lack of settled combinations and having so many new members in the side plus bringing back in the guys who hadn't played much last year.

Think we'll see some differences in the red zone once the combos gel.

We have a lot more options now

 

[Warrior#214]

This underscores that the first half of our game had a LOT of 6 agains.

——-

The Titans' loss to the Warriors was arguably the toughest of all games on the weekend, with so few stoppages in the first-half it took just 44 minutes to complete.

 

[gREVUS]

This underscores that the first half of our game had a LOT of 6 agains.

——-

The Titans' loss to the Warriors was arguably the toughest of all games on the weekend, with so few stoppages in the first-half it took just 44 minutes to complete.

note not the warriors win, but the titans loss. also ignores the drink break i think