General NZWarriors.com Player of the Year

[tajhay]

As voted by the people on here, the player of the year is Jacob Lillyman, by quite a margin.

Average ratings of all the players used by the Warriors in first grade are as follows:
Jacob Lillyman Average Rating : 7.1
Simon Mannering Average Rating : 6.8
Sam Tomkins Average Rating : 6.7
Konrad Hurrell Average Rating : 6.7
Ngani Laumape Average Rating : 6.6
Manu Vatuvei Average Rating : 6.5
Shaun Johnson Average Rating : 6.4
Sam Rapira Average Rating : 6.4
Ben Matulino Average Rating : 6.3
Ben Henry Average Rating : 6.3
Sebastine Ikahihifo Average Rating : 6.3
Dominique Peyroux Average Rating : 6.2
Sam Lousi Average Rating : 6.1
Chad Townsend Average Rating : 6.0
Nathan Friend Average Rating : 6.0
Suaia Matagi Average Rating : 6.0
Siliva Havili Average Rating : 5.8
Tuimoala Lolohea Average Rating : 5.7
Sione Lousi Average Rating : 5.6
David Fusitua Average Rating : 5.5
Jayson Bukuya Average Rating : 5.5
Kevin Locke Average Rating : 5.5
Glen Fisiiahi Average Rating : 5.4
Charlie Gubb Average Rating : 5.3
Thomas Leuluai Average Rating : 5.0
Feleti Mateo Average Rating : 4.9
Jerome Ropati Average Rating : 4.8
Dane Nielsen Average Rating : 4.6
John Palavi Average Rating : 3.9
Agnatius Paasi Average Rating : 3.8
Carlos Tuimavave Average Rating : 2.1

Jacob Lillyman and Sam Tomkins have tied at 5 apiece for the number of the Player of the Match.
Jacob Lillyman 5
Sam Tomkins 5
Simon Mannering 3
Manu Vatuvei 3
Ben Matulino 2
Konrad Hurrell 2
Shaun Johnson 2
Ben Henry 1
Suaia Matagi 1

Are the results similar to what you would have picked? Who has surprised/disappointed you the most?

 

[tajhay]

Biggest disappointment : Carlos Tuimavave, Dane Nielsen, Feleti Mateo, Sam Rapira, Suaia Matagi.
Biggest improvement : Ngani Laumape, Sebastine Ikahihifo.
Worst Recruit of 2014: Jayson Bukuya.
Best Recruit of 2014: Sam Tomkins (although below what my personal expectations were of him)

 

[Danpatmac]

Biggest disappointment : Carlos Tuimavave, Dane Nielsen, Feleti Mateo, Sam Rapira, Suaia Matagi.
Biggest improvement : Ngani Laumape, Sebastine Ikahihifo.
Worst Recruit of 2014: Jayson Bukuya.
Best Recruit of 2014: Sam Tomkins (although below what my personal expectations were of him)

agree mostly.

I think Sione has also improved markedly… but being average instead of shithouse ain't that impressive.

I still think Tuimavave has a future at fullback, just not here.

 

[tajhay]

And just on Sam Tomkins, he has his fair share of detractors (mostly on facebook where people do not think he is worth the salary he is on). Here are some of the Key Stats for him this year.
Sam Tomkins ranked 2nd in the team for Tries Scored (13)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Try Assists (12)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Errors (31)
Sam Tomkins ranked 6th in the team for Offloads (16)
Sam Tomkins ranked 3rd in the team for Linebreaks (11)
Sam Tomkins ranked 3rd in the team for Running Metres (2389)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Minutes Played (1819)

Imagine what this season would have been like without him.

 

[wallacenz]

And just on Sam Tomkins, he has his fair share of detractors (mostly on facebook where people do not think he is worth the salary he is on). Here are some of the Key Stats for him this year.
Sam Tomkins ranked 2nd in the team for Tries Scored (13)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Try Assists (12)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Errors (31)
Sam Tomkins ranked 6th in the team for Offloads (16)
Sam Tomkins ranked 3rd in the team for Linebreaks (11)
Sam Tomkins ranked 3rd in the team for Running Metres (2389)
Sam Tomkins ranked 1st in the team for Minutes Played (1819)

Imagine what this season would have been like without him.

We might have missed out on the finals

 

[eudebrito]

And just on Sam Tomkins, he has his fair share of detractors (mostly on facebook where people do not think he is worth the salary he is on). Here are some of the Key Stats for him this year.

Imagine what this season would have been like without him.

We would have stopped more tries and held onto the ball better?

I jest, i was happy with him. Once he stopped fumbling the high kicks. It will be very hard for him to reach the level of the best fullbacks, until he stops waving people through on one-on-ones.

Long season, Hurrell and Mannering had some good peaks, Johnson too, late season push from Vatuvei.

 

[mt.wellington]

The players Ive spoken to fully expect Bull to get the Player of the Year award. If so it would be cool to see how we have picked him as well. Biggest thing going for Jacob Lillyman is his consistency throughout the whole year. Thoroughly deserves it if he does get it...

 

[spjunior]

Manu Manu and Manu !!!

 

[rocketman]

There is no player of the year they are all shit in some way

 

[mt.wellington]

There is no player of the year they are all shit in some way

Get over it you miserable bastard. Its only a game...

 

[facefacts]

1. Tomkins....true class, kept fighting all the way when most around him turned it up.
2. Vatuvei.....he's not good at most of the things a winger should be good at, but the things he is good at, he did very very well this season...great effort.
3. Mannering..biggest ticker to ever play in a Warriors jersey, can never fault his effort every single game.

 

[Sup42]

I was pleased for the guys that made personal improvements this season.

Manu and his late season form.

Shaun Johnson and his much improved defence and Kicking game.

Sam Tomkins reminds me a lot of Mathew Ridges situation. When Ridge was announced I genuinely believed we would be top four ( mostly with missing a lot of goals in close games and poor tackling and handling at the back ).

It turns out yet again that very good / excellent players come to the Warriors and can't make an impact here.

Chad Townsend well done for giving us something to talk about.

Jason Bukuya what happened ?

 

[tajhay]

There is no player of the year they are all shit in some way

Would you be saying that had we qualified for the finals? Whilst everyone is disappointed at how we crumbled in such a crucial game, its fair to say that this team did give us some good performances too. Its grossly unfair to say that everyone is shit when the top 3 (Lillyman, Mannering and Tomkins) in particular have been giving it their all for most of the season. Would you rather we be entrenched at the bottom of the table so we can really say we are totally shit? No player goes out on the field to play like shit.

Also its in the 'in' thing to say get rid of some of the experienced players and replace them with rookies. But have a look at the average ratings. Most of the inexperienced players this year are at the bottom of the averages, with Sebastine and Sam Lousi (1 game) the only ones above an average of 6/10 per game.

 

[rocketman]

Its not just a game we are a Mostly NZ team playing in an Australian comp and every year those fuckers laugh at us. And every year we give them reason to and i fucken hate it

 

[stacky18]

Lillyman deserves it. Mannering and Manu also get honourable mentions.
Biggest let down: Matagi, Mateo and Matulino. Big expectations of all 3 and all 3 have been average to poor this year. Didn't see the energy and hard running that our top 3 showed all year.
Lillyman take a bow. Hard running and tackling all year. Showed us all what a prop is meant to do.

 

[Stone]

I personally think it says a lot about the current state of the Warriors, when a consistently solid prop, who simply does his core job adequately, but who IMO has no real X factor & would not, I hazard to guess, even feature in many punters Top 5 props in the NRL list, ends up taking out Player of the Year by a country mile points decision, as voted for by a forum where there are relatively knowledgeable contributors who actually know the game & not just a bunch of bandwagon fanboys/girls

If I had to pick a Player of the Year, I would go with Sam Tomkins, despite his defensive frailties & numerous errors at the back, this guy has consistently performed all season (as noted in tajhay's statistical breakdown) in a consistently under performing team, all while under a huge weight of pressure & expectation, from us the fans & media, that would have only increased after his & the teams below average start to the season, so for me he can hold his head up high
In saying that I personally do not think he is a top flight NRL fullback, as he is simply too small & prone to error to be a solid last line of defence & would IMO would be more effective in the halves, I also don't think he is, at this stage, worth the coin he is on when I directly compare him to other players on similar deals, but I am a tight bastard so ... lol

Honorable Mentions - Jacob Lillyman, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei

Most Improved - Ngani Laumape

Biggest disappointment for mine, Shaun Johnson, like it or not this kid is our current general, he has all the tools to not only do well, but also IMO absolutely dominate his position & become a genuine great of the game, but from my POV he simply coasts far too often (a common flaw in most of our domestically developed players unfortunately) & doesn't consistently dominate games the way all great playmakers should, I also don't buy this "he's still developing" crap, he's had long enough in the top grade now, to at the very least, understand the nuances involved towards being a consistent first grade performer (DCE came in at a similar time, look at his progress in comparasion & most of his team allegedly hates him lol, but he still performs) yet he still goes missing at crucial moments or even entire matches & for a player of his immense talent & influence, this simply isn't good enough, I would also throw Ben Matulino into a similar category, albeit for slightly different reasons

In saying that I do believe that once Johnson has some able lieutenants around him & hopefully, finally plays to his full potential (which includes realizing that, not only is he blisteringly quick, but he is also one of the more sizable players in his position in the competition, in other words, take the fucking line on more son lol) us wary & jaded Warriors fans will finally be able to celebrate our maiden premiership

20 years is a helluva long time to wait though

 

[Inruin]

Lillyman Player of the year easily. Mr Consistant this year.
Runners up Mannering and Tomkins
Biggest improvement Sebastine Ikahihifo


Interestingly, if we take the top 17 rated players this year you would get a team like this:
1. Sam Tomkins
2. Ngani Laumape
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Dominique Peyroux
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Chad Townsend
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Jacob Lillyman
9. Nathan Friend
10. Sam Rapira
11. Simon Mannering
12. Ben Henry
13. Sebastine Ikahihifo

14. Siliva Havili
15. Ben Matulino
16. Suaia Matagi
17. Sam Lousi

 

[surfin]

Lillyman Player of the year easily. Mr Consistant this year.
Runners up Mannering and Tomkins
Biggest improvement Sebastine Ikahihifo


Interestingly, if we take the top 17 rated players this year you would get a team like this:
1. Sam Tomkins
2. Ngani Laumape
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Dominique Peyroux
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Chad Townsend
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Jacob Lillyman
9. Nathan Friend
10. Sam Rapira
11. Simon Mannering
12. Ben Henry
13. Sebastine Ikahihifo

14. Siliva Havili
15. Ben Matulino
16. Suaia Matagi
17. Sam Lousi

I'm guessing I'm not the only one that is surprised that Havili is good enough to play hooker for the Kiwis, and have a pretty decent game, but isn't good enough to be a hooker in the Warriors. It kind of makes me think of a quote from John Lennon when a journalist made a statement that Ringo Starr was the best drummer in the world. Lennon said (insert scouse accent) " Ringos not even the best drummer in the Beatles." The Warriors are full of Ringo Starrs.

 

[Stone]

The Warriors are full of Ringo Starrs.

I kind of disagree, because at least Ringo Starr consistently played to his full potential & wasn't under any illusion that he was a John Lennon, Paul McCartney or George Harrison

As an aside, a Beatles song that comes to mind after this season ... I Should Have Known Better

 

[Inruin]

I kind of disagree, because at least Ringo Starr consistently played to his full potential & wasn't under any illusion that he was a John Lennon, Paul McCartney or George Harrison

As an aside, a Beatles song that comes to mind after this season ... I Should Have Known Better

and was in a winning team