General Pick Your Team 2016 Rnd 9 - Warriors vs Dragons

[Jay M]

Going to try and pick a team... That will at least have a chance.

Assuming Lolohea and Mannering are out...

Wells (Fusitua did ok covering, but Wells is a fullback)
Fusitua (worked well with Ayshford on the right last week)
Ayshford
Kata
Manu (I really can't see him getting dropped so may as well face up to it and name him)
Hingano - may as well give him some experience in the top grade. Robson is the other option, but may as well develop for the future.
Shaun Johnson
Matulino
Leuluai (yep, moving him and demoting Luke - should add a bit more sting in the middle while he's on, plus give Luke a chance to run at a tired pack)
Vete
Thompson
Hoffman (I don't want to pick him but he is the captain and I'm being realistic here)
Lisone

Luke
Lillyman
Lane (to play prop off the bench spelling Matulino)
Lauititi (to sub Lisone at lock)

After the hiding yesterday, I expect most of them would want to atone for their lack of performance. So give them the chance. And make it VERY clear that if they play like that again any time this season - they're playing NSW Cup. Hopefully the demotion of Luke might motivate him and some of the others...

 

[Ruebs74]

I think it's the only way, personally. You look at JD saying that 'true fans show up regardless' (paraphrasing) and the whole Keep the Faith mantra which has permeated Warriors culture.

Koni just retweeted this:

I'm not saying there's a right or wrong, fans have the right to do as they choose, it's their time and their money. I just could not disagree more with the ideal of showing up and backing the boys regardless of the performances they put in. It's a 2 way street, so while the club isn't putting, neither will I.

konny should be looking for another club, and when he does he'll run over our shit backline like they're corner flags......
You have summed up how i feel to mate, living in Australia i put up with shit from my aussie mates. ...... honestly now they just feel sorry for me lol......
The issues with this Club are innumerable and the rot set in after Cleary left......
This hypothetical came up in conversation at it was this: Your son is offered a 500000 contract with the Warriors or 250000 with Melbourne ,bulldogs, Brisbane, Cowboys. ..
its a no brainer..... send your son ANYWHERE but the Warriors. ...... the culture there will poison anyone who goes across........
2002-2003 was so very long ago....

 

[Warriors95]

1. Wells
2. Fusitua
3. Ayshford
4. Kata
5. Vatuvei
6. Leuluai
7. Johnson
8. Lillyman
9. Luke
10. Matulino
11. Thompson
12. Hoffman
13. Mannering/Sao

14. Sao/Tevaga
15. Lane
16. Vete
17. Gavet

I want to name Konrad but Ayshford and Kata have been our best this year.

 

[ryno]

Thinking outside the box but can a coach drop himself to reserve grade for a couple of weeks?

Then we can see what would happen without Cappy there, if we win then Cappy stays in NSW cup and if we lose then Cappy can come back.

 

[Freddie Futler]

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Changes made for round nine

Utility Jazz Tevaga and props Albert Vete and James Gavet have been recalled while new signing Shaun Lane is set to make his Vodafone Warriors NRL debut in Sunday’s ninth-round clash against St George Illawarra at Mount Smart Stadium (2.00pm kick-off; match day sponsor: Flava).

Rookie hooker-back rower Tevaga will make his fourth appearance after being used in earlier matches against Melbourne, Newcastle and the Sydney Roosters while Vete returns on a five-man bench after missing the last two rounds.

Joining them on an extended bench are Gavet – used in the first three rounds of the season – and Lane, who turned out for the club’s Intrust Super Premiership side in wins over North Sydney and Newcastle. The 198cm back rower was in Melbourne as 18th man for last night’s 0-42 Anzac Day loss to the Storm.

The 22-year-old former Bulldogs forward is set to become Vodafone Warrior #211 in this week’s clash.

After losing first-choice fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with a season-ending injury in the win over the Bulldogs, the Vodafone Warriors are now without his replacement Tuimoala Lolohea, who was forced off the field with a minor knee after only 26 minutes last night.

Lolohea is expected to be out for up to two weeks meaning David Fusitua will become the Vodafone Warriors’ third different starting fullback in as many games.

Also ruled out is loose forward Simon Mannering who is expected to be sidelined for one or two weeks. He was forced out of last night’s clash with an ugly facial wound; he had his lip stitched back together by a plastic surgeon in Melbourne last night.

VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
2pm, Sunday, May 1

Vodafone Warriors
1 David Fusitua
2 Jonathan Wright
3 Blake Ayshford
4 Solomone Kata
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Thomas Leuluai
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Jacob Lillyman
9 Issac Luke
10 Ben Matulino
11 Bodene Thompson
12 Ryan Hoffman (c)
13 Charlie Gubb

Interchange
14 Jazz Tevaga
15 Sam Lisone
16 Albert Vete
17 Shaun Lane
18 James Gavet

 

[Freddie Futler]

Good to see a few changes but not enough IMHO

 

[Danpatmac]

meh

 

[ryno]

Hmmm not sold on Fusitua at the back, his positioning looked terrible.

Tevaga must be there to give Luke a couple of spells. Stoked to see Lane get a shot.

 

[Blain]

Pretty close to what I was thinking, Gubb to Lock will be interesting. Can't say he deserves it, but don't really have any options.

Still really difficult to believe Wright is currently a first choice winger, with Allwood, Maumalo and Well's lurking in the distance. He really adds nothing, and last week showed his defence has cracks (which I'm assuming why he was picked?).

The above is just re arranging the deck chairs on the Titantic to be fair.

 

[Slamminkiwi]

pretty disinterested really, main changes are through injury, shrugs shoulders!

 

[nzw]

wtf is up with this coach Lauititi has been doing well in the b team from the games I have seen but he puts Gubb in are they sleeping together or something

 

[Danpatmac]

this team is pretty much the same as the team that got hammered last night

the only changes really are the bench and they are mediocre at best

Dragons by 18

 

[tajhay]

Instead of doubling up, lets take all the team naming discussion to the following thread please:
https://www.nzwarriors.com/threads/nrl-2016-round-9-warriors-vs-dragons-team-list.48533/