Pick Your Team Pick Your Team 2017 Rnd 3 - Warriors vs Bulldogs

[eudebrito]

What do you prefer? Try to match the oppositions strengths or play around them?

You know the bulldogs are route 1, straight up, no kicking game, clunky backline that only works occasionally cos their forwards put them in good positions.

Do you go double big wingers, a bigger bench, and try and fight them up the middle?

Or because you know conditions will be perfect, keep Lolohea and a running/passing dummy half on the bench, and play to your superior skill and quickness in the backs?

Either way, more needed out of props, and probably start Thompson, Bunty is a tackling machine, but he’s too blown out to offer a lot of running options for Johnson.

Cpt Rog should be okay, hopefully, its not like he’s had a lot of head knocks.

Good gauge for the team, beating the storm in an arm wrestle in the wet is probably a hopeless task for the kind of team we have.

Maybe they should lobby for a roof if auckland gets a new stadium, would suit the fancy boys seeing as we can't find big forwards for love nor money these days.

 

[Jordan G]

Close your eyes and hope for the best.

 

[warriors4eva]

I doubt Foran will be playing FG for at least a couple more weeks.

He is lacking match fitness so it wouldn't surprise me if he has a run with the reserves prior to make his FG debut.

aslong as he is playing by the time the titans come to town

that will be my first visit to mt smart this season haha..cant wait !!

 

[warriors4eva]

tui has to go !!
manu in the team
ayshford into the centres
Fusitua to the wing but a licence to roam on attack

after watching a few games this weekend our forwards are going to get beaten up alot this season

sipley should get a run, gavet too

i hope doyle is looking for some big line breaking forwards for 2018....our forwards scare no one

 

[Sup42]

What do you prefer? Try to match the oppositions strengths or play around them?

You know the bulldogs are route 1, straight up, no kicking game, clunky backline that only works occasionally cos their forwards put them in good positions.

Do you go double big wingers, a bigger bench, and try and fight them up the middle?

Or because you know conditions will be perfect, keep Lolohea and a running/passing dummy half on the bench, and play to your superior skill and quickness in the backs?

Either way, more needed out of props, and probably start Thompson, Bunty is a tackling machine, but he’s too blown out to offer a lot of running options for Johnson.

Cpt Rog should be okay, hopefully, its not like he’s had a lot of head knocks.

Good gauge for the team, beating the storm in an arm wrestle in the wet is probably a hopeless task for the kind of team we have.

Maybe they should lobby for a roof if auckland gets a new stadium, would suit the fancy boys seeing as we can't find big forwards for love nor money these days.

It's a good question

Like for like.....meet fire with fire....

Or stick to your fight style and bank on your Kungfu being superior when best practised.

I don't see how we can afford to pick teams based on the oppositions game plan.

We have no recent record of consistently good eighty minute performance in the early rounds.

In other words.....picking bespoke teams is a luxury that high flying.....top performing sports teams can entertain....teams with good winning culture....teams with superb depth....teams that have an entrenched winning template.

There are so many fundamentals missing here....before a Warrior coach puts name on paper

Kearney is stubborn....he very may well drop a Lolohea for two big Wingers....but it won't be because of the Dogs....it will be because he decides Manu and Ken are showing better commitment to Kearney's 'Club culture" and are capable of better all round consistency of performance.

As such....our weak edges....offer Kearney the type of nightmare....the type of lack of depth.....that is alien to his Kiwis experience.

Putting all these machinations aside....imagining that all things are equal.....I would run two Giant meter eating runners at the Dogs....

But like I say....I don't think Kearney has that luxury.....I think his first mandate....his first lore of Warrior transformation....is to sought out who among his players 'give a shit' swiftly followed by culling the rest.

That exercise will see 2017 a rocky road.

All going well 2018 Kearney gets to populate his club with player names that share the commitment.... and thereby offer real competition for spots....

Jim Doyle's recent rumblings worry me.....we might not be afforded a realistic time frame to see SK's appointment make a difference.

 

[Lord Gnome of Howick MBE]

Close your eyes and hope for the best.

 

[bruce]

i hope Doyle is looking for some big line breaking forwards for 2018....our forwards scare no one

Have a look at Mutts on YouTube. He used to and can again, we just need a clone machine.

 

[warriors4eva]

Have a look at Mutts on YouTube. He used to and can again, we just need a clone machine.

he hasnt been the same since they did away with the shoulder charge

mind you, better than what we currently have so i hope he is back soon.

 

[1995Warriorsfan]

Charlie Gubb has taken the early plea from Friday's #NRLWarriorsStorm and won't miss any game time.

 

[dean]

Charlie Gubb has taken the early plea from Friday's #NRLWarriorsStorm and won't miss any game time.

Thank God for that.

 

[Jwoodzy02]

What I should have said there is not such thing as a minor concussion, however some are more serious than others. If I recall the protocol was for at least a weeks stand down.

Oh ok, thanks

 

[Stylez Davis]

My team would have no tui and four fowards on the bench, wtf is with having a player on the bench if you're not going to use him

 

[Trugoy]

Jim Doyle's recent rumblings worry me.....we might not be afforded a realistic time frame to see SK's appointment make a difference.

Agreed and hoping like hell it won't be so.

 

[Maddog]

he hasnt been the same since they did away with the shoulder charge

mind you, better than what we currently have so i hope he is back soon.

Keep in mind, Mutts was named Club Player of the year in 2015. I could be wrong but I think the shoulder charge was banned the start of that season... He had a bad year by his standards last year but I'm predicting he'll be back!

 

[eudebrito]

Keep in mind, Mutts was named Club Player of the year in 2015. I could be wrong but I think the shoulder charge was banned the start of that season... He had a bad year by his standards last year but I'm predicting he'll be back!

He’s been good season, bad season, good season, bad season for a while now.

Bit of a worry when your relying on Gentle Ben Matulino to fire up your forward pack.

But he can be quality, if Mooks pulls good season Ben out of him, that could make the difference. If not, surely that’s the end of the line.

 

[CompletionRate]

Could you imagine if the club had a second row of Taukeiaho Mannering and Mutts. Then the 700k spent on Hoffman could've been used to snipe Bromwich and we could've had a decent front-row. If only the Elliot-Bell combo wasn't so retarded.

 

[Mr Brownstone]

Could you imagine if the club had a second row of Taukeiaho Mannering and Mutts. Then the 700k spent on Hoffman could've been used to snipe Bromwich and we could've had a decent front-row. If only the Elliot-Bell combo wasn't so retarded.

We'd have a very strong rehab-squad at present that's for sure!

 

[Sup42]

He’s been good season, bad season, good season, bad season for a while now.

If only the team could achieve a similar pattern....throw in an alternate good season.

Hardly lofty heights...but we keep hearing their is a mentality of mediocrity.

Going off on a tangent alert*

Solving the inconsistency of the team used to be the catch cry of analyst.

I don't think that rings true anymore. A clear pattern has emerged of poor starts....improvement when the competition has a weaker feel to it during rep season ( not always true on paper) yet we use the Origin crutch....then stumble at the finish.

Inconsistency ?

Bah Humbug.

Our flaw is transparent as air.

Mentally weak individuals, Mentally weak team.

Kearney needs time to build systems in our feeder sides.....he needs time to bring the right blokes into the top side.

That will take years.

Or if you subscribe to the ideal where coach solves a players problems.....eliminates individual flaws....then how does a coach solve inconsistent performance by individuals ?

Especially when effort and belief are at the core of the problem ?

In the real world a Boss gives under performers consequences....when effort is in question.

 

[jonno]

What are Gubbs points looking like ATM? He's copped 100 from this one.

If only the team could achieve a similar pattern....throw in an alternate good season.

Hardly lofty heights...but we keep hearing their is a mentality of mediocrity.

Going off on a tangent alert*

Solving the inconsistency of the team used to be the catch cry of analyst.

I don't think that rings true anymore. A clear pattern has emerged of poor starts....improvement when the competition has a weaker feel to it during rep season ( not always true on paper) yet we use the Origin crutch....then stumble at the finish.

Inconsistency ?

Bah Humbug.

Our flaw is transparent as air.

Mentally weak individuals, Mentally weak team.

Kearney needs time to build systems in our feeder sides.....he needs time to bring the right blokes into the top side.

That will take years.

Or if you subscribe to the ideal where coach solves a players problems.....eliminates individual flaws....then how does a coach solve inconsistent performance by individuals ?

Especially when effort and belief are at the core of the problem ?

In the real world a Boss gives under performers consequences....when effort is in question.

We already know this,but it's still a great idea.

Bellamy at the storme gets all his juniors on a building site labouring for two weeks before they move up to reserve grade. Kids can't just walse through on their tallent... they have to look good in a setting where side steps and offloads are completely irrellivent, or they aren't getting any game time.

That's a big factor in why he can roll a new team out and it plays just like the old team from day dot imo.

 

[Inruin]

Kearney needs time to build systems in our feeder sides.....he needs time to bring the right blokes into the top side.

That will take years.

This is what I have been saying for a few years now. Whether we have hired the right coaches or not in the past 5-6 seasons. None have really been allowed to implement real change. Elliot was the closest with his philosophy of getting all grades to play similar structures, pushing u20's up in to NSW cup earlier, etc

Every time we start with a new coach people want instant change, instant results. Reality is that every time we change coach it delays that 3-5 year building period required to make real change and drive real results. Effectively, we are in year 1 of the Kearney Era. If the club is genuine in its desire to be a regular top performing club then it must be accepted that there is a very real chance of more seasons of poor results on the field. I know that is hard to accept as a Warriors fan but it is what it is. Imagine being a knights fan. Imagine if that was happening here at the Warriors. There would be so much back lash from fans, media etc that the coach would be gone after round 6. But Nathan Brown is still there and he has put the proverbial broom through the place, dropping players, getting rid of their Manu equivalent, blooding a whole lot of juniors etc. If we started doing what the Knights have done at the same time we would have changed coach already, probably twice. And in a few years time we will be sitting here wondering how we can be as good as the Knights, because whether you believe it or not now, in a few years that team will be up there competing for the title.

The good news is that in spite of the coaching changes a few things have been implemented that will help us. All grades playing a similar structure, our juniors coming through, NSW cup being used better, we have a top class CEO, we have attracted some high caliber players in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Luke, Foran, Tohu Harris (regardless of what some may think of these players or how they have played since coming here), secured Mt smart for the immediate future, the upcoming introduction of Warriors SG ball and Harold Matthews teams ........

I think a top 8 finish is realistically achievable this season but it wouldn't surprise me to see us finish in the 9 - 12 range either. Many will see this as a failure, and I can see their rational for that. But if we want to be serious about a long term, sustainable, high performance future for the club then you also have to accept that a season or two of making the changes necessary needs to happen - regardless of the results on the field.

I hope Doyle, EW and Kearney can hold off the fans and media long enough to make it happen.