Pick Your Team Pick Your Team 2018 FINALS WEEK 1 - Panthers vs Warriors

[kheenanb]

Hopefully James the G man is recovered for next week, that's one rested forward from a bashed pack.

There are two reasons no one wanted Canberra as a pre finals opponent.

1. You probably lose
2. Those big fat bastards bash the shit out of you.

We overcame the losing part but our hull is leaking and the ships taking on water.

Reminds me of the first time we made the finals after a brutal game to draw with the storm round 26 in 2001. Best game the Warriors and Storm ever played.

We went on to lose our maiden final by fifty to Brian Smith's Eels.

None of these teams are as dangerous as a Brian Smith finals side.

Brian is in our corner now ( cant win a GF but the man can get you there).

Kearney and Corvo will dial down the training now. Last night was proof that a year of harsh fitness training has worked - the Warriors looked in a different category of fitness to the
Raiders....better able to defend turn over ball and pressure the best attacking side in the comp into making crucial errors in their finishing plays .

On the other hand we saw how the Raiders swarmed our right edge, Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris were heavily marked, Hiku was being tackled when he pulled off a hail Mary....proving how dangerous and difficult it is to stop those guys....even if you lock them down.

We are way more fluid with Green in any case, his injury is a blessing in disguise ( shout out to Mason is a little hero who has every right to play finals footy).

Our left looks very strong with Kata running a good line last night for a tremendous try.

Funny how they brought Ken in field to get some runs in attacking Red Zone sets...using passing players to give him turns at the ball....a week after getting his contract....he just needs to keep at it with Green giving him ball....he runs like a backrower.....give the kid enough ball he might pull out that nice side step he has....at the moment hes over engineered to play like a battering ram.

For all Jazz's flaws last night, the big Raiders were having trouble with him, our meters kicked up a gear and Luke was rolling nicely til he got coat hangered....Jazz gives us a counter effect feel when we are struggling...his use is so unorthodox

Spending a week resting without being flogged at training is enough to recover very fit athletes.

After last nights Horror period (in truth there was nearly eighty minutes of pressure) I.e. when it looked like we were going to lose our stand off and Hooker - Kearney will be a brave man not to carry a back on his bench this week....hope he holds his nerve.

The thing that stood out last night is that we were ready to counter punch with an attacking team, we went blow for blow and kept our nerve.

In the dying minutes I was talking to my kids saying ' they need to play Chess now ...close this out...get a repeat set'

Shaun Johnson stood up and steered that side to a finals like victory in a bloody mauling stoush ( you know shits heavy when players are busting sternums, lying smashed on all fours grabbing at their throats, unable to answer a trainer during an on field HIA)....I digress, Shaun Johnson took us home with an in goal repeat set.

Sure the Raiders pulled off the miracle plays of a drowning man...turn over scrum ball...one on one strips, flutey horrible kicks, but in the end the top eight team closed them out.

Its been a long time ( if ever) since we had a war with the Raiders where in the first battle we had to sniper them with two drop goals in the dying seconds, and then stand up to them when they came to our house seeking vengeance....in my living memory we always lose that 2nd battle.

Mentally I think the Warriors are ready, physically they are ready, it's now in the lap of the Gods as to whether injury toll stops our mission.

They know after last night if they fight to the death, no matter how imperfect their execution is, they have enough to hurt other teams.

Opposition coaches watching that game will be worried, those Warriors are hard to beat.

Well said

 

[AlexM]

Anyone know anything about Gavet?

 

[Run_it_str8]

Satae appears to need another off season in my opinionated opinion.

Or at least a dry track.

Or a session of running it hard and straight like Bunty and Iggy.

Or maybe lose 5kg and get faster.

 

[Run_it_str8]

So the idea of bringing back Gavet sounds more favourable than starting Bunty and Iggy.

Bunty on the bench sounds great.

Here's also hoping Holmes get butter fingers this weekend.

 

[Off The Bench]

If Mannering comes off the feild on his 300 th
Its serious ..This comp is a war of attrition an sometimes
Cruel .

Satae has played 10 games of NRL 1 st grade .
An not doing to bad..He's can do his job .an will be
A better player next game .A good cheap depth player
Who has potential an the attitude to go far .

But the raiders should have won that game
Hopefully its the wakeup call we need .
Its win at all cost from here on in .
An we are on a roll ..

 

[CompletionRate]

Funny how they brought Ken in field to get some runs in attacking Red Zone sets...using passing players to give him turns at the ball....a week after getting his contract....he just needs to keep at it with Green giving him ball....he runs like a backrower.....give the kid enough ball he might pull out that nice side step he has....at the moment hes over engineered to play like a battering ram.

I like this point and is something I picked up too. They bought Ken in to run outside in lines at Sam Williams to try and get a mismatch on the tryline. This I'm sure is something they'll be using Ken for in the Future. For arguments sake I say he's being under engineered as a battering ram on the wing not getting enough quality ball. Ken has a step on him for sure and a dude that big with some space infield would be an absolute weapon especially on goal line defenses.

re: Mannering; I think they'll play him off the bench. They've had the ready made second-row replacement developing all year in Papali'i. I think Blair will start at 13 and Mannering will come in late in the first half to shore up the middle against those fades just before half time. If Gavet is fit he has to start; has been really straightening his runs last few games causing damage with his leg drive.

 

[Sup42]

I like this point and is something I picked up too. They bought Ken in to run outside in lines at Sam Williams to try and get a mismatch on the tryline. This I'm sure is something they'll be using Ken for in the Future. For arguments sake I say he's being under engineered as a battering ram on the wing not getting enough quality ball. Ken has a step on him for sure and a dude that big with some space infield would be an absolute weapon especially on goal line defenses.

re: Mannering; I think they'll play him off the bench. They've had the ready made second-row replacement developing all year in Papali'i. I think Blair will start at 13 and Mannering will come in late in the first half to shore up the middle against those fades just before half time. If Gavet is fit he has to start; has been really straightening his runs last few games causing damage with his leg drive.

I'm imagining with Ken's new attacking runs, that when they have Pulu and Green back to that early season form, that Green could put Ken in half gaps....certainly they will have more options / ask more questions of the defence, Ken has a good pass on him


I really hope it works ( swapping Wingers and Centers for specific scenarios) how reassuring would it be if Pita and Fusitua could swap in defence as needed ? Pita tackles better side on....hes a bit scared front on...gets bounced too easy.

From the small sample size of one game with Hiku defending at wing he was great.

 

[Centurion]

Dude couldn't breath ( I've had multiple busted Ribs and rehabbed chest wall injuries lots ). They say sternum is worse.


It's not a good idea to play if it's broken, you cant fully expand your lungs. I recon the medics wont listen if he begs to play and it's not safe.

It also hurts to lift your arms which is why you saw Mannering raising his elbows in anguish trying to push thru.

He only lasted seconds on the field when he came back on....terrible.

Bro had broken ribs and damaged sternum cartilage and the latter was definitely worse. Affects the way you play big time more IMO.

 

[Centurion]

So the idea of bringing back Gavet sounds more favourable than starting Bunty and Iggy.

Bunty on the bench sounds great.

Here's also hoping Holmes get butter fingers this weekend.

Yeah because rotation is tried and tested so to speak. No sense in messing with that for these sudden death games.

 

[Fearmuss]

Bro had broken ribs and damaged sternum cartilage and the latter was definitely worse. Affects the way you play big time more IMO.

Had a sternum injury when I was a young buck, hurt to breath and felt like asthma, stayed on. Strapped it up with padding/armour for next weeks game... of course the impact is nowhere near elite RL. I reckon Manners would be 2-3 weeks.

 

[Stalefish540]

Had a sternum injury when I was a young buck, hurt to breath and felt like asthma, stayed on. Strapped it up with padding/armour for next weeks game... of course the impact is nowhere near elite RL. I reckon Manners would be 2-3 weeks.

Padding/armour/strapping and a needle, no chance mannering will miss next week. Guys play in the NRL with sternum injuries all the time.

 

[Run_it_str8]

Padding/armour/strapping and a needle, no chance mannering will miss next week. Guys play in the NRL with sternum injuries all the time.

It seems such a high risk compared to play on. A needle won't stop his lungs getting punctured etc.

I might be a tad dramatic but yeah I would imagine he would mentally be affected ala Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck after injuries.

 

[mrblonde]

Simon Mannering's so tough hypodermic needles need to have pain killing injections before they're used to give pain killing injections to Simon Mannering.

Same team except Lino out for Green, barring injuries.

Shaun spends the week kicking for goal. Simon goes nowhere near pysical contact.

 

[playdaball]

1; I hope that Gavet is fit as Satae not at required standard

2; Game is at ANZ ... awesome as will take away any Panthers home advantage. Let’s hope Expat Kiwis show their support by turning up in droves.

3; Surely Mannering won’t play as injury looked pretty serious?

4; Need Green at his best too

 

[Stalefish540]

Will be interesting to see if they go a 4 forward bench to cover a possible mid game Mannering breakdown, or 3 forward with Beale to cover the possible breakdown of Green with Hiku moving to 6.

Doubt we'll find out till final teamlists 1 hour prior.

 

[Gizzyfan]

Dude couldn't breath ( I've had multiple busted Ribs and rehabbed chest wall injuries lots ). They say sternum is worse.


It's not a good idea to play if it's broken, you cant fully expand your lungs. I recon the medics wont listen if he begs to play and it's not safe.

It also hurts to lift your arms which is why you saw Mannering raising his elbows in anguish trying to push thru.

He only lasted seconds on the field when he came back on....terrible.

After my bypass etc I wasnt allowed to use a broom vacuum cleaner or hang out washing. It is totally debilitating having the sternum compromised.

 

[Centurion]

1; I hope that Gavet is fit as Satae not at required standard

2; Game is at ANZ ... awesome as will take away any Panthers home advantage. Let’s hope Expat Kiwis show their support by turning up in droves.

3; Surely Mannering won’t play as injury looked pretty serious?

4; Need Green at his best too

Mannering on potentially his last game?

Painful as a sternum injury is, he'll take a needle for this one maybe?

No more pain after this season.

 

[love4thegame]

its a slippery game. panthers have always been a bogey team for us for as long as I remember (barring the last game)
Satae over lisone every day of the week if mannering is not there.

 

[Run_it_str8]

Ok. Time to get serious.

I believe our model for success is the 1st game vs the Dragons at Mt. Smart.

Come with that intensity and we can suffocate Baloney, Clear eyes, Kick cow, Cambull hyphen thingy and Mansore and all the other Pamfers.

Warriors by 4.

Fusitua to get two in the corner.
Karks to return and set the left edge on fire.
Paasi to lead with the power of the Lord Almighty.
Gavet to tie his hair up during every change of possession.
I can definitely feel a 40/20 by Karks.

Oh and no injuries for us.

 

[Evil_Mush]

Are we playing at same time as All Blacks? Bit stink not to get the casual bandwagoners on board. And for me to find a pub that will have Warriors on a decent sized screen with sound...