Post Match Preseason 2025 Trial 1 - Warriors vs Sharks

[Beastmode]

He can't dent the line from wing, how is he going to do it against a line that's set?

i have no answer to this...
sorry Ed. i tried.

 

[Tragic]

i have no answer to this...
sorry Ed. i tried.

Celebrating. First argument i ever won on this site.

 

[Mr Drag]

Celebrating. First argument i ever won on this site.

That makes one of us!

 

[3rdstriker]

Not to sound too harsh, but it's going to be a long season.

We have no spine. It's as simple as that. They're backup first graders at best, and most would struggle to make any other side in the comp. Webby will trial multiple combinations of TMM, Metcalf, CHT, Boyd and then whoever is fit to play FB. But the reality of the situation is our spine is one of the worst in the comp. Outside backs similarly are woeful. Forwards are okay.

Points will be very hard to come by this year, hopefully he's instilled some defensive starch into them because that's the only way we're going to be competitive.

That sort of attitude is exactly what we need and was how we approached the 2023 season.

 

[3rdstriker]

LM isn’t a natural half. His timing is kinda clunky. Not smooth and natural like SJ. I don’t think he reads the play well ala SJ, Walker and Harris. Even TMM reads better. All comes with experience I guess

Remains to be seen if he can play week in and week out in the halves…

For a newbie though me and the commentators thought he played exceptionally well. I reckon bar anymore injuries he has a bright future in that position he said in his heart he wanted the number 7 jersey.

 

[Beastmode]

For a newbie though the me and the commentators thought he played exceptionally well. I reckon bar anymore injuries he has a bright future in that position he said in his heart he wanted the number 7 jersey.

at 25 hes not really a newbie . Jetty Cleary @ 19 - now thats a newbie
Unfortunate his whole career has been marred with injury (even before joining us).
A full season in the role (injury free) should do him a world of good.
Especially for his confidence if the critics can keep their pitch forks away

 

[Beastmode]

That makes one of us!

What happened to your face @Mr Drag ?
I guess its an improvement on your previous photo.. hahaha

 

[3rdstriker]

at 25 hes not really a newbie . Jetty Cleary @ 19 - now thats a newbie
Unfortunate his whole career has been marred with injury (even before joining us).
A full season in the role (injury free) should do him a world of good.
Especially for his confidence if the critics can keep their pitch forks away

Definitely, fingers crossed he gets a smoother run this season cause like you say time is ticking on his age.

 

[Dannevegas]

Our method needs to be whole team on every play. Runners in motion. Running the right lines. At the right time. And playmakers who can put the ball in the right place at that same right time.

Runners in motion forces defenders to make multiple decisions and there in lies the way through. My two cents on attacking play.

Yep. Want expecting much especially with our halves and with Kosi on a wing and then Dallin dropped early.

We got a pretty good pack, with good backups in most positions, Clark and Healey were good, JFH i am not worried about, Laban is solid and got some impact off the bench with dylan and Demitric Vaimauga.

LM went better than I expected at halfback, my hopes weren't high to be fair. I didn't think TMM was bad, just need more involvement. Everyone calling for Brown will find he is the same player as TMM but 3x the price.

Backs were ok without setting the world on fire, Ali is strong in the tackle, CNK a workhorse, TT got spark. Was impressed when the sharks made a break and we caught them, there is some speed there.

Niukore played himself out of a position, doesn't add anything that we can't get out of harder workers like Ford and Laban, Capewell be third pick given his slow starts.

Sure wasn't perfect but a decent hit out, saw some young uns with some class and I am actually not that unhappy overall.

Browns miles ahead of Martin. Not even close

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Coz he has zero punch through the line, less than Bunty so why bother, it wouldn't work.

I know most hate him. But he looked better & harder to put down than any other forward bar Demitric Vaimauga, Bunty & Barnett. Just kept losing the ball lol.

 

[Five&Last]

- Genuinely when are we releasing Kosi. Its actually comical how bad he is. We're clearly not going to re-sign him past this season. I know we are short on experienced wings at the moment but he's like 7th choice winger for me at the moment after DWZ, Rog, Pompey, Kali, Amituanai and Pasikala.

- Kali looked slick. Praying for an injury free season from him. Was playing center in the trial but I reckon he could get some real game time on the wing this year. Such a talent. Amituanai is one we need to keep as well, maybe him and Leiataua can reform their SG ball connection in first grade.

- Demitric looked aggressive as always. Im starting to warm to the idea of him starting at lock now as opposed to bench enforcer.
- Good minutes from Jett. Looks composed but still probably 3 years away imo.
- Taine is the best fullback at the club. But we know AW is never going to remove his son CNK from the number 1 jersey.

 

[PhilsySH35]

It's a rule i think needed some attention, last year was diabolical!

agree, however, I'm not sure what the huge problem is with our boys unable to ptb correctly, is it cos they think so little of this process, this is the most fundamental cornerstone of the game of rugby league, everything stems from this process, attack, defense etc, in the junior grades this is the most fundamental process hammered into the first time players, so at this level of the nrl it should be muscle memory now, then I see nrl veterans not putting their boot on the ball wtf!!!! this is what you call an unforced error. if you cannot ptb properly then you do not take this beautiful game of ours seriously, then maybe you should go and play the game of rugby union, or perhaps question your commitment to this game as mentioned above everything flows from the ptb and all the great players are zoned in on the 1 percenters (ptb correctly and constantly train to improve), pretty obvious they are playing touch or their mind is somewhere else???. apologies for the long winded whinging, however not all doom and gloom, wish team got unforced errors out of their game.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

agree, however, I'm not sure what the huge problem is with our boys unable to ptb correctly, is it cos they think so little of this process, this is the most fundamental cornerstone of the game of rugby league, everything stems from this process, attack, defense etc, in the junior grades this is the most fundamental process hammered into the first time players, so at this level of the nrl it should be muscle memory now, then I see nrl veterans not putting their boot on the ball wtf!!!! this is what you call an unforced error. if you cannot ptb properly then you do not take this beautiful game of ours seriously, then maybe you should go and play the game of rugby union, or perhaps question your commitment to this game as mentioned above everything flows from the ptb and all the great players are zoned in on the 1 percenters (ptb correctly and constantly train to improve), pretty obvious they are playing touch or their mind is somewhere else???. apologies for the long winded whinging, however not all doom and gloom, wish team got unforced errors out of their game.

I also think the game needs to slow down a little.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Did it look like the play the balls were called by the bunker?

A slight delay sometimes.

If so, another way for them to call it based in the flow of the game… rather than with consistency.

 

[Damo]

Did it look like the play the balls were called by the bunker?

A slight delay sometimes.

If so, another way for them to call it based in the flow of the game… rather than with consistency.

Touchie a few times was my understanding.

 

[Wrighty]

Really interesting to hear Cronk's comments throughout the match on Metcalf playing halfback.

 

[Noitall]

Really interesting to hear Cronk's comments throughout the match on Metcalf playing halfback.

Thought that 40/20 was a good bit of confidence for him too. That kick that went too far a caught in goal I was nervous but he was fairly settled after that

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Did it look like the play the balls were called by the bunker?

A slight delay sometimes.

If so, another way for them to call it based in the flow of the game… rather than with consistency.

This won't be ruled consistently throughout the season, i think it's a waste of time unless it's blatantly obvious.

 

[Dantheman]

This won't be ruled consistently throughout the season, i think it's a waste of time unless it's blatantly obvious.

The change they made previously where you would be penalised for an incorrect play of the ball if you didn't have your feet planted was enough - this new rule is just over reaching and we all know it's not going to be officiated correctly.

 

[Inruin]

The change they made previously where you would be penalised for an incorrect play of the ball if you didn't have your feet planted was enough - this new rule is just over reaching and we all know it's not going to be officiated correctly.

It's not even new rules though. It's just officiating on existing rules and what they are going to pull up. It seriously shouldn't be that hard to get up and play the ball correctly with your foot and refs to be able to make calls in it. I'm tired of all of this tinkering to speed the game up for improved 'entertainment' far too many grey areas in the game as it is.