Team List Raiders vs Warriors - [Round 1, 2025]

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I’ve had some pretty strong opinions in the lead up to this weekend. But at the end of the day. The boiz are the boiz.
And the team looks pretty strong.
Webby risking it with no Egan cover. I like it.
Perhaps due to the smaller field?

Can’t wait to see them in action.

 

[mrblonde]

Our roster is obviously not up to championship winning quality.
AW is struggling to find a compatible team because of the lack of talent.
Not much has changed here.
Only a total lift of attitude will save the season
Just my opinion

Go along with this.
On paper, in theory, this season is going to suck. And if it does that's on not just AW, but also to an extent on StJ and the management because bloody obviously ShJ was going to retire one day and what work was done to try and engineer internally the Next ShJ while he could oversee his apprentice? And short-term, yep, the Warriors would have failed anyway to a point just because of time and years of development and schools bias etc etc but that's in large part due to the lack of pathways planning. Whoever's most guilty there, let's not forget how average our pathways have been over the years.

No "from U17s to NRL" until 2024. We've only had a U19s team since 2023, really. It was knocked on the head in 2020, whatever role COVID played there. And the NSW Cup team has been at first not controlled by the Warriors and then, again, killed off.

No Coach signing or Director of Football signing, however amazing a combo we might get (incidentally, I can't see any two of WB, CB, RS or TR working together well for various reasons!) is going to make any Aussie player forget there's the Tasman Sea between the Warriors and home. And it's colder and smaller in New Zealand.

 

[Canonball]

Don’t rule out a last minute switcheroo of Healey on the bench (hopefully for Ford) and TMM for Pompey, they happen to be 18 and 19, Webby was obsessed with it last year

And Eddie is 20 (21) - someone who's the obvious 18th man of the replacements listed given versatility ... hope this happens frankly

 

[Stalefish540]

Don't think I would have picked anyone different that's available for the 17. A case could be made for Healey taking Leka's spot, but I guess they feel they have the shuffle available in the 17 to cover that if need be.

Ford is an easy pick in the middle. Gets through a tonne of work, and has a massive motor. I don't feel his hands are an issue in the middle at all, feel comfortable with him there. Guys like Vai, Leka, and Laban don't have the motor yet to continue to turn up and take a tough carry or tackle anything that moves.

They'll get there eventually, and their stints will utilise the upsides that they currently possess.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Is this team a fair reflection of both trials? I have to say yes.

Leka played his way in against the storm.

Tain on the wing, CHT at 6! Ford went okay against the storm. But we know what we will get with him.

Most unlucky would be Bunty Afoa and Sam Healey, although they could still make it, won't be far off some game time.

Let's go get it!

 

[WarriorsForever]

Looks to be two debuts for the raiders for Sunday’s game.

 

[3rdstriker]

Replace Ford with Laban and that’s a great bench

It'd be too fresh.

 

[3rdstriker]

Am I the only person not sold on metcalf as 7. Everyone seems to think he is the obvious choice for 7 when tmm is a better playmaker, has a superior short kicking game and a better defender, TMM and cht were awesome last year. The goal kicking seems to have really tainted people's view on what was a really good halves pairing. Mets could be the guy that everyone thinks but I'm just not so convinced...yet

Tmm is always out on a "rugged adventure" but yeah good to have depth there in some form.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Don't think I would have picked anyone different that's available for the 17. A case could be made for Healey taking Leka's spot, but I guess they feel they have the shuffle available in the 17 to cover that if need be.

Ford is an easy pick in the middle. Gets through a tonne of work, and has a massive motor. I don't feel his hands are an issue in the middle at all, feel comfortable with him there. Guys like Vai, Leka, and Laban don't have the motor yet to continue to turn up and take a tough carry or tackle anything that moves.

They'll get there eventually, and their stints will utilise the upsides that they currently possess.

Yeah Leka was spoken about by Bloke in a bar recently and his real quality was that he made a tackle. Got a burner on his shoulder. Had it identified by Melbourne and they ran at him on the next play. Leka "with shoulder pain" made the very next tackle one on one.

I only wrote the story because I suck at sharing tweets and Instagram things

 

[Stalefish540]

Yeah Leka was spoken about by Bloke in a bar recently and his real quality was that he made a tackle. Got a burner on his shoulder. Had it identified by Melbourne and they ran at him on the next play. Leka "with shoulder pain" made the very next tackle one on one.

I only wrote the story because I suck at sharing tweets and Instagram things

Definitely not saying they don't have the quality in them.

But there are tiers, and Ford is a tested and proven robot in that regard was more my point. He'll go 80mins if it really came down to it injury wise, so easy pick given the bench make up. Two steady seniors and two young bulls, it's a good bench.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Definitely not saying they don't have the quality in them.

But there are tiers, and Ford is a tested and proven robot in that regard was more my point. He'll go 80mins if it really came down to it injury wise, so easy pick given the bench make up. Two steady seniors and two young bulls, it's a good bench.

Roger that. The anticipation is building for game day

 

[Boats n Hoes]

TMM probably played himself out of the 6 jersey after that first trial (just seemed too content to take a back seat to Metcalf). Can still see him as a fullback option tho and ultimately that could be better for our attack. First in at 7 as well if Metcalf crash and burns.

Not totally sold on CHT as the answer either but at least he will get himself involved. He;s a bit inaccurate and may overplay his hand at times but will at least take some of the load off Luke and hopefully get that defence looking the other way. Looking forward to his and Ethan Strange match up......probably 2 of the more physical stand off's in the comp.

Like the bench. Have never been a fan of carrying a specialist hooker on the bench. Really hope Webby doesnt change it but i have a feeling he'll do his usual last minute shenanigans.

Anybody's game i think. Make sure we tick off all the usual KPIs (errors, tackles etc) and have a few guys standing up, no reason why it cant be winnable.

 

[Worried2Death]

Quite like the team, bit surprised Chanel got the nod, good luck to him. Thought Webby might have unlocked something with TMM at fb and Charnze centre, but signing Harper for OB cover might indicate that's not in the plans.
Glad we're playing the Raiders, we're quite evenly matched so hopefully a good contest on the big stage.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

For anyone going over for the game, have an awesome time and be vocal during the game! Please report back on the experience!

 

[Noitall]

Has the nsw cup team been announced and Laban is in it? Thought he would have gone over on the extended bench? Could be necessary to be carrying other positions on the extended bench

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Has the nsw cup team been announced and Laban is in it? Thought he would have gone over on the extended bench? Could be necessary to be carrying other positions on the extended bench

No they don't play until the 8th.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Quite like the team, bit surprised Chanel got the nod, good luck to him. Thought Webby might have unlocked something with TMM at fb and Charnze centre, but signing Harper for OB cover might indicate that's not in the plans.
Glad we're playing the Raiders, we're quite evenly matched so hopefully a good contest on the big stage.

I'm sure we'll see that line up at some point of the season

 

[Tonbridge(aka Swanley)]

I just think we're still too slow. I can see Canberra beating us easily.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I just think we're still too slow. I can see Canberra beating us easily.

Our speed will have to be ascendent at the tackle and play the ball. Speed up our ball and we'll be fast enough.

My concern is our defence.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Our speed will have to be ascendent at the tackle and play the ball. Speed up our ball and we'll be fast enough.

My concern is our defence.

Aside from Hazleton strolling through our middle 2 min in to our first trial, largely I think our defence has appeared solid.

We were great in 2023 defence wise, then fell off the boil in 2024. Surely, surely we've worked on that a while heap in the off season. If we haven't, well then it's going to be a long hear haha.

The TAB have us as decent favourites against the Raiders, so that's something