Team List [Round 4, 2023] - Warriors vs Bulldogs TEAM LIST

[Horriors2013]

Hmmm wondering where Curran sits right now - Sirro gets the nod as he can play hooker too, but once Barnett comes back you think he would fill Sirros spot, and with Jazz playing so well on the weekend and looking indispensable where does that leave Curran? I can't imagine he'd be happy as an 18th man.

Hopefully he works his arse off but again, really can't see where this leaves him

I wouldn't say Jazz is indispensable. I think picking this team week-to-week is about form. Curran offers more in attack. He runs an excellent line. But I reckon Jazz is only there to cover hooker. Once Egan is back, Curran might come back. A bench of Afoa, Ale, Walker, Curran or Jazz is exciting. Webster is going to have a hard time picking the team each week. Real competition.

 

[Horriors2013]

View attachment 51354

Game Day Guide: Home triple header and live acts on bill

Triple header and Luke Whaanga’s live performance of Ūkaipō headline first home game day of season at Mount Smart Stadium.

www.warriors.kiwi

Man I dreamed of this as a kid. Reserves and youth age. The last time we were this strong was 2011. Except this time we also have stability in the club. Signs are good we're staying in the top 4. And possibly GF.

 

[Warriorsitsouryear]

View attachment 51354

Game Day Guide: Home triple header and live acts on bill

Triple header and Luke Whaanga’s live performance of Ūkaipō headline first home game day of season at Mount Smart Stadium.

www.warriors.kiwi

I'm coming up from Tauranga for this triple header! So pumped!

 

[Warriorsitsouryear]

I wouldn't say Jazz is indispensable. I think picking this team week-to-week is about form. Curran offers more in attack. He runs an excellent line. But I reckon Jazz is only there to cover hooker. Once Egan is back, Curran might come back. A bench of Afoa, Ale, Walker, Curran or Jazz is exciting. Webster is going to have a hard time picking the team each week. Real competition.

It looks like Sironen is the back up dummy half as he did it in the last game with both Jazz and Walker on the field. Next option could be Walker then Jazz.

 

[Toookey]

I wouldn't say Jazz is indispensable. I think picking this team week-to-week is about form. Curran offers more in attack. He runs an excellent line. But I reckon Jazz is only there to cover hooker. Once Egan is back, Curran might come back. A bench of Afoa, Ale, Walker, Curran or Jazz is exciting. Webster is going to have a hard time picking the team each week. Real competition.

If Jazz plays like that week in week out there's no way he won't be picked. He was an absolute beast. Actually didn't play much hooker, same as Walker (although they did get to dummy half occasionally).

At the end of the day, competition is good for spots and the culture is looking great within the club. If (and it's a big if) someone like Curran has been on the outer for 8+ weeks and hasn't played much first grade I can imagine a few other teams could start enquiring about his services...

 

[pompower]

Feel like this is the type of test we need after a statement win against a top side from last year who are flailing a little this term.

The Bulldogs are in a similar position to us this year in that they've been in the wilderness for a while now, but they've now appointed someone with the expectation that he will take them forward long-term. Ciraldo is starting with worse raw materials than Webster (imo their squad is pretty poor) but they are going through a proper rebuild and they're recruiting aggressively for 2024. They clearly have a plan and on paper, results this season have already seen an upward turn.

Player for player I think we are easily the better team, and I think we have the edge when it comes to grit as well. If we play like we did against the Cowboys, we should blow them away. Their win against the Storm was very impressive, but they got towelled up by Manly and nearly threw it away against the Tigers, who are dreadful. Still though, gotta watch out for Burton and their left edge can hurt us -- as impressive as Shaun was last weekend, I don't think we want Kikau squaring up Johnson 1v1 too often.

Very telling how we perform without Egan. It's a vital position and he's been one of our best over the three rounds. I like what I've seen from Webster so far but if he can get a song out of Lussick, who I thought showed last season that he simply isn't NRL standard, then I'll become a devout believer. Sironen over Curran is an interesting choice especially as Sironen filled in at 9 last weekend; curious to see whether that sticks come game day.

Nobody thought we'd win the last two games, but we've come out with 1 win and 1 loss that we maybe should've made more of. This is a game we should win. How we react to that shift in expectation is the difference between us challenging for the 8 and being a genuine top 4 contender.

 

[Inruin]

Tricky game for us this one.

Trip to Townsville may have taken a bit out of us but we do have until Sunday for recovery.

Mitch Barnett and Egan are two massive losses for us.

On the plus side we are playing well, our attitude and defense looks good, we are returning to Mt Smart for the first time this season - hopefully Shaun Johnson doesn't get nervous with this!

Looking at the Dogs, they scored two long range tries from an intercept and a kick on their left edge and a third with a run away through the middle of the ruck of a pretty woeful Tigers side.

I hope we are kicking more to the Dogs right edge during the game and the other piece would be not over committing in the chase. Need to have 1 or 2 putting pressure on and contesting when we can and someone holding slightly back to cover. Cant have both Kosi and Pompey trying to go for the ball and no one in behind them for example.

If we turn up like we have the last few games and last week in particular we should be too good. Hoping this isn't the week where our standards slip.

 

[Sup42]

Have to say that I am not blown away by Niukore in a Warriors jumper.

I wouldn't rate his contribution in the top five of our forwards.

Not always a bad thing, I know he has only had three games and his role is limited so far, the timing running off Johnson is off, but that is not new either, all forwards have a bit of trouble working it out with Johnson.

He is more likely than not to find a big role for us so I am not down on the guy.

He can hit hard and that always helps stopping our pack being treated like bitches.

 

[Mr Frank White]

Have to say that I am not blown away by Niukore in a Warriors jumper.

I wouldn't rate his contribution in the top five of our forwards.

Not always a bad thing, I know he has only had three games and his role is limited so far, the timing running off Johnson is off, but that is not new either, all forwards have a bit of trouble working it out with Johnson.

He is more likely than not to find a big role for us so I am not down on the guy.

He can hit hard and that always helps stopping our pack being treated like bitches.

Im loving his presence. Extremely physical on both sides of the ball.

 

[zaggo]

Not sure if there's a dedicated NSW Cup thread but James Gavet is named on the bench for this weekend - talk about a blast from the past, last I heard he was playing spot minutes for Richmond. Interesting they've given him a spot over an up and comer though.

 

[Warriorshopeful]

Excited to see how Ford goes, he did very well in the Knights game and was unfortunate he didn't get to play more than 2 mins against Roosters, he impressed me in the Knights game with some strong runs and tackle busts, also very strong in defence.

I think our team is ahead of the Bulldogs in terms of Cohesion and structure going off how we played against the Cowboys. They have a bit more X factor than us and their centre's Averillo and Alamoti were looking good against the Tigers but I think we'll be too strong at Mt Smart and boys should be putting in extra for Niukores 100th NRL game.

 

[Toookey]

Have to say that I am not blown away by Niukore in a Warriors jumper.

I wouldn't rate his contribution in the top five of our forwards.

Not always a bad thing, I know he has only had three games and his role is limited so far, the timing running off Johnson is off, but that is not new either, all forwards have a bit of trouble working it out with Johnson.

He is more likely than not to find a big role for us so I am not down on the guy.

He can hit hard and that always helps stopping our pack being treated like bitches.

Wow very surprised by this.
He hits extremely hard, and seems as reliable as they come defense wise. Gives us a tough, no nonsense edge imo, something we've been lacking for a looooong time.

He's deffo not going to be an attacking powerhouse a la Kikau or Papalii, but I'm absolutely loving his work and think he's been fantastic.

Runs the ball hard af, and runs some really nice lines too. No errors, and only 4 missed tackles ATM. He strikes me as a player that is well respected by his team mates and the kind of guy you want to go in to battle with.

 

[john nick]

Have to say that I am not blown away by Niukore in a Warriors jumper.

I wouldn't rate his contribution in the top five of our forwards.

Not always a bad thing, I know he has only had three games and his role is limited so far, the timing running off Johnson is off, but that is not new either, all forwards have a bit of trouble working it out with Johnson.

He is more likely than not to find a big role for us so I am not down on the guy.

He can hit hard and that always helps stopping our pack being treated like bitches.

With Barnett missing this is his time to make a statement
For me I am looking forward to his battle with kikau

 

[Sup42]

Wow very surprised by this.
He hits extremely hard, and seems as reliable as they come defense wise. Gives us a tough, no nonsense edge imo, something we've been lacking for a looooong time.

Im loving his presence. Extremely physical on both sides of the ball.

Yeah I am not displeased. The pack has been on fire. I thought he looks a bit flat footed at times/stuck in the mud, but that can be an illusion in the overall context if you look too closely at anyone.

 

[Mr Frank White]

One thing is certain, we all see the game very differently.

 

[Sup42]

One thing is certain, we all see the game very differently.

Yup, forum would be dead if we all did.

Also, wanting to see a little bit more from a player isn't the same thing as not liking them.

 

[Up the guttz]

Have to say that I am not blown away by Niukore in a Warriors jumper.

I wouldn't rate his contribution in the top five of our forwards.

Not always a bad thing, I know he has only had three games and his role is limited so far, the timing running off Johnson is off, but that is not new either, all forwards have a bit of trouble working it out with Johnson.

He is more likely than not to find a big role for us so I am not down on the guy.

He can hit hard and that always helps stopping our pack being treated like bitches.

He’s a point of difference for me and think he adds some real steel to the pack. Don’t think he’ll ever pump out workhorse stats but one of his hits can change the momentum of a game.

 

[wellyboy]

He’s a point of difference for me and think he adds some real steel to the pack. Don’t think he’ll ever pump out workhorse stats but one of his hits can change the momentum of a game.

Sounds like our enforcer

 

[Noitall]

NRL 2023: NZ Warriors 'not getting carried away' despite promising start to new season

"No one remembers the first three rounds at the end of the season," coach Andrew Webster said.

www.newshub.co.nz

Love to see this.

 

[Defence]

Was hoping max king was gonna be out for them- looked like he picked up decent injury last week.
They would’ve been stuffed without him- he’s the only decent prop they have left.
Hopefully he’s a bit underdone.