Pick Your Team Tigers v Warriors - [Round 4, 2025]

[Makasene]

Kinda worried our game plan isn’t sustainable.

Small pack outmuscling and outperforming to fatigue the opposition.

Seems a recipe for increased injury risk - like last year!

I can see a difference.

What wasn't sustainable was the helter skelter attack we were going with early last year. Not scoring and running ourselves ragged.

This seems a lot more controlled.

We are playing a bruising style but that just seems to be our DNA at the moment when you have JFH and Barny leading the way.

Storm have played this way for decades

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Kinda worried our game plan isn’t sustainable.

Small pack outmuscling and outperforming to fatigue the opposition.

Seems a recipe for increased injury risk - like last year!

I'm not sure I'd characterize us as a small pack. Maybe not the tallest or heaviest, but we are certainly up there in terms of intimidation factor, as the last 2 weeks have shown. We'll be holding our own physically in most games this year. Rugby league is an inherently physical game, if you don't front up physically, you're getting blown off the park no matter who you play. Injuries are a part of that, so I don't see how our game plan exposes us to any increasing injury risk relative to other sides. We just have to pray to the big fella upstairs that our luck will be better this year.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I'm not sure I'd characterize us as a small pack. Maybe not the tallest or heaviest, but we are certainly up there in terms of intimidation factor, as the last 2 weeks have shown. We'll be holding our own physically in most games this year. Rugby league is an inherently physical game, if you don't front up physically, you're getting blown off the park no matter who you play. Injuries are a part of that, so I don't see how our game plan exposes us to any increasing injury risk relative to other sides. We just have to pray to the big fella upstairs that our luck will be better this year.

Isn’t injury correlated to use?

If we’re hitting up more meters in attack and smashing out more tackles in defence; isn’t therr statistically more opportunity for injury?

Only the Rooster Raiders and Bulldogs did more tackles this round. Only 1 game this season has done more than our 2030 attacking meters.

We’re working bloody hard to get our wins…

 

[Makasene]

Isn’t injury correlated to use?

If we’re hitting up more meters in attack and smashing out more tackles in defence; isn’t therr statistically more opportunity for injury?

Only the Rooster Raiders and Bulldogs did more tackles this round. Only 1 game this season has done more than our 2030 attacking meters.

We’re working bloody hard to get our wins…

Definitely an interesting plotline.

I do agree with sydney that injuries are part of the game.

The fact we seem to be finishing strong would also suggest the gameplan is not as taxing as it might seem.

 

[kos]

I didn't want to be a grinch post game as it wasn't deserved.

I'll be honest and say I have no idea how CNK pulled out that statline.

The Try Assists to me are a bit dubious - never felt shovelling it along a backline is a try assist.

Crabbing a long in the 20 early getting smashed, shepherding a 40/20 over the sideline. I was cursing him the whole game but he managed to pull some good stuff out late - credit for that.

I guess my issue is he rarely looks to pass (which sounds silly as he got the try assists) but he is still in my eyes the most unthreatening starting fullback in the entire comp.

We are thin in the backs so I'm not suggesting he is moved just yet but the fact is he hasn't been re-signed, has more poor games than good and now you've got TMM commenting on his intagram about us wanting to keep him. Feels like something might be happening in the background.

TL/DR - CNK had a good game but I won't be sad to see the back of him.

Hang on/.You saying TMM said NZW looking to keep himself ie TMM or do you mean CNK?

 

[Makasene]

Hang on/.You saying TMM said NZW looking to keep himself ie TMM or do you mean CNK?

It's in here somewhere.

TMM commented on CNKs insta after the game "They will want to keep you now bro"

Something like that.

 

[kos]

It's in here somewhere.

TMM commented on CNKs insta after the game "They will want to keep you now bro"

Something like that.

Ok.
Cnk is strong defensively good under the high ball and run s the ball up strongly.
Who is going to replace those attributes?

 

[sup42]

Said it before but....

JFH is not anywhere near as good at line bending as AFB (I didn't say that so much, lots of others have, I do not disagree).

But the point of having JFH in our pack is that he and Barnett + Ford and Leka are fast props.

All those blokes have fast leg speed coz they're not big and heavy. They can maintain that leg speed longer than heavier props. So while they may not bend the line as much, or drag the tacklers along further....what they do achieve, is less time to rest for the defensive line before contact.

Each one of our props on his own barely makes a dent in the oppositions energy reserves on his own, the effect of their leg speed is minimal on individual defenders in individual tackles (AFB types on the other hand tax the tacklers a lot with one run) but our fast prop model speeds up our game which collectively burns out the entire opposition line - rather than just one section in the line based off big impacts.

Therefore it is vital for our style of game plan that we keep the ball in play as long as possible and use our fast props to run the opposition to death.

It is also important that the fittest of our fast props (obviously Barnett and JFH) play as long as possible because they are eighty minute options and therefore we need to keep their base fitness high for that contingency in games where we are forced to have them run the whole game.

As for Wiz worrying about more running and more contact = more risk of injury....you cannot take that negative mindset into contact sports - and where coaches and players worried about potential injury....teams like the Storm, and players like Cameron Smith would never have evolved.

The Warriors are achieving (ugly) wins atm because quite simply the opposition are tanking after having to run back ten meters quickly for eighty minutes more than anything.....

 

[Canonball]

It's in here somewhere.

TMM commented on CNKs insta after the game "They will want to keep you now bro"

Something like that.

Yeah, there a weird comment from TMM on CNK reposting a photo of him with his kids post game - it's so out of pocket that I tend to think it's to do with family matters and not the club ... but the context is everything, and of course don't know what's going on with CNK's family situation

 

[Makasene]

Ok.
Cnk is strong defensively good under the high ball and run s the ball up strongly.
Who is going to replace those attributes?

CNK is all heart.

It's admirable.

But we need more than that. We need a threat with ball in hand.

The outside back crisis helps CNK at the moment and he is playing for a contract but the way I see it, with everyone fit you need to choose between Taine or CNK at fullback.

It's an easy choice for me to go with Taine, who are you picking? You can only pick 1 and the other is out of the side.

 

[kos]

CNK is all heart.

It's admirable.

But we need more than that. We need a threat with ball in hand.

The outside back crisis helps CNK at the moment and he is playing for a contract but the way I see it, with everyone fit you need to choose between Taine or CNK at fullback.

It's an easy choice for me to go with Taine, who are you picking? You can only pick 1 and the other is out of the side.

Keep both. Taine might have some questions on defence and high ball and running the ball back tough.

He adds attack options a la Kini and Walsh.

I m sitting on the fence.

Your call cuddles.

 

[Makasene]

Keep both. Taine might have some questions on defence and high ball and running the ball back tough.

He adds attack options a la Kini and Walsh.

I m sitting on the fence.

Your call cuddles.

We extended Taine and not CNK.

So it will be interesting.

I will admit, Taine has struggled to keep on the field at fullback.

I guess where I'm at is we look like a 7th place team at the moment - not complaining.

Just really want to see some strike which could help lift us.

At the moment, you have Ali and that's it. (And then Taine if the ball finds his way to the wing but we know that is not a long-term solution)

 

[Noitall]

The Warriors are achieving (ugly) wins atm because quite simply the opposition are tanking after having to run back ten meters quickly for eighty minutes more than anything.....

I liked in the after match interview that Webster made reference to being happy where they are at this point of the season. You don’t want everything to click right from the start of the season and build with the length of the season. Storm probably one of the few teams that win round 1 every year and are there at the back end every year, but often have a lull mid season. Raiders have started too good too early I reckon, though manly sorted that out. Really happy where we are at the moment in terms of our form

 

[kos]

We extended Taine and not CNK.

So it will be interesting.

I will admit, Taine has struggled to keep on the field at fullback.

I guess where I'm at is we look like a 7th place team at the moment - not complaining.

Just really want to see some strike which could help lift us.

At the moment, you have Ali and that's it. (And then Taine if the ball finds his way to the wing but we know that is not a long-term solution)

Of course there is always TMM...
He played really well for Broncos at FB

 

[MrFrankWhite]

CNK is all heart.

It's admirable.

But we need more than that. We need a threat with ball in hand.

The outside back crisis helps CNK at the moment and he is playing for a contract but the way I see it, with everyone fit you need to choose between Taine or CNK at fullback.

It's an easy choice for me to go with Taine, who are you picking? You can only pick 1 and the other is out of the side.

It’s a question of when though. Taine isn’t ready for 25 rounds of carting the ball up the middle at fb. Hell this is the first season Taine isn’t getting injured on contact.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Just really want to see some strike which could help lift us.

Next year if we can start Leka & / or Demetric I think we will step up another gear.

 

[juju]

We extended Taine and not CNK.

So it will be interesting.

I will admit, Taine has struggled to keep on the field at fullback.

I guess where I'm at is we look like a 7th place team at the moment - not complaining.

Just really want to see some strike which could help lift us.

At the moment, you have Ali and that's it. (And then Taine if the ball finds his way to the wing but we know that is not a long-term solution)

Seems likely he was shoulder tapped that he might not being resigned.
His 2023 and R1 influence was diminishing.

Put in that sort of performance and got emotional. The prospect of no gig or changing clubs would be really unsettling.

TMM in a similar contractual situation and playing reggies would feel vulnerable too & makes an off hand comment.

Tricky for the club to keep these situations totally harmonious withe the playing group.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Have we heard any word on RTS yet?

Someone pointed out that we essentially have 1 game in the next 23 days, so if he's likely to be back for the next game after Tigers it might be better to simply give Berry one more week in Cup, have an out n out replacement for Roger for this game, before figuring out in the bye round what we're going to do with Berry and Ali and if there's any changes to the team.

This team has played really well them last 2 weeks and while we have some players knocking on the door of the first grade team, id be more than happy enough with us keeping the same team for the Tigers (with maybe MGT or Harper to come in for RTS). If RTS is out for a month or an extended period, maybe we bite the bullet now and do the old swappy swap

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Said it before but....

JFH is not anywhere near as good at line bending as AFB (I didn't say that so much, lots of others have, I do not disagree).

But the point of having JFH in our pack is that he and Barnett + Ford and Leka are fast props.

All those blokes have fast leg speed coz they're not big and heavy. They can maintain that leg speed longer than heavier props. So while they may not bend the line as much, or drag the tacklers along further....what they do achieve, is less time to rest for the defensive line before contact.

Each one of our props on his own barely makes a dent in the oppositions energy reserves on his own, the effect of their leg speed is minimal on individual defenders in individual tackles (AFB types on the other hand tax the tacklers a lot with one run) but our fast prop model speeds up our game which collectively burns out the entire opposition line - rather than just one section in the line based off big impacts.

Therefore it is vital for our style of game plan that we keep the ball in play as long as possible and use our fast props to run the opposition to death.

It is also important that the fittest of our fast props (obviously Barnett and JFH) play as long as possible because they are eighty minute options and therefore we need to keep their base fitness high for that contingency in games where we are forced to have them run the whole game.

As for Wiz worrying about more running and more contact = more risk of injury....you cannot take that negative mindset into contact sports - and where coaches and players worried about potential injury....teams like the Storm, and players like Cameron Smith would never have evolved.

The Warriors are achieving (ugly) wins atm because quite simply the opposition are tanking after having to run back ten meters quickly for eighty minutes more than anything.....

Good post.

I don’t think the worry in contact sport is injury. The worry is are we structurally set up for more injury and fatigue?

My concern is that last year we crashed and burned with injury and exhaustion with the same grinding style.

Perhaps that was unlucky… time will tell. Watching CNK doing super man efforts just seems set up for him to burn out like last year - regardless of injury.

 

[MXRecord]

This could be a real banana skin game. The Tigers have been looking decent.