Pick Your Team Warriors v Knights - [Round 8, 2025]

[Dannevegas]

Would this scenario involve Boyd playing on the left, and creating a new defensive combination out there, or Metcalf shifting sides and bedding in two entirely new edges?

I’d put Metcalf on the left he’s played there before and well, I don’t think it would be too much of a disruption. Just thinking what looks best long term.
Realistically with a better team last night we could’ve put 40 on them

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm sure CNK goes back to FB under Webby but part of me would be tempted to just swap him out with Kosi. TT was looking super dangerous through the middle. Could add another dimension to our clunky attack. At this point CNK's main contribution to the team are his running meters, rather than any distribution role in the attacking shape. He can do that from wing or center.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I have said this before in certain situations where form or injury or formidable opponents are before us.....

I do not much care who is named. I care that our team applies themselves to the highest standard and intensity for the entirety of the game and earns the right to go wide by getting front foot fast ball on attack. So less about who and more about how.

 

[Lance155]

I have said this before in certain situations where form or injury or formidable opponents are before us.....

I do not much care who is named. I care that our team applies themselves to the highest standard and intensity for the entirety of the game and earns the right to go wide by getting front foot fast ball on attack. So less about who and more about how.

And that especially counts for results. On paper we should have had absolutely no chance of winning last night.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Kosi or berry - big ed does not really deserve to be dropped, also gets Pompey off of the wing were he looks unconvincing.

I’m a sucker for a feel good story, could they give TSS 15 minutes off the bench in his hometown? Probably not.

NRL teams never rotate they just play everyone until they break down, but they could afford to give capewell or Niukore a week here or there. Laban looked keen.

with capewell no longer in the backline don’t need TMM on the bench

 

[Lance155]

Kosi or berry - big ed does not really deserve to be dropped, also gets Pompey off of the wing were he looks unconvincing.

I’m a sucker for a feel good story, could they give TSS 15 minutes off the bench in his hometown? Probably not.

NRL teams never rotate they just play everyone until they break down, but they could afford to give capewell or Niukore a week here or there. Laban looked keen.

with capewell no longer in the backline don’t need TMM on the bench

Kosi doesn't deserve to be dropped?! He never deserved to be there in the first place

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Unpopular opinion.

I'd drop Leka back to the bench. Capewell came good, and imo probably does those 1% that we don't see.
I thought a few times before Leka's try he looked to be impatient and on another occasion got carried away. He's young, and has a big career ahead of him, give him a few more starting opportunities this year but also, I really like the thought of him taking a good year to learn how best to use his frame against a tiring opposition off the bench. Let him focus on the minute to minute grind of NRL a little later.

To quote my boy Wrighty, "No flames please"

Nah I dig it. Plus at 19 he's still filling out. He'll be even more hard to handle next year.

 

[Noitall]

Kosi or berry - big ed does not really deserve to be dropped, also gets Pompey off of the wing were he looks unconvincing.

I’m a sucker for a feel good story, could they give TSS 15 minutes off the bench in his hometown? Probably not.

NRL teams never rotate they just play everyone until they break down, but they could afford to give capewell or Niukore a week here or there. Laban looked keen.

with capewell no longer in the backline don’t need TMM on the bench

Yeah good point on TSS being from Christchurch, would be massive for him. Berry was picked for form from nsw cup, but I thought there was nothing to justify him rejoining the team next week with the amount of points scored over his side against storm. Admittedly JFH injury had a bearing and Ford targeted, and Berry scoring a try but I think Pompey on the left centre has built good combinations with RTS/Kosi, and Leiataua to me looks more threatening on the right and has a good combination with Tuaupiki. Yet to see it with DWZ though and Berry has had the good combination with him, but you can’t leave Leiataua out either

 

[CWC]

We can get away with Berry as the knights looking shot right now

But with Metcalf still bombing half the right side attacks in the red zone especially in the first quarter we need players who can break lines on their own like Leka or Ali were doing and Berry isn’t that lol, he’s not really a creative playmaker either, or meter eater, Webby will stick with him but you get more value out of Pompey at centre than wing, Berry can play wing but then Kosi has better meters

In baseball you have catchers who only plays when certain pitchers are starting, Berry is like that with Dallin, Taine doesn’t have that corner dive in him

 

[run_it_str8_again]

We can get away with Berry as the knights looking shot right now

But with Metcalf still bombing half the right side attacks in the red zone especially in the first quarter we need players who can break lines on their own like Leka or Ali were doing and Berry isn’t that lol, he’s not really a creative playmaker either, or meter eater,

Berry's specialty as a centre is distributing to his wing. Running lines that Metcalf needs to get the ball to and kick chase.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Bounce back factor suddenly makes me nervous. That and the Anzac Day context. They'll be out firing and determined not to disgrace the memory of the diggers. We should expect a totally different Knights team next week.

 

[CWC]

Ha

 

[sydneywarrior92]

For what it's worth, the chatter on the Knights forum is that Tyson Gamble has a broken nose and is in doubt. Looks like Phoenix Crossland isn't in any serious doubt however. Schiller might also be in doubt.

 

[WHB]

Same team for me.
Will just bring Laban to start in the backrow and bring young Leka back to the bench.
The Impact he and Vaimanga bring is 2nd to none.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Gamble broke his nose apparently

 

[Cces]

Same team for me.
Will just bring Laban to start in the backrow

What's he done to deserve that? 8 appearances now and zero line breaks or tries

 

[sup42]

Tough game mentally after a big upset win.

Always hard to get the Warriors to show up two weeks in a row when they are coming off a high to then play a weaker opposition.

This is especially true of any club when injuries have hit so hard that your seventeen looks like a B side like the Wahs are running atm.

Still, if they pull it off (every reason to believe they can) they will certainly deserve their top four status.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

This is especially true of any club when injuries have hit so hard that your seventeen looks like a B side like the Wahs are running atm.

Shhhhhh.

The media think we’re just under performing. Let’s not give them any reasons to talk us up, eh?

 

[Sammyw]

Not getting the fixation with rushing Berry back in, I think it happens but I don’t get it. Really not a big Berry fan.
Pompey Left and Ali right is much better:
CNK
TT
Ali
Pompey
Kosi - he’s a bit average but man Pompey feels even worse on the wing lol

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Tough game mentally after a big upset win.

Always hard to get the Warriors to show up two weeks in a row when they are coming off a high to then play a weaker opposition.

This is especially true of any club when injuries have hit so hard that your seventeen looks like a B side like the Wahs are running atm.

Still, if they pull it off (every reason to believe they can) they will certainly deserve their top four status.

We did pretty well backing up against the chooks after the high of thumping Manly, a game that we were massive $3 underdogs to win, just like this game. Admittedly Manly ex-post have underperformed, but at the time many pundits were calling them premiership contenders after round 1. Our only two losses have been to other top 4 sides. So I'd suggest we deserve to be where we are.