General YOUR 2023 WARRIORS TEAM

[Canonball]

If the Issac Liu rumours come to fruition, I am pretty stumped. I guess this would be it?

1. Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Watene-Zelezniak
3. Vailea
4. Niukore
5. Kosi
6. Martin
7. Johnson
8. Fonua-Blake
9. Egan
10. Liu
11. Curran
12. Barnett
13. Harris
14. Walker
15. Afoa
16. Ale
17. Tevaga

I cannot bring myself to not have Niukore, Curran, and Barnett starting, and the bench is light enough as is, let alone if you move Niukore to the back row (where he should be) and then move Curran to the bench.

I was really starting to like the idea of Barnett and AF-B starting in the front row, but Liu would really through a spanner in the works, not necessarily in a bad way though. Niukore would shore up the edge D a lot on whatever side he is on.

If correct that's an impressive looking side, with plenty of pressure for places coming from the reserves too... could be a great year eh, eh?

 

[warriorsfan92]

If the Issac Liu rumours come to fruition, I am pretty stumped. I guess this would be it?

1. Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Watene-Zelezniak
3. Vailea
4. Niukore
5. Kosi
6. Martin
7. Johnson
8. Fonua-Blake
9. Egan
10. Liu
11. Curran
12. Barnett
13. Harris
14. Walker
15. Afoa
16. Ale
17. Tevaga

I cannot bring myself to not have Niukore, Curran, and Barnett starting, and the bench is light enough as is, let alone if you move Niukore to the back row (where he should be) and then move Curran to the bench.

I was really starting to like the idea of Barnett and AF-B starting in the front row, but Liu would really through a spanner in the works, not necessarily in a bad way though. Niukore would shore up the edge D a lot on whatever side he is on.

Exactly the same team as you, except Montoya over Kosi. That pack is starting to shape up as high quality & good impact from the bench. Ale/afoa to fight over the last spot.

 

[Deano]

If the Issac Liu rumours come to fruition, I am pretty stumped. I guess this would be it?

1. Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Watene-Zelezniak
3. Vailea
4. Niukore
5. Kosi
6. Martin
7. Johnson
8. Fonua-Blake
9. Egan
10. Liu
11. Curran
12. Barnett
13. Harris
14. Walker
15. Afoa
16. Ale
17. Tevaga

I cannot bring myself to not have Niukore, Curran, and Barnett starting, and the bench is light enough as is, let alone if you move Niukore to the back row (where he should be) and then move Curran to the bench.

I was really starting to like the idea of Barnett and AF-B starting in the front row, but Liu would really through a spanner in the works, not necessarily in a bad way though. Niukore would shore up the edge D a lot on whatever side he is on.

I have the exact same side but Montoya starting on the wing. If we do sign Liu then we can push Niukore to centre so we have better edge D

 

[warriorsfan92]

I have the exact same side but Montoya starting on the wing. If we do sign Liu then we can push Niukore to centre so we have better edge D

Boom, exactly. I’d prefer niukore at edge but the reality is we have solid depth there, and centre is our glaring issue. Niukore can solve that. We don’t need game breaking centres, we need a solid defensive team.

 

[Dunedin warrior]

My concern with Niukore at centre, is that against top centres his lack of agility will be exposed.

Great option as cover for an injury in game but not sure I can see him starting too many games at centre.

 

[TheMorningEmu]

Exactly the same team as you, except Montoya over Kosi. That pack is starting to shape up as high quality & good impact from the bench. Ale/afoa to fight over the last spot.

I have the exact same side but Montoya starting on the wing. If we do sign Liu then we can push Niukore to centre so we have better edge D

I would be O.K. with Montoya, but with Kosi really getting into a rhythm coming down the stretch this past season and him probably being the long term option as it stands, and Montoya coming contract, I would just lean Kosi

Montoya shooting up out of the line all pisses me off like nothing else, so I would be fine with Montoya to start the year but if he defends like a numpty then he can go play reggies.

 

[Cces]

My concern with Niukore at centre, is that against top centres his lack of agility will be exposed.

Great option as cover for an injury in game but not sure I can see him starting too many games at centre.

Fully agree. Penisini showed him up in the test vs Tonga mid year. Granted that Niukore's predominant side at Parra was the right & in that test he played on the left though.
Looking through some NRL game highlights where he's played Centre (impressive 7W-2L record) he struggled to contain Olam & Bird in 2021 and this season, where he featured just once there, the Tigers picked him out to tie the score & went on to win the match from there. Stop gap Centre. We'll be best utilising his large salary (& frame) closer in

 

[Deano]

Fully agree. Penisini showed him up in the test vs Tonga mid year. Granted that Niukore's predominant side at Parra was the right & in that test he played on the left though.
Looking through some game highlights where he's played Centre (impressive 7W-2L record) he struggled to contain Olam & Bird in 2021 & this season, he featured just once there, the Tigers picked him out to tie the score & went on to win the match from there. Spot gap Centre. We're best utilising his large salary closer in

Who plays left centre then if Vailea likely gets the right hand side

 

[Ref]

Surely on his 2022 late season form Tom Ale is a certainty for the bench and ahead of Afoa in the pecking order.

 

[Ref]

Who plays left centre then if Vailea likely gets the right hand side

Berry, Pompey, Willame, Montoya or Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
I think any of them will be decent enough in the 2023 version of the Warriors as opposed to the circumstances we have had to endure the last three seasons.

 

[TheMorningEmu]

Fully agree. Penisini showed him up in the test vs Tonga mid year. Granted that Niukore's predominant side at Parra was the right & in that test he played on the left though.
Looking through some NRL game highlights where he's played Centre (impressive 7W-2L record) he struggled to contain Olam & Bird in 2021 and this season, where he featured just once there, the Tigers picked him out to tie the score & went on to win the match from there. Stop gap Centre. We'll be best utilising his large salary (& frame) closer in

Where would you fit Niukore in, with Barnett, Curran, Liu and Harris?
Liu or Niukore coming off the bench?

 

[Cces]

Who plays left centre then if Vailea likely gets the right hand side

That's where it gets tricky.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad played there at the RLWC but Webster has him earmarked for Fullback.
Vailea has actually played at least 3 of his 12 NRL games at left Centre & had that role in our final game of the season against Gold Coast where he scored his long range try off the scrum. Left side is also where he's played the majority of his reserve grade.
Pompey looks like he was in that spot in some photos of an edge vs edge session recently.
Wiliame featured at left Centre for the Dragons in 2021 (4W-2L) & bagged 3 tries in the position so could be a smokey.
Montoya had 4 games there this year too.

Anyones guess at this stage.

 

[Cces]

Where would you fit Niukore in, with Barnett, Curran, Liu and Harris?
Liu or Niukore coming off the bench?

Unless Curran has finally started to gel with Shaun Johnson this offseason I'd run Niukore out on the right edge. Liu to start at Prop.

 

[JaggedJ]

I strongly dislike any Niukore to centre teams, but do understand why people might want him there.

Tbh any side that has a combination of Niukore at centre, Kosi/Pompey in the starting team, and Lussick/Walker/Tevaga all on the bench is just a reminder that we're not quite there as a balanced squad yet.

 

[Cces]

Here some Te Maire Martin playmaking highlights from 2022. Some promising stuff from first receiver.

 

[Canonball]

Here some Te Maire Martin playmaking highlights from 2022. Some promising stuff from first receiver.

interesting and encouraging - most clips here are in at 2nd or third man, so probably wouldn't be as wide in a 5/8 set up but you'd hope Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (or metcalf...) is there or around to provide width as well - considering Webby's comments twl, the pictures fit the analysis

 

[Waipiro]

Where would you fit Niukore in, with Barnett, Curran, Liu and Harris?
Liu or Niukore coming off the bench?

prop

 

[Waipiro]

I'd be happy with this foward pack rd 1.....although i could see Barnett and Niukore swapped around too.

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Egan
10. Niukore
11. Curran
12. Barnett
13. Harris

Bench
14. Walker
15. Ale
16. Tevaga
17. Ford

 

[Canonball]

interesting and encouraging - most clips here are in at 2nd or third man, so probably wouldn't be as wide in a 5/8 set up but you'd hope Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (or metcalf...) is there or around to provide width as well - considering Webby's comments twl, the pictures fit the analysis

Can also see a lot of opportunities developing in behind the ruck with a set up like this - the fast mobile centre forwards webby discussed

 

[Dannevegas]

Would love to see this team. Pace and X factor in the back 3, good mix at centre. Only thing in the forwards is Tohu Harris Harris on an edge, he’s a beast at lock but thinking back to 2018 Harris and Johnson were an unreal combo on the edge.
I think a middle of Blake, Liu and Tevaga can pick up the slack with Walker coming on to play 13 as well.

Luke Metcalf
Charnze Nicoll-klokstad
Viliame Vailea
Marata Niukore
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Te-Maire Martin
Shaun Johnson
Issac Liu
Wade Egan
Addin Fonua-Blake
Josh Curran
Tohu Harris Harris
Jazz Tevaga

Freddie Lussick
Mitch Barnett
Tom Ale
Dylan Walker