General Your 2025 team

It's definitely going to be a very new look first team this year ... was thinking what a complete change while utilizing the current squad would entail ... you could try to go utterly defensive, forget about any flair or even balance and just shut other teams down... you'd want someone at the back fast enough and safe under high balls... stick a couple of bigger bodies in the centres, flanked by mobile and fit second rowers and a couple of powerful tacklers in the halves, shore the wing edges with two who could hold to the outside and make metres from the back and for the rest just go as solid defensively and as big as you can go... a side that could do that might look like this lol (not advocating for this at all btw):

1. TT
2. Berry
3. Capewell
4. CNK
5. RTS
6. TMM
7.CHT

8.JFH
9.Egan
10. Barnett
11. Ford
12. Laban
13. Clark

14 Walker
15 Vaimauga
16. Afoa
17. Ale
 
TT
RTS
Ali
CNK
DWZ
LM
TMM
JFH
Egan
Ford
Capewell
Halesima
Barnett

Walker
Clark
Prince
Lussick
MrFrankWhite said:
1. TT
2. DWZ
3. Ali
4. CNK
5. RTS
6. Metcalf
7. TMM

8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Ford
11. Capewell
12. Halasima
13. Ale

14. Clark
15. Vaimauga
16. Barnett
17. Niukore
Click to expand...
I think that's pretty much where I'm at as well for my 17 apart from no Walker. I'd have him on my bench and probably Niukore drops off. I think realistically there is 15 there we probably agree on and then you have Ford, Niukore, Ale, Lussick, Healy, Laban pushing for the other two spots. And that depends on whether we need bench hooker cover or if Clark can cover for 10-15 minutes to spell Egan
 
Noitall said:
www.nine.com.au

Burning questions facing Warriors after superstar exits

Coach under pressure in 2025
www.nine.com.au www.nine.com.au

Latest analysis of what they predict with the latest news of Tohu retiring
Click to expand...
It's cute but maddening that the aussie commentators all automatically put RTS at FB, as far as I can tell that's only because Brandy called a couple of games when he filled in there last season and he ran for over 300, (without really setting up an outside or being continual 1 on 1 threat) ... those ozzies, they love an individual story don't they? Simply so they can call a success off the back of a favourite... completely ignoring what is good for a team, or maximising other possible contributions... in other words they listen to their own spin a bit much without really looking at any particular team set-up, and that tendancy is only amplified when you've got sports media personaities wanting to promote their own individual schticks... not that RTS isn't a legitimate option at the back, howver we know that it is far from an automatic choice... I'd love to see Taine there as first pick myself
 
I'm still optimistic about this season. Have been rewatching some of games from last year (except the Gold Coast fiasco) and some the ones we lost we were close and unlucky (thinking DWZ not getting a penalty try for being tackled in the air against Sharks, Montoyos try overturned against Storm in Rd 2 despite inconclusive video evidence, Salmon's high tackle in front of the sticks against the dogs in the golden point game).

I so agree with the lazy Aussie media who seem to know F all about the club driving some odd off season rumours. RTS is not out best full back, yep he makes metres but he lacks ball playing skills. Better suited to wing. TMM I think got a try averaged as many try assists as he did games last year and is a more than capable half.

For me my team is
1. CNK - love the guy, all heart and underrated ball playing and quick play the balls are so important
2. DWZ - legend
3. Berry - so good on D and gets new elements to his game every year
4. Ali - genuine X factor - Pompey not far behind either centre if form drops
5. RtS - will be his best position
6. Metcalf for speed though CHT I feel is a better round 6
7. TMM - I think he is all class, pass selection, getting the team about the field, short kicking game - c'est magnifique
8. Barnett - El capitan - scare the refs into giving us a fair go
9. Egan when fit
10. JFH - he won't make Ads metres but will bring more aggression and will keep everyone honest
11. Niukore - just has more threat than our other second rowers
12. Ford - started off well last year but dropped off with errors and penalties but still a good player
13. Walker
14. Clark - Comes on at lock, like Clarks game a lot
15. Capewell, don't mind him and Niukore swapping in and out
16. Demitric - think when he gets game time we will all get erections from how good he is but will get swapped in and out with Leka, Laban throughout the season
17. Ale - he's got something good about him, Afoa not far behind for all his effort areas
 
doeeyedwarrior said:
I'm still optimistic about this season. Have been rewatching some of games from last year (except the Gold Coast fiasco) and some the ones we lost we were close and unlucky (thinking DWZ not getting a penalty try for being tackled in the air against Sharks, Montoyos try overturned against Storm in Rd 2 despite inconclusive video evidence, Salmon's high tackle in front of the sticks against the dogs in the golden point game).

I so agree with the lazy Aussie media who seem to know F all about the club driving some odd off season rumours. RTS is not out best full back, yep he makes metres but he lacks ball playing skills. Better suited to wing. TMM I think got a try averaged as many try assists as he did games last year and is a more than capable half.

For me my team is
1. CNK - love the guy, all heart and underrated ball playing and quick play the balls are so important
2. DWZ - legend
3. Berry - so good on D and gets new elements to his game every year
4. Ali - genuine X factor - Pompey not far behind either centre if form drops
5. RtS - will be his best position
6. Metcalf for speed though CHT I feel is a better round 6
7. TMM - I think he is all class, pass selection, getting the team about the field, short kicking game - c'est magnifique
8. Barnett - El capitan - scare the refs into giving us a fair go
9. Egan when fit
10. JFH - he won't make Ads metres but will bring more aggression and will keep everyone honest
11. Niukore - just has more threat than our other second rowers
12. Ford - started off well last year but dropped off with errors and penalties but still a good player
13. Walker
14. Clark - Comes on at lock, like Clarks game a lot
15. Capewell, don't mind him and Niukore swapping in and out
16. Demitric - think when he gets game time we will all get erections from how good he is but will get swapped in and out with Leka, Laban throughout the season
17. Ale - he's got something good about him, Afoa not far behind for all his effort areas
Click to expand...
I like your 17. Though I think in all likelihood the following will happen:

Swap TMM for Boyd
Capewell to start with Niukore to the bench
Maybe Clark to start with Walker to the bench
 
Personally I don’t like the Boyd selection at 7. I like the Boyd signing, but not his selection at 7, at least not on a first choice, then consistent basis………

Why?
1. The Titans didn’t seem all that upset about losing him…. Red flag.
2. Is he going to be here long term. Or is he getting his career back on track and in 2 years leaving. I don’t think he is.
3. Following on from 2, Is he that much better then TMM? Frankly no.

When you look at the Warriors 2025 season. What are we actually trying to achieve?

Winning it? That’s not going to happen.
Making the finals? Ok……. Unlikely
Development? Laying the foundations down for long term success.

I ask you. If selecting Metcalfe and Boyd are our Halves. And we get to the finals. You’d have to assume that Boyd and Metcalfe have improved…….
Can you hand on heart, same that both will be here in 2027? I can’t., I doubt it.

So if one leaves (heaven forbid both)…… now what? You just wasted a whole jersey for a season.
There’s no point (IMO) wasting valuable game time on a player (Boyd) who probably isn’t going to be here. Especially in a season where frankly we’re probably not going anywhere, especially not winning it.
Where as you can give TMM and CHT as much game time as possible with Metcalfe. Use 2025 to develop there skills and in 2026-27 you should be good.

Plus Boyd’s upside isn’t even that great. A decent long kicking game……

IMO, we have to stick with either TMM and CHT as one of our halves.
Or we genuinely need to sign Hughes or Brown. Preferably Hughes.

6. Metcalfe
7. TMM
Or
6. CHT
7. Metcalfe.

If Webby selects Metcalfe and Boyd. I’ll pretty much start to question his long term intentions. Is he here/building long term or building to……… Something (somewhere) else.
 
Tohu’s_Knees said:
Personally I don’t like the Boyd selection at 7. I like the Boyd signing, but not his selection at 7, at least not on a first choice, then consistent basis………

Why?
1. The Titans didn’t seem all that upset about losing him…. Red flag.
2. Is he going to be here long term. Or is he getting his career back on track and in 2 years leaving. I don’t think he is.
3. Following on from 2, Is he that much better then TMM? Frankly no.

When you look at the Warriors 2025 season. What are we actually trying to achieve?

Winning it? That’s not going to happen.
Making the finals? Ok……. Unlikely
Development? Laying the foundations down for long term success.

I ask you. If selecting Metcalfe and Boyd are our Halves. And we get to the finals. You’d have to assume that Boyd and Metcalfe have improved…….
Can you hand on heart, same that both will be here in 2027? I can’t., I doubt it.

So if one leaves (heaven forbid both)…… now what? You just wasted a whole jersey for a season.
There’s no point (IMO) wasting valuable game time on a player (Boyd) who probably isn’t going to be here. Especially in a season where frankly we’re probably not going anywhere, especially not winning it.
Where as you can give TMM and CHT as much game time as possible with Metcalfe. Use 2025 to develop there skills and in 2026-27 you should be good.

Plus Boyd’s upside isn’t even that great. A decent long kicking game……

IMO, we have to stick with either TMM and CHT as one of our halves.
Or we genuinely need to sign Hughes or Brown. Preferably Hughes.

6. Metcalfe
7. TMM
Or
6. CHT
7. Metcalfe.

If Webby selects Metcalfe and Boyd. I’ll pretty much start to question his long term intentions. Is he here/building long term or building to……… Something (somewhere) else.
Click to expand...
I disagree completely. If Boyd and Metcalf are the best option after pre-season then they get the nod. The goal is to win; development should always be a focus but not the priority.
 
Dantheman said:
I disagree completely. If Boyd and Metcalf are the best option after pre-season then they get the nod. The goal is to win; development should always be a focus but not the priority.
Click to expand...
Agreed, the goal is to win…. The whole thing.

When does “focus” and “priority” clash?
What do we do if/when one of Metcalfe or Boyd leave? Or both.
Is Boyd that much better than TMM?
When you consider that TMM will likely be here long term. And Boyd or Metcalfe won’t.

Are we going anywhere in 2025? I’d say no. So what are we wasting in developing our (permanent) halves combo.

Penrith had a few shit years before turning into the colossal they are now.
 
Tohu’s_Knees said:
Personally I don’t like the Boyd selection at 7. I like the Boyd signing, but not his selection at 7, at least not on a first choice, then consistent basis………

Why?
1. The Titans didn’t seem all that upset about losing him…. Red flag.
2. Is he going to be here long term. Or is he getting his career back on track and in 2 years leaving. I don’t think he is.
3. Following on from 2, Is he that much better then TMM? Frankly no.

When you look at the Warriors 2025 season. What are we actually trying to achieve?

Winning it? That’s not going to happen.
Making the finals? Ok……. Unlikely
Development? Laying the foundations down for long term success.

I ask you. If selecting Metcalfe and Boyd are our Halves. And we get to the finals. You’d have to assume that Boyd and Metcalfe have improved…….
Can you hand on heart, same that both will be here in 2027? I can’t., I doubt it.

So if one leaves (heaven forbid both)…… now what? You just wasted a whole jersey for a season.
There’s no point (IMO) wasting valuable game time on a player (Boyd) who probably isn’t going to be here. Especially in a season where frankly we’re probably not going anywhere, especially not winning it.
Where as you can give TMM and CHT as much game time as possible with Metcalfe. Use 2025 to develop there skills and in 2026-27 you should be good.

Plus Boyd’s upside isn’t even that great. A decent long kicking game……

IMO, we have to stick with either TMM and CHT as one of our halves.
Or we genuinely need to sign Hughes or Brown. Preferably Hughes.

6. Metcalfe
7. TMM
Or
6. CHT
7. Metcalfe.

If Webby selects Metcalfe and Boyd. I’ll pretty much start to question his long term intentions. Is he here/building long term or building to……… Something (somewhere) else.
Click to expand...
It's a money-ball signing, nothing more nothing less - smart in that it can't have cost much when there were few options and does supply cover in an area every team has to cover while talent is given time to develop... there is only up side to it in that if he does a Fogarty or even a Sexton (tho, I think we'll see his play bottom out again this year) you get to compete higher in the table than we might have otherwise.

It's really stretching it to think we have some nostradamus of hidden half-back talent and Boyd starts blooming here, but as everyone says these kind of organizing halfs only start performing above potential later in their career... Boyd has had only one full season (surprising but true), the rest of the time in the league he's been shifted around, demoted promoted etc. cos teh GC clearly did not know what they were doing in his position or with him particularly ... so there could be a greater upside there than just the place holder he was probably signed as

I'm with the thinking if he can get it, let him get it
 
Last edited:
Tohu’s_Knees said:
Personally I don’t like the Boyd selection at 7. I like the Boyd signing, but not his selection at 7, at least not on a first choice, then consistent basis………

Why?
1. The Titans didn’t seem all that upset about losing him…. Red flag.
2. Is he going to be here long term. Or is he getting his career back on track and in 2 years leaving. I don’t think he is.
3. Following on from 2, Is he that much better then TMM? Frankly no.

When you look at the Warriors 2025 season. What are we actually trying to achieve?

Winning it? That’s not going to happen.
Making the finals? Ok……. Unlikely
Development? Laying the foundations down for long term success.

I ask you. If selecting Metcalfe and Boyd are our Halves. And we get to the finals. You’d have to assume that Boyd and Metcalfe have improved…….
Can you hand on heart, same that both will be here in 2027? I can’t., I doubt it.

So if one leaves (heaven forbid both)…… now what? You just wasted a whole jersey for a season.
There’s no point (IMO) wasting valuable game time on a player (Boyd) who probably isn’t going to be here. Especially in a season where frankly we’re probably not going anywhere, especially not winning it.
Where as you can give TMM and CHT as much game time as possible with Metcalfe. Use 2025 to develop there skills and in 2026-27 you should be good.

Plus Boyd’s upside isn’t even that great. A decent long kicking game……

IMO, we have to stick with either TMM and CHT as one of our halves.
Or we genuinely need to sign Hughes or Brown. Preferably Hughes.

6. Metcalfe
7. TMM
Or
6. CHT
7. Metcalfe.

If Webby selects Metcalfe and Boyd. I’ll pretty much start to question his long term intentions. Is he here/building long term or building to……… Something (somewhere) else.
Click to expand...
I think Webbys intentions are clear with the signing.
He brought a player to compliment our existing running halves.
Boyd brings a long kicking game, goal kicking and can be that game manager half.
There is always that threat of him walking after 2 years but that gives time for Cleary and Hanson to develop or us finding a marquee signing.
in 2027 Martin turns 32 so I’m not sure he is a long term play either in that regard.
I believe this is a very smart decision from Webby, low risk if he doesn’t work out.
Considering both Martin and Metcalfs injury history it’s good to have another first grade tested half as well.
 
WA Warrior said:
I think Webbys intentions are clear with the signing.
He brought a player to compliment our existing running halves.
Boyd brings a long kicking game, goal kicking and can be that game manager half.
There is always that threat of him walking after 2 years but that gives time for Cleary and Hanson to develop or us finding a marquee signing.
in 2027 Martin turns 32 so I’m not sure he is a long term play either in that regard.
I believe this is a very smart decision from Webby, low risk if he doesn’t work out.
Considering both Martin and Metcalfs injury history it’s good to have another first grade tested half as well.
Click to expand...
I almost completely agree. I get all that……

I’d rather give the jersey to someone (TMM) who you can almost guarantee will be here who other than a long kicking game is just as good or a little better in some facets. I rather have TMM for 3-4 years. Than Boyd for 1-2.

If Boyd kicks on this year. I can see him getting one of those pesky “compassion grounds” releases for 2026.
You just wasted 25 games in the 6/7 jersey for nothing.

Yes Metcalfe can do that too, but you have to take risks in some places. A halves combo of Boyd and Metcalfe is pretty much a potential double whammy for not much upside IMO.
 
In terms of who plays Lock - I compiled this table.

Starting Percentage at Lock
LockStarting Games%
Clark
9​
61​
14.8%​
Barnett
51​
186​
27.4%​
Ale
6​
23​
26.1%​
Ford
15​
113​
13.3%​
Vaimauga
10​
19​
52.6%​
Walker
16​
184​
8.7%​


1) I don't see choosing Ale. Only 6 starts at Lock.
2) Barnett jumps out as the obvious choice with 51 starts at lock.
3) Clark only has 9 starts at Lock. I don't see them choosing him either.
4) 2nd and 3rd to Barnett are Ford and Walker. Maybe to both of them.
5) Vaimauga a smokey since although only 10 starts at lock, he has played 50% of his starts at Lock.
 
WA Warrior said:
I think Webbys intentions are clear with the signing.
He brought a player to compliment our existing running halves.
Boyd brings a long kicking game, goal kicking and can be that game manager half.
There is always that threat of him walking after 2 years but that gives time for Cleary and Hanson to develop or us finding a marquee signing.
in 2027 Martin turns 32 so I’m not sure he is a long term play either in that regard.
I believe this is a very smart decision from Webby, low risk if he doesn’t work out.
Considering both Martin and Metcalfs injury history it’s good to have another first grade tested half as well.
Click to expand...
I'm not too worried about the what if he leaves scenario. There is just as much chance that if Boyd does well that he stays longer. My view is that the team needs attacking threat, particularly in the halves. 2023 it was heavily reliant on SJ. In 2024 Metcalf looks to have really developed his passing game and balanced his run first approach from previously. Without TMM stepping in to 7 last year we were a real chance of finishing in tiger territory. I think those two are our best option - TMM at 7 and LM at 6. If Boyd is 7 then he is going to have to show an amazing improvement in attacking output that we haven't seen so far in his career or we change more to a grinding Raiders style of football.

For me, our best chance is firstly an improvement in defensive attitude. Secondly it's x factor and attacking threat which is why I have gone for those two halves, TT at fullback, Ali at centre and Halasima in the second row.
 
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