Player Rocco Berry
- Thread starter tajhay
- Start date
- Date of Birth
- May 17, 2001
- Birth Location
- Masterton, New Zealand
- Nationality
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Height (cm)
- 191 cm
- Weight (kg)
- 95 kg
- Position/s
- Centre
- Winger
- Nickname
- GOAT
- Warrior #
- 258
- NRL Debut Date
- Apr 5, 2021
- NRL Debut Details
- NRL 2021, Round 7, NZ Warriors Vs Melbourne Storm
- Warriors Debut Date
- Apr 5, 2021
- Warriors Debut Details
- NRL 2021, Round 7, Melbourne
- Warriors Years Active
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- College/s
- St. Patricks College
- Junior Club/s
- St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, Wellington (Rugby Union)
- Current Club
- New Zealand Warriors
- Status
- Active
- Rugby League Project
- https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/rocco-berry/summary.html
Not sure he means exactly '2 months' by that either - given he was asked several times and kinda just said 'short to medium term' - which is good news, 6 weeks i reckon
With the way that Pompey is playing, is it Leiataua vs Berry for the right Centre spot? Leiataua is due back from injury earlier than Berry and could lock it down. He played well there earlier in the season where as Berry was below his best.
I know both the Knights and Cowboys love attacking to their left but both teams, along with the Storm, did seem to deliberately target him defensively and he was exploited. On the surface a 90m offensive effort vs the Storm looks good but 26 of those were on kick returns once he shifted to Wing for the second half where he probably made the majority of those 90m
I know both the Knights and Cowboys love attacking to their left but both teams, along with the Storm, did seem to deliberately target him defensively and he was exploited. On the surface a 90m offensive effort vs the Storm looks good but 26 of those were on kick returns once he shifted to Wing for the second half where he probably made the majority of those 90m
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Judging by Ali's recent contract, I'd say the position is his
I have become more and more attached to our defensive players this year - well they are the reason we are in the top four and the club is looking like it knows where it wants to head for a shot at being a premiership hunting club in the coming years.
I have said it lots but I would have Pompey before any of our backs outside the halves. I would have Pompey ahead of many of the top centers in the NRL right now, big call I know, but they would need to be supreme defenders to interest me.
I just think Pompey is one of the Anchor points to this teams defensive success.
The other key Anchor point is the CHT Metcalf combination. Highly underrated defensively, but as a halves pairing they are not leaving us vulnerable (yes of course kudos goes to their minders also).
If I were Ali or Berry I would be trying to out tackle the other guy right now....big time.
No rush to move Capewell either, his elevation as a center surely buys the club time to make sure whoever takes his spot out wide is well and truly ready.
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I thought he was defensively solid in the cows game. We went to shit directly after he went off injured.
But yeah, tough call between the two.
Hardest spot to defend but we got lucky with a Tuaupiki tap down early on and then the right got opened up on halfway for the Purdue try.
On the positive side he tackled at 100% after going at 74% in the 2 previous ones
You have to say though, that try they scored where Drinkwater hid himself before popping up as the extra man was absolutely beautiful, extremely hard to defend against.
Pompey has been great this year and I dunno, for me is one of the better depth centre/wing players in the NRL.
He has his limitations, but what he does well he does it extremely well.
I'm personally in the Berry camp and so far, we haven't seen anywhere near his best this year.
Had 2 games back from a significant injury, and even those 2 games had a week in between after being suspended. Most players coming back from a significant lay off would need a bit more than that to get back into the swing of where he was previously.
When he gets back to full fitness, I think he needs to be given 5 or 6 games in first grade before judging him. Outside of the odd poor game, I don't think Berry's defencencies over 5 games would be significantly worse than what Pompey offers, so is unlikely to cost us any games. Yet Rocco has such a big upside that if he does get going he is much, much better than Pompey.
Either way, it's fantastic depth when one of our fill in players are playing so well that it's questioned whether the incumbent should come back. I've got confidence he'll bounce back and be a key part of our maiden premiership, which is obviously happening this year
Yet the two best defensive sides are leading the comp.
Yet we are the better defending team without those two, I would go attack over more D.
He shows glimpses of attacking flair and bossed NSW Cup earlier in the year but we're yet to see much of an attacking threat in the NRL.
Defensively, I know he gets lots of praise for 1 on 1 tackles. Many of these are on kick chase occassions when he could often try jump to get possession or force a mistake from the opposition instead. 1 on 1 tackles from him are predominantly legs tackles & are great if they're preventing a try but elsewhere on the field they usually lead to a fast play of the ball. The Raiders conceded the game defining try in the 2020 GF off the back of a text book legs tackle in their own half.
I'll never go full Dutchy on Berry, he's NRL quality, but he's not in my best 17. Webster probably disagrees with me though & that's whose opinion counts
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Pompey's in the beginning of his peak lifetime form right now running hard at defenders and is experienced on D probably directing others by now, we know what happened when he was dumped last year, don't need to do the same thing and expect different results. The fact he hasn't been moved to the right is a good sign for him, like CNK hasn't been moved for any injury crisis, which shows his ranking in the coaches' eyes.
Has to be Ali/Berry on the right, don't mind either way, depending on if they want more attack or defense attributes. If Ali then might need Marata on the right edge for experience on defense and Leka can come off the bench.
If Ali's the first to return then Berry should be 18/19th man or play Cup as injury cover, won't be that long of a wait anyway, it's not Pompey/Ali's fault that they are fitter and recover faster to keep the team build combinations.
Has to be Ali/Berry on the right, don't mind either way, depending on if they want more attack or defense attributes. If Ali then might need Marata on the right edge for experience on defense and Leka can come off the bench.
If Ali's the first to return then Berry should be 18/19th man or play Cup as injury cover, won't be that long of a wait anyway, it's not Pompey/Ali's fault that they are fitter and recover faster to keep the team build combinations.
I'm glad you are Dutch proofing as well, I'm in the same boat. I don't hate Berry, I just think the others are better suited to our team at this moment.
If Ali locks up the spot, I hope Rocco gets some time on the Wing in Cup, and maybe a taste of playing Fullback when Taine is out.
I don't watch the Cup games, so maybe I am naive, but Tu and Doyle surely can't be seen as genuine first-grade chances at 27 and 28 years old, so can't hurt giving him time elsewhere at their expense.
The club is already in a golden era for centre options by our standards at least, so why not give it a go? Worst-case scenario: He gets some experience out of position if a mid-game reshuffle is needed. Best-case scenario: He can become a Proper Mr.Fix-it for 1-5 or, even better, finds a long-term home on the wing.
Do not take this as my faith in the Church of Berry wavering- every religion evolves over time
I don't watch the Cup games, so maybe I am naive, but Tu and Doyle surely can't be seen as genuine first-grade chances at 27 and 28 years old, so can't hurt giving him time elsewhere at their expense.
The club is already in a golden era for centre options by our standards at least, so why not give it a go? Worst-case scenario: He gets some experience out of position if a mid-game reshuffle is needed. Best-case scenario: He can become a Proper Mr.Fix-it for 1-5 or, even better, finds a long-term home on the wing.
Do not take this as my faith in the Church of Berry wavering- every religion evolves over time
If Ali locks up the spot, I hope Rocco gets some time on the Wing in Cup, and maybe a taste of playing Fullback when Taine is out.
I don't watch the Cup games, so maybe I am naive, but Tu and Doyle surely can't be seen as genuine first-grade chances at 27 and 28 years old, so can't hurt giving him time elsewhere at their expense.
The club is already in a golden era for centre options by our standards at least, so why not give it a go? Worst-case scenario: He gets some experience out of position if a reshuffle is needed. Best-case scenario: He can become a Mr.Fix-it for 1-5 or, even better, finds a long-term home on the wing.
Do not take this as my faith in the Church of Berry wavering- every religion evolves over time
He's clearly not the messiah, taking 6 weeks to get over a hammie