Their record against us is bloody good. They haven't won a game since they last beat us and they have some decent players but if we want to cement a top 4 spot we need to win.
Pick Your Team Titans v Warriors - [Round 25, 2025]
- Thread starter mt.wellington
- Start date
NZWarriors.com
My AFL team had a 'kryptonite' team that haunted them in the same capacity as how the Storm have haunted us. Those who know the AFL know what what the Kennet curse is.
There was a point where they sat down as a group and acknowledged that the hoodoo was absurd and that they needed to get over it.
I'm hoping that there's a similar conversation that happens this week.
The Titans are a club in tatters. With our finals season on the line, this game is a MUST win.
The pressure of expectation never seems to sit comfortably on the shoulders of any Warriors side since '95
Maybe all the youth should get the reins and be told to throw it around and enjoy yourselves
Maybe all the youth should get the reins and be told to throw it around and enjoy yourselves
NZWarriors.com
Unfortunately we've been playing like wooden spooners.
Hopefully we can get it done.
Disagree. Mainly because we aren't a serious finals contender anyway
NZWarriors.com
Think outside the square. We need a fresh approach to who we select at the back. Surely Taieri Martin deserves a go - he has played well for the Cowboys in that position albeit a while ago.
They have speed out wide which we have trouble matching. They also have crafty halves to run the team around (particularly Foz). We should be able to dominate them in the forwards, particularly if we use Demi and Leka for impact off the bench. We should win this by a reasonable margin as we have more to gain while Titans are trying to avoid the spoon.
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Total Season
21 games / 437 For (20.8 avg) / 425 Against (20.2 avg)
With Metcalfe
15 games / 321 For (21.4 avg) / 310 Against (20.7 avg)
Without Metcalfe
6 games / 116 For (19.3 avg) / 115 Against (19.2 avg)
Slight uptick with Metcalf in, but not seeming to have many points in us has been a season long thing.
We only have 4 wins by 12 or more.
Out of the Top 8 teams we are last in For and in the middle in Against:
NZWarriors.com
Mentality Shift - This is the biggest lever. The Warriors can’t limp into the finals hoping to “find it when it matters.” They need to flip the narrative now:
From “holding on” to “taking games to opponents.”
From “under pressure” to “dangerous outsiders.”
From “being written off” to “spoilers with momentum.”
Yes, the Warriors have been ravaged by injuries. Yes, the last couple of months have been riddled with below-par performances. But the bigger issue is mindset. Sticking to the “safety-first” game plan is sucking confidence out of the group and doing nothing to silence the critics. If anything, it’s adding fuel to the fire.
The debate now is simple: should they bunker down, play conservative football, and hope for stability? Or should they back themselves, open up the playbook, and start throwing punches before the finals arrive?
For mine, the answer is clear. Playing it safe is killing this team.
This is not the time to shrink into a shell. The next three weeks should be treated as a rehearsal for finals football — and that means playing with freedom, aggression, and intent.
That doesn’t mean chaos. The forwards still need to lay a platform, the kicking game has to be sharp, and discipline remains non-negotiable. But within that structure, the Warriors need to rediscover their DNA: second-phase play, offloads, and attacking footy that brings the whole squad into the game. That’s where confidence is rebuilt. That’s where the fear factor returns.
Flying under the radar might sound clever, but it’s not fooling anyone when the on-field product looks flat. The Warriors don’t need to hide their cards — they need to show opponents why they’re dangerous. Finals teams aren’t worried about a side scraping completions and grinding through sets. They’re worried about a side that can break you open with one offload and swing a game in ten minutes.
Right now, the Warriors are being written off. That’s fine. Use it. But don’t prove the doubters right by serving up more of the same.
This is the moment for a mentality shift: from survival mode to attack mode. From holding on to taking games away. From being passive to becoming a team no one wants to face in September.
Could we see this against the Gold Coast Titans and the remaining teams that we play?
From “holding on” to “taking games to opponents.”
From “under pressure” to “dangerous outsiders.”
From “being written off” to “spoilers with momentum.”
Yes, the Warriors have been ravaged by injuries. Yes, the last couple of months have been riddled with below-par performances. But the bigger issue is mindset. Sticking to the “safety-first” game plan is sucking confidence out of the group and doing nothing to silence the critics. If anything, it’s adding fuel to the fire.
The debate now is simple: should they bunker down, play conservative football, and hope for stability? Or should they back themselves, open up the playbook, and start throwing punches before the finals arrive?
For mine, the answer is clear. Playing it safe is killing this team.
This is not the time to shrink into a shell. The next three weeks should be treated as a rehearsal for finals football — and that means playing with freedom, aggression, and intent.
That doesn’t mean chaos. The forwards still need to lay a platform, the kicking game has to be sharp, and discipline remains non-negotiable. But within that structure, the Warriors need to rediscover their DNA: second-phase play, offloads, and attacking footy that brings the whole squad into the game. That’s where confidence is rebuilt. That’s where the fear factor returns.
Flying under the radar might sound clever, but it’s not fooling anyone when the on-field product looks flat. The Warriors don’t need to hide their cards — they need to show opponents why they’re dangerous. Finals teams aren’t worried about a side scraping completions and grinding through sets. They’re worried about a side that can break you open with one offload and swing a game in ten minutes.
Right now, the Warriors are being written off. That’s fine. Use it. But don’t prove the doubters right by serving up more of the same.
This is the moment for a mentality shift: from survival mode to attack mode. From holding on to taking games away. From being passive to becoming a team no one wants to face in September.
Could we see this against the Gold Coast Titans and the remaining teams that we play?
NZWarriors.com
I stand by my initial prediction that he’ll be picked at 7
That has to be the best advice I have seen on this forum. Discipline has to be paramount, strong defence is required and the attack in the red zone must be unpredictable.
This advice must be taken up by the whole team acting in unison. Everyone knows their role as laid down by the coaching staff and executes it accordingly. If we stick to a plan, I am confident we can keep our position in the top4.
I think this TLT could be the most important and most defining of the season.
NZWarriors.com
Sorry - what does TLT mean?
Team list Tuesday
NZWarriors.com
Capewell got targeted last time against titans so I expect to see him second row and CNK centre. If Berry is available, they could put Pompey back on the left and Berry on the right, but I think they’ll stick with Tuaupiki at fullback and CNK centre. I still think that backline against dolphins had our best shape of the season despite the loss
Only lasted a few minutes at 9 a couple of weeks ago from memory
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