Team List (2025 Finals Week 1) - Warriors vs Penrith [Round 28, 2025]

[Ref]

All that we need is for every player to play to their absolute best.
Immense physicality in defence across the team including our backs banging their young backs.
Rush defence, communication, good decisions on defence.
Last two weeks we have given away big leads and closed the gap.
It’s such an even top 8 that I give us a chance.

 

[Completion Rate]

I'm interested to see how this will be reffed. Much like in origin, in the finals you can get away with bloody murder as the refs are too scared to influence the outcome of the match. The wrestle gets more grubby. The 10m gets shorter and the 50/50s are anyone's guess.
We need to get down and dirty or we will be outmuscled. The Panthers know the pace of the game at this end of the season.

 

[out the gate]

I know I'm not the only one looking at the team thinking we are f**ked. I'm fair to say the team list doesn't surprise us at all. Very predictable. Capwell at center is a huge liability (I'm not saying he's not the right pick, he's the best we have available) but won't offer enough on attack and to slow to react if caught jamming or ball watching. This feels like round 16 deja vu. Fish to have the game of his life & ignite the flame in the boys to bring us home... let's hope so! Just fuc**n win! I'm sick of listing to the Aussie commentary predicting we'll flop. F**k them!

 

[snake77]

I was a bit worried about this whole making a noise and doing burnouts outside the Panthers hotel.

Purely selfish reasons My wife and I have been given a night out in a fancy hotel in town and I was worried I'd have to put up with it as I doubt my wife will let me join in.

Just checked the hotel we're going to and the one listed. As long as a few idiots can't read and get the wrong hotel i'm good.

So go nuts.

 

[Pop Dukez]

I wonder how many penalties Ford the energizer bunny will concede, love the energy and work he brings but he’ll give Penrith favourable field position one to many times…just hope he can balance the scales with ball in hand (and not cough it up)

 

[Pop Dukez]

Hopefully this is not someone on this forum
View attachment 14413

They forgot to add “NSW Cup”

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Interesting we are third in finals experience.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOZYlY4E9g-/

 

[Beastmode]

I'm interested to see how this will be reffed. Much like in origin, in the finals you can get away with bloody murder as the refs are too scared to influence the outcome of the match. The wrestle gets more grubby. The 10m gets shorter and the 50/50s are anyone's guess.
We need to get down and dirty or we will be outmuscled. The Panthers know the pace of the game at this end of the season.

You seriously believe it’s finals the ref will give us more leeway????

Good luck with that!

Cunts will probably double down as they don’t want us there!.

 

[CWC]

Interesting we are third in finals experience.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOZYlY4E9g-/

That’s crazy Cape and Fish making up bulk of the games I guess?

 

[Dannevegas]

Fish has been all talk about him being the alpha in the team, and has been largely underwhelming throughout the regular season. It's about time we get a statement game out of him. I'm tipping him and Jacko for 170m+. Will be absolutely crucial for us to be any chance of a win on saturday, as we got demolished in the forwards when we played them earlier in the season.

Fish got daddy’d by Leota last time out. He needs to earn his pay packet and get even this weekend

 

[Dannevegas]

Hopefully this is not someone on this forum
View attachment 14413

At least he can change the 5 to a 6

 

[Zaggo]

That’s crazy Cape and Fish making up bulk of the games I guess?

Cape, Fish, DWZ, TMM, RTS all have reasonable finals experience. Easy to forget Roger already has a ring!

 

[John Nick]

At least he can change the 5 to a 6

Or simply add NSW Cup underneath

 

[Evil_Mush]

We got a bunch of holding down penalties last game (and many games this year it feels like) - get ready for the all time record this week

 

[Dippa]

We head into the game as clear underdogs after patchy form and discipline issues. Webster has stressed that they’re “beating themselves” with errors rather than being outclassed. Penrith, by contrast, are on a hot streak, but may show rust after recent rest periods.

With elimination time, it sounds like Hail Mary football with nothing to lose! I reckon it has to be structured football — with Intensity.

Finals football will reward a structural game, but the team must avoid scrappy errors and stay sharp.

Webster’s key message is about control and consistency: limit mistakes, maintain concentration for longer stretches, and don’t allow slip-ups to manifest as easy points for Penrith. The Panthers have rested players in recent weeks and could be caught off guard. The Warriors have a chance to capitalise if they start with urgency, physicality, and energy — especially in those early sets.

Structured football doesn’t mean predictable. Inject tactical flair — smart offloads, momentum-sapping bursts in critical moments. Be reactive but not reactionary.

Stick to Structure – Their season-long framework of discipline, field position, and controlled sets has been their backbone. Finals footy rewards that consistency.

Cut the Errors – Ill-discipline and lapses have cost them momentum. Limiting mistakes will keep them in the contest.

Start with Energy – If they bring physicality and urgency early, they can unsettle Penrith and put pressure on their rhythm.

Controlled Dynamism – They don’t need to abandon their plan, but they should inject smart offloads and bursts of creativity at the right times to unlock Penrith’s defense.

Going fully “off the leash” risks chaos and plays into Penrith’s hands. But staying rigid makes them predictable. The key is structured football sharpened by discipline, with calculated moments of flair.

The Warriors’ best chance isn’t to reinvent themselves for one game. It’s to execute their system at peak intensity, cut out the self-sabotage, and overlay moments of controlled aggression. In a tight knockout contest, that balance gives them a genuine shot at upsetting the Panthers.

Go team!

 

[Noitall]

"Hard pill to swallow": Barnett reveals devastation of missing NRL finals series

The front-rower has also provided an update on his return to the field.

www.zerotackle.com

Looks like Barnett had some other issues taken care of while sorting this injury

 

[John Nick]

We head into the game as clear underdogs after patchy form and discipline issues. Webster has stressed that they’re “beating themselves” with errors rather than being outclassed. Penrith, by contrast, are on a hot streak, but may show rust after recent rest periods.

With elimination time, it sounds like Hail Mary football with nothing to lose! I reckon it has to be structured football — with Intensity.

Finals football will reward a structural game, but the team must avoid scrappy errors and stay sharp.

Webster’s key message is about control and consistency: limit mistakes, maintain concentration for longer stretches, and don’t allow slip-ups to manifest as easy points for Penrith. The Panthers have rested players in recent weeks and could be caught off guard. The Warriors have a chance to capitalise if they start with urgency, physicality, and energy — especially in those early sets.

Structured football doesn’t mean predictable. Inject tactical flair — smart offloads, momentum-sapping bursts in critical moments. Be reactive but not reactionary.

Stick to Structure – Their season-long framework of discipline, field position, and controlled sets has been their backbone. Finals footy rewards that consistency.

Cut the Errors – Ill-discipline and lapses have cost them momentum. Limiting mistakes will keep them in the contest.

Start with Energy – If they bring physicality and urgency early, they can unsettle Penrith and put pressure on their rhythm.

Controlled Dynamism – They don’t need to abandon their plan, but they should inject smart offloads and bursts of creativity at the right times to unlock Penrith’s defense.

Going fully “off the leash” risks chaos and plays into Penrith’s hands. But staying rigid makes them predictable. The key is structured football sharpened by discipline, with calculated moments of flair.

The Warriors’ best chance isn’t to reinvent themselves for one game. It’s to execute their system at peak intensity, cut out the self-sabotage, and overlay moments of controlled aggression. In a tight knockout contest, that balance gives them a genuine shot at upsetting the Panthers.

Go team!

Absolutely NO chance that changing our game plan/style in a final is going to work out well.

 

[kos]

So play like we have the last few weeks John with the same result?