General Warriors Preseason 2026

[Five&Last]

Laumalili didn't play the nsw cup game i watched live. Just from my eye test , Rodney looks like a large kid. There wasn't much change between him & kosi. Who, from my sideline view looked a tad taller than Kosi.

Mind you, I didn't have my Mr Magoo reading glasses on

I don't think anyone compares size wise to Laumalili & Ravosai in our system? Just guessing, Laumalili looks around 6ft5 plus?
Or maybe because we have a squad of dwarfs, Our taller players look bigger than they actually are? Lol.

Yeah I have no clue why they lied about Kosi’s height for so many years. The guy Is 6’2. Him and Ali are the same height when next to each other

Yeah I would say Ravosai is a clear 6’3 and Laumalili is 6’5

Ravosai’s engine at his size (110kg ish) and 6’3 is impressive. The guy can go all game.

Laumalili is still only good in limited minutes at this stage

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Crazy ho

Yeah I have no clue why they lied about Kosi’s height for so many years. The guy Is 6’2. Him and Ali are the same height when next to each other

Yeah I would say Ravosai is a clear 6’3 and Laumalili is 6’5

Ravosai’s engine at his size (110kg ish) and 6’3 is impressive. The guy can go all game.

Laumalili is still only good in limited minutes at this stage

What grade?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Yeah I have no clue why they lied about Kosi’s height for so many years. The guy Is 6’2. Him and Ali are the same height when next to each other

Kosi, Rocco & Pompey are roughly around the same height. Ali is shorter.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Ravosai’s engine at his size (110kg ish) and 6’3 is impressive. The guy can go all game.

Laumalili is still only good in limited minutes at this stage

Ravosai has good speed for a big kid. Which is not unusual, As he is fijian lol

 

[france]

Crazy ho

Yeah I have no clue why they lied about Kosi’s height for so many years. The guy Is 6’2. Him and Ali are the same height when next to each other

Yeah I would say Ravosai is a clear 6’3 and Laumalili is 6’5

Ravosai’s engine at his size (110kg ish) and 6’3 is impressive. The guy can go all game.

Laumalili is still only good in limited minutes at this stage

i like the look of Ravosai

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Rory Gifford selected for NZ Warriors Under-15 squad

Gisborne programme aims to prepare boys for elite sport while they live at home.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Hitro]

Rory Gifford selected for NZ Warriors Under-15 squad

Gisborne programme aims to prepare boys for elite sport while they live at home.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Man, got to give it to Cappy and Tony Iro. By all accounts they are out there all over the country working hard to get kids into our pathways and generally doing good things for the game at the grassroots levels. No wonder rugby unions are taking more notice.

 

[Horriors2013]

Man, got to give it to Cappy and Tony Iro. By all accounts they are out there all over the country working hard to get kids into our pathways and generally doing good things for the game at the grassroots levels. No wonder rugby unions are taking more notice.

They must have helpers surely. But that's how league has always done it. Grassroots level. Do it yourself.

 

[Falcon]

They must have helpers surely. But that's how league has always done it. Grassroots level. Do it yourself.

Listening to a podcaster this week it was touched on how often the club scouts were on the road looking to unearth a gem at carnival tournaments. ‘Back in the day’ spending nights on friends couches etc.
Noel Cleal who is highly regarded for finding talent ( as well as being a terrorising 2nd rower for Manly and Aus) realised he couldn’t be everywhere and subscribed to newspapers out in the ‘Bush’ which would be delivered to him on a Monday.
He would note who scored tries for teams and little tid bits like this in columns and then total those each week and by late season he could see who was worth looking into further.

 

[sup42]

They must have helpers surely. But that's how league has always done it. Grassroots level. Do it yourself.

Having a specific department with someone with the experience of an ex NRL coach must make a massive difference.

The pool of players is relatively small anyway, which is in part got to be why they have applied themselves across two codes (their Union activities are clearly way ahead of Warriors past).

I suspect before McFadden was appointed, if you were a parent, a player agent, or a scout, that getting hold of someone at the Warriors to specifically look at kids that are real standouts outside of Auckland was a complete waste of time.

Surely the phone runs hotter when there is someone at the Warriors with the authority of McFadden answering it.

 

[hornbybrown]

He's a farmer's son. That was part of what coaches liked about him. He's farm fit. Gets great spring off those legs into a step. He's no slouch which took me by surprise. He's going to be a 6 or centre. Can kick well for goal.

Yeah as someone who has played plenty of farmers in rugby both in mid Canterbury and Otago. They have real life strength which is different than gym strength

 

[Billyspleen75]

Sounds like we are hosting a pre season game at McLean Park in Napier

 

[WAH MAN]

Yeah as someone who has played plenty of farmers in rugby both in mid Canterbury and Otago. They have real life strength which is different than gym strength

Need a bit of both which it sounds like he has. Interesting times ahead to see who kicks on and who are bloom later on.

 

[watcher]

Yeah as someone who has played plenty of farmers in rugby both in mid Canterbury and Otago. They have real life strength which is different than gym strength

When Frank Oliver ex AB, coached the Hurricanes in Super rugby he wanted them to buy a farm so players could get fit running the hills herding sheep and hay making, fencing. Also a tangjble asset. You hear stories of farmers training with a sheep under each arm (also called rustling)

 

[Makasene]

Man, got to give it to Cappy and Tony Iro. By all accounts they are out there all over the country working hard to get kids into our pathways and generally doing good things for the game at the grassroots levels. No wonder rugby unions are taking more notice.

Yea and you get a sense this is more than just doing a good job. There seems to be a genuine dedication from top to bottom. It's a wonferful culture.

Interesting to see this week that Matty Johns has come out publicly to say his focus as a part owner of the Titans will be pathways.

 

[Makasene]

When Frank Oliver ex AB, coached the Hurricanes in Super rugby he wanted them to buy a farm so players could get fit running the hills herding sheep and hay making, fencing. Also a tangjble asset. You hear stories of farmers training with a sheep under each arm (also called rustling)

That was 97% of Colin Meads approach to preparing for rugby.

The other 3% was steak and eggs for breakfast on game day.

Somewhere in there was also space for a fair few jugs haha.

 

[Five&Last]

Man, got to give it to Cappy and Tony Iro. By all accounts they are out there all over the country working hard to get kids into our pathways and generally doing good things for the game at the grassroots levels. No wonder rugby unions are taking more notice.

Yup the whole country is being properly scouted.

For the first time in forever, whenever i see an Auckland based junior in the system I have confidence that they’re one of the best players in the country. Not just there because they’re from Auckland

 

[Viking]

Having a specific department with someone with the experience of an ex NRL coach must make a massive difference.

The pool of players is relatively small anyway, which is in part got to be why they have applied themselves across two codes (their Union activities are clearly way ahead of Warriors past).

I suspect before McFadden was appointed, if you were a parent, a player agent, or a scout, that getting hold of someone at the Warriors to specifically look at kids that are real standouts outside of Auckland was a complete waste of time.

Surely the phone runs hotter when there is someone at the Warriors with the authority of McFadden answering it.

Nah, they've had an ear to the ground around the country for decades now. The difference with the last few years as opposed to the previous twenty or so, is that the Warriors now have the resources to retain talent thanks to the owners. Previously there weren't the facilities and resources to cater for the hundreds of players they now have on their books. And they didn't have anywhere to play except local club footy or school union so we couldn't compete with the Aussie clubs.

The Harold Matts and SG Ball squad probably have 80 contracted boys between them. Each away game would cost them 50K (not including contract payments) and home games might be half that. I'm guestimating that 400K goes into what is essentially a preseason comp for two teenage teams. BUT...if out of those 80 boy we can create 4 first graders, the saving in salaries from less need to import talent, will make the investment well worthwhile.

 

[Falcon]

Nah, they've had an ear to the ground around the country for decades now. The difference with the last few years as opposed to the previous twenty or so, is that the Warriors now have the resources to retain talent thanks to the owners. Previously there weren't the facilities and resources to cater for the hundreds of players they now have on their books. And they didn't have anywhere to play except local club footy or school union so we couldn't compete with the Aussie clubs.

The Harold Matts and SG Ball squad probably have 80 contracted boys between them. Each away game would cost them 50K (not including contract payments) and home games might be half that. I'm guestimating that 400K goes into what is essentially a preseason comp for two teenage teams. BUT...if out of those 80 boy we can create 4 first graders, the saving in salaries from less need to import talent, will make the investment well worthwhile.

You raise some great points @Viking.
It’s a game of development musical chairs.
Each age group will carve off a few talents, to go up a grade, then a few less to finally get a handful of gems for first grade. And of those talents, there is the hope that they may play a high dollar value position like halfback, or fullback.

 

[mrblonde]

In line with this:
Is it much of a concern that the club have nailed the last two Harold Matthews, done nothing in SG Ball and Jersey Flegg and made finals both years in Knock On Effect and last year in Telstra (looking forward to those aforementioned copanies paying me for mentioning them! Ahem...)? Or just one of those things or due to things outside the club's control?

Viking's comment about 4/80 becoming NRL level players from Harold Matthews. I'd say a 5% success rate would be pretty damn impressive...

Of course, the other 76 are going to have hang in there/move to another career so the clubs need to insist on the younger players having education/work as alternatives to being Warriors Younglings.

Because Cameron George might channel his inner Darth Vader