General Warriors Preseason 2026

[Noitall]

Warriorholic on Marty Devlin podcast.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN3NUPOs3FI

Thanks for posting that, I was pretty dark in that guy when that Ponga speculation was going around mid season and it came to nothing but I agreed with everything he said there. Must have been recorded just after the Tonga vs Samoa game with him talking about the game on the weekend? Think the top 30 he mentions is 28? Lussick definitely gone since then

 

[WAH MAN]

He went for one out of left field against panthers in Halasima lining up at centre whether you want to call it a mistake? In an all or nothing game too, so a big gamble and most would have thought Capewell shifts with him often taking the centre role when injury strikes, or Tuaupiki out the back and CNK to centre. Feel like this was the club saying to Halasima, this is how much we rate you

Hindsight. What about Leka wing. Dall centre.

Haters. Take your shot

 

[Noitall]

So, he was eyeing up Super League because no one wanted him, Manly offered to play cup and Cowboys were interested only after he had signed and played for us...... Ok.

You seem to be misunderstanding and misrepresenting my comments on Webster not making the hard calls. It's ok, you aren't the only one. You seem at great lengths to paint Boyd as a better player than he is and where he was when we signed him.

I know exactly what you’re saying regarding the hard calls but if you watched that footage that Wah’s Up posted regarding team selections, it makes a lot of sense to me that the guy who knows a lot more than me and is overseeing all training and everything behind the scenes is making the calls as this guy mentions. I’m not talking about blind faith but I think it’s easy to sit from the armchair and make team selections? As a fan I get that impression? Tanah Boyd? I can take it or leave it but while he’s here I back him to the hills

 

[Noitall]

Hindsight. What about Leka wing. Dall centre.

Haters. Take your shot

DWZ too plagued by leprocy to factor judging by the posts

 

[Neo]

Bunty played very few games the last two seasons in top grade, basically a depth NSW cup player. And Ale is only 26, I'd love to know the background on his non selection this year after playing a good number of games in previous seasons - seems a bit strange to me.

Note, I didn't say Cuddle's couldn't make decisions. Just don't think he has made necessary tough ones without being forced to.

As I said:
I'm talking about dropping out of form players, his favourites, making tough calls instead of painting himself in to corners with statements like RTS is playing center or CNK is the fullback. I haven't seen any of that unless forced to through injuries and lack of available options. Hell, he couldn't even do what he said they were going to do with managing Egans game time this season

The 2024 season being an absolutely perfect example of this.

I think we may all be wanting to happen faster than possible. I think he is trying to keep an NRL hardened side together and drop feed through the youth. I think we look at it from a week to week point of view but it will be Interesting to see how Round 1 2027 looks compared to even Round 1 2026 when a lot of the previously signed guys come off contract.

The backs have definitely been a source of frustration though. The squad just hasn’t had enough quality depth in the backs to allow for competition of spots

 

[Dannevegas]

Na that’s not correct, manly was a team interested in him before he signed with us. Cowboys are a team that wanted to sign him since he’s been with us. There’s a whole thread about him on the manly forum, those that think that’s the case that he was unwanted have no idea what they’re talking about. Yeah it was a big call to pick a halves pairing that no one saw coming and was a huge success

All that was after he signed with us. We were the only ones that wanted him from the titans

 

[Dannevegas]

I can see your attitude towards experience the way you keep selecting Sio Kali in any team you think we should roll out. Just assumed he was your son. Capewell selected in the winning Queensland origin side suggests he impressed those that mattered

Not as outrageous as DWZ still being selected, 10+years experience and he still can’t defend.
in my 20s so no that’s not why I’m picking him

 

[Noitall]

All that was after he signed with us. We were the only ones that wanted him from the titans

Na manly were interested before he came here. He had the choice to stay on the manly beaches or come over. SJ retiring was probably appealing but an old DCE with not long left too. That’s how it went down

 

[Noitall]

Not as outrageous as DWZ still being selected, 10+years experience and he still can’t defend.
in my 20s so no that’s not why I’m picking him

All sounds a bit too simplistic. Won’t deny he has a bit of work to do but that edge was fairly solid in 2023 and I don’t reckon he forgot how to tackle since then. I think Tuaupiki looked the most at sea against cowboys on the wing which is understandable with that not being his position, DWZ was probably on par at times in my recollection

 

[3rdstriker]

All sounds a bit too simplistic. Won’t deny he has a bit of work to do but that edge was fairly solid in 2023 and I don’t reckon he forgot how to tackle since then. I think Tuaupiki looked the most at sea against cowboys on the wing which is understandable with that not being his position, DWZ was probably on par at times in my recollection

The only issue with Webster is his reluctance to rotate benches and to run some players into the ground and not change up the obvious ala rts at centre dal on the wing and egan at hooker.
You surely must've been watching another season if you think Dwzs season was on par?

 

[Noitall]

The only issue with Webster is his reluctance to rotate benches and to run some players into the ground and not change up the obvious ala rts at centre dal on the wing and egan at hooker.
You surely must've been watching another season if you think Dwzs season was on par?

Niukore and Ford are two that can can be left too long I reckon. Feel like he often uses his whole bench since the days of carrying Lussick in case Egan picks up a niggle in the game and not using his whole selection

 

[3rdstriker]

Niukore and Ford are two that can can be left too long I reckon. Feel like he often uses his whole bench since the days of carrying Lussick in case Egan picks up a niggle in the game and not using his whole selection

Yeah man spot on Ford has a huge tank but Webster exploits that to the limits, surely this season is the arrival of Healy too, he isn't gonna be a benchwarmer for too long his potential is too great.

 

[mrblonde]

I did a very unscientific pull on Bellamy Stuart Cleary the very best coaches and they seemed to really hit their stride after they had 5 years head coaching experience under their belts. Webster has three years behind him.

Also factor in the amount of assistant work done/lower level work done.
And the point that those coaches got used to everyone and everyone got used to those coaches.
Apart from the obvious "It's not us it's you" or "It's not me it's you guys" talks between those 3 and players they didn't want or who didn't want them, things have been stable.