General Warriors Preseason 2026

[Tragic]

Pompey is our best Centre by a mile. He will be first picked guaranteed.

 

[Ref]

Picking Berry ahead of him completely contradicts the "let the attack loose" mantra

Fair call and I will elaborate.
I’d waffled enough in my post.
Berry is the Capewell of the outside backs.
The best quality “journeyman” you will find.
We had a couple in 2002.
Campion and Carlaw.

 

[Ref]

Pompey is our best Centre by a mile. He will be first picked guaranteed.

Great subjective debate.
I’m a huge Pompey fan.
I couldn’t pick 3 centres in my team but any combo of Pompey, Berry and Ali suits me.

 

[Noitall]

Great subjective debate.
I’m a huge Pompey fan.
I couldn’t pick 3 centres in my team but any combo of Pompey, Berry and Ali suits me.

I reckon he’s in for a big season, great competition around all positions. Lock is going to be interesting, Erin Clark has it locked, but who replaces Kalani Going in nsw cup and depth in that position?

 

[Ferdie]

I initially liked the 6 man bench concept but it would mean, unless their NSW/Q Cup team is playing the following day (& in the same country), up to 32 professional league players won't get a game each weekend. I think our NSW Cup are set to be the curtain raiser in 13 of our match this season so that'd mean bugger all footy for some

That's been my thinking for a while. Most benches would likely have a 2 middle forwards and an edge forward - those 3 players who will get on the field virtually every game. Then they'll likely cover themselves for if any specialist positions get injured with the other 3 bench spots, so a hooker, a half, and maybe an outside back. So someone like Boyd or Healey could end up getting frustrated about continuously sitting on the bench and not getting used.

 

[Ferdie]

Common place back in the day. Unsure if it'd fly with the RLPA these days. Would need bigger benches in NSW Cup too. Imagine Tanah Boyd being named on the 6 man bench then getting injury in the first minute of the curtain raiser. Jett Cleary is now needed for the NRL bench but is required to play the remaining 79 minutes of reserve grade first

When I was about 20, I played Prem Reserves grade union, and after we finished our games I'd often get asked to be a reserve for the prems. On one particularly miserable day where it rained constantly (and occasionally hailed), I had just finished 80 minutes of play for the reserve grade, then was asked to be a reserve for the prems and ended up playing another 60 minutes in that game as well....I was shattered by the end of it and there is no way I could see an NRL team risking that.

 

[Dannevegas]

Hmm I would have thought 27-29?, I don't think we are truly in contention this year. Feels like we are a 8th-6th place team, maybe 5th-4th if injuries are kind for once. I just don't think we have the second row and centres to make us dangerous enough across the park. Especially if we plan to roll out the exact same side as last year. Berry or Ali could have an awesome year, and Capewell/Marata have reduced roles with Leka and Laban gunning it possibly. That would take us up a notch.

With CNK and CHT in the team we need those positions to be dangerous in their own rights, as they don't provide much spark ball in hand.

If key players stay fit this year I think we’re a chance. This will have to be the spine tho imo.
Roger is not too old, he’s in the same category as Tedesco as a player and even a fullback. This is probably his last year, im sure he’ll give it a good crack.

Rts
Martin/Linnane
Metcalf
Egan/Healey

 

[Matiunz]

There is precedebt. Cakeb Clarke trained with South Sydney.

Also training with the swans this preseason

 

[Matiunz]

When I was about 20, I played Prem Reserves grade union, and after we finished our games I'd often get asked to be a reserve for the prems. On one particularly miserable day where it rained constantly (and occasionally hailed), I had just finished 80 minutes of play for the reserve grade, then was asked to be a reserve for the prems and ended up playing another 60 minutes in that game as well....I was shattered by the end of it and there is no way I could see an NRL team risking that.

In Aus you always back up on the bench up the grades, granted lower games are shorter but my record is getting on the field for 5 grades in 1 day lol

 

[Piltdown Man]

At 2nd Row I would have Laban and Halasima, both good runners and gives an aerial threat both sides

Fullback has CNK as incumbant, the question is does he offer more at Centre. Then choices are TT, RTS TMM. Does AKPs hands disqualify him as a possibility?

Could Boyd operate at 6 with LM. His boot is very handy. To be fair CHT played well. His defence should not be underestimated.

The Bench has me thinking Healy covering 9 & 13. Mitch, (Ford starting early season) Niukore and Vaimauga.

I was daydreaming about Boyd and Luke too (yeah yeah) …. would combine our best runner with best kicker and allow CHT to take the 14 role. Looks good for attack and a big strong bench but could be a liability on defence.

 

[Dannevegas]

I was daydreaming about Boyd and Luke too (yeah yeah) …. would combine our best runner with best kicker and allow CHT to take the 14 role. Looks good for attack and a big strong bench but could be a liability on defence.

Metcalf’s a better general kicker than Boyd

 

[Naynay]

Pompey is our best Centre by a mile. He will be first picked guaranteed.

Agreed mostly on best ability is availability, I think Ali has the highest ceiling and Rocco is the most solid but Pompey coming off his best year deserves first pick atm

 

[roguei]

Metcalf’s a better general kicker than Boyd

Speaking of. Although the luke in this one is hanson not Metcalf. Just seems like 50% of our halves in this video.

 

[Cces]

I don't think there's a clear winner in the who's a better field kicker in the Metcalf vs Boyd debate. Both averaged 0.6 Forced Drop Outs per game and even though Boyd had slightly more metres per game he also kicked more often as CHT kicked less. A Metcalf/CHT combo kicked 43m more per game than a Boyd/CHT one.
I can't recall Boyd's bombs or chips being any more successful than Metcalf’s, and only Metcalf has kicked a 40/20 in the NRL out of the two, so would be interested in why some people think Boyd is clearly superior without using his NSW form as reference, where he receives so much more time to execute

 

[Noitall]

Speaking of. Although the luke in this one is hanson not Metcalf. Just seems like 50% of our halves in this video tho.

Not many talking about Luke Hanson but he performed really well in nsw cup last year

 

[Damo]

I don't think there's a clear winner in the who's a better field kicker in the Metcalf vs Boyd debate. Both averaged 0.6 Forced Drop Outs per game and even though Boyd had slightly more metres per game he also kicked more often as CHT kicked less. A Metcalf/CHT combo kicked 43m more per game than a Boyd/CHT one.
I can't recall Boyd's bombs or chips being any more successful than Metcalf’s, and only Metcalf has kicked a 40/20 in the NRL out of the two, so would be interested in why some people think Boyd is clearly superior without using his NSW form as reference, where he receives so much more time to execute

I am interested as to how Boyd goes with Barnett back (hopefully from Rd 1). I personally think he was the bigger factor to the teams results after he did his knee over Metcalf

 

[WAH MAN]

Agreed mostly on best ability is availability, I think Ali has the highest ceiling and Rocco is the most solid but Pompey coming off his best year deserves first pick atm

Pompey wins. Ali has amazing ceiling that is yet to consistently establish a legacy. Rocco........ His brittleness is his issue.

Playing a gazillion games and improving throughout puts Pompey as our number 1 centre. I wish it weren't so because I love the high ceiling but it needs to stay on the field.

 

[John Nick]

I am interested as to how Boyd goes with Barnett back (hopefully from Rd 1). I personally think he was the bigger factor to the teams results after he did his knee over Metcalf

You are right about that but I think that Barnett was easier to replace than Metcalf.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I’m keen to see Boyd behind the pack that Metcalf had. I’m still of the opinion that Boyd & Metcalf are our best half options, if they can make it work. They’re both 7s, so it could be a case that they’re over calling & it just doesn’t click. But I think if they can, then we’d have long kicking options both sides of the ball, both fantastic short kicking games causing a headache for defences & it could allow Metcalf to lean into his running game (biggest strength), rather than relying on game management.

I’d love to see it be Metcalfs team, & he dictates where we are going, but Boyd can facilitate. There were times where they’d pressure Metcalf & CHT simply doesn’t have a good exit, or running game really.

The way I see it is it’s a straight shootout until Metcalf returns between CHT & Boyd, as to who grabs the other half position. CHT hasn’t been re signed, nor TMM, (and Boyd for that matter), so I feel the future of the club does hinge on the first two months.

I also feel CHT is a better 14 than TMM.

Going to be a fascinating opening 8 weeks

 

[Spence]

I was curious about how those hangtimes compare NRL wide, and the biggest I can find is a Burton bomb clocking in at 5.35 seconds (25% higher/longer than ours).