We’re the ones leaving out our origin players and Metcalf…
Team List NZ Warriors v Penrith Panthers - [Round 13, 2026]
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It’s almost a 2 pronged thought.
If we are leading and utilise our bench for experience and still win, then It makes Penrith ( and other sides ), start questioning how we will perform with our full available squad…
If we lose doing this, it still leaves teams thinking the same question…
A game of chess..
The internal team culture will not be impacted by a loss, and may place us in a better position, as we know we need to improve, and if we win, then the competition within the squad to be part of this, will eliminate complacency.
Agreed that in the past, we have had an inflated ego, with the press pumping our tyres, and yes, I believe we are much better and grounded unit.
Our fan base ( who are really the warriors 14th player) is second to none, & being at Caxton street during magic round, was truly a humbling experience…
Ryno 2.0
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Thanks for this, I actually was able to watch the game vs Dragons, was on Watch NRL which I didn’t realise.
I was like man who’s this guy that seems super hard to tackle and has a super quick play the ball, and sure enough it was Salalilo.
Hey mate, taking into account form since his injury and the fact he hasn't played in like 6 weeks (we have won every game he hasn't played and lost every game he has played too) after a 9 month absence.....what reason is there to pick Metcalf right now over TMM?
Kicking game.
It’s TMM’s jersey for now and Webby’s approach to selection this season means they just have to keep winning for TMM to stay the number 7.
But he was shaky at best off the boot against the Dragons. Kicked one out on the full and just struggled to get distance in general.
With our origin players out if we win it’s a mental hit to the panthers. If we lose we can shrug and say next time we will have our best team.
Pressures taken right off really.
Pressures taken right off really.
I doubt Webby is a more practical man. Leaving 2 pts on the table like that might end up being important for top 2 vs 3rd/4th. We haven't built a big enough buffer (yet) on 3rd/4th to be able to try something as daring as that. Beating Penrith is a rare feat, I wouldn't give that up for anything.
Yes.
It is only mid season. We still have to repeat everything we have done so far.
There is a long way to go, the top eight isn't even locked in.
Other clubs that are lower down will get their injured players back later in the year and become dangerous (looking at the Broncos, the Ponga Brown Knights, and so forth). Even the Storm may improve (may) and become the bastard thing we know them to be.
The Roosters are clicking, and on and on it goes (and who can discount the Raiders and Phins causing big problems).
Two points a week takes the pressure off Webster, I am sure he wants less pressure on himself and his players rather than more, if you drop this game you have to make it up.
But most of all, I think it is about self belief. Someone is going to have to play either the Panthers, or a team performing just as well as them, to get to that Grand final.
If we cannot beat the Panthers in our two outings this season, then convincing this lot they can win in a final is too much.
The Panthers beat teams before the kick off. Especially teams like us. We need to break that down, same as we needed to break down the Premiers at magic round, coz one limitation about the Webster years is that we just haven't been good enough to sit in the big three.
We don't have a good record against Penrith 'B' teams. So we might as well play their 'A' team. We did after all beat their As with fish in it with a bunch of kids 2 years ago in Brisbane. We are in this game with a real chance. I suspect that last week we were conserving energy for this week. I'm expecting the Melbourne/Brisbane game-style defensive effort on Sunday. If the dogs can out grind them, then so can we.
Sucks that Origin has tainted the match of the season. Lets not forget the NRL didn't anticipate how good this game would be when the scheduled the draw.
One good thing is that if we win, not many will say we only beat the B team in the fashion that those accusations would have been thrown around in the past (at least not the informed) because people better understand that beating any Penrith side is a test of high worth, and it is progress right?
Penrith haven't faced our bash game yet. Hopefully we hit and stick so that they can't just offload on us in the middle and take the impact game off us and turn it into a scramble.
Tis a good point. But, until the last 5 games we have a pretty favorable draw coming our way..
If we win the title and stay up there in the high Veldt we're gonna need a bigger boat.
Mt Smart will be too small.
CWC
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He did his ACL last time he backed up from Origin, I don’t mind playing it safe.
WAH MAN
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Webby said it was due to their lack of minutes this season as in Capewell had his calf issue about five games and Barney came back from ACL then broke something in his hand so technically Webby was saying they are both a bit underdone. Read that on RNZ I think.
Source: RNZ https://share.google/cQVGHvFakJo5KIHQu
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Next Year
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Largely duty of care.
And it just makes sense in terms of risk management.
Barney started the season 3 weeks late after recovering - earlier than expected - from a long term ACL injury. Two weeks later he broke his thumb and missed two weeks. On return he got a concussion and missed another week. All this and still selected for Origin.
We will need him fit and firing in the back half of the season where his mental toughness and leadership will be a huge asset on the road to the Minor Premiership. To achieve that, having this weekend off after playing Origin on Wednesday night is an investment in that future.
As long as no-one gets flogged, the outcome of this weekend's game is not of major consequence. At best it is one-up-man-ship. These two teams are currently far ahead of the level of the chasing pack. We play again in 10 week's time, and that game will carry greater importance with just four regular season games left after that.
History says Ivan is also unlikely to play his Origin players this week despite naming them in the wider squad, possibly for very similar reasons.
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