General Centres for 2024

[Natural Born Warrior]

Broncos threw Farnworth, Coates, Cobboo, Mam, Nuiu, Staggs, Riki, Flegler, Haas, Mariner, Piakura, Willison all into first grade as super young rookies.

This is why the Broncos are so strong now. They created a massive base of the depth from within the club over a 1-2 year period. All these guys got starts as very young men and all inside the same window.

Now the Broncos look set to reign at the top for the next 5 years.

Its a no brainer. Give our young guys game time and back them now early.

From next year we should aim to give 4-5 juniors decent game time.

Zyon Maiu’u - Prop
Leka Halasima - 2nd Row/Centre
Jacob Laban - Second Row
Ali Leiataua - Centre
Tom Ale - Lock

I particularly think Zyon Maiu’u, Tom Ale and Ali Leiataua must play regular time as the team is desperate for the punch they can add.

Its noticeable the major drop off the Warriors have had over the last few weeks with the weak bench and lack of Afoa and Ale on the bench

 

[sup42]

Reading a couple of comments about Ali on the wing and I'm not for it leave him as a center and ethier play him or give him 1 more year to develop in reserve grade I know he is doing well there at the moment and he will learn more from first grade experience but guys like trindall show that more reserve grade experience doesn't hurt. I'm all for giving setu tu a run on the wing got a bit more pace think he's a got some x factor about him also

The Warriors have wrecked a lot of players by doing this out of position madness.

Webster is not even a coach that likes it. Why would we waste potentially our best center in years by forcing them to take on a whole other skill set and lose their center skills.

I hate the idea.

Fullbacks on a wing work at a pinch because of transferable skills, receiving kicks, one on one defence using the side line, support play off a break.....center is completely different.

 

[juju]

Yes he did, but only for PR purposes

How many minutes did he play for them?

When it got to the sharp end they quietly moved away from him because he was no longer of PR value

He 1000% had the raw talent and commitment to make it in rugby... so it leaves you to wonder about the coaching he received.

He had literally the worst coaching set up in All Blacks rugby managing his transition (first loss to Ireland, Argentina, first pool game loss etc etc)

 

[Warriors4eva95]

My choice would be RTS and Berry

Pompey is just too erratic and Ali needs more time in NSW Cup.

We have a history of using juniors too early, and I don't want this to happen to Ali.

Imo

My choice would be RTS and Berry

Pompey is just too erratic and Ali needs more time in NSW Cup.

We have a history of using juniors too early, and I don't want this to happen to Ali.

Overall stats don't lie Montoya is not needed dude has heaps of discrepancies in he's game compared to Berry & Pompey

 

[WahsaurusRex]

The Warriors have wrecked a lot of players by doing this out of position madness.

Webster is not even a coach that likes it. Why would we waste potentially our best center in years by forcing them to take on a whole other skill set and lose their center skills.

I hate the idea.

Fullbacks on a wing work at a pinch because of transferable skills, receiving kicks, one on one defence using the side line, support play off a break.....center is completely different.

Herbie Farnworth, Campbell Graham, Dane Gagai, Valentine Holmes, Stephen Crichton.. all of them played their first season, or their first few seasons, at wing before moving to centre; call me crazy but I don't think they have been all that bad as centres lol

It won't hurt for him to stay at centre in reserve grade, but I also don't think it would hurt for him to be getting runs on the board in the big leagues, and building confidence with a simplified role for a little while, especially with a vet like RTS as his centre.

Ali for as good as he was in the Raiders game will have growing pains regardless of when he comes into FG full-time, and where.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

What a difference a week makes.

Last week our starting centres weren’t rated with RTS and Ali preferred for next year. And now against the Knights Berry and Pompey smashed it against probably the gun backline in the competition.

Anyone think they would change their votes?

 

[j_p]

What a difference a week makes.

Last week our starting centres weren’t rated with RTS and Ali preferred for next year. And now against the Knights Berry and Pompey smashed it against probably the gun backline in the competition.

Anyone think they would change their votes?

Came to this thread to ask the same question.
If Pompey and berry carry on this same trajectory they're going to give some very good selection headaches for Webster. I'd say Berry has a higher ceiling due to age. Injuries/HIA's will happen so all should get decent game time. I think webby has built a decent culture where players competing for spots i.e bunty, pompey, berry won't pack a sad if they have to play nswcup at times. Only one I can see is possibly losing is Metcalf due to him getting decent amount of nrl time this season and wanting more opportunities/move back home.

 

[Fonzie]

People forget how little league Berry has played and how early he is in his development. Off the back of this block of games and another pre season I think he’ll really break out

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Injuries/HIA's will happen so all should get decent game time.

I don’t think this is the right way to approach it.

You need to pick and stick with your best players through a season to build confidence, continuity and combinations.

I don’t think it good for the squad to have 4 NRL quality players fighting for 2 positions. It’s better to have a clear hierarchy with the first grade players plus a single junior pushing for a chance.

 

[j_p]

I don’t think this is the right way to approach it.

You need to pick and stick with your best players through a season to build confidence, continuity and combinations.

I don’t think it good for the squad to have 4 NRL quality players fighting for 2 positions. It’s better to have a clear hierarchy with the first grade players plus a single junior pushing for a chance.

Even better having the second choice also being first grade level.

 

[j_p]

Afb with 9 tries this season. Has to be the most by a prop easily.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Afb with 9 tries this season. Has to be the most by a prop easily.

Yea man… would you play him at 3 or 4?

Meninga vibes!

 

[John Nick]

Even better having the second choice also being first grade level.

Yeah form will sort out the pecking order.
Plus all the 4 can play wing if needed and most can play FB if we get injuries which are inevitable

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Assuming everyone is fit, come round 1 I would go with RTS left and Pompey right.

RTS is RTS, I have no doubt he will smash. Our version of Val Holmes, but better.

Pompey is pretty much our most experienced centre. And started this season on the right. IMO he gets first crack.

I think Ali and Berry will eventually take over though. Most likely our centres in 2025/26

 

[Wrighty]

If Pompey doesn’t play then Shaun will have to do all the kicking
They won’t and don’t want him having too many responsibilities

Pompey could also go to wing though ?
Montoya has been average except for last night ?

Basically I think there will be a problem of having 4 centres for the first 3 games of the season and then injuries will start to happen and we will be happy for the depth we have
This year we used 5 centres
1 Pompey
2 Williame
3 Ali
4 berry
5 Montoya

All 4 of our guys will get a run
I expect the ranking to be
1 rts 15 games
2 Pompey 20 games
3 berry 15 games
4 Ali 5 to 8 Games

Rts will only play 15 games a centre because for 5 to 7 games he will play fullback if cnk is injured or suspended

It will all work out fine whanau having 4 centres especially since rts will cover fullback instead of taine covering fullback

I will be surprised if we resign taine

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Pompey can kick- surely that has to count for something?

 

[Canonball]

People forget how little league Berry has played and how early he is in his development. Off the back of this block of games and another pre season I think he’ll really break out

yeah, he's looking pretty good - impressed with the improvement he has shown running lines, re: the CNK try last night, he ran that perfectly (SJ's pass was fucking perfect too tbh, sold that one 100%)

 

[Canonball]

If Pompey doesn’t play then Shaun will have to do all the kicking
They won’t and don’t want him having too many responsibilities

Pompey could also go to wing though ?
Montoya has been average except for last night ?

Basically I think there will be a problem of having 4 centres for the first 3 games of the season and then injuries will start to happen and we will be happy for the depth we have
This year we used 5 centres
1 Pompey
2 Williame
3 Ali
4 berry
5 Montoya

All 4 of our guys will get a run
I expect the ranking to be
1 rts 15 games
2 Pompey 20 games
3 berry 15 games
4 Ali 5 to 8 Games

Rts will only play 15 games a centre because for 5 to 7 games he will play fullback if cnk is injured or suspended

It will all work out fine whanau having 4 centres especially since rts will cover fullback instead of taine covering fullback

I will be surprised if we resign taine

hope yr wrong about Taine -

personally would love to see Ali with more 1st grade, he's beast

 

[sup42]

People forget how little league Berry has played and how early he is in his development. Off the back of this block of games and another pre season I think he’ll really break out

I am surprised at how fast he is evolving as a player to be honest.

I had written off a while back, he just looked like a fish out of water, clueless, ungainly, and slow.

Knowing what I do now, it is interesting to look back and consider that he had zero passing game, got smashed in every tackle, and was a horrible wrestler.

All things that can be attributed to your point about being a non Leaguie.

The thing that gets me watching Berry come on, is how his defensive technique has improved week on week and that we are seeing some attacking potential at the same time.

Usually a Warriors Junior will only progress and show one of the two elements of the game, and nine times out of ten it is their attack that emerges as they grow in confidence and not their defence.

Berry is like sponge, soaking up all the technical sides of the game and even his athleticism is improving with training.

I will say in my own defence that I stuck up for Berry a lot in the early days before writing him off, and I never stay negative about any player if they improve. So after Berrys first decent outing I was all in cheering him on.

Berry is likely to hold his spot next year because of that kick chase A.W. loves of his. You cannot leave the best kick chaser in your team out...you just cannot afford to, it is too big of an advantage in Rugby league to give away.

I would love to see Berry make the Kiwis (long shot but Madge might see the benefit of combinations with DWZ) I think Berry is the kind of player that would fly if he reached the games highest honors.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Both Ali and Berry are right side Centres so I would expect that they would be fighting for one spot and Pompey and RTS for the other. I would have thought Ali would take the number 3 next year but after last night I am not so sure about that.

Great problem to have for us. One issue I see is that one of them will leave the end of next year if they are all healthy as they will not get many FG games.