so last three seasons have been good but when it came to the crunch at the end of both seasons 07 and 08 we were spanked the coaching staff need to figure out what happend at the end of these seasons cause in those last playoff games in 07 and 08 we did not perform anywhere near our best and maybe some hard decisions need to be made like personel wise. im not sure what coulda been done differently in 07 and 08 but i just hope we dont have to go through it next season.
Well lets see: in 2008, Manly were by far the better team and had more desire to win (nothing better than sweet revenge) and they were always going to be the team to beat. Remember we already lost to them in Round 3 this year anyway. So the 'spanking' wasn't too new
In 2007. Nerves and some in-experience having not featured in the play offs for three years played it's own part. However that Parra game was winnable but we didn't nail it.
That's just my take on it anyway.
In 2007. Nerves and some in-experience having not featured in the play offs for three years played it's own part. However that Parra game was winnable but we didn't nail it.
That's just my take on it anyway.
is rather our start or first half of the season we need to concentrate on rather then the business end, when it becomes more of a lottery, especially with how we play.
in 07 we finished the regular season in 4th spot, in 08 we ended the year 80 minutes from a grand final birth only two teams (manly and melbourne) ended the season better than us. You seem to be unsatisfied with our progress? personally i trhink ivan is heading us in the right direction and with the personal we have addded next season i can only see us going onwards and upwards.
I dont understand your negativity towards our coaching staff
I dont understand your negativity towards our coaching staff
Even through the media you could really see the club trying to get us a class 7 but we were rejected constantly. As we all think, the day we get a class 7, it'll be premiership time. One should sign eventually, 2010 there should be a pocket of them coming off contract.
I'm working on it guys... hoping to move to 5/8th from fullback in waikato reserve grade this season. Then it's just a short hop to prems halfback, bartercard championship, vulcans then warriors.
I'm checking the mail every day for my contract offer... and the Warriors have priority. :rockon:
Hahaha... nah, in all seriousness though, they should be targeting some union pivots over here. So many of them fall through the cracks... surely there's gotta be some bench warmer 1st five/2nd five in the air nz cup that would at least match rovelli's 'form'. Let's be honest here, all the 'smart' footballers in NZ tend to get pushed towards union... take that as you will...
I just reckon we have a surplus of union play makers who could make the switch relatively easily... and give the best of aussie a run for their money. Imagine poaching stephen brett for example?
I'm checking the mail every day for my contract offer... and the Warriors have priority. :rockon:
Hahaha... nah, in all seriousness though, they should be targeting some union pivots over here. So many of them fall through the cracks... surely there's gotta be some bench warmer 1st five/2nd five in the air nz cup that would at least match rovelli's 'form'. Let's be honest here, all the 'smart' footballers in NZ tend to get pushed towards union... take that as you will...
I just reckon we have a surplus of union play makers who could make the switch relatively easily... and give the best of aussie a run for their money. Imagine poaching stephen brett for example?
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The trouble with union halfs is that there first instint is to kick. A league 5/8 has to run or setup first, the opposite of a union 5/8.
Has there EVER been a good union convert to stand off?
Has there EVER been a good union convert to stand off?
I dunno aye... I'm not really talking about taking a top tier union half and chucking him straight in first grade either. I'm talking about at a local level, clubs should be trying to pick up secondary school union first fives who miss the rep boat, but fit the mold for a league halfback. If we lift the standard of local 6's and 7's that way (remembering that these guys will also have things to teach existing league halves, I'm thinking primarily of kicking here)... then that will in turn lift the standard of provincial halves, and who knows? One of these young guys might just make it to first grade standard.
I can think of a couple of union guys from my school that I wish I kept in touch with, so I could convince them to come have a run for my league club. Some of the guys in my 7th form social union team had 10x better kicking game and a running game to match most of the halfbacks in the local league comp.
I can think of a couple of union guys from my school that I wish I kept in touch with, so I could convince them to come have a run for my league club. Some of the guys in my 7th form social union team had 10x better kicking game and a running game to match most of the halfbacks in the local league comp.
You know i actually think your right, build the depth of 7's and 6's and the best will emerge.
You talk of the guys that you played with at school, this is traditionally where league has had it's pants pulled down and rogered by union, the school system promotes union and gives the cold shoulder to league.Remeber former Labour MP John Tamahere? He says that in all his time a MP and lawyer the hardest thing he ever attemped was to get a fair shake for league in high schools, he has says the system beat him and believes that unless the government steps in league will never be on a level playing surface with union....such is the extent to which union has power in schools.
You talk of the guys that you played with at school, this is traditionally where league has had it's pants pulled down and rogered by union, the school system promotes union and gives the cold shoulder to league.Remeber former Labour MP John Tamahere? He says that in all his time a MP and lawyer the hardest thing he ever attemped was to get a fair shake for league in high schools, he has says the system beat him and believes that unless the government steps in league will never be on a level playing surface with union....such is the extent to which union has power in schools.
Yeah, I was the head prefect at my school... a traditional union powerhouse. I'd always been a league boy, but when I was told I was head boy the powers that be took me aside and said they'd like me to be playing sport for the school. In a round about way that meant they wanted me playing union. I had a great season with my mates playing social secondary school rugby, and don't regret it, I still put in a good punt for league, and made sure I was seen to be paying league for the poorly organised school team. If there was a decent local comp to put a team into, I'd be using my old boy influence and doing all I could to get a competitive team out of my old school, it's not like they're lacking in rugby league expertise. (We had 3-4 U18 NZ reps at one point.)
Unfortunately before I could work wonders with the HBHS rugby league team, I'd have to work wonders with the local secondary school comp... and though I've offered to help with it once, I realistically don't have the time or resources. One day though... and hopefully we'll see a few more rapiras and hohaias coming out of the waikato because of it.
Unfortunately before I could work wonders with the HBHS rugby league team, I'd have to work wonders with the local secondary school comp... and though I've offered to help with it once, I realistically don't have the time or resources. One day though... and hopefully we'll see a few more rapiras and hohaias coming out of the waikato because of it.
Pretty much the same thing happened with my dad mate way waaay back in the day, except at Seddon Tech he was told that unless he stopped playing for the Ponsonby Ponnies and started playing for the school first 15 he'd no longer be a prefect but would also rise being expelled.
Frano Botica - League fullback/winger.
Jonathan Davies - League fullback/winger
Davies, i have to admit, to this day, remains one of my favourite players and has stauchly defended rugby league when the game has been questioned by unionites. He is at the world cup i believe and will be part of the BBC commentory team.
I think we tick most boxes when it comes to assembling a premiership team;
A) Good go-forward. I sternly believe Sam Rapira is going to rip and tear next year
B) Good defensive backrow, and also I think Fai and Matulino will make a real difference attacking on the fringes next year
C) Great hookers in Henderson and Hohaia
D) Classy three quarter line from 1-5
E) Depth... Aidan Kirk is going to miss out on a 1-5 starting spot next year barring injuries but for mine he performed very strongly... The growth of the Under 20's is promising, 15 of the 17 Semi-Finalists are still with us next year (the only ones who are not are Eddy Purcell sadly and Steve Rapira sadly). That's going to filter through into a very strong club I feel. We'll have a large 'first grade training' squad, and the likes of O'Regan and Packer and co are going to be banging down the door demanding selection.
Where do we lack? Halves. My big hope is one of Liam Foran or Isaac John deliver on their potential. I agree with a recent poster that you can see John thinking through a situation and planning to end the set constructively, but just lacks the execution to really place the ball well, which is in complete contrast to most of our halves who have the skills I believe but just can't organise or place the ball well enough. Foran has so many wraps on him, if we delivers we've got a dream player. I actually hope it is him who delivers because the wraps on his brother Kieran are massive, and he performed very well for Manly in the Under 20s. The reason I say that is because we should have had the Paul boys in 1995, but we f**ked up and went for Andy Platt and his set of bulldogs. The Foran combination could be our next make of the Pauls... Liam has already talked of Kieran coming here and both have confirmed they want to form a partnership in the NRL. Maybe it's dream talk, but it's nice to hear a youngster be assertive and announce himself as being prepared to make some changes to the club performance.
The difference for us is we seem to roll through our sets well, but turn the ball over in poor positions on the last tackle, unless we have a chance to bomb to Vatuvei's wing in which case we are say a 30% chance of a good outcome. The other consideration here, Stacey Jones is a full timer with the club starting with the upcoming offseason, whereas this year he was a part time consultant for wont of a better word. Perhaps he really didn't have the time to make the changes to technique and organisation he wanted to to get those halves clicking... he could be a big difference for us.
Bring on 2009, the year of the Warriors.
A) Good go-forward. I sternly believe Sam Rapira is going to rip and tear next year
B) Good defensive backrow, and also I think Fai and Matulino will make a real difference attacking on the fringes next year
C) Great hookers in Henderson and Hohaia
D) Classy three quarter line from 1-5
E) Depth... Aidan Kirk is going to miss out on a 1-5 starting spot next year barring injuries but for mine he performed very strongly... The growth of the Under 20's is promising, 15 of the 17 Semi-Finalists are still with us next year (the only ones who are not are Eddy Purcell sadly and Steve Rapira sadly). That's going to filter through into a very strong club I feel. We'll have a large 'first grade training' squad, and the likes of O'Regan and Packer and co are going to be banging down the door demanding selection.
Where do we lack? Halves. My big hope is one of Liam Foran or Isaac John deliver on their potential. I agree with a recent poster that you can see John thinking through a situation and planning to end the set constructively, but just lacks the execution to really place the ball well, which is in complete contrast to most of our halves who have the skills I believe but just can't organise or place the ball well enough. Foran has so many wraps on him, if we delivers we've got a dream player. I actually hope it is him who delivers because the wraps on his brother Kieran are massive, and he performed very well for Manly in the Under 20s. The reason I say that is because we should have had the Paul boys in 1995, but we f**ked up and went for Andy Platt and his set of bulldogs. The Foran combination could be our next make of the Pauls... Liam has already talked of Kieran coming here and both have confirmed they want to form a partnership in the NRL. Maybe it's dream talk, but it's nice to hear a youngster be assertive and announce himself as being prepared to make some changes to the club performance.
The difference for us is we seem to roll through our sets well, but turn the ball over in poor positions on the last tackle, unless we have a chance to bomb to Vatuvei's wing in which case we are say a 30% chance of a good outcome. The other consideration here, Stacey Jones is a full timer with the club starting with the upcoming offseason, whereas this year he was a part time consultant for wont of a better word. Perhaps he really didn't have the time to make the changes to technique and organisation he wanted to to get those halves clicking... he could be a big difference for us.
Bring on 2009, the year of the Warriors.
Harsh, man. In my case they weren't telling me not to play league, but the logisitcal reality was that I was never going to be able to play both. It's all good that they wanted to encourage the students to all be participating in extra-curricular activities, but if the school doesn't cater for a particular sport kids shouldn't feel pressured to pick another one. There's plenty of decent league clubs around, and we can't all be all blacks.
The absurdity of the situation still frustrates me, we had sammy and steve raps and duan poaneki... all NZ schoolboy reps. Plus a bunch of guys that were playing junior bartercard... and pretty much the whole Hukanui under 17s squad was from my school. We could have had a side that wouldn't have looked out of place at the nationals. (To this day I rue the lost opportunity to pick up the pro contract I would have earned as I tore apart New Zealand's most promising RL defenses :lie
Yet they made no effort when it came to organising a team, or helping with a local comp. They're very happy to gloat about the Rapira boys achievements though, and I think that's a real slap in the face. Considering Sammy would likely be playing local club union at number eight, possibly air nz cup right now if they'd had their way.
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i wasnt critisisning the coaching i just think they need to figure out why in the last two seasons we failed horribly in the most important games at the end of the season in the same way.
Manly were just way too good, it wouldn't have mattered how well the warriors had went early in the season, they would probably still have lost.
