Pick Your Team Dolphins vs Warriors - [Round 23, 2024]

[wizard of Tauranga]

Nah, seasons over. SJ is apparently signed for next season. Time to show what he has. AW is going to get found out even more next year with his inability to make the tough calls and over reliance on his favourites.

If SJ drops out now it basically signals that we threw away the season for a second time with him coming back in to the team. The NSW cup going close to or winning the title will do more for the players and club than a meek finish to the season in first grade

I think Webster will keep playing SJ so what we think is irrelevant.

But will a frustrated SJ trying to build form again do more damage to him and those around him than building those combinations properly in a full preseason next year?

Will Halasima, Ali, Graham-Taufua, etc benefit more from the positivity and flare of TMM in perhaps a close loss, or the ‘emotionally’ driven SJ and 20 point hidings?

 

[John Nick]

Nah, seasons over. SJ is apparently signed for next season. Time to show what he has. AW is going to get found out even more next year with his inability to make the tough calls and over reliance on his favourites.

If SJ drops out now it basically signals that we threw away the season for a second time with him coming back in to the team. The NSW cup going close to or winning the title will do more for the players and club than a meek finish to the season in first grade

Bull shit
Nobody remembers about who wins the reggies. Not many players have kicked on to be great stars in the Warriors.
We had a very successful reserve grade team a few years ago and we still are shit in FG

 

[Bluecat]

No way Johnson gets another year!!
No way
If they have resigned him we are stuffed.
Aw fuck no. That would be enough to make me finally walk away

 

[Inruin]

I think Webster will keep playing SJ so what we think is irrelevant.

But will a frustrated SJ trying to build form again do more damage to him and those around him than building those combinations properly in a full preseason next year?

Will Halasima, Ali, Graham-Taufua, etc benefit more from the positivity and flare of TMM in perhaps a close loss, or the ‘emotionally’ driven SJ and 20 point hidings?

I think he will keep playing him too. Which is what I hope he does. Might open AWs eyes a little to some of the issues he will face next season. Might force SJ to reevaluate his play also. The team is done for the season.

The names you mention will get some great benefit having played some first grade and finishing off in a hopefully winning team playing finals football..

All of that seems like more of a win/win than limping home with a first grade team that seems like it now has more egos and sniping than the good looking team spirit from the magic round and the few weeks following.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I don't mean to pour rain on you if you still have hope. My apologies. Keep hoping!! You are a better person and fan than I am.

Rain is simply an experience I'm used to as a Warriors fan. And I dont care for any mathematical chances we have. But I know that we can finish this season worse than what we are now

 

[Wrighty]

No way Johnson gets another year!!
No way
If they have resigned him we are stuffed.
Aw fuck no. That would be enough to make me finally walk away

He's not listed on the NRL.com 2025 contracts list.

 

[Wrighty]

Rain is simply an experience I'm used to as a Warriors fan. And I dont care for any mathematical chances we have. But I know that we can finish this season worse than what we are now

What does the last sentence mean run it str8t?

a) That you are concerned the wheels could fall off with long term damage to our recruiting
b) That every win is worth it just because even though we wont make the playoffs.

 

[Defence]

Shout them something nice after if we play as poorly as we did last night.

That was the only good thing about the titans loss- if the titans score more than 20 everyone in the crowd gets a free Big Mac.
Come to think of it, that hiding should’ve been worth 3 Big Macs

 

[tajhay]

He's not listed on the NRL.com 2025 contracts list.

That just means it hasnt been formally submitted to nrl for registration. Deal could have been done. Personally not sure if it has or hasnt.

I would prefer to gamble on sj regaining half the form of last season by him running around again. That would be more than what the 3 other halves could produce combined at their very best.

Ideally hoping for Sj/metcalf combination for next season. Anything else would be accepting we wont make top 8 before the season starts.

 

[John Nick]

That just means it hasnt been formally submitted to nrl for registration. Deal could have been done. Personally not sure if it has or hasnt.

I would prefer to gamble on sj regaining half the form of last season by him running around again. That would be more than what the 3 other halves could produce combined at their very best.

Ideally hoping for Sj/metcalf combination for next season. Anything else would be accepting we wont make top 8 before the season starts.

Certainly tmm and cht aren't taking us anywhere

 

[jumpman5xl]

There is def something in Tuaupiki to the halves.

Like Campbell into the Halves for the titans. Too good to be in cup and RTS unfortunately no good at centre or the wing.

 

[John Nick]

Like Campbell into the Halves for the titans. Too good to be in cup and RTS unfortunately no good at centre or the wing.

I got toasted last year when RTS was signed and was going to play centre.
Nobody just returns to the team and gets a spot
Places need to be earned and not handed out on reputation

 

[Inruin]

That just means it hasnt been formally submitted to nrl for registration. Deal could have been done. Personally not sure if it has or hasnt.

I would prefer to gamble on sj regaining half the form of last season by him running around again. That would be more than what the 3 other halves could produce combined at their very best.

Ideally hoping for Sj/metcalf combination for next season. Anything else would be accepting we wont make top 8 before the season starts.

What is TMM's stats and results this season at 7? And for the majority of those games with patched up teams

I think that going with actual performance is a better option than hoping an aging and struggling SJ comes right. Shouldn't be picking on reputation.

Those are realistically our two options for 7 next year.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

What does the last sentence mean run it str8t?

a) That you are concerned the wheels could fall off with long term damage to our recruiting
b) That every win is worth it just because even though we wont make the playoffs.

Good question.

Even though we won't make the finals without a whole text book of mathematical equations. Assuming we are definitely out. Yep these remaining games matter and have future benefits.

But we could put the cue in the rack and play the same gutless way

 

[jumpman5xl]

I got toasted last year when RTS was signed and was going to play centre.
Nobody just returns to the team and gets a spot
Places need to be earned and not handed out on reputation

Hoping Webster will learn from that, something to take into next year. On paper it looked like a perfect match. Unfortunately games aren't won on paper.
I would say the same with CNK, webby given him first choice but hasn't worked out so time try some new combos for next year. But the blokes still believing in the year. It's done.

 

[John Nick]

What is TMM's stats and results this season at 7? And for the majority of those games with patched up teams

I think that going with actual performance is a better option than hoping an aging and struggling SJ comes right. Shouldn't be picking on reputation.

Those are realistically our two options for 7 next year.

Sounds like you are happy with how things have gone this year. FMD

 

[tajhay]

What is TMM's stats and results this season at 7? And for the majority of those games with patched up teams

I think that going with actual performance is a better option than hoping an aging and struggling SJ comes right. Shouldn't be picking on reputation.

You know how you run to stats and at the same time say that sj was poor last night? Well sj had 3 try assists in that poor game. His kicking game even when hes slicing them off his boot is still ten fold to what tmm can do on his best day. This "dominant playmaker" you are clearly a fan of isnt even trusted to do general kicking and its thrust upon the likes of cht.

Imo TMM has a running game. He is able to shuffle on passes to second rowers. In the ideal world he should make a good 5/8 but just goes missing.

He shouldnt even be in the conversation if we are looking for a genuine halfback option.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

For my team all I would like to see is either Sifakula or Maiu'u get a bench spot. Hopefully to come on at the 20th minute for some energy. Would also be nice for Halasima to start on an edge. Not the middle or Centre but an edge. The rest not fussed.

 

[Wrighty]

Good question.

Even though we won't make the finals without a whole text book of mathematical equations. Assuming we are definitely out. Yep these remaining games matter and have future benefits.

But we could put the cue in the rack and play the same gutless way

So I feel what you are saying is let's play to put some pride back into the jumper. Otherwise things could get nasty on the scoreboard,

I actually don't think the team is gutless at all or can be faulted on effort in anyway. Most of the time quite the opposite. They are trying too hard and over play their hand instead of sticking to the game plan and only making percentage plays. Eg. Ali tried to make a game breaking play by errantly going for an intercept late in the tackle count nek minit eels try.
If anything we need to take giant chill pill and stop trying so hard. Just relax. Then MGT would not have dropped a pass last night that normally he would have caught easily at NSW cup level.
My mother in her university courses somehow took a course on high performance. IF you are too relaxed you will be lethargic. You need to be amped to be an athlete in a competitive match. If you are too amped your performance deteriorates. And this has been the warriors this year. Too amped too pumped up about winning. We are absolutely trying and actually trying too hard.

Which brings me to Websters presser last night. We lost because we dropped our bundle apparently. So the emphasis this week from the coaching staff will be the players trying harder and having a better defensive attitude next week. OK it all leads to rinse and repeat losses from players being too amped. Players are always motivated. That is what modern literature on employees says. You don't need to motivate them. They need tactics and a game plan and that is where our efforts should go. Not speeches about dropping bundles or try harder next week.
In my years playing cricket we never lost by not trying hard enough. Yet somehow the Warriors lose by not trying hard enough and Benji has accused the Tigers of not trying hard enough. How about the Tigers don't win because of their roster? That would be a better answer. How about the Warriors don't win because SJ our leader has gone off the boil and only had 3 wins in 12 appearances this year. SJ is trying. AFB is trying. they are all trying.

I think we should spend the rest of this year with SJ and our best line up each week so that we can learn more about who is up for next year without having to spend the first 8 games next season still deciding in CNK should stay at fullback. Let's give CNK all the last games at fullback and let his play decide this issue of who is fullback in 2025.
There is a lot we can get out of these last 4 games. Including making a decision on SJ.
Sorry for directing all of that in my reply to you I went way off script from your answer. My apologies.

 

[Inruin]

You know how you run to stats and at the same time say that sj was poor last night? Well sj had 3 try assists in that poor game. His kicking game even when hes slicing them off his boot is still ten fold to what tmm can do on his best day. This "dominant playmaker" you are clearly a fan of isnt even trusted to do general kicking and its thrust upon the likes of cht.

Imo TMM has a running game. He is able to shuffle on passes to second rowers. In the ideal world he should make a good 5/8 but just goes missing.

He shouldnt even be in the conversation if we are looking for a genuine halfback option.

Notice I said stats AND results?

Yup SJ, 3 try assists last night in a LOSING game against the second to last team with 12 players and with our season on the line.

Results with SJ this season at 7 even when fit and with close to a full strength team are telling.

Dismissing TMM from the conversation as our 7 puts us exactly in the position we now find ourselves with SJ as our halfback.

Let's see how we go for the rest of the season with him there. Should be able to jag a couple of wins surely?

How about we dismiss the games SJ seemed to be injured - the dragons, titans, knights, roosters games leaves 9 games 3 wins a draw and 5 losses. Versus TMM 7 games 5 wins and 2 narrow losses.

Imagine it was TMM at half last night dishing up that performance. I know what the comments and calls would be It appears to me it's not whether I like him but more some can't see past the SJ reputation. I couldn't care less who plays 7 if the team is delivering wins. It seems others prefer to lose.

Imagine pulling the team out of the shit and back in to contention only for the coach to bring back an injured player to take that position and derail it again. And then again. In the immortal words of a champion player 'youse got what you wanted'