NRL NRL Round 9 2026 Discussion

[Rick O’Shay]

Further to this post. I have been informed that full remote sovereignty only applies to Warriors games.

Welcome to the club

 

[sup42]

With our bye coming up, looks like a good time to reassess where we are. At the end of round 9 last year, we were in 3rd with p/d of 0:

View attachment 17199

This year, we are 2nd with p/d of 108. Our defence is as sturdy as it was last year (174 vs 170) but our attack is miles better: we've scored 100 pts more than we did this time last season (278 vs 174). Important to note that we are the only team in both top 4s: the other top 4 teams from last year are now outside the 8 (Dogs, Melbourne and Canberra).

View attachment 17200

I guess one can also view these results in the prism of the team under Mets vs team under Boyd. Clearly both are top 4 teams, but under our current configuration, we are just a much more deadly and organized attacking unit.

There is no question that Boyd and CHT in combination unlock our attack.

And you don't have to make it complicated to understand why.

Boyd anchors the attack. It is that simple. Which has multiple flow on effects that unlock possibilities for other players.

So we have a sample of Webster ball being played out by a sideways running eyes up footy half, vs a direct running half (I would argue Tanah is known for being a conventional organizer rather than instinctual half - but this season he has showed he has another dimension to his play - high engagement in eye's up reactive footy which has elevated his game out of sight).

If I am right, if the change engine in Boyd is adding reactive game reading to his bow, then he is building into the perfect rugby league no 7 type, the guy with a full box of tools.

He is still quite young, so it really shouldn't come as a surprise that he is actually evolving as a player (rather than some mystical transformation thanks to other players around him or for that matter the fan tendency to say nah Boyd sucks this is temporary).

Boyd's direct game means other players like CHT have more space, more options. Did anyone notice Boyd running at the line trying to split defenders for no other reason than an extra meter and or a faster ptb Saturday night?
Those little runs are like jab in the face eh...they keep the opposition guessing what he is gonna do. And the other thing is Boyd was doing it on tackle 5 (which really messes with the defence) and also speaks to Boyd being able to trust Chanel to get the kick away (Chanels field kicking is improving as a result).

The Warriors local players have some fundamental flaws (not their fault the coaching and lack of high performance in kids league is terrible). We are poor passers of the ball (insufferable attack killer) and our timing and shapes are off (coaching, coaching, coaching). So having a running drifting Benji Marshall, SJ (the younger) type half makes ball movement even more difficult (we are also behind the eight ball with catching the ball).

In such environments it is essential to have a crisp, clean, predictable ball arch across the field which starts at hooker - halfback - Standoff etc.

Once the backs are catching the ball ok, they find passing it easier.....hey....look....Warriors attack is being unlocked.

Once that is going on.....Andrew Webster tells his forwards, hey guys we are ready for the return of the short inter passing game....you earned it, you are maintaining our number 1# KPI (possession) move that ball....2026 is GO TIME.

And the last element, is we are defending our mistakes, meaning Webster allows them to keep moving the ball and trying it on....did I say last element?

I lied.

Adding speed with AKP is the last element, along with (more lying) sticking with young explosive attacking backrowers, meaning that the defence has too many people of concern to watch....but all of that means nothing if the ball ain't the real threat, and Tanah Boyd is the ball master.

 

[Warrior#138]

Watching that round felt like the NRL should rebrand some these mid season round Hunger Games style. Welcome to The Injury Round. Every game I watched I saw big names getting carted off.

Adam Reynolds
Deine Mariner
Adam Doueihi
Jack Wighton
Jamal Fogarty
Lindsay Collins
Mark Nawaqanitawase
Angus Crichton
Kurt Mann

And of course Egan and Riley Smith in our game.

It looked brutal out there! Only the strong survive!!!

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

There is no question that Boyd and CHT in combination unlock our attack.

And you don't have to make it complicated to understand why.

Boyd anchors the attack. It is that simple. Which has multiple flow on effects that unlock possibilities for other players.

So we have a sample of Webster ball being played out by a sideways running eyes up footy half, vs a direct running half (I would argue Tanah is known for being a conventional organizer rather than instinctual half - but this season he has showed he has another dimension to his play - high engagement in eye's up reactive footy which has elevated his game out of sight).

If I am right, if the change engine in Boyd is adding reactive game reading to his bow, then he is building into the perfect rugby league no 7 type, the guy with a full box of tools.

He is still quite young, so it really shouldn't come as a surprise that he is actually evolving as a player (rather than some mystical transformation thanks to other players around him or for that matter the fan tendency to say nah Boyd sucks this is temporary).

Boyd's direct game means other players like CHT have more space, more options. Did anyone notice Boyd running at the line trying to split defenders for no other reason than an extra meter and or a faster ptb Saturday night?
Those little runs are like jab in the face eh...they keep the opposition guessing what he is gonna do. And the other thing is Boyd was doing it on tackle 5 (which really messes with the defence) and also speaks to Boyd being able to trust Chanel to get the kick away (Chanels field kicking is improving as a result).

The Warriors local players have some fundamental flaws (not their fault the coaching and lack of high performance in kids league is terrible). We are poor passers of the ball (insufferable attack killer) and our timing and shapes are off (coaching, coaching, coaching). So having a running drifting Benji Marshall, SJ (the younger) type half makes ball movement even more difficult (we are also behind the eight ball with catching the ball).

In such environments it is essential to have a crisp, clean, predictable ball arch across the field which starts at hooker - halfback - Standoff etc.

Once the backs are catching the ball ok, they find passing it easier.....hey....look....Warriors attack is being unlocked.

Once that is going on.....Andrew Webster tells his forwards, hey guys we are ready for the return of the short inter passing game....you earned it, you are maintaining our number 1# KPI (possession) move that ball....2026 is GO TIME.

And the last element, is we are defending our mistakes, meaning Webster allows them to keep moving the ball and trying it on....did I say last element?

I lied.

Adding speed with AKP is the last element, along with (more lying) sticking with young explosive attacking backrowers, meaning that the defence has too many people of concern to watch....but all of that means nothing if the ball ain't the real threat, and Tanah Boyd is the ball master.

Criticism of SJ was always that he was unpredictable even to his own teammates and he stifled our attack as a team even though he was individually brilliant. That is why in backed foot ball when SJ‘s running was shut down the team became somewhat rudderless.

I feel Metcalf has a similar sort of effect on the team where individually he is exceptional whereas Boyd makes the whole team and structure work.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I feel Metcalf has a similar sort of effect on the team where individually he is exceptional whereas Boyd makes the whole team and structure work.

This is where the dogs have gone wrong, in my opinion.

In chasing individual x-factor, they neglected the 'team' part of a team based sport.

I think what's more worrying for them is that they had the preseason to build around Galvin.

We didn't with Metcalf and he was coming off a serious injury.