General NSW Cup 2025

[SouthernWorrier]

Surely With our young back row spots Capewell’s gonna have to really earn his spot next year, Ideally we should be looking to release him and free up a roster spot. He’s been pretty poor ever since origin and his defence was costly in the panthers game, in a game he should’ve been stepping up.

A bit of a harsh review IMO - despite once again playing out of position and doing what the team needed him to do I thought he was one of the few who looked like he really belonged in finals football.
Right after origin he didn't look 100% I agree but for the rest of the season I think he's been a strong player and a leader helping shore up gaps in what became, unfortunately through not one but 2 key players' absence and no real strike plan beyond 'give it to Leka and see if he can magic something'...we became a bottom 8 side.
I thought him, Clark and yes Marata helped keep us in it, and make it competitive. Capes and moreso Leka playing at Centre did expose us, but don't shoot the makeshift solutions, shoot the problem: a lack of depth & Speed in the back line.
Earlier in the season we night have jagged a win. Not against the Panthers. And yesterday we saw just how good they really are. We were right in it for 70m and I think can be pretty proud of the players we have, while still noting the balance and depth are lacking. For now.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I am only going to answer Question 3 as I am not comfortable with the framing and semantics in #1 and #2 or the importance given to these factors.

On number 3 he will walk in and a) as log as he is not arrogant and feels like he is all that with attitude b) he trains hard then he walk into being ranked higher than
a) EIT
b) Laban
c) TSS
Our pack probably looks like (assuming Barnett by some miracle back game one)

8 Fish
9 Egan
10 Barnett
11 Niukore
12 Capewell
13 Clark

14 Leka
15 Ford
16 Vaimauga
17 Gannon

I think they will go four forwards on the bench until someone gets injured, which won't take long then TMM to 14
The next ranked forwards in order will be

a) Davvy Moale or insert new fringe prop we sign to replace the lost depth of Bunty and Ale
b) Laban - unlucky to not be ranked higher in the last two matches before injury he started to finally believe and conceive what he is capable of but didn't do enough prior. He will get plenty of game time
c) EIT - he did enough in my view to be ranked higher than TSS. He also should fill out this pre season as he is young
d) Another prospect NSW cup promising forward
e) TSS to be low down the charts after some dissapointing defence towards the end of the season

Cant agree with the Laban call. He's part of the key trio along with Leka and Demi

 

[Theking267]

Cant agree with the Laban call. He's part of the key trio along with Leka and Demi

Gannon’s definitely behind Laban and probably behind TSS & EIT. Whether he can nudge ahead of Kayliss will be his challenge for 26

 

[Neo]

Gannon’s definitely behind Laban and probably behind TSS & EIT. Whether he can nudge ahead of Kayliss will be his challenge for 26

Is he even competing with those guys? When he was signed it was a reaction to losing Walker. His ball playing was mentioned in every interview as well. Does he become the 13 rotation with Clark and Vaimauga becomes the bench prop with Ford (once Barnett is fit)?

 

[CWC]

IMO Gannon's quickest path is to play well at 13 and wait for Clark or Demi to take a break from niggles or injuries.

Otherwise he's trying to compete with Cape, Leka, Laban, EIT, Fats and Marata if he's not moved to the middle.

He's a Walker replacement project after all, a Walker who can play second row LOL

 

[Theking267]

Is he even competing with those guys? When he was signed it was a reaction to losing Walker. His ball playing was mentioned in every interview as well. Does he become the 13 rotation with Clark and Vaimauga becomes the bench prop with Ford (once Barnett is fit)?

He will definitely play lock for the cup team. With Going likely moving to prop, with Ale & Bunty departing. His best chance of playing First grade is taking over from TMM as a utility.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

IMO Gannon's quickest path is to play well at 13 and wait for Clark or Demi to take a break from niggles or injuries.

Otherwise he's trying to compete with Cape, Leka, Laban, EIT, Fats and Marata if he's not moved to the middle.

He's a Walker replacement project after all, a Walker who can play second row LOL

And if he does succeed at 13, do we move Clark to the middle? He basically plays as one anyway

 

[Blain]

And if he does succeed at 13, do we move Clark to the middle? He basically plays as one anyway

Clark is 100% a mobile prop. I think if we had the option of a big ball playing lock, he would already be playing prop. Gannon might turn into that guy.. But I doubt we would see that in 2026.

 

[CWC]

And if he does succeed at 13, do we move Clark to the middle? He basically plays as one anyway

My guess is if Gannon can thrive by 27/28 then Fish/Barney will be on their last leg, Demi and Clark will be the new alphas with the junior props coming through, maybe EIT can play 20min at lock with him...

 

[BarnesNZ]

Crackup stacking our NSWC team with prems players..reminds me of my social cricket days where we made it to finals and the prems were gone..Suffice to say we had a dude bowling 140 k an hour vs 45 year old gerrys. It was hilarious..

 

[Cces]

Crackup stacking our NSWC team with prems players..

We're probably going to run out a weaker team in the GF than we rolled out in the first week of the comp

 

[Five&Last]

From what I've seen EIT and Fatialofa are better players right now than Gannon. Which matters because EIT can play lock and Fatialofa can push a second rower ahead of him into lock (i.e. Leka, Laban etc)

Gannon will get his opportunities in NSW cup. I would say Kalani Going is basically out the door. So the number 13 jersey is all his in cup for him to make an impression.

He'll need to make his mark because we have a guy by the name (Paea) Junior Sikuvea who I've pinned as our future number 13 in two to three years replacing Clark. So if Gannon isn't delivering he could well be leapfrogged by Junior Sikuvea towards the end of the season/start of 2027.

 

[Boston Boy]

Kalani is one of, if not the first picked in the NSW team. Such a great player, lots of heart and even though there's a lack of size he gets things done. Kind of sad that a great guy like that hasn't had a good run in first grade. Nice to look back and at least see you played first grade lots one year. Nothing wrong with being one of the best in NSW Cup however. Seems like the glue for the team. G Doye is a good talent too.

 

[sup42]

Is he even competing with those guys? When he was signed it was a reaction to losing Walker. His ball playing was mentioned in every interview as well. Does he become the 13 rotation with Clark and Vaimauga becomes the bench prop with Ford (once Barnett is fit)?

It is kind of weird how Gannon is being pigeon holed because of the ESL.

When you have coaches like ours that were used to relying heavily on Tohu Harris and Dylan Walker to vary the very structured game plan by throwing the ball around, and those coaches give very clear signals that they have signed someone to bridge the gap....I dunno do the maths people.

There is this blind prejudice about ESL players. Crap comp (true) must mean all players are crap (false logic).

Then why is it that the English based forwards bitch slap the Kiwis frequently, in tests, players like JWH and other kiwi hard men through the ages get owned in the ruck by these tough Pommy bastards?

I digress.

As I keep saying, you watch what happens when Gannon is unleashed at Training at Mt Smart and the ball starts flying around the middle or wide from the second row position. These players are gonna be seeing why we brought the pom in.

I am hoping that Linane carves up our players as well and forces the Coaches in a good way to get on it.

 

[kos]

It is kind of weird how Gannon is being pigeon holed because of the ESL.

When you have coaches like ours that were used to relying heavily on Tohu Harris and Dylan Walker to vary the very structured game plan by throwing the ball around, and those coaches give very clear signals that they have signed someone to bridge the gap....I dunno do the maths people.

There is this blind prejudice about ESL players. Crap comp (true) must mean all players are crap (false logic).

Then why is it that the English based forwards bitch slap the Kiwis frequently, in tests, players like JWH and other kiwi hard men through the ages get owned in the ruck by these tough Pommy bastards?

I digress.

As I keep saying, you watch what happens when Gannon is unleashed at Training at Mt Smart and the ball starts flying around the middle or wide from the second row position. These players are gonna be seeing why we brought the pom in.

I am hoping that Linane carves up our players as well and forces the Coaches in a good way to get on it.

Great to hear more inside the Maurice Rd Hq direct information
So he is a ball player
Do we need one?
Sure do !

 

[Ever Hopeful]

We're probably going to run out a weaker team in the GF than we rolled out in the first week of the comp
View attachment 14542

I wouldn't have thought that would be different to any other team in any given year. Teams are stacked at the start when everybody's fresh and gradually get depleted to injuries in both grades. Those injuries also affect eligibility. I would imagine most teams are 3-4 players down from the start of the year.

 

[Cces]

I wouldn't have thought that would be different to any other team in any given year. Teams are stacked at the start when everybody's fresh and gradually get depleted to injuries in both grades. Those injuries also affect eligibility. I would imagine most teams are 3-4 players down from the start of the year.

That was my point in response to someone suggesting we had stacked our team for the playoffs. Apart from having to play our second & third string halves for a period, we've been stacked all year

 

[CWC]

From what I've seen EIT and Fatialofa are better players right now than Gannon. Which matters because EIT can play lock and Fatialofa can push a second rower ahead of him into lock (i.e. Leka, Laban etc)

Gannon will get his opportunities in NSW cup. I would say Kalani Going is basically out the door. So the number 13 jersey is all his in cup for him to make an impression.

He'll need to make his mark because we have a guy by the name (Paea) Junior Sikuvea who I've pinned as our future number 13 in two to three years replacing Clark. So if Gannon isn't delivering he could well be leapfrogged by Junior Sikuvea towards the end of the season/start of 2027.

So EIT is still positioned as a second rower/prop? His fitness, work rate, line running and slick hands from ability to play centre reminded me of Tohu lol

 

[1995warriorsfan]

They should win the cup with this team.

 

[Damo]

Strong. Hopefully Cleary drops off that bench