General NSW Cup 2025

[Five&Last]

He seems to have forgotten Jye Linnane from the conversation?

Yup which makes Hanson taking up his option a strange decision.

Assuming Inch and Thompson are the Flegg halves next year, one of Cleary and Hanson will have to come off the bench in Cup while the other partners Jye.

That’s before Luke comes back and pushes one of Boyd or TMM back down

 

[Wrighty]

hanson will be useful as depth

 

[Noitall]

hanson will be useful as depth

Could play that 14 role in nsw cup?

 

[Noitall]

Yup which makes Hanson taking up his option a strange decision.

Assuming Inch and Thompson are the Flegg halves next year, one of Cleary and Hanson will have to come off the bench in Cup while the other partners Jye.

That’s before Luke comes back and pushes one of Boyd or TMM back down

Are you confident it’s in the halve that they see Inch playing?

 

[Ferdie]

Interesting he's against the Kayliss to center thought train

His concern seemed to be around Kayliss learning a new position that's unfamiliar to him. But I understand Kayliss has experience at centre, just not in a Warriors jersey.

 

[Noitall]

His concern seemed to be around Kayliss learning a new position that's unfamiliar to him. But I understand Kayliss has experience at centre, just not in a Warriors jersey.

Could be a bit like the conversation of shifting Halasima to centre, that they seem too destructive where they are. Fatialofa had an unreal strike rate for tries on an edge and interesting it sounds like he’s formed a bit of a bond with Jett Cleary with some saying he was instrumental in Fatialofa backflipping on panthers? Similar argument where they both could likely make good centres but are too handy where they are? Could see Kayliss Fatialofa off the bench against tiring defenders having some joy. Really enjoy listening to that guy and thanks Wrighty for posting it

 

[Five&Last]

Are you confident it’s in the halve that they see Inch playing?

Reasonably but idk

Number 6 is generally the least technical spine position these days with the defensive IQ fullbacks need to have

He's wasted in the centers.

Number 6 is the best bet. Next to a game managing 7.

 

[JaggedJ]

Linnane/inch could both easily be developed as fullbacks if that's the direction we want to go.

When everyone is fully fit we've got more halves than spots available and guys like Thompson/Inch if they outperform Flegg might push for NSW Cup too.

Great problem to have.

 

[Noitall]

Linnane/inch could both easily be developed as fullbacks if that's the direction we want to go.

When everyone is fully fit we've got more halves than spots available and guys like Thompson/Inch if they outperform Flegg might push for NSW Cup too.

Great problem to have.

Linnane could be the better option with a background in league and Inch just coming over? Fletcher Sharpe has made a big impact in first grade and can see a lot of similarities in him and Linnane. Also Linnane’s support play looks really good judging by his highlights. Sharpe’s filled in well at times at fullback for knights but played predominantly at five eighth. Linnane needs to be minimum of nsw cup where he is in his development, if CNK starts at fullback in first grade and we shift Linnane to fullback, tricky where to play Tuaupiki?

 

[Warriors55]

Yup which makes Hanson taking up his option a strange decision.

Assuming Inch and Thompson are the Flegg halves next year, one of Cleary and Hanson will have to come off the bench in Cup while the other partners Jye.

That’s before Luke comes back and pushes one of Boyd or TMM back down

It's an interesting one with all the great halves we have. It is going to be a conundrum fitting them all in.

I would have Inch as 6 in Jersey Flegg, NSW Cup I would have Linnane and Cleary. I would have TMM in Cup maybe as the 14 as I want Healey in first grade.

But yea once Metcalf comes back it is going to be very interesting. What happens with Tannah? I would keep Cleary and Linnane as NSW Cup halves but what the heck do we do with Tannah in that situation.

I could see Cleary in First Grade in 2027 at the latest so Inch can play Cup next year. Can't see a future for Tannah here in that situation, or TMM for that matter.

The only way Tannah has a future at the club is if Cleary were to leave or the other young halves all don't kick on (very unlikely).

 

[Wrighty]

It's an interesting one with all the great halves we have. It is going to be a conundrum fitting them all in.

Luke Hanson turns 22 in February so he is only eligible for NSW cup and will have to be a bench utility in some games until injuries require him.

Bur my reason for replying is that one of them could try their hand at fullback. Taine Tuapiki is signed through to the end of 2026 and available for teams to approach him, including Perth, after November 1. They need to make a call if they want to keep Taine or start developing another alternative fullback option.

 

[JaggedJ]

Linnane could be the better option with a background in league and Inch just coming over? Fletcher Sharpe has made a big impact in first grade and can see a lot of similarities in him and Linnane. Also Linnane’s support play looks really good judging by his highlights. Sharpe’s filled in well at times at fullback for knights but played predominantly at five eighth. Linnane needs to be minimum of nsw cup where he is in his development, if CNK starts at fullback in first grade and we shift Linnane to fullback, tricky where to play Tuaupiki?

Granted highlights is all I have to go on, but I've seen Inch under the high ball and not Linnane who may or may not be good at it.

The way Inch chimes into the backline in Union looks very fullback like to me more than 6.

I think he and Linnane could both go either way, would love both of them to take off and make first grade.

Tuapiki is one of those players who is too good for NSW Cup but even if he makes first grade you're constantly have an eye open for an upgrade.

Sounds harsh but IF Inch/Linnane/other young prospects get a go at fullback and excel, there's probably not a reason to extend him other than experienced depth if both RTS and DWZ leave at the same time.

 

[Blain]

His concern seemed to be around Kayliss learning a new position that's unfamiliar to him. But I understand Kayliss has experience at centre, just not in a Warriors jersey.

I would say the answer is pretty clear - The Warriors don't see him as a centre. He has only played second row. Centre depth was the NRL teams weakness last season, doesn't mean it's our weakness in 2026. EIT is clearly not a centre, but like Kayliss is mobile for a forward so is a potential candidate to move to centre mid game to cover injury. Doesn't mean they are NRL centre options.

With AKP and Mellars signed with no one leaving who is NRL quality, Norris, Kali and the likes a year older, adding to Ali and Berry being fit.. I don't know how they are going to fit all our backs into the NSW Cup team ATM. With the stacked wing depth we now have, RTS is again a 4th choice centre. That wasn't an option this year because of no other real wing options.

 

[JaggedJ]

Kayliss would be seen as an ideal Capewell replacement, a second rower who can cover centre - not be a centre.

 

[Warriors55]

Luke Hanson turns 22 in February so he is only eligible for NSW cup and will have to be a bench utility in some games until injuries require him.

Bur my reason for replying is that one of them could try their hand at fullback. Taine Tuapiki is signed through to the end of 2026 and available for teams to approach him, including Perth, after November 1. They need to make a call if they want to keep Taine or start developing another alternative fullback option.

Thanks Wrighty, I forgot about Hansen. That makes it even more congested.

If they don't start with TT as our full back in first grade and stick with CNK that will give us an answer as to whether they see TT as a long-term option for us. CNK is playing on borrowed time.

Perhaps they see Inch as an option at full back long term, will be interesting to see.

 

[Wrighty]

Thanks Wrighty, I forgot about Hansen. That makes it even more congested.

If they don't start with TT as our full back in first grade and stick with CNK that will give us an answer as to whether they see TT as a long-term option for us. CNK is playing on borrowed time.

Perhaps they see Inch as an option at full back long term, will be interesting to see.

My understanding is that Linnane has never played reserve grade? Must have bribed him with a top 30 spot to get him here and if so we must really rate him to give such an inexperienced player a top 30 gig/

 

[Ferdie]

I would say the answer is pretty clear - The Warriors don't see him as a centre. He has only played second row. Centre depth was the NRL teams weakness last season, doesn't mean it's our weakness in 2026. EIT is clearly not a centre, but like Kayliss is mobile for a forward so is a potential candidate to move to centre mid game to cover injury. Doesn't mean they are NRL centre options.

I'm not sure it's as black and white as that. Look at EIT, who played as an edge forward in NSW cup and then was used in the middle at NRL level.
You could argue that Fatialofa was playing as an edge forward due to the depth available at centre in NSW cup - where they had MGT, Harper, Leiataua, Putoko, Moimoi, plus a couple of others that could cover as well.

 

[Five&Last]

Linnane could be the better option with a background in league and Inch just coming over? Fletcher Sharpe has made a big impact in first grade and can see a lot of similarities in him and Linnane. Also Linnane’s support play looks really good judging by his highlights. Sharpe’s filled in well at times at fullback for knights but played predominantly at five eighth. Linnane needs to be minimum of nsw cup where he is in his development, if CNK starts at fullback in first grade and we shift Linnane to fullback, tricky where to play Tuaupiki?

Sharpe's background is at fullback. He was filling in at five eighth.

I dont think we re-sign Taine past next season. He's simply not good enough to be a top tier number 1 (neither is CNK). They'll have a succession plan whether its Jye Linnane, Inch, Jeremiah Lemana, Ratcliffe, Pasikala, Norris, Putoko. Whoever develops quickest of those 7 options.

And if that succession plan isnt ready by 2027, we still have one more year of CNK as an emergency.

My crystal ball prediction is Jye Linnane in number 1 jersey in 2027 (Metcalf and CHT in the halves). Then at some point in 2028, Linnane moves into the number 6 jersey to replace CHT and Jeremiah Lemana becomes the number 1 (will be 20 years old). I don't think Inch will get his starting opportunity until after Metcalf's contract.

2028 halves group will be Metcalf, Linnane, Cleary, Inch and Thompson, with Metcalf rolling off in 2029

His concern seemed to be around Kayliss learning a new position that's unfamiliar to him. But I understand Kayliss has experience at centre, just not in a Warriors jersey.

I think most people understand that, its more getting Kayliss first grade game time more than anything.

But in reality he might be our second best back rower after Leka.