"Its all up to him if he wants it"
Pick Your Team NZ Warriors v Penrith Panthers - [Round 13, 2026]
- Thread starter NZWarriors.com
- Start date
CWC
🔍
1. TT
2. DWZ
3. Ali
4. Pompey
5. AKP
6. CHT
7. TMM
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Ford
11. Halasima
12. Laban
13. Clarke
14. Healey
15. Demi
16. TSS
17. Marata
18. Fats
20. CNK/Hansen
Plot twist - Marata to drop to extended bench webby style and Fats get his debut to pump up the boys in the second half
See if CHT can step up and generate consistent long kicks or clever 4th tackle kicks, otherwise TT might make way for CNK later
I’d rest cape and barney cuz yes barney did his acl post origin and cape was rested every time since, and if we can beat them without these two it will send shivers down their spines and scar them, otherwise at least we know we have cards up our sleeves for the big dance
2. DWZ
3. Ali
4. Pompey
5. AKP
6. CHT
7. TMM
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Ford
11. Halasima
12. Laban
13. Clarke
14. Healey
15. Demi
16. TSS
17. Marata
18. Fats
20. CNK/Hansen
Plot twist - Marata to drop to extended bench webby style and Fats get his debut to pump up the boys in the second half
See if CHT can step up and generate consistent long kicks or clever 4th tackle kicks, otherwise TT might make way for CNK later
I’d rest cape and barney cuz yes barney did his acl post origin and cape was rested every time since, and if we can beat them without these two it will send shivers down their spines and scar them, otherwise at least we know we have cards up our sleeves for the big dance
They've both also only played 5 games this year so should in theory be relatively fresh.
We can be smart with our bench use around this. If you start Barny at prop and sub him with Ford who will play the rest of the game, thats only one interchange, and then start Laban and Capewell, and then bring Leka on with 30 minutes to go for Capewell it means weve only used 2 interchanges, have started with both Origin players, given both a decent rest, and also have good X factor off the bench with 30 min to go.
Imagine the game on the line with Leka, JFH and Clark coming on in that last 25-30 minutes to close the game out.
CWC
🔍
I was onboard with the Mets was underdone post acl etc then I remembered barney destroying the knights on his return, then Ronaldo going nuts on his return, and then TMM scoring and setting up tries with death kicks against the premiers on his first FG game of the year
Mets doing his community service at cup until a SOS call up and wear 6 on his back would be the best reintegration than having him walk straight back in at 7 barking orders after he demanded it and schemed and ripped his contract publicly just 2 weeks ago (cue how webby found out), there is a way to do itYep definitely, interesting times ahead alright, hundred percent agree with having to have at least have 2 cup games,I was onboard with the Mets was underdone post acl etc then I remembered barney destroying the knights on his return, then Ronaldo going nuts on his return, and then TMM scoring and setting up tries with death kicks against the premiers on his first FG game of the year
Times ticking away for him.
Metcalf played 6 in his games back and was trying too hard. He goes well as a 7 but he’s always been out of place at second receiver, saw that a couple years back.
Tmm is scoring tries because our second row is pretty lethal. Seems as soon as we get back to the edge we are successful, not matter who’s there.
The problem I have with tmm is he is rocks and diamonds without the diamonds. Time and time again he lets the pressure off with shit kicking. We can’t compete with Penrith with tmm
Also I never want to see cnk back in the top side.
Thanks
Apart from that in webby we trust
Tmm is scoring tries because our second row is pretty lethal. Seems as soon as we get back to the edge we are successful, not matter who’s there.
The problem I have with tmm is he is rocks and diamonds without the diamonds. Time and time again he lets the pressure off with shit kicking. We can’t compete with Penrith with tmm
Also I never want to see cnk back in the top side.
Thanks
Apart from that in webby we trust
WAH MAN
⭐
You reckon we'll lose if TMM plays at 7?
1 T Tuaupiki
2 D W Zelezniak
3 A Leiataua
4 A Pompey gk
5 A K Pereira
6 C H Tavita
7 T M Martin
8 J F Harris
9 W Egan
10 M Barnett
11 J Laban
12 K Capewell
13 E Clark
14 S Healey
15 J Ford
16 D Vaimauga
17 L Halasima
18 L Hanson
20 K Fatialofa
Metcalf has to come through cup for me. Hes already upset the apple cart. He needs to get back on side with the first team, and he can do that while leading the cup side around until needed.
If they wanted to rest Capewell and Barnett for T S Smith and Give Fatialofa a debut I would love that.
I think we have earned the right to rest players post origin.
2 D W Zelezniak
3 A Leiataua
4 A Pompey gk
5 A K Pereira
6 C H Tavita
7 T M Martin
8 J F Harris
9 W Egan
10 M Barnett
11 J Laban
12 K Capewell
13 E Clark
14 S Healey
15 J Ford
16 D Vaimauga
17 L Halasima
18 L Hanson
20 K Fatialofa
Metcalf has to come through cup for me. Hes already upset the apple cart. He needs to get back on side with the first team, and he can do that while leading the cup side around until needed.
If they wanted to rest Capewell and Barnett for T S Smith and Give Fatialofa a debut I would love that.
I think we have earned the right to rest players post origin.
I think the issue is TMM wasn’t playing but was training since his injury, in and around the team and probably had a month of contact prior to coming on.
Sounds like Metcalf has done bugger all lately and even been banned from training while contracts are being sorted.
Neo
👍
I don’t understand the Leka needs a rocket perspective. We went from having one of the most leaky edges in the comp, when the game was slower, to having one of the best in a faster game. I think what him and Ali have come up with defensively over the last 6 rounds deserves massive credit. You can see that the half will now hold their width because they are confident in the second rowers ability to push from the inside. It wasn’t happening with Niukore there. It is consistently happening with Leka and Laban now. We are also back to being able to crate space on the edges due to the momentum created by the middles, and a running threat on the edge. You always see Leka running hard lines, even if he doesn’t get the ball. I think his efforts have been there and he is rounding his game out nicely
I think he needs to have at least 1 game in NSW Cup especially if he has not even been training.
Aside from the release request and subsequent move to the Dragons. Something must have gone on with him. As Webby seems in no rush to hsve him in first grade.
TMM is 2 from 2 and each game the man doubles his tries.
If the streak continues- TMM a hatrick and the Wahs win.
The way I've heard it explained from SOO players it's easier to play again sooner than later as the soreness/tiredness of the muscles sets in..
He’ll be scoring at will the week after thatTMM is 2 from 2 and each game the man doubles his tries.
If the streak continues- TMM a hatrick and the Wahs win.
A few selection headaches for the coaching team.
Barney has not set the world on fire this season. Looks slow and cumbersome at times.
TSS deserves to stay on the bench. Will it happen? Probably not. I'd also start Ford ahead of Barney. So when Fish comes off we have a ready made like for like replacement on the feild.
Doe's Metcalf start? It's a nope from me. Bench? Possibly?
Mets has the superior kicking game. But CHT is surprising the fuck outta me! General play kicks and goal kicking! Our 6 hitman has been putting in the mahi!
TMM is doing a good job. Is superior to Mets on defence. Offers a similar running game. Personally would keep TMM at 7 until fate decides otherwise.
Would start Laban alongside Capes. Leka to the bench. Give him a little rest while Capes is back.
Barney has not set the world on fire this season. Looks slow and cumbersome at times.
TSS deserves to stay on the bench. Will it happen? Probably not. I'd also start Ford ahead of Barney. So when Fish comes off we have a ready made like for like replacement on the feild.
Doe's Metcalf start? It's a nope from me. Bench? Possibly?
Mets has the superior kicking game. But CHT is surprising the fuck outta me! General play kicks and goal kicking! Our 6 hitman has been putting in the mahi!
TMM is doing a good job. Is superior to Mets on defence. Offers a similar running game. Personally would keep TMM at 7 until fate decides otherwise.
Would start Laban alongside Capes. Leka to the bench. Give him a little rest while Capes is back.
I don’t think any one game is down to one selection or that selecting tmm or metcalf will be any singular reason. We could play metcalf and lose, we could play tmm and win.
But I think in closer situations with no one who can kick us out of trouble we are going to have bigger challenges. TMM kicking often puts us into trouble. It’s just that so far it’s been an against a dickless dragons and a gassed broncos so we haven’t been punished for it.
His distribution and running is quite nice though, I won’t bag him completely. He is a great bench option. But eventually the lack of a kicking game will cost us as a dominant playmaker.
The best decision that will win more games on average, to me, is metcalf at 7 , cht at 6, TT at fullback. TT is also back up goal kicker, so he’s vital tbh.
I hope we treat this match as equally important to all the other matches we have played this year but not any importance beyond that. Let's not make this a must win game. Or aim up so we can be tied 1st and show them who is boss. Let's save our super human efforts for the play offs and just treat this Penrith game as another day at the office.
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