Post Match NZ Warriors v Penrith Panthers - [Round 13, 2026]

[sup42]

Great game .. but with Cleary that would have put us away A+ on effort from most the boys(Vaimauga did he run it much ??? seem to love to pass only!!!)

we had that game but some reason some of the Young forwards didn't want to run hard up the middle ..and are backs didn't want to pass THE FUCKING BALLL WHAT THE FUCK we butchered so many tries

Laban near the line think he will just hang onto the ball on the last play soon as he was tackled throw it back doesn't matter what direction WAHs player right their ...

We have some of the worst footy intelligence in those centres. You have one of the fastest wingers in the comp and one of the best try finishers you never used THEM!!!!! ..for any more than battering rams

We were overwhelmed on every level by the best defensive display seen in the NRL this year.

The fact that we almost won (less Ref issue and we won that game) is outstanding.

Webster stopped the Forwards that could pass a ball from crash bash because they were getting killed through the middle. He ran his little men there instead and got Dimitric et al to shift it around that blockage at every opportunity - it was outstanding coaching adjustment and it saved our asses.

More than that it gives us the antidote to Penrith ball for next time.

The man in the middle was not interested in watching Penrith's ten meters and they knew it, they barely got called out for those short tens. Pissed me right off.

 

[sup42]

I love our team - but when you know you have them shot with short interchange passing and running halves, plus second rowers - why go away from that ? my only other complaint was the slight lack of organisation on the later tackles in the set ... other than that a mighty effort really - personnel wise I don't know where you go to from here... there's something missing (a long kicking game or just more gumption to run ? Usual suspects : Linnane, Metcalf, Fatilofa?) Penrith were lucky to win that and had the luck engineered for them at times, but the actual difference were bad defensive reads at crucial times... imagine what sort of chaos would've broken out if we got out to a double figure lead ... why didn't Laban just roll that ball out to an unmarked AKP??

Linnane is ready, It is his defence.

And in that metric the other two are worrying. Metcalf's defence was better yesterday, but still did some arm grabs.

I am actually very concerned about Metcalf's return, he is a one man band, not a halves pair option.

If we play him, he will take over this team.

We don't need that, we almost beat Penrith (along with all the other skulls hanging on our wall).

Metcalf, I am almost certain, will kill this team if he plays (those words are not hate they are fear-true story).

Penrith I believe, would have murdered Metcalf's one option style (I run - the rest of you follow and try do something with that).

Fats defence is the issue, the only reason I could see for trying him is to see if he grows another leg wearing a fg jersey in defence. Big risk that, but it worked for Ali so....

 

[sup42]

If and buts but it would have been interesting if Tb was playing.

Tanah will kill Penrith.

We will be strangling those fkrs as much they did to us.

We can't consistently get a ten meter pin down without Tanah.

So glad the Metcalf experiment is over, and our future is in Boyd's hands.

We would have set up deeper too and not got swamped on every play.

Future looks bright eh.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Tanah will kill Penrith.

We will be strangling those fkrs as much they did to us.

We can't consistently get a ten meter pin down without Tanah.

So glad the Metcalf experiment is over, and our future is in Boyd's hands.

We would have set up deeper too and not got swamped on every play.

Future looks bright eh.

I feel like both teams halves cancelled each others out last night, as neither team’s long kicking game was great. That is the one benefit of bringing Metcalf back into the team.

 

[Woofa]

I know it's against the Dragons, who even with their win against the Broncos won't inspire too many casuals, but I wonder how full Mt Smart will be on Saturday 18 July when the Warriors go up against New Zealand v Ireland at Eden Park??

I reckon still be chocka.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Linnane is ready, It is his defence.

And in that metric the other two are worrying. Metcalf's defence was better yesterday, but still did some arm grabs.

I am actually very concerned about Metcalf's return, he is a one man band, not a halves pair option.

If we play him, he will take over this team.

We don't need that, we almost beat Penrith (along with all the other skulls hanging on our wall).

Metcalf, I am almost certain, will kill this team if he plays (those words are not hate they are fear-true story).

Penrith I believe, would have murdered Metcalf's one option style (I run - the rest of you follow and try do something with that).

Fats defence is the issue, the only reason I could see for trying him is to see if he grows another leg wearing a fg jersey in defence. Big risk that, but it worked for Ali so....

Jye was highly rated in the Newcastle system so it’s no surprise to see him tearing up in cup. Was rated higher than Fletcher Sharpe coming through the knights pathways, but consecutive ACL injuries obviously set him back. This is his first season in cup so I doubt he touches FG until next season, but he’s a definite first grade prospect in the backs or at 5/8.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I am actually very concerned about Metcalf's return, he is a one man band, not a halves pair option.

If we play him, he will take over this team.

We don't need that, we almost beat Penrith (along with all the other skulls hanging on our wall).

Metcalf, I am almost certain, will kill this team if he plays (those words are not hate they are fear-true story).

You have just summed up what I've been trying to say since the Tigers/Sharks losses, far better that I could have said it.

I cannot agree more.

 

[MaybeTop8]

So out of that, Penrith were definitely a standard above I thought in certain moments. They were able to kick on and the breaks were more prominent in the second half. Both sides defence was awesome, and although we weren't far off this was a game where the little stuff showed up - sometimes in lack of support runners, other times in not passing to the wingers (man, that happened so many times) or whoever should have been passed to.

Dylan Edwards was superb.

Yes we got a couple of dud calls, but most were correct, and had Cleary been there it would have been a bigger loss I think.

This is an excellent opportunity to work on these things, this is what will take us to the next level.

Top four yes, top team, no.

 

[Damo]

Great game. The fact we came back from that deficit at HT says a lot about this team.
Penrith were immense in defence and iced their opportunities far better than us in attack. Probably shows their vast experience in big, meaningful games compared to us. We will be a lot better for that game in the long run.

 

[Rick O’Shay]

Linnane is ready, It is his defence.

And in that metric the other two are worrying. Metcalf's defence was better yesterday, but still did some arm grabs.

I am actually very concerned about Metcalf's return, he is a one man band, not a halves pair option.

If we play him, he will take over this team.

We don't need that, we almost beat Penrith (along with all the other skulls hanging on our wall).

Metcalf, I am almost certain, will kill this team if he plays (those words are not hate they are fear-true story).

Penrith I believe, would have murdered Metcalf's one option style (I run - the rest of you follow and try do something with that).

Fats defence is the issue, the only reason I could see for trying him is to see if he grows another leg wearing a fg jersey in defence. Big risk that, but it worked for Ali so....

My fear with Metcalf as well. I really don't think he can follow the Webby game plan.
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt but it's hard after his performance in cup yesterday.
Jett was a bystander

 

[jonesy101]

Bro was kicking from right in front, what are u talking about.

He kicked one from the sideline when scores were 16 all.

 

[sup42]

Think we need to learn how to really turn the screws on teams- it’s what Penrith did to us to take the lead

I hate to say it, but this squad is great at turning up the heat, however, Penrith had long kickers and could pin on the 10 meters.

Last night pretty much confirmed that Tanah Boyd is our biggest signing since Fisher Harris and what a relief he is locked in.

 

[sup42]

Sometimes on commentary the commentators seem to think scoring is easy. Cronk tonight said we need to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Sure, the way the game has been this year in most games that may be possible.

When you get the top sides or you get to the finals teams will defend their line. It also adds more to the match when teams aren't scoring so easily.

They also started banging on about the Warriors being out on their feet.

I kept posting in Game day that the Riff were out on theirs too, but the commentators are blind to that.

It is gonna be really exciting when Linnane is judged ready for this team, he is the missing piece (well actually Boyd is) because Linnane and AKP would have killed that Penrith side last night in the championship rounds (with your boxing background I know u know exactly what that means).

I keep mentioning Linnane, but don't mistake that peeps for me thinking I know he is ready while an NRL coach (Mr Andrew Webster if you please) cannot see that for himself.

Clearly Linnane is 'not ready' or he would have been playing last night, but he must be moments away from the call and I just hope Metcalf or Cleary start passing him the fluckn ball or Webster won't see it either.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

what’s up with the overreaction regarding Metcalf ‘overplaying’ his hand in cup and that correlating to how he will play in first grade? He’s in cup to find his feet again, not to play second fiddle and play for the win. I’ll reserve judgement until he strings a few games together in FG.

 

[sup42]

All this talk about Pompey and not one mention about the rocks from Dalin and Ali ??

Tough crowd

Regarding Ali and Dallin:

Last night just underscored that they cannot play without Kurt Capewell, and so while that was frustrating it is very encouraging for the rest of the season.

Capewell has become more important to this side that Barnett. We can mitigate Barnetts absence, we cannot cheat code our way around the communication and leadership on our right defensive edge that is Capewell.

Taine needs Capewell too.

And I would go as far as to say that Capewell would have smashed Mclean on at least one out of two of those Try's.

Also, I am a big believer in the principle of the defensive line being a belt, or a band, or a single organism, problems on the far right quickly spread and show up on the left against brilliant sides like Penrith that can use the full width of the field.

We cannot do that back to them without Tanah. But that is ok. I think a lot of our boys are getting harshly judged when really the scoreboard is your perspective.

The Panthers are the best, and have been the best so long that getting within one score of winning vs them is a special effort. We need to remind ourselves, while we were micro dissecting every mistake or indiscretion, these blokes of ours were being murdered and the Ref was joining in to dance on their corpses.

Any other team in the NRL would have had forty put on them by last nights Panthers.

Any other team would have struggled to reach 12 points for.

Last night was the best game anyone has seen since the finals and everyone in the League world know's for a fact that it was WAY above that Origin bull shit.

We should be proud man. Proud as. Stand tall, and go pick another scrap.

 

[sup42]

what’s up with the overreaction regarding Metcalf ‘overplaying’ his hand in cup and that correlating to how he will play in first grade? He’s in cup to find his feet again, not to play second fiddle and play for the win. I’ll reserve judgement until he strings a few games together in FG.

The one part of Metcalf's game which was universally agreed upon before that cup display (never seen anything like it to be honest) was that Metcalf needs to work on his organizational play and combinations with other halves.

I know one thing. Yesterday I was very happy Metcalf was lining up for us. Paid the $19 just to see it.

Still glad I did see what Metcalf did.

He is in great shape physically.

There are huge justifiable question marks over his understanding of what halves combinations are about and how to lift the players around them. And that was where he had an opportunity to work on it with a young hopeful kid running along side him.

 

[Tragic]

That was a hard game. Lucky we have the bye. Penrith might struggle to back up against the tigers after that.

 

[sup42]

Jye was highly rated in the Newcastle system so it’s no surprise to see him tearing up in cup. Was rated higher than Fletcher Sharpe coming through the knights pathways, but consecutive ACL injuries obviously set him back. This is his first season in cup so I doubt he touches FG until next season, but he’s a definite first grade prospect in the backs or at 5/8.

I think and injury or two with our Centers will see him debut (hope that doesn't happen).

But as good as he is, he doesn't deserve to displace the boys who put in that effort last night (sure they weren't perfect but the heart is there and if we are learning anything it is don't throw the baby out with the bath water).

 

[kos]

The one part of Metcalf's game which was universally agreed upon before that cup display (never seen anything like it to be honest) was that Metcalf needs to work on his organizational play and combinations with other halves.

I know one thing. Yesterday I was very happy Metcalf was lining up for us. Paid the $19 just to see it.

Still glad I did see what Metcalf did.

He is in great shape physically.

There are huge justifiable question marks over his understanding of what halves combinations are about and how to lift the players around them. And that was where he had an opportunity to work on it with a young hopeful kid running along side him.

Metcalf is not a team player. He would burnt a few more team mates after yesterday’s display. Selfish.

Pompey aka the new Bunty

Yes he could have passed to Akp a couple of times - that pissed me off

But his kicking 3 out of 3 kept us on the game
And 177 run metres.
Hmmm


Great game
We can hold our heads high

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Yeah i dont think he was injured from what i saw. But someone with more info may be able to confirm otherwise.

Restricted mins. He’s fine.