Pick Your Team NZ Warriors v St George Illawarra Dragons - [Round 12, 2026]

[WAH MAN]

I do worry that TMM might not be able to kick us out of tough situations.

Instead he lead us to victory on the back of a dominant pack and awesome defence across the squad.

Edit: FWIW - I hope TMM smashes it and proves me wrong.

Not satisfied after last night?

 

[CWC]

Fundamentally it is a technique based skill, which is why most decent field kickers make good goal kickers.

If it were significantly about power then forwards would do the field kicking. Having said that Cameron Smith and a couple of others are an anomaly (classic example of exception proves the rule and also Smith can kick goals which speaks to my earlier point).

It does my head in that New Zealand league players do not come through the juniors spending thousands of hours working on field kicking unlike their Union counterparts. However the tradition of Union in this country actually plays a role as to why we have issues. Most of our kids play both codes, and in Union they learn that kicking out on the full is legitimate end to a phase of play - whereas in League it is the opposite, out on the full is packed with jeopardy for our young players.

I believe this sets up a developmental issue where our play makers are conflicted in their dna. I believe that we have the talent, the issue is the chronic developmental 'mixed' messaging in those formative years, leads to a lack of confidence.

Confidence is so underrated in field kicking. It is well understood in goal kicking (as I already laid out the two are correlated) but it is not talked about much in field kicking.

Shaun Johnson is a really good case study in this phenomena, just before he left the Warriors, he was becoming a long field kicker (there was a season were he was kicking back to back 40/20's) unfortunately the first time SJ put one out on the full he put the 40/20s away (how much of that was our coach telling him to knock it off and kick safe we will never know). Anyway of course SJ went to the Sharks where he was encouraged to work on his organizing skills (field kicking is a subset of organizing play because it comes under game management) and SJ of course went on to become a great field kicker (one can only dream what would have happened had he gone to school in Aus).

For this reason I have always said, if you are parent, and your young league player has aspirations to play in the spine, get them field kicking, because in NZ that skill is so rare that it is a licence to print money.

Adam Reynolds maybe the best field kicker in the game, either him or Nathan Cleary, and they roll Old Reynolds out, limping and hobbling with his arthritic knees, and carry him through games....so in answer to your question more strength is probably not the go.

Can we turn one of ours into a field kicker like SJ did later in his career? I doubt it, because it is something you have to learn young and you have to remember that Shaun Johnson is the most physically gifted player the Warriors have ever seen. That guy had talent and skills which few are blessed with.

Te Maire and Chanel can probably kick long now. But you will find when they do at training the out on the full issue is too high to risk it in a game.

Thanks for the in-depth analysis. Maybe aiming for the middle of the field will help with the confidence and risk issues

 

[Muddogz]

I think you have to reward form and performance. Martin will start next week and unless the whole team have a stinker he’ll start against the Panthers. He’s a good player and if we had a big kicking 6 like Burton or Wighton I think he’d be great but his long range kicking game is poor.

The Panthers game will show whether we can play both Martin and CHT. If we struggle for field position Metcalf has to come back in.

 

[sup42]

1. Taine
2. Dallin
3. Ali
4. Roger
5. Lofi
6. Chanel
7. Te Maire
8. James
9. Healy
10. Mitch
11. Jacob
12. Kurt
13 Erin

14. Jye
15. Dimitric
16. Jackson
17. Kaylis

18. Tanner
20. Makaia (Taufa for those who do not know).

I am giving Wade the week off after he lied about his HIA on field like a boxer talking to the ref during a standing eight (seen the replay now, he was concussed, head hit the tackler he winces then head slams into the ground, he does the Mike Tyson Buster Douglass on all fours and fights for his SOO life). The NRL doctor should have pulled him.

Giving two NSW cup boys a chance to play some NRL against the hapless Dragons. Kaylis I would give a brief run on at the end purely for experience and Jye I would do the same if we can afford it (otherwise he is too good to not be given a hot housed special path to the NRL).

Makaia on the extended actually gets to play if Healy goes down.

Tanner the unlucky one but he has a long bright future ahead and he has had plenty of NRL runs now, time to dig into our emergency cover and prep for a nightmare injury scenario (frankly that is why Linane coz he could snap there as easily as snap in the NRL we shouldn't fook around in cup too long).

No Leka this week. Not hating on him, he has been flat (which I don't hold against him at all, it is normal on the growth arc) but last night he had a couple of no longer giving a shit moments and with our player depth and his huuuuge potential one game in cup to just give him some breathing space would be a reasonable call.

 

[ToiletDuck]

1. Taine
2. Dallin
3. Ali
4. Roger
5. Lofi
6. Chanel
7. Te Maire
8. James
9. Healy
10. Mitch
11. Jacob
12. Kurt
13 Erin

14. Jye
15. Dimitric
16. Jackson
17. Kaylis

18. Tanner
20. Makaia (Taufa for those who do not know).

I am giving Wade the week off after he lied about his HIA on field like a boxer talking to the ref during a standing eight (seen the replay now, he was concussed, head hit the tackler he winces then head slams into the ground, he does the Mike Tyson Buster Douglass on all fours and fights for his SOO life). The NRL doctor should have pulled him.

Giving two NSW cup boys a chance to play some NRL against the hapless Dragons. Kaylis I would give a brief run on at the end purely for experience and Jye I would do the same if we can afford it (otherwise he is too good to not be given a hot housed special path to the NRL).

Makaia on the extended actually gets to play if Healy goes down.

Tanner the unlucky one but he has a long bright future ahead and he has had plenty of NRL runs now, time to dig into our emergency cover and prep for a nightmare injury scenario (frankly that is why Linane coz he could snap there as easily as snap in the NRL we shouldn't fook around in cup too long).

No Leka this week. Not hating on him, he has been flat (which I don't hold against him at all, it is normal on the growth arc) but last night he had a couple of no longer giving a shit moments and with our player depth and his huuuuge potential one game in cup to just give him some breathing space would be a reasonable call.

Have you asked Loz and Billy to release Barney and Capewah for this Dragons game?

 

[Teets]

There's plenty of fundamentally sound kickers in local footy. Played against plenty of blokes who can put up huge spiral bombs, hit regular 40/20s etc.

Most of them just aren't athletic enough to get a look in at the higher levels, and/or they're not the type of highlight reel players that get the hype machine going that gets you looked at as a junior.

They generally play in rep teams that get steamrolled by Auckland teams too so of course they look shit at rep tourneys.

The other problem is there's a bit of bottleneck only having one pro development pipeline so you're always going to produce a limited talent pool. The All Blacks wouldn't have any playmaking depth either if there was only one pro super rugby franchise beneath them.

 

[Cces]

on the kicking, i can’t be sure of the exact numbers but CHT has kicked a few 40/20s

There's been a couple ones that don't appear on the stats sheet too because the Fullback or Winger have got a touch when attempting to keep it in

 

[Piltdown Man]

Jye or Jett onto an extended bench if they don't go with Metcalfe ?

Its the bottom of the table Dragons, they're 21... how long do we develop them? ... maybe its time to pick one to start with our dominant pack?... keep TMM as the supersub?

But TMM slotted in seamlessly and deserves a run. If he is playing with zero ego for the team then this could be a risk worth taking.

 

[Sammyw]

team picks itself imo

1. TT
2. DWZ
3. Ali
4. Pompey (give RTS another week so hes 100% for penrith)
5. AKP
6. CHT
7. TMM
8. Ford
9. Egan
10. JFH
11. Leka
12. Laban
13. Clarke

14. Healey
15. Vaimauga
16. TSS
17. EIT
18. Hanson
19. Niukore

going off what webby said, MEtcalf back into the 19 the following week against penrith. im also not rushing CNK back when there isnt a huge need to.

 

[Beastmode]

But TMM slotted in seamlessly and deserves a run. If he is playing with zero ego for the team then this could be a risk worth taking.

My worry with TMM isn’t just his kicking

He is limited in his arsenal

The breakaway from Egan resulting in his try was spectacular but we’ve seen this before between Egan, TMM and SJ against Souths back in the day.

Hes a very different player to Tanah.

Broncos game plan was defending Tanah at 7 not TMM.

Now that teams know it’s TMM they will change their defensive game plan to neutralise him. He was neutralised last year after a strong start.

Luke is our only hope.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Luke is our only hope.

Honest question:

Given Luke's injury history, what do you think the chances are of him making it to finals?

 

[Beastmode]

Honest question:

Given Luke's injury history, what do you think the chances are of him making it to finals?

Better than Tanahs

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Better than Tanahs

Too soon, man. Too soon.

 

[Viking]

I hope Healey plays big minutes this week. Egan was definitely concussed yesterday and bluffed his way through it.

Metcalf needs a cup game or two to ease him back into 1st grade. He was carrying the hammy going into his last two games. We all saw him pull up after a good line break. He would normally ice that sort of opportunity. I don't see him getting through to the end of the season without a few more injuries TBH.

 

[Beastmode]

Too soon, man. Too soon.

I took away the if that helps

Honestly you cant go into games worrying if you get injured

 

[Beastmode]

Metcalf needs a cup game or two to ease him back into 1st grade.

Tell that to his huge ego

 

[WAH MAN]

I think you have to reward form and performance. Martin will start next week and unless the whole team have a stinker he’ll start against the Panthers. He’s a good player and if we had a big kicking 6 like Burton or Wighton I think he’d be great but his long range kicking game is poor.

The Panthers game will show whether we can play both Martin and CHT. If we struggle for field position Metcalf has to come back in.

Well a while ago our halves against Penrith were TMM and CNK.

 

[WAH MAN]

Tell that to his huge ego

Tell that to the first grade team that could actually use his talents

 

[WAH MAN]

My worry with TMM isn’t just his kicking

He is limited in his arsenal

The breakaway from Egan resulting in his try was spectacular but we’ve seen this before between Egan, TMM and SJ against Souths back in the day.

Hes a very different player to Tanah.

Broncos game plan was defending Tanah at 7 not TMM.

Now that teams know it’s TMM they will change their defensive game plan to neutralise him. He was neutralised last year after a strong start.

Luke is our only hope.

I disagree that TMM will get figured out and neutralised. He's been a known factor for years. Put him behind our pack and we'll be wanting him on 1.3million a year

 

[roguei]

TMM is 100% our 7 for the dragons game as metcalf is not match fit. Once metcalf is match fit he can warm the bench for a little bit to give TMM time to prove he's the number 7. If he is then sweet, if not get LM on. We have space on the board to let it play out a bit. And it's very, very likely we will see both play number 7 this year reguardless, as they're both very injury prone halfs. Everyone will get there chance, and lets hope that jett's isn't in the finals when we finally run out of 1st grade halves.