Gameday NZ Warriors v St George Illawarra Dragons - [Round 12, 2026]

[Matiunz]

Heading in for first Live of the year, prick of a ground to get to.
IF we play to our ability we will be too strong, IF we turn up like we did against the Tigers and the Sharks Drags are in with a shot- can’t take any team lightly.
Weathers a bit rough on and off light rain last couple of days. I’m out west at the moment and a few light sprinkles but nothing major- not sure what it’s like closer to the city but a bit of rain was predicted

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Heading in for first Live of the year, prick of a ground to get to.
IF we play to our ability we will be too strong, IF we turn up like we did against the Tigers and the Sharks Drags are in with a shot- can’t take any team lightly.
Weathers a bit rough on and off light rain last couple of days. I’m out west at the moment and a few light sprinkles but nothing major- not sure what it’s like closer to the city but a bit of rain was predicted

yep we agree with the ground location, train to Carlton walk to ghe ground.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

We are going to be smashed by the dragons forward pack! This Warriors team has no idea what they are about. It should be a cricket score dragons all day!

 

[kurgal]

The winless Dragons have to win a game sooner or later - let's hope it's not against us.

 

[Est95]

Im super confident, but the last time I was super confident was the Tigers game and look what happened. That makes me leas confident ....

 

[Neo]

Kayliss and Pompey playing cup

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Cool to see the cup game live on sky!

Do we see linnane at six and Pompey centre!

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I would take Touchman over Laban.

If Liddle was playing I'd take him over Healey

Personally, I don't think these are like-for-like comparisons. T Couchman is a middle who averages 60 minutes, Laban is an edge backrower who is lucky to get 20 under our rotation (he wasn't even used last week). Better comparison for T Couchman would probably be Demi and I'd definitely take Demi over him. Conversely Laban's appropriate comparison is probably Dylan Egan or Hamish Stewart and I'd take him over both of them.

Liddle and Healey are also at different stages of development. Liddle has played 100+ games over almost 10 years and has very little additional upside. Healey is basically in his first full year of first grade and has a lot more growth in him. Better hooking comparison across the league is probably an Owen Pattie/Riley Smith.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I do want to see Laban get busy today.

 

[Neo]

Cool to see the cup game live on sky!

Do we see linnane at six and Pompey centre!

Yeah you would imagine so. Pompey needs the reps at centre due to being next man up. Will be a dilemma going forward though if Linnane is brilliant

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

RTS straight back in to the team?! Surely the unproven greenhorn should perform in cup first before getting the top centre spot?!

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Hard to see anything other than 13+ here. Going off their game last week against the Panthers, they're not short of effort which goes a long way, but effort without execution is the issue for them atm, even with our outs I think we're still a class above them.

I think too much is made of their performance v Panthers. It's almost as if the last 11 weeks before that didn't happen. It's easy for teams to put their A+ game against Penrith: everyone gets up against them which is why the riff aren't blowing teams away like they did at the start of the year. Just look at how much Canberra dropped off this week after almost getting penrith the previous game. You have to empty the tank against them to even be in the fight.

The challenge for their young pack is to back that effort up against us. As much as everyone keeps thinking that they eventually have to win a game because they try so hard every week, maybe the logic needs to be turned on its head. At some pt losing becomes a habit and the motivation to keep going fades away and the team just fully checks out for the year. Not sure if this game is where that happens but I can see it happening very soon for them.

 

[rugged]

Who would you replace Kayliss for in the starting spot tho?

Yeah centre cover would be handy, unless the plan is to move Leka to centre and Kayliss to 2nd row?

Oops i meant Kayliss was named to start in NSW cup

 

[BabylonPink]

Pompeys name at 5/8 for cup...

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Oops i meant Kayliss was named to start in NSW cup

I should think EIT is the back row cover in our forward rotation today. He isn't named in cup. So probably we go with Healey, Demi, TSS and EIT. Last week we actually didn't use Laban or TSS at all, so we really did dominate the broncos pack with one arm tied behind our back.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

A bit confusing...Fatialofa named on the bench in NRL and starting in NSW Cup?

Im assuming one must be a mistake? Or is that a common occurrence

 

[sydneywarrior92]

A bit confusing...Fatialofa named on the bench in NRL and starting in NSW Cup?

Im assuming one must be a mistake? Or is that a common occurrence

I'm more interested in why Hansen was pulled from the cup team in place of Pompey who is playing 6 today. Is Luke a sneaky chance of playing nrl today?

 

[Damo]

I'm more interested in why Hansen was pulled from the cup team in place of Pompey who is playing 6 today. Is Luke a sneaky chance of playing nrl today?

I'm guessing that Linnane is actually playing 6 and Pompey to centre. Hanson will just be halves cover.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

A bit confusing...Fatialofa named on the bench in NRL and starting in NSW Cup?

Im assuming one must be a mistake? Or is that a common occurrence

Kayliss is playing in cup

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm guessing that Linnane is actually playing 6 and Pompey to centre. Hanson will just be halves cover.

so just messing with the cup team list for fun?