Post Match Preseason 2025 Trial 1 - Warriors vs Sharks

[Gods_17]

There's gonna be a ton of PTB drills given to these guys this week eh haha… it must be bloody difficult though, would be ingrained muscle memory to roll it, step over it.

Wasn't that frustrating? All it takes is the dummy half to say or scream "PTB...... PROPERLY!" Haha.

Webby, when you read this, from now on dedicate the last 10 - 15mins of every training to playing the ball. It'll help with the warm-down and should install the discipline.

It's gonna fuck up a lot of "On a roll/six again" situations, for every team, this season.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Some questionable calls too when Walker gets the ball knocked out of his hands when trying to play it. It just meant we couldnt dominate and apply pressure.

I fear our strategy again is to dominate and apply pressure. We still lack speed and x-factor.

It’s the one strategy though where you’re exposed to the refs… which doesn’t tend to go well for the Warriors. We will always struggle if we plan on grinding out wins across a season

As perpetual victim of the refs we need to take it out of their control with game breakers and speed and be able to blow teams away.

To late now though

 

[1995 Sufra!]

Hey I’m getting myself worked up about our playmakers
Which we don’t have compared to top 4 teams
maybe our expectations are just too high for our team
There will never be another SJ
Prove me wrong this year Metcalf
Tmm Chanel not the answer we all know that now

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Wasn't that frustrating? All it takes is the dummy half to say or scream "PTB...... PROPERLY!" Haha.

Webby, when you read this, from now on dedicate the last 10 - 15mins of every training to playing the ball. It'll help with the warm-down and should install the discipline.

It's gonna fuck up a lot of "On a roll/six again" situations, for every team, this season.

Let’s see if AFB gets called on it this season. He was the king of super quick, roll through play the balls!

 

[WA Warrior]

I like some of Metcalfs kicking game but when he is the controlling first receiver he looked for support first nearly every time.
I think that takes away his biggest threat with his running game.
I do want to see Boyd next to him and let him at first receiver or even TMM to get him more involved like everyone has said he just goes missing at 6.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Taine is just a better player and add more in 2025 than Pompey would, right? So even though charnze was good too, him at center fix a lot of problems with our pedestrian OBs. They had some nice ball movement.. and then it would end up with pomps and ed, what’re they going to do with it.

Our pack will be good, they look fit and fast the backs though…

I have a theory that Pompey is fine. And what makes him look pedestrian is that so many times he has been smoked on the outside is because our middles and edges buckled, causing Pompey to defend his opposite centre and an injecting opposing fullback. Like how Edwards or Tedesco insert into the backline to create an overlap. And if you look at a few examples of it, the fullback be it Charnze, Taine or Roger have been tied up in the middle when the opposing team pull the trigger

 

[John Nick]

I like some of Metcalfs kicking game but when he is the controlling first receiver he looked for support first nearly every time.
I think that takes away his biggest threat with his running game.
I do want to see Boyd next to him and let him at first receiver or even TMM to get him more involved like everyone has said he just goes missing at 6.

A shame to move LM after last night but yes I think he is better for the team at 6.
A bit more room one off the ruck.
A trial with Boyd at 7 would be a great opportunity to see.

 

[Noitall]

I like some of Metcalfs kicking game but when he is the controlling first receiver he looked for support first nearly every time.
I think that takes away his biggest threat with his running game.
I do want to see Boyd next to him and let him at first receiver or even TMM to get him more involved like everyone has said he just goes missing at 6.

Was most encouraged by how encouraged Cooper Cronk was with Metcalf. He’s a good judge

 

[Gods_17]

I was like ..

Who is that #18?!!!
He’s huge

Turns around… oh fuck it’s Ed Kosi

Thought the same bout Dylan Walker, at one stage. "Who's the new prop?"

 

[Naynay]

I saw enough from us out there to believe that well go alright this year.

Apart from those first 5 minutes, until Fish and Barney came on off after 55 or so minutes we had largely controlled the middle, our d was good and we were making meters up the middle.

Unfortunately we were really rusty on attack, with loads of school boy errors that cost us momentum which meant we couldnt capatilise on our momentum and meters. This was partly our fault, but I thought the ref was pretty one sided. Pinging us for the roll balls more than the other team, who also has no set resets. Some questionable calls too when Walker gets the ball knocked out of his hands when trying to play it. It just meant we couldnt dominate and apply pressure.

Attack certainly didn't click, however there's enough there to think that when we do, those short passes in the middle are going to pay dividends, and I like what Metcalf was trying. A couple of x factor players in DWZ, Ali, Metcalf and Halasima who can create something from nothing, plus the up tempo off the bench with Dylan Walker, Vaimunga and hopefully Healy, I think once we click I think we're going to see some great tries from us through the middle.

Im with you, The worst part is just the 61% completion rate especially when last year we were the best completion rate wise, when players were actually on other then Ed Kosi butchering a catch that lead to the try they didn’t really look threatened.

Had double the amount of tackles in our 20 and slightly more possession. Signs are there it could be a solid year.

Concern is TMM not sure if he really wants to play any more if its just a retirement at the end of the contract situation. I want to persist with Luke at 7 so maybe CHT to come in.

I think this is a build up year again, lost 4 top players in key positions and a first year half back.

 

[~Navigator~]

Tmm -Tmm what did Webster tell him

Stay out of trouble by the looks of it,
Was waiting for him to inject himself into the game but never happened, a couple of kicks but he seemed more like a winger at one stage.

 

[Damo]

I hope your right!

What we need to improve on is attack and attacking structure. Some game breakers. Little evidence last night.

It’s only a trial but yet to see improvement where needed.

Mate the Sharks forum is over there! Get outa here

 

[WA Warrior]

Was most encouraged by how encouraged Cooper Cronk was with Metcalf. He’s a good judge

I’m looking at the balance and combo.

Metcalf 7 TMM 6 I do think it will be more of the same as last night.
Metcalf 7 Boyd 6 waste of time if Boyd’s not the organising half as he isn’t a threat on attack.
To me that leaves Metcalf 7 and CHT 6.

Where TMM 7 Metcalf 6 gives TMM the chance to find his grove like last year, Luke can still kick and Luke’s running threat is open again.
Boyd 7 Metcalf 6 Boyd organisers great kicking game Luke running game and can be useful kicking game as well.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Mate the Sharks forum is over there! Get outa here

Mate, you gotta love the whole sport not just the wahs!


Otherwise we would go quietly insane…

 

[Noitall]

I’m looking at the balance and combo.

Metcalf 7 TMM 6 I do think it will be more of the same as last night.
Metcalf 7 Boyd 6 waste of time if Boyd’s not the organising half as he isn’t a threat on attack.
To me that leaves Metcalf 7 and CHT 6.

Where TMM 7 Metcalf 6 gives TMM the chance to find his grove like last year, Luke can still kick and Luke’s running threat is open again.
Boyd 7 Metcalf 6 Boyd organisers great kicking game Luke running game and can be useful kicking game as well.

I just think with halfback being so instrumental to a team that if TMM isn’t here beyond this year that it’s worth persevering with Metcalf being that a season there will be valuable

 

[WA Warrior]

I just think with halfback being so instrumental to a team that if TMM isn’t here beyond this year that it’s worth persevering with Metcalf being that a season there will be valuable

Yeah that’s fair. I hope he is the answer and he combines with his half partner.
I did like Hanson as well. I thought he looked good.
At least we have a few options.

 

[Noitall]

Yeah that’s fair. I hope he is the answer and he combines with his half partner.
I did like Hanson as well. I thought he looked good.
At least we have a few options.

Yeah was really impressed by Hanson especially physically, put some great shots on. Interesting he and Cleary coming on at the same time, so obviously the combination is something the club wants to see as a pair. Think Walker is going to be really important for Metcalf and the space he can find for him

 

[Dannevegas]

Mate, the halves and backs score the tries. The props run straight and hard!

AFB was the exception but props generally don’t score tries or set them up!

Still an offload wouldn’t hurt, or a side step maybe.
Buntys done imo. Ale needs a proper run

 

[John Nick]

Boyd 7 Metcalf 6 Boyd organisers great kicking game Luke running

Worth a shot in the next trial

 

[run_it_str8_again]

What we learned in recent years is that it's very rare to have your best 18 available each week so having your reserves being able to step in well is key to making it deep into the year