General Warriors Preseason 2024

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Thought I'd start a preseason thread..
Interesting comment from SJ interview at the Dally M's... That day 1 preseason will be further advanced than last year.
Makes sense, IMO tend to think Webbys got the whole club on the same page.. professional approach to everything and instilled a generic game plan as last year's focus... interesting to see what the advancements will be...
 

NRL: Why this season’s startling success is a taste of good times to come for the Warriors in 2024​


If you thought this season was good for the Warriors - wait until next year.

That seems to be the sentiment floating around the Mt Smart club, with unbridled optimism for the future after what looked like a transformational campaign.

It’s not a new feeling. For a good portion of their existence - and especially in the post-Ivan Cleary era - it’s been a common refrain.

During most seasons since the 2011 grand final, the Warriors have been characterised as a “next year” club. A good pre-season, a couple of signings, maybe a new coach and everything would be okay. It was typical for most NRL clubs - but was saddled on the Warriors most heavily - and the El Dorado season never really came, aside from 2018.

However, the signs are good for 2024. It won’t be easy to improve on this campaign, as the Warriors have only reached back-to back-preliminary finals once in their 28-year history (2002-2003) and their 16-8 regular season record was only one short of matching the best tally in the club’s history.

But something is happening at Mt Smart and it won’t be undone easily. After tasting success, the club are determined to stay at that altitude and there are strong foundations in place.

Andrew Webster

The 41-year-old is the most important piece of the puzzle. It’s easy to overlook but the preliminary final was only his 30th match as an NRL head coach. Craig Bellamy has more than 550 behind him, Ivan Cleary 424. Kevin Walters is a relative rookie (75 NRL games) but also has two Super League seasons to fall back on, along with four years as Queensland State of Origin coach. On that basis, Webster’s capacity to improve and grow is massive.

Settled squad

The 2023 squad was a new team, with eight recruits, many of whom became regulars in the 17, along with some big departures. Their combinations and cohesion were impressive off the back of one pre-season - imagine what can be achieved with another one. And unlike other top teams, the Warriors aren’t losing key men to other clubs. That may not be the case in 12 months, with a lot of contracts up for renewal, but it’s a good situation now, as Bayley Sironen and Viliami Vailea are the only notable departures.

The Tuivasa-Sheck effect

For most of his last Warriors stint, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was the right guy at the wrong time, as his talent and capacity to make a difference was diluted by shortcomings around him. His return in 2024 is timely, giving the Warriors a different option out wide. He could be used with a roving commission on attack - similar to Joseph Manu at the Roosters - but should add plenty of punch. The 30-year-old will also drive standards even higher, though he is smart enough not to disrupt the chemistry already created this season.

Chanel Harris-Tavita is also a judicious re-signing, though he will be given time to settle after his year away.

Adjusting the recipe

The Warriors found themselves in 2023. They know what works - on both sides of the ball - so it is about adjusting and fine-tuning the recipe. Shaun Johnson will be a year older but can be influential again, as they expand their attacking repertoire. The defensive solidity was the most impressive aspect (third-best defence in the regular season), though there is always room to get better.

The Warriors tribe
The fanbase fell in love with the Warriors again this year, along with a whole lot of new followers, driven by the results and the snowballing Up the Wahs movement. That’s created a momentum that is self-fulfilling, as bumper crowds make the team even more difficult to beat at home.

Situation vacant

The Warriors need to find another prop option. Whether it is homegrown - or recruited - there is an over-reliance on Addin Fonua-Blake for forward grunt. He was spectacular this season, with huge minutes and metres as he only missed one match, but he will need more support for the team to reach their potential.

North Queensland provide warning

The Cowboys were the darlings of the NRL last season, catapulting from second-last in 2021 to third on the ladder. They reached the preliminary final, with Todd Payten awarded coach of the year. But they couldn’t back it up this year, undermined by a poor start and finished 11th, as they struggled to deal with new expectations.

A ‘kind draw’ again?

The NRL draw is a random beast - as you only face half the teams twice - and it bounced in the Warriors’ favour in 2023. They played Penrith, Brisbane and Melbourne just once, while the skew of home games in July and August helped with momentum. The Warriors also made their own luck, crucially winning all three matches before their byes and becoming a formidable team on the road.

Edging the injury lottery

On the one hand the Warriors had an awful run with injuries this year, as Webster didn’t have his best 17 available until the second week of the finals. Conversely, they avoided major injuries to the big five (Shaun Johnson, Tohu Harris, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad), which was vital.

Conclusion

All the signs point to more success in 2024. It won’t be easy and not everything will go to script (as it sometimes felt this year, from the number of clutch wins to the timely arrival of Johnson’s second baby) but this Warriors team won’t be a one hit wonder. There is a gulf to be bridged with Penrith, Brisbane and to a lesser extent Melbourne, but the Auckland club are starting from a considerably higher place than other rivals.

 
My breakout picks for 2024.
Berry - I think with this year's , another preseason and a bit more bulk he is going to be the shit.

Ford - will peak in the next couple of years because he works too hard not to. It's all in his head.

Barnett - he was good this year but I think his role changed and his body wasn't right for it. Next year he will be better suited to a middle role to support AFB.

Then we got any of the youngins who might make it - I.e. halasima, sifakula, leiataua etc. But anything could happen with them.

CHT is also in the back of my mind but I just don't know how that's going to pan out, might be good and at least he will fold some........
 
One from left field but we need a decent goal kicker , if SJ is not able to kick.
If he is not there Pompey is not up to it and Volkman ia good but not being picked.
CHT can kick but perhaps won’t be on the field for 80 mins.
The GF showed the importance of goal kicking, turning 4 pointers into 6 pointers.
 
My breakout picks for 2024.
Berry - I think with this year's , another preseason and a bit more bulk he is going to be the shit.

Ford - will peak in the next couple of years because he works too hard not to. It's all in his head.

Barnett - he was good this year but I think his role changed and his body wasn't right for it. Next year he will be better suited to a middle role to support AFB.

Then we got any of the youngins who might make it - I.e. halasima, sifakula, leiataua etc. But anything could happen with them.

CHT is also in the back of my mind but I just don't know how that's going to pan out, might be good and at least he will fold some........
I think Curran will have a big off-season too and be really pushing to start next year. He was quoted a couple of times this year as saying he wasn't happy with his off-season and fitness and was disappointed not to be starting.
 
Last year was an interesting off-season. Webster did some interviews before arriving and when needed during the off-season but overall the off-season seemed pretty quiet. They just got down to work.

There were a few good signs coming through with various posters saying how happy the players were or how impressed they were with Webster.

It was good that it was quiet with less hype after coming off a poor 2022 season. This off-season will be adding things to how we play and identifying items for individuals to work on.

Berry and a few of the other young guys will benefit from another NRL pre season.
 
One from left field but we need a decent goal kicker , if SJ is not able to kick.
If he is not there Pompey is not up to it and Volkman ia good but not being picked.
CHT can kick but perhaps won’t be on the field for 80 mins.
The GF showed the importance of goal kicking, turning 4 pointers into 6 pointers.
Pompey actually kicked pretty well when given the chance I thought. No one was critical of his kicking when he slotted 6 from 7 in the Newcastle game. Pretty harsh to write him off due to missing 3 sideline kicks in the prelim...
 
Pompey actually kicked pretty well when given the chance I thought. No one was critical of his kicking when he slotted 6 from 7 in the Newcastle game. Pretty harsh to write him off due to missing 3 sideline kicks in the prelim...
For me it's more the question of whether Pompey makes the 17. With RTS, Berry, Leiataua and Montoya's ability to cover centre - will Pompey be a goalkicking option?
 
I think the Golden Rule is: Pick your best 21 on position performance then work on making sure you have 2 kickers in that 21 that are 75%+ kickers.

So if Pompey justifies his position via performance and his kicking's tracking at 75%+ - according to the Warriors website he was 50% (2/2 so not the biggest sample, that!) in 2020 and 71.43% this year (20/28) - then pick him. Otherwise not.

Same with any other player. Metcalf's 100% off 12 for this year. Not sure of his career statistics. But even he's 75%+ over his career, can he justify his spot in a Warriors 21?

Captain Obvious: In a low-scoring game, the great kickers don't get much work, but a poor positional player will still be found out in some manner.

I have occasional nightmares of the Warriors losing a GF because the points kicking fails them....

I'd be picking 3 - as well as SJ as he's the incumbent - for kicking skills work this pre-season.
 
I don't think he's in our first choice 17 if we want to go up a gear next season. I think Ali Leiataua and RTS are needed to give us more x factor.
Agreed with Pompey not being in the 17, I'd have RTS and Berry starting with Leiataua as third choice. Berry's defence has been really good this year (notwithstanding DWZ's tendency to come flying in off the wing).
 
Round 1 is confirmed to be the weekend of March 2nd/3rd as that's when the Vegas games are scheduled.
NRL GF is usually/always the first Sunday of October (day before Labour Day in Sydney) so that would be 6th of October.

My maths tells me that there would then be 28 rounds next season, and 4 weeks of playoffs.
Round 1 01 March
Round 28 06 September
NRL GF 06 October

Unless, round 1 is a split round where the Vegas teams dont play the next weekend. Has anyone heard?
 
Round 1 is confirmed to be the weekend of March 2nd/3rd as that's when the Vegas games are scheduled.
NRL GF is usually/always the first Sunday of October (day before Labour Day in Sydney) so that would be 6th of October.

My maths tells me that there would then be 28 rounds next season, and 4 weeks of playoffs.
Round 1 01 March
Round 28 06 September
NRL GF 06 October

Unless, round 1 is a split round where the Vegas teams dont play the next weekend. Has anyone heard?
I was thinking about that...

I suspect the 2 Lost Wages games are going to be the week before the rest of the Round 1 games.

The four Lost Wages teams play Sunday Aussie Time is how I've read the plans. Get on the big silver bird back to Straya Monday/Tuesday (they might delay the departure for extra publicity etc, so that that They Are The NRL News for that week).

Get back Thursday Aussie Time. Watch the rest of the NRL from Thursday Night To Sunday Night.

Everyone aligned into Round 2 of NRL 2024.

That's how I'd play it. But your idea of the 4 teams getting Week 2 off might work. Not sure if it would impress the fans of those teams, though. They start away from home in LW and they either have to wait 6 or up to 14 days from NRL 2024 Start Date to see their teams in Aussie.
 
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Round 1 is confirmed to be the weekend of March 2nd/3rd as that's when the Vegas games are scheduled.
NRL GF is usually/always the first Sunday of October (day before Labour Day in Sydney) so that would be 6th of October.

My maths tells me that there would then be 28 rounds next season, and 4 weeks of playoffs.
Round 1 01 March
Round 28 06 September
NRL GF 06 October

Unless, round 1 is a split round where the Vegas teams dont play the next weekend. Has anyone heard?

The Vegas teams will play then the rest of round 1 will be the following weekend.

In round 2 the Vegas teams will rotate partners so there's no clear advantage/disadvantage.
 
You would expect that we will start better for this years training season.

No time will be wasted on the getting to know you stuff, there will be no need for the team building side of the program, no time spent talking about the Covid years, and no kinks and hiccups which are natural with new Coaches.

This time they will come in on weight or under for most part because they know they are a shot at something great here and that the expectations of self responsibility will be high, after all they have the thrill of knowing they will be winning games in front of the best crowd in New Zealand....ever....

Roger will kick up the pace for the backs and be a lot of help there with getting them ready and his communication will make drills go more smoothly, they will because of him, have a lot of initiative, rather than waiting to be told stuff.

Roger has a massive impact at that club they made a really smart move bringing him in, the old boys will be really happy to have one more leader to push the guys.

Shauns legs luck willing will heal, Tohus Knee should be cleaned out at ready too.

The NSW cup boys are another layer when they join the sessions, they will also be well prepared and less time will be wasted on getting them up to speed.

I cannot see Webster going away from the emphasis on defence in the preseason with less time allotted to attack, however the attack was clicking nicely so they won't be as flat as the opening half of the season when they have the ball. Maybe four games to get it back, by which time the Warriors will be putting some big wins in over the lesser lights which will help their for and against.

As for new players replacing the like of Pompey and Berry, possibly Montoya, we have to remember that the smartest thing is to start the season from a stable platform, and if Roger and CHT are in there, then that is two changes already...throwing noobs in on top needs some caution and careful planning.

I do not expect to see baby Ali make the top side early on. Remember he had his intro to FG disrupted after only one game, ergo he will be starting from scratch like Berry did, where he may play a game, and get retired for his own protection.

The days of just throwing young guys out there are long gone in our system, now they get blooded and bounce in and out till like Berry, they have to play but they have had some on and off experience of the NRL.

Hoping Ed Kosi continues his form in the cup, because he is a straight entrant if needed.

Expecting Jazz to be good next year, no more health issues, he is great when he is fit and playing regularly.
 
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