SkinnyRavs82
Meh whatever. Let him walk. To me he's always either sitting on the sidelines injured or what not. Yeah perhaps he will do better there and that's fine.
Hitman82
True. He wasn't as good as Byrne or Rovelli, I guess.
Akkerz
Contributor
Reckon Rusty has been given a great opportunity. It' s up to him what he does with it. There's something radically wrong at the Warriors when instead of making the effort to support & encourage an experienced, valuable player with whatever issues the club just lets him go. That's too easy imo. Players like Packer are what makes a winning team albeit they may be a bit high-maintainence. Like others he will leave slightly tarnished and in the hands of the right coach become solid gold - playing against the Warriors. 
ToiletDuck
Administrator
I'd be incredibly surprised if we went out and signed another prop based on the comments from the club. They think they've got enough in the propping ranks at present with Matulino, Rapira, Lillyman, Matagi, Lousi, Gubb. Whether or not those guys do the job is another thing, but yeah...just can't see it happening.
Hitman82
I know. I am actually just posting my pipe dreams.
Some who called it early were correct in my opinion: Matagi's emergence and Gubb's promise pretty much sealed Packer as a potential send-off. And when it became apparent he was disillusioned with the club (possibly mutual here) it was a done deal.
We have enough QUANTITY of props. But I am very unhappy with the physical stats of these guys, and the impact they have at the line. I already felt we were undercooked in the physicality department, now we are actually without a mixing bowl.
Terrible analogies aside - hopefully other posters' thoughts prove correct and our beefed up second row can make a huge difference.
But sorry pals... I see this happening in round 1: 13 Lowrie. 17 Henry. Instantly, too many smallish / defensive oriented second rowers.
With a few forwards off contract Next year, I see 2014 as our monster prop recruitment season. In the meantime, Gubb, Lousi (x2), Matagi, Vete will be given their chance to prove they are the real deal.
But do we all really think Bennett will be there past 2014...I dont think so.
But definately wish Packer all the best - at the very least that he holds his place.[DOUBLEPOST=1380689638][/DOUBLEPOST]
Again I think Lisone will become a big bopper - he must be 6ft+ and 110kg.
He has plenty of punch and still another year in 20s.
Wait til you see the kid from Mangere East - Paul Tulli for 20s next year.
He is an absolute beast.
Hitman82
That will be interesting man. One season under Bennett could be all Packer needs. TBH, if he can sort his legs I don't really think Packer needs special treatment or a special coach. He's probably just a loyal mate and has put that ahead of the club = "attitude problem". Plus yes he is a pretty rough character... but his work ethic has never been questioned.
He'll either go great or succumb to the legs.
Haha when i first saw Lisone play I thought it was Sam Lousi, then realised I was time-travelling haha.
Work ethic never questioned....well Im questioning it.
How many hittups has he done this year?
How much weight was he carrying?
Once he is on the field - he fought and played hard.
No doubt - but you cant put it all down too injury problems.
Guys on crutches dont put on that much weight.
OMG
Bennett will see out his 4 years, if he was going to cut it short it would have been this year,
Russell seems to be the missing cog in that pack, a full off season for the first time for a few years will mean he will be humming, the Knights will be very tough next year..great pack and a backline a year wiser-big contenders
I'm not unhappy he's gone. Driving home today from up north it was announced that he was going and the newsreader said ' packer has said 'get used to it - I won't be the last'. Then went on to say Matulino and Locke might leave. To me that's a parting shot at the warriors and us. Hearing reports he stormed out of the player awards night. We talk a lot on hear about 'bad attitudes' and 'cancer culture'. Maybe a bit of the cause of it is now leaving.
Just hope Matulino hasn't been too influenced by him and stays. He'll find the place is going to get better and better.
Just hope Matulino hasn't been too influenced by him and stays. He'll find the place is going to get better and better.
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Hitman82
Can't really rate Packer on this season as he was either
A) coming back from injury, B) injured during the game, or C) not playing due to injury.
In past seasons, everybody has jizzed over his work on the field and rated him as the enforcer part of our "best props in the comp".
Questioning work ethic this season is murky regardless, go have a look at Locke and Matulino's performances in 2013, even without injuries.
OMG
how much weight did he put on though?
When Wayne goes after a Prop, they grow an extra leg, I didn't think so much of Weyman when he was at Canberra, but under Bennett he was extraordinary..
edd
I think cutting the players is too easy. The warriors should be a place where people improve themselves, become better people for the experience. But it seems like they get worse the longer they stick around....
So we cut packer today and then a new bad apple grabs our attention and gets the full treatment?
wallacenz
i never got the enforcer thing, i only saw him try that once and it was for the kiwis and he wore himself out in the first 10 mins before we got thrashed.
we really rated our props in 2011 but im starting to think it was all a myth.
To me its starting to look like our props only dominate when our outside backs like manu, tupou (in the past), hurrell, locke and others are able to get a roll on from kick returns. It should be the other way around, our props should do the hard yards so our backs can shine.
about Lisone, i was a bit sceptical about him when i first saw him play this year but he has progressed quite well. he is the biggest player in the team and i thought he ran soft for a guy his size but he has proven me wrong.
edd
He's at least 3 years away from having a real impact in first grade, if averages are anything to go on...
Why did you see him play last year?
If not you have know idea how much he has progressed and how much more he will develop[DOUBLEPOST=1380691821][/DOUBLEPOST]
Matulino wasnt overweight and still put out decent numbers.
Obviously the forward need to be looked and Thomas will be trialled imo at hooker.
I never rated him as Best props in the world - not even close.
He was always only going to be a good club player that goes hard.
I will remember him as the prop - that cost the Kiwis James Tamou.
They should of selected Tamou easily in 2011 over packer - but I suppose GF blurred the selectors
Hitman82
I was talking about our quartet, which was spoken of as a top pack at the time. Just being dry really: after 2012 + 2013 I don't even rate our pack as a unit. In the bottom half of the NRL right now. We only finished as high as we did on the back of some monster plays by guys like Hurrell.
My point was this season a large portion of our team under achieved by their standards, Matulino and Locke etc included.
And yes we should have selected Tamou - big fuck up right there.
mt.wellington
Warriors Orange Peeler
Contributor
You couldnt be more wrong. This year, of course but he's basically played 100 games in only 4 years. You dont do that from the sideline...
edd
I've no doubt he'll develop into an awesome player. But I've never seen him play against first graders, and haven't heard about him on the evening news carving up high school teams like they're pre-school teams, so I will go with the numbers and say 3 years till hes FG ready...
Just my opinion...
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