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General Season 2024 summary and thoughts

In any other universe we would have at least 6 more points right now and be in the playoffs but CHT was Mr Unclutch. We are too keen to not hold individuals personally accountable for this season. The only worse thing was Webster keeping telling him to get back on the horse and keep kicking in the next game when there were NSW cup kicking options we could have promoted.
There is no possible logical reason where injuries notwithstanding this team with the forward pack we had finishes bottom 4 in 2024 if it were not for sub standard unacceptable level goal kicking that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on multiple occssions.

We are a good team but our season never had any momentum so our players lost confidence and form. Had we won more games earlier in the year we would had more confidence going up against Manly last night and would have won vs Manly and other Matches we lost also.

Finally. I was a big advocate of RTS to centre. I really thought it would work. But there ended up being too many bodies and too much traffic in the middle of the field for him to step his way to a line break.
Given CNK played badly basically all year I would put Roger at full back next year. Despite the common view on this website that he should go Japan next year, I respectfully disagree and think it CNK should become a back line utility for the team and give way to Roger.

Lastly as I posted last week CHT should never play in the halves again in my view. That leaves us with two halves only and we need to recruit a new half and give the 4th spot to Hanson/Jett Cleary/who ever puts their hand up.

I don't see us doing well next year unfortunately as I see them maintaining CNK at full back. I don't see a clear pecking order to our centres and they all get injured too frequently especially Rocco.

This year was our premiership window. I see next year as bottom 4 again unless we can sign a premier elite half over the off season.
 
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We have been treading water, same game plans, other teams worked us out. Too many 3 year deals to players near or over 30, lack of speed has been an issue for a long time. Biggest heartbreak history repeating itself, 2011, 2018 & 2023. Flopped year after after promising signs. Biggest success story Harold Mats team.

Issue there, long time to wait for them to develop and play top grade. Flegg side have been average aside from Crosby’s human highlight reels. Place needs a broom through it, clearly a lot of deadwood. Kosi, Bunty, Jazz moving on, need to make some tough calls and maybe cull a few more.

Montoya, Pompey, dare I say it a CNK & DWZ? Let them see if they can strike a deal with Catalans or another Super League team? Pompey I am torn, highly underrated. The wingers always coming in has got worse this season, so many all or nothing plays, for all DWZ’s highlights he still makes lots of mistakes in defence.

I suspect we will know if Webby is the real deal if he learns from this season and we change our predictability. I’d like to see a spine of TT, LM, TMM & WE.

I can’t see it happening though, love to be wrong!
 
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Aside from poor results after a great year I don't really see the similarities between 2024 and 2019/2012/2004.

Got belief in Webby, just hope the Alpha owner doesn't jump the gun and screw things up if we start a little patchy next year.
 
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I am pretty Gutted overall with the season after the last positive one with RTS coming in I felt TOP8 was near on certainly ..but how wrong was I..
14th looking likely....two games alone would have been wins had we had a player that could kick goals FFS!! is this not a pro sport

We seemed so disjointed many basic handling errors nil leadership in attack or D many times>>>> players were on fire last season outside limited mins were shadows of their 24 games CNK-SJ-DWZ-FORD-Monty-Tohu the worst...

RTS legend but not a FG centre ...

TMM showed some fine form but only for 50% games he played

Hindsight SJ - Tohu should have retired last year

AFB are #1 player ...massive loss..

Some young gun forwards coming through we badly need to reach another level >>>

BUT the biggest issue is DWZ defence fucking horrible D.... lack of speed outside DWZ - Metcalf ... leadership from the spine lack of attacking structure.. fitness playing for 40-60-70mins then switching off.... Tits Des knows how to rattle this team like no other ..
 
Wow, with 2 games and 3 weeks left in the regular season. We’re already at this point.

The season has been nothing short of disappointing. The injury toll certainly didn’t help though.

I think there are some myths in this team…..

Most members will know how I feel about DWZ.
Marata Niukore is not worth 850k. Madness.
Once Egan got his new contract extension I feel there was a noticeable drop in his performance. And we have to waste a bench spot on him IMO.
Charnze although he tries hard, has certainly reached his ceiling.
Ford burned out, he is a decent player. But that’s all he is.
Tohu has gotten old.

RTS is a fullback. (Tbh, I’m still 50/50 on him and Charnze)
Capewell plays way better on the left.
Adam Pompey is/was a way better player than most members gave him credit.
Barnett is a beast.
Leka has a bright future
Ali Leiataua needs time, but I feel will come right.
Rocco pretty solid, but that’s it.

I’m still a supporter but a lot lands at Andrew Websters feet. Obviously, he’s the coach.
I want him to be more ruthless.

I feel his seemingly reluctance to make changes really cost us this year.
From moving Capewell, to insisting on centre RTS. Injuries haven’t helped in this regard.
His use of the bench, or perhaps more accurately. Him NOT using the bench. Like picking Adam Pompey on the bench. And not even using him. Why?
Or just giving someone like 8 minutes. What? Why? Waste of a spot.
IMO, he runs his top forwards ragged. Completely over relying on them. Obviously your better players need more minutes but the I feel some of the guys are burnt out.
I don’t like the small bench “good foot speed” thing. It doesn’t work. It didn’t work against the better teams last year. Didn’t work at all this year.

I feel like our attack is predictable and our defence soft.
I feel the importance of a “ball playing 13” is exaggerated. Perhaps a more tackle bot or prop like 13 would service us better. Players like Yeo, Carrigan and Tohu (2023) can pretty much do both. Melbourne have pretty much never used one. They’ve dominated the NRL for the last 20 years.

Put an emphasis on defence next year, with a potential halves pairing of TMM and Metcalfe, I actually don’t see how a “ball playing 13” really benefits them, luckily Tohu can do both if he is well rested. May as well just defend well and control the ruck, lay a platform. See if our halves can do much with that.

Our backline is slow. Probably the slowest in the league.

There are a few players off contract at the end of next year. Expect to see an “improvement” in performance. SMH

All in all, we have a pretty good squad next year. Much better than bottom 4. I still believe in Andrew Webster. But the fairy dust is definitely gone. He starts from neutral. Funnily enough, given the amount of players off contract at the end of next year. 2026 will be “his” squad.

Me, perhaps foolishly. Will continue to believe and support. No matter what.
 
JaggedJ said:
Aside from poor results after a great year I don't really see the similarities between 2024 and 2019/2012/2004.

Got belief in Webby, just hope the Alpha owner doesn't jump the gun and screw things up if we start a little patchy next year.
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You can’t tell me after making the GF twice you weren’t optimistic going into the next season, same as 2018. The top 8 that year was whack as fuck. 4 points seperated us in 8th to minor premiers. The year the top 8 was locked up over a month of footy left.
 
Leon Black said:
You can’t tell me after making the GF twice you weren’t optimistic going into the next season, same as 2018. The top 8 that year was whack as fuck. 4 points seperated us in 8th to minor premiers. The year the top 8 was locked up over a month of footy left.
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I wasn't talking about my feelings, I was referring to the follow up years performances. What I've seen from us this year and the reason for the drop off imo isn't the same as the previous years mentioned.
 
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As much as this year has sucked result wise. I have really been warmed by the genuine fellowship of the whanau on this web site, Thanks for the warm support everyone provided when the losses were starting to get to me/all of us.
You guys and girls are all incredible human beings as far as i am concerned.
 
Wrighty said:
As much as this year has sucked result wise. I have really been warmed by the genuine fellowship of the whanau on this web site, Thanks for the warm support everyone provided when the losses were starting to get to me/all of us.
You guys and girls are all incredible human beings as far as i am concerned.
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It definitely helps having some comradery and humour during the dark times 😅
 
I always think the points differential tells a decent story at the end of the year.

We have scored more points than 7 other teams (3 points off the Dogs). It isn't entirely accurate as we have played more than the others, but even if they score a couple of solid wins we still seem clear.

5 teams have conceded more than us, but with games in hand that probably extends to 7-8. Shit, if you take off the Titans result (wouldn't that be nice) then we have a positive PD.

We've competed with the best sides (bar Roosters). I'd say a truer reflection of the season without some of the cruel luck would be mid-table outside the 8.

Considering injuries, dynamics and age that isn't too far off the mark. The question is when the worm will turn. Our trajectory is down, our squad is getting worse with age, and we haven't recruited what we need so far.

If we don't recruit I think we continue what we have seen in 2024. If we can recruit a quick outside back and a decent half at the very least then we still have enough of a foundation to do well. Hooker is a worry, and the young guys will need to take the opportunities with both hands (esp. Halasima to save our 2nd row)

Sam Walker and a good winger please.
 
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Having an average of 6 players unavailable each week has had a huge impact this season. I think someone posted all the different combinations we had in the backline and you just cannot get any continuity when that happens. I know coaches say you cannot use injuries as an excuse but if we had half the injuries we would be at least in a fight for the top 8.

I have over the last few weeks been thinking Webster was to blame for a lot of what has happened this season. On reflection I no longer do. Webster to mind is running a game plan that suits the team we have.

We have a strong forward pack that will gain meters but without a real strike back rower. AFB and Barnett have been our best. Can't fault them for the work they have put in. Leka has got me excited for the future and Sifakula has shown some glimpses as well. Niukore has missed 10 games this season and likely hasn't fired because of this. I hope he moves into the middle next year. Capewell played the beginning of the season injured but can see why now that he was picked for Origin.

The back 5 we have are extremely limited in ability. CNK will get us some meters that everyone will go wow look how many he got but then offer us nothing else. DWZ and Montoya are prone to defensive lapses that you would see wingers starting their NRL careers do. I still feel that RTS is forced on Webster. How can you keep playing a guy that is so bad at his position? So many other coaches would have replaced him with Pompey who may have his limitation but would have got the job done. I know RTS is the favourite player of many but this year he has offered nothing.

Our starting halves were an asset at the beginning of the year. SJ if he played like 2023 and Metcalf with his speed would have helped us win more than we lost. Unfortunately that wasn't to be. CHT is a journeyman and likely always will be. TMM plays well in patches but I do not think Webster game plan and our back 5 suit how TMM plays.

I hope Webster reevaluates the game plan, try to get us some more speed and really try and develop our young players over the preseason. I would love to see Leka become a starting edge. Would also love to see Ali be a starting Centre although still plenty to do on his defense. I also hope he gets a harder edge next year as well. If you want to win you cannot pick on reputation and get more flexible on the game plan depending on who you have available.
 
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For me a lot of it rests with the coach.he has been way too conservative with his selections and his bench usage has been way to rigid .its as if his ego wont allow him to change course mid-match.i know he comes from the best system in the game..and look how long it took cleary to get to the summit.so..to summarize..the wah's fan in me is optimistic that he will learn adapt and improve. The 30 years plus warriors fan thinks he is over-rated and got exposed this year.yes, SJs injry hasnt helped...but he had no plan b..until he had to, interestingly enough when he had no choice to play the kids we won 3 straight games...why didnt he stick with that??? Lets hope he learns and proves me wrong, but its fair to say my optimism has waned...o and i have a grand final ticket if someone wants it!!!
 
Canonball said:
we're still alive for finals... marginally
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Hah, it is indeed extremely mathematical, just need an very specific set of results the next few weeks :

- Warriors beat Dogs and Sharks (which will be the biggest hurdle)

- Dolphins/Dragons to lose last 3

- Broncos/Knights/Raiders to only win their one game against Dolphins/Dragons and lose other two

- Titans to only win their two games against Dragons/Knights and lose other two

And voilà we are in the 8 with 27 points (of course all moot if Dragons beat Titans or Knights beat Sharks today 😅)
 

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