General Warriors Harold Matthews 2025

[Leon Black]

Souths knock on, hooter imminent. Souths winger went for the tryline got rag dolled, commentator said ‘he is a small man but he has done his best…’

 

[3rdstriker]

Over 60 minutes played. Looks like we into some injury time now

 

[Leon Black]

Smart ass Souths fullback passes to touch judge and that’s all she wrote. Congrats to TJ and the boys

 

[3rdstriker]

Slow scrum packs from souths last seconds balls gone forward kn edge.
Warriors into grand final 28 8 well done our juniors future look bright.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Wicked!!!! Well done lads, whos next!

 

[Leon Black]

TJ gathers them in on field for a speech, can see the love the players have for him.

Tony Iro along side Bishop looks like Jason Saab.

Think we will see more of TJ moving up the coaching ranks.

Terrific performance as head coach 2 years in succession with basically new squads.

 

[3rdstriker]

Wicked!!!! Well done lads, whos next!

Knights v Roosters up for second prelim.

 

[3rdstriker]

Wicked!!!! Well done lads, whos next!

Knights 6 nill for 4 minutes play.

 

[Riz]

Good work lads, let's go back to back!

 

[3rdstriker]

Looks like we're playing the Knights in the Grand final.

 

[ndp26]

A few really impressive kids in our Harold Matts team (Lemana, Pua, Neal, Mikaele (bit quieter today) and Byford to name a few) - if they can continue their development, our Pathways are looking bright.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Lemana is a star in the making! What a beast that kid is.
Hinckley has impressed me every game ive seen him play. And Bishop Neal , Lucian Mikaele are impressive. Giant kids with good footwork. Bishop is a Freak

 

[Five&Last]

Is Tusa Soagia the first Kiwi star halfback we produce since SJ ?!
He looks the goods. Kicking game is top tier.

Jeremiah Lemana is just too good. Hat trick and well over 300m if I had to estimate. Easily player of the year. Our future first grade fullback when he's ready

When Bishop is locked in on the big stage, he's unstoppable. What a freak. Imagine him and Halasima on both edges in 5 years time.

Holy fuck this team has no holes. Gun halves. Gun spine. Elite outside backs. Huge forwards with footwork and motors. What a great job scouting and assembling this team.

 

[3rdstriker]

Is Tusa Soagia the first Kiwi star halfback we produce since SJ ?!
He looks the goods. Kicking game is top tier.

Jeremiah Lemana is just too good. Hat trick and well over 300m if I had to estimate. Easily player of the year. Our future first grade fullback when he's ready

When Bishop is locked in on the big stage, he's unstoppable. What a freak. Imagine him and Halasima on both edges in 5 years time.

Holy fuck this team has no holes. Gun halves. Gun spine. Elite outside backs. Huge forwards with footwork and motors. What a great job scouting and assembling this team.

How good is it to have these pathways and see a bright future for our kids some brilliant potential there.
Bishop Neal looks freakish.

 

[Riz]

Is Tusa Soagia the first Kiwi star halfback we produce since SJ ?!
He looks the goods. Kicking game is top tier.

Jeremiah Lemana is just too good. Hat trick and well over 300m if I had to estimate. Easily player of the year. Our future first grade fullback when he's ready

When Bishop is locked in on the big stage, he's unstoppable. What a freak. Imagine him and Halasima on both edges in 5 years time.

Holy fuck this team has no holes. Gun halves. Gun spine. Elite outside backs. Huge forwards with footwork and motors. What a great job scouting and assembling this team.

Do you have concern about Bishops work rate? He's an absolute weapon, but I'm not sure if his style of play as it is now will be enough as he goes up the grades. He just seems to lack something, i can't quite put my finger on it, but it ain't physical size or ability.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Is Tusa Soagia the first Kiwi star halfback we produce since SJ ?!
He looks the goods. Kicking game is top tier.

Jeremiah Lemana is just too good. Hat trick and well over 300m if I had to estimate. Easily player of the year. Our future first grade fullback when he's ready

When Bishop is locked in on the big stage, he's unstoppable. What a freak. Imagine him and Halasima on both edges in 5 years time.

Holy fuck this team has no holes. Gun halves. Gun spine. Elite outside backs. Huge forwards with footwork and motors. What a great job scouting and assembling this team.

Last years spine was awesome also!

We only lost Patterson right? I really like the look of Ratcliffe and Jack Thompson, I hope we keep Thompson.

 

[Five&Last]

Last years spine was awesome also!

We only lost Patterson right?

I rate this year's spine way more highly.

Lemana is considerably better than Joseph Ratcliffe.

As much as I like Jack Thompson (still believe he has first grade potential), I think Tusa Soagia game translates better, he's a more natural playmaker and way better kicker (and he's a kiwi). Thompson is still a running half at this stage.

Patterson was probably better last year than our hooker Marriott. But Patterson is frickin tiny and I have serious doubts as to whether he's big enough to do well in first grade.

Do you have concern about Bishops work rate? He's an absolute weapon, but I'm not sure if his style of play as it is now will be enough as he goes up the grades. He just seems to lack something, i can't quite put my finger on it, but it ain't physical size or ability.

Yeah for sure its the only thing holding him back right now. I remember SG ball Halasima had an unbelievable work rate to match to his game breaking ability. Something Bishop needs to work on. Hopefully he can get a bench spot on the Flegg team after this and work on it.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Do some of these mats kids skip SG ball due to their final year of school or whatever? Why did that team suck if the previous year won it?

 

[ndp26]

Do some of these mats kids skip SG ball due to their final year of school or whatever? Why did that team suck if the previous year won it?

This year's SG Ball team didn't "suck" - SG Ball is a tough competition and is a massive step up from Harold Matts. The quality of player across the SG Ball comp is higher overall given the greater focus on the technical elements of the game. This is compared to Harold Matts where, in a lot of cases, size / physicality is often sufficient for success in the grade - this doesn't mean that is all that is required, and our young players are being coached very well by TJ and the team to develop the finer points of the game, but at SG Ball level, most players are well versed in those technical elements. Our development pathways are still developing, and we're putting together the pieces of that puzzle across all grades. Next year's SG Ball side (and the player's from this year's side) will be better off due to the adversity faced this season.

Our 2025 SG Ball team also had a number of injuries (not an excuse for results, but a reality) - including injuries to key Harold Matts players from last year, such as Jack Thompson and Lennox Tuiloma.

In terms of the first part of your question, not all Harold Matts (17s) kids from one year will play SG Ball (19s) next year. Each squad will have some kids who are a year younger so that they will play two years in the grade - for example, Tyson Hansen played a second year of Harold Matts this year and Hiraka the same in SG Ball. This helps to build some consistency and avoid a complete squad turnover year to year. Of this year's crop of Harold Matts, some will stay on (not sure which are 16s), some will make the SG Ball squad, some (hopefully not many) will take opportunities at other clubs and the rest will play club footy in 2026 with a view to being selected in the SG Ball squad for 2027.

 

[Five&Last]

This year's SG Ball team didn't "suck" - SG Ball is a tough competition and is a massive step up from Harold Matts. The quality of player across the SG Ball comp is higher overall given the greater focus on the technical elements of the game. This is compared to Harold Matts where, in a lot of cases, size / physicality is often sufficient for success in the grade - this doesn't mean that is all that is required, and our young players are being coached very well by TJ and the team to develop the finer points of the game, but at SG Ball level, most players are well versed in those technical elements. Our development pathways are still developing, and we're putting together the pieces of that puzzle across all grades. Next year's SG Ball side (and the player's from this year's side) will be better off due to the adversity faced this season.

Our 2025 SG Ball team also had a number of injuries (not an excuse for results, but a reality) - including injuries to key Harold Matts players from last year, such as Jack Thompson and Lennox Tuiloma.

In terms of the first part of your question, not all Harold Matts (17s) kids from one year will play SG Ball (19s) next year. Each squad will have some kids who are a year younger so that they will play two years in the grade - for example, Tyson Hansen played a second year of Harold Matts this year and Hiraka the same in SG Ball. This helps to build some consistency and avoid a complete squad turnover year to year. Of this year's crop of Harold Matts, some will stay on (not sure which are 16s), some will make the SG Ball squad, some (hopefully not many) will take opportunities at other clubs and the rest will play club footy in 2026 with a view to being selected in the SG Ball squad for 2027.

Our U19 age group of players weren't very good, there was only really one injury to that group in Augustino Filipo the rest were fit but just not good enough really. I don't see any of that group as definites to kick on to bigger things, in the maybe bucket I'd put (in order) Hiraka Waitai-Haenga, Connor Bowden, Paea Sikuvea, Tepatasi Laumalili (if he can keep his weight down), and Kahu Capper. The rest I'd probably write off.

Its only a large step up for our U18 group who were champions last year in the U17 comp. Some of those guys were good you could tell the difference in age. i.e. Ratcliffe, Davidson-Faaiuaso, Afoa and Militoni.

On top of that they were poorly coached, the Australian guy, can't remember his name, but he can't have been up to much. One of the most disorganized teams I've seen on the paddock.