Four barrel surname! Shit! Soon Sri Lankans will think they can play league!!!
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General Warriors Harold Matthews 2026
- Thread starter Viking
- Start date
Is Albert Vete even a good coach? I mean at least TJ Ashford had coaching experience.
So many coaches get jobs without having any real grassroots experience .
I think its pretty clear that these pathways teams are just a vehicle to sign juniors and get them into our system while fending off poaching raids from across the ditch. I don't think they put any effort into preparing these teams for this season (same with prior seasons). Both this team and SG ball look so undercooked and lost out there, despite clearly have the talent to match their opposition.
The 6 and 7 will probably be given the whole season. One is a prized first XV recruit and the other is eligible for Matts again next year. Both are clearly struggling though. Christiano Elia needs to be doing more as a third half in the number 13 to help them, as that's his point of difference, otherwise we may as well drop him and play 11. Fretton 12. Huggins 13. Fanoloa
We got a glimpse of what Olsen can do in open space. Can see him scoring some screamers during his career.
Perese-Sukroo has super star potential.
Viking
🦋
- Thread starter
- #85
One big advantage TJ had over Albert is that he knew all of the Auckland boys for many years through his work with the ARL before coaching the Matts and he also had the core of the St Thomas boys in 2024. Last year he had the core of a very successful Otara team who'd won 3 ARL grand finals in 4 years. Physically, his teams were bigger and better and most importantly, his halves were much faster than this years combination.
Albert's backed a number of younger boys that IMO need another year of growth and development to play at the highest level of u17 footy in the league world. It was a gamble that so far hasn't paid off. The 7 shows huge potential but looks about 70kgs and is getting targeted by the opposition which is making the job harder for the 6 who is already struggling with playmaking in a code he's new to. Rugby halves get a lot more time to make decisions behind their forwards than a league half does. I don't think the 7 has played much league either, is there a league comp in Timaru?
I've talked to a few agents and parents of boys that are at other clubs and this grade isn't taken that seriously at some of those other clubs. The Storm only use boys based in Victoria for their Harold Matts team for example and have been winless for the last two years. Their out of town boys relocate to Victoria after they finish school as they believe that they can see a players true potential in SG Ball so they seem to use Matts as a way to filter through their best players, It's no risk to them as the NSWRL covers most of the expenses. There's very few from last years Matts team in this year's SG Ball team and it's far more competitive. Their Flegg team took out the comp last year. If you look at the age that they bring their juniors through, the vast majority don't make first grade until their early 20s. Seems to work for them. I don't know if the Warriors could hold their nerve to take that approach and treat these age grades as an apprenticeship.
Hopefully this team knuckles down on defensive structure for the next few weeks and nails it against the CC Roosters. There's no point concentrating on attacking shape if you spend all your time defending. Good luck to them anyway, one more loss and the best they can hope is a finish between 6th and 8th. No pressure.
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The last 2 Matt’s team were stacked in the half. Jack Thompson and Tyson Hansen the first year, Soagia & Ieremia just look at Hinckley Ioka gone straight from Matts to starting in SG Ball. This team has no depth in the halves hence why there starting Jackson Robinson who’s playing up for his age & recruited a rugby player.
Cces
🎯
He was commuting up to Chch last year to play U15s for Hornby. They play mid week so not to clash with Union. Comp is done & dusted before July though
Viking
🦋
- Thread starter
- #89
Those halves from previous years set a really high bar but this squad has other options that I know of. This isn't a knock on the current halves ability or talent ceiling. It's just too short a season to experiment with.
Bailey Maruariki-Butler won the ARL u16 GF with Ellerslie and the u16 National Club champs with Akarana last year with a 90% plus conversion rate. I've heard he's the fastest half in the Matts squad and third fastest behind Olsen and Luatua.
Shey McKewen was the half with for the Mangere team that lost that same ARL u16s GF and the Counties team that lost the u16 clubs nationals to Akarana but smashed Jackson's Scorpions team. Shey is also a year young but has always played up in club footy. Both boys have been playing league in the halves since the mini's.
Liam De Har Elliot has been playing league since minis and has made all the Waikato rep teams, NZ māori teams and was the back up 1st 5 for Hamilton Boys at the Sanix world rugby champs in the Japan last year. He also played in the Ellerslie team that won the ARL u16s GF.
Lucas March played u15s for Hamilton Boys last year but they play in the u18s Waikato comp a couple of levels below Super 8 because they're too good for their own age group. Not sure where they finished, he'd have been playing against 18 year olds though. He should make the Hamilton Boys 1st 15 squad this year.
Also worth noting that other teams don't have bottom age players in the halves combos and the only current half I know of that played last year is Payton Tarau who also made the u16s Wallabies team and was POTM for Souths in yesterdays game. He's on track to be Matts player of the season. Sorry, Charlie Webb played the whole season for the Roosters last year, another elite talent.
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Isn't Jackson Robinson and Thomas Christensen the only U16 in the team at the moment though?
Last year's team had about 4, sometimes 5, playing each week.
Riz
🎲
Wahs up 28 - 6 early in the 2nd half against the Roosters. Kaian Olsen looking like a young Reece Walsh at the back.
Sheesh! Kaian Olsen has a bit of Walsh about him. Electric feet, Fast as fudge. The younger Kali looks like he could be as good as his brother. And backrower Rilee Huggins is large skilful kid.
Those 3 stood out to me too.
That cut out pass from Kaian Olsen for the wing to score in the corner was a thing of beauty. If he can become a consistent playmaking threat, we might have a genuine superstar on our hands. Probably one of the fastest at the club across all grades.
Younger Kali looks abit taller than Sio. If he hasn't inherited the injury bug, he could become something quite good.
This guy played well on debut. Probably done enough to keep his spot in the halves for next week.
Season done. Horror start to Albert Vete's coaching career. Tied for the wooden spoon.
If nothing else, done a good job of blooding a lot of guys who will be eligible next year.
Below is a team that you could expect next year, a lot of which have played Matts this year.
1 Chris Sa'u (c)
2 Jostian Olele Lapu'aho
3 Aizaya Wanakore-Chase
4 Christian Palu / Tawhiri Rush
5 Stepharn Tekotia
6 Shaye McEwan
7 Jackson Robinson
8 Dominic Tanoa'i
9 Siope To'ofohe
10 Reuben Matautia
11 Karcin Puna
12 Tangifetaua Fangupo
13 Thomas Christensen
14 Koia Cook
15 Tyler-James Finlay
16 Joseph Moala
17 Lordzz Matapa
Wasn't sure if Christian Palu is eligible next year, have heard mixed messages on that one. Would've started all games this year if not injured.
Aizaya and Jostian are the only U16 guys next year in here (i.e. a year younger) both stars of the Shaun Johnson Shield. Both had almost every NRL team chasing them. Aizaya's highlights have been posted on here, a lot of hype around him.
Chris Sa'u, Jackson Robinson, Shaye McEwan is a good spine to build around. All 3 played a lot this year. Chris Sa'u has star potential.
If nothing else, done a good job of blooding a lot of guys who will be eligible next year.
Below is a team that you could expect next year, a lot of which have played Matts this year.
1 Chris Sa'u (c)
2 Jostian Olele Lapu'aho
3 Aizaya Wanakore-Chase
4 Christian Palu / Tawhiri Rush
5 Stepharn Tekotia
6 Shaye McEwan
7 Jackson Robinson
8 Dominic Tanoa'i
9 Siope To'ofohe
10 Reuben Matautia
11 Karcin Puna
12 Tangifetaua Fangupo
13 Thomas Christensen
14 Koia Cook
15 Tyler-James Finlay
16 Joseph Moala
17 Lordzz Matapa
Wasn't sure if Christian Palu is eligible next year, have heard mixed messages on that one. Would've started all games this year if not injured.
Aizaya and Jostian are the only U16 guys next year in here (i.e. a year younger) both stars of the Shaun Johnson Shield. Both had almost every NRL team chasing them. Aizaya's highlights have been posted on here, a lot of hype around him.
Chris Sa'u, Jackson Robinson, Shaye McEwan is a good spine to build around. All 3 played a lot this year. Chris Sa'u has star potential.
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