General Warriors Mid-Season Review 2017

[Ozwarrior]

WARRIORS
HOW THEY HAVE FARED

The Warriors claimed a tough 14-13 win over the Roosters on Sunday to give them their first genuine big scalp of the season. New coach Stephen Kearney has overseen his side steadily build into 2017, with Kieran Foran’s arrival in round 5 sparking the Warriors after an early slump in form.

LEADING LIGHT

As ever, Simon Mannering leads the way for the Warriors in typically tireless fashion. Running for 110 metres and averaging 40 tackles per game, the workhorse lock has been the pick of the pack.

Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is getting better every week. After missing most of his first season with the Warriors through a serious knee injury, Tuivasa-Sheck continues to improve and had just about his best game in the win over the Roosters.

NEEDS TO LIFT

Shaun Johnson has had a decent start to 2017, but the Warriors need more than decent from their superstar halfback. Foran’s presence has taken some of the pressure off Johnson, but if the Kiwi outfit is to truly launch from pretenders to contenders then he needs to be regularly hitting the kind of form that saw him with the Golden Boot as the world’s best player in 2014. The signs are there — Johnson showed what his combination with Foran can produce when scored a try and laid on three others in the round 5 win over Gold Coast. More of those dominant performances can catapult the Warriors up the ladder.

Foran’s renewal has been huge for the Kiwi club. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
NEW BLOOD

Foran was the big “in” for the Warriors in the off-season and he’s delivered in big fashion, scoring a try in a man-of-the-match performance on club debut against the Titans, and steering the side to victory the following week against the Eels. The more time he can get to work with Johnson, Tuivasa-Sheck and hooker Issac Luke, the better the Warriors will be.

WHO’S LURKING ON THE EDGE?

Tui Lolohea was dropped to reserve grade after a disappointing start to the season, but there is life in the livewire yet. He scored a double in a win over North Sydney last weekend and more good NSW Cup form could catapult him back into the NRL.

REPORT CARD

C+: Four wins from nine is barely a pass, but Kearney appears to be making his mark on the Warriors. Their defence the past two matches — in Sunday’s win over the Roosters, after a narrow loss to the Storm — has been excellent, and if they can continue to build their attack more wins will come.

— Dominic Burke

 

[jonno]

The warriors attack is fine. It's the turnovers that got ta go...

 

[AlexM]

Fox's Take-

WARRIORS

Ladder position: 11th

Win-loss: 4-5

The story so far: The Warriors season can be broken into two very different sections: pre-Foran and post-Foran. Pre-Foran they looked rudderless and struggled to adapt to the more structured game plan new coach Stephen Kearney was implementing — losing convincingly to the Storm, Bulldogs and Dragons. Post-Foran they’ve won all their home games and were well and truly in the Anzac Day clash against the top of the table Storm. Their attack looks threatening and Shaun Johnson is as relaxed and comfortable as he’s looked for years.

The star: Kieran Foran. His numbers aren’t through the roof but he brings a directness to the Warriors play that makes them a much more difficult proposition than they are without him.

The surprise packet: James Gavet. The big front-rower has always been big on potential but up until this season he hadn’t really delivered on it. Averaging for more than 100 metres per game, Gavet has added starch to a pack that has eased back a bit on the razzle dazzle.

Kieran Foran has been a standout since his comeback to the game.Source: Getty Images


Needs a lift: Tui Lolohea. The 22-year-old is clearly unhappy at the Warriors after being elbowed out of his preferred positions and it’s resulted in a demotion to reserve grade. There’s constant reports swirling around that link him with other clubs but while Lolohea is at the Warriors, his best football has the potential to make the team better, even if it’s on a wing.

The stat: The death of the “Warriors’ Style”: The Warriors are busting the fewest tackles of any team, and are making the second fewest offloads … most unWarriors like!

Crystal ball: Much depends on the fitness of Foran. It’s clearly a better outfit with him in it and he will only get better if he stays on the park as he gets confidence back in his shoulder and gets to know the system the Warriors are playing. If he plays 20 games for the season, the Warriors will make the eight.

Grade: C-

by Ben Glover

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/report-card-your-nrl-teams-2017-so-far-from-the-stars-to-the-players-who-need-a-lift/news-story/24e1e31b1169743d16b0a2eecad55e97

 

[Vancent]

Gotta love mid season reports a third of the way through the season...

That said - C+ YTD seems on the money.

 

[facefacts]

Well Ben Glover obviously knows what he's talking about...he must actually watch Warriors games.

 

[gREVUS]

seems a bit early for a mid year review, havent even played 10 games yet

 

[Inruin]

I'm just glad it wasn't a round 6 review

 

[Defence]

Bye week so something to pass the time.

To come up with my ratings I went back through and had a look at the average ratings I've given each player in the post match threads this year and rounded them up (or down)
To simplify it a bit I have given anyone with an average of 9 an A (no one), 8 a B, 7 a C and so on.
Results were as follows...

B)
Gavet
Mannering
Rts

C)
Fusitua
Maumalo
Foz
Sj
Lillyman
Luke
Cnk

D)
Ayshford
Mutts
Hoff
Ata
Lisone
Vete
Afoa

E)
Bodene
Gubb
Sao
Kata
Roache

Hopefully a few talking points...

Averaging out everyone's average (if that makes sense?) gave them an average of 6 so a D for the team over all.

On a count back gavet top scored with 7.9 giving him honors for player of the (half) year.

Didn't bother with guys like vatuvei or papalii as the sample size was too small.

Kearney can have a D too.

Seems about fair to me.... now let's see everyone tear it apart

 

[Inruin]

I want to argue with your rankings but can't really find anything wrong with them unfortunately. Maybe SJ ranked higher than I would put him. Possibly.

Hopefully the second half of the season pushes the grades up for a few players and the team.

 

[Lets Gone]

Ayshford to C, other than that happy

 

[eudebrito]

Will consult the forum ranking spreadsheet of doom tomorrow, but that seems about right.

Mannering player of the (half) year again as he's the only one who didn't put in at least one garbage performance. Gavet too, but its easier when you play half the minutes.

I'd bump Hoffman up a tier, hes been decent.

 

[Defence]

Ayshford to C, other than that happy

He was close.
I was critical of his signing but have to admit he's given pretty good value for money- however salary wasn't a factor in my process and Blake fell just below the line

 

[Worried2Death]

Savage but can't disagree, except maybe bump up Fusitua and Maumalo, only because they've kept their heads up in front of the firing squad on here

 

[bruce]

Vete and Afoa are bound to go up if they continue their current form. Their metres per carry is ahead of the best and Vete's defence is improving as well.

 

[Leaguegod]

Warriors won't be in the 8 so may as well round all down to a D.

 

[ttkk19]

Warriors won't be in the 8 so may as well round all down to a D.

Dude that's completely beside the point.

The Warriors's haven't made the finals for years, does that Mannering a shit house player? Team form doesn't always reflect player form and I for one would like to acknowledge players that have been playing well in a struggling side.

Like Defense said, we've got a bye round. Talking about individual player form would be a good way to pass the time.

 

[tajhay]

Nice breakdown. I would possibly move:
Maumalo up
Ayshford up
Hoffman up
Matulino down

A lil on unfair as well for Roache. Has hardly had any gametime.

For me
Season so far : D-

 

[ttkk19]

I'd agree with most of the comments made above.

The difference between us and a premiership team is that a prem team would have little to no names in that C to F range. As you can see by the results our team is much different. Not only do we have many players in that lower rung but some of them are supposed to be our best and most experienced players. Defs needs to improve if we want to push for higher honours.

 

[mrblonde]

Pretty much agree with the rankings, maybe Ayshford's marking a bit harsh.

As is Kearney's at this point in time. Obviously a lot to learn so he'll not graduate to B or B+, but I think he's a C-/C at this point.

Maumalo would win my Biggest Improvement In 2017 award at this point. I'm seriously starting to wonder if we need Vatuvei anymore - not to the point where the club releases him, but to the point where if Vatuvei wanted to go, the club could without much fuss say "Yep, that's fine. Thank you and goodbye."

 

[BeastMode]

Jesus you guys have short memories.

One good game against a meh team and all of a sudden Maumalo is a massive improvement? He wasnt consistently put under pressure and made to read and make tackles against the Tits.

Just remember that.

Until he does that consistently he's still Manu 2.0 in my books.

#CNKisbetter