I think thats over thinking it, the truth is that it will probably be optimal to have 3 player that you decide pre game will play, maybe 3 forwards and then have a 4th forward a back and a half and just sit on the 4th interchange until something happens.
General Warriors Preseason 2026
- Thread starter WahsaurusRex
- Start Date
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Why pick a utility on the bench if you can cover all bases with specialists? I will admit, I haven’t thought it 100% through…
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As they have done in the past. That's what i failed to communicate
Rewrite. It creates space for younger players in lower grades to come up to reserve grade. Like Leka and co have done.
That's all well and good, but if you are constantly the 5th or 6th man due to you being the next cab off the rank, the player themselves will suffer due to possibly not getting any game time. Multiply that by the 17 teams in the NRL and that's a lot of players potentially missing out on showing their ability.
I think halving the amount of players by limiting it to 5 instead of 6 is the best way forward. Or even require the player to get rotated like the 18th man does.
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The positive is the potential to play first grade, also they could rotate these guys in and out of the 6 man bench to keep them match fit and all that.
I see a bigger upside..
That is a Penrith trait, many times Cleary will leave his starters on and Webster has done that with the Wahs several times too.
Doesn't discount reacting to how the opposition is performing though, this possible rule change broadens this scope..
You can never account for everything, players like TMM are valuable bench players period..
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Didn't seem to affect EIT very much..
I reckon don’t sleep on TMM. Halves often come into their peak years in late 20’s like SJ once he adjusted his game when his speed was gone. TMM lost some years too because of head injury out of the game and that might have saved some wear and tear. It’s a real shame he didn’t see that bulldogs game out to get a real gauge but him, Tanah Boyd and CHT could be in real preseason battle for halfback and five eighth while Metcalf is out to start the season
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I think it definitely helps us. With arguably the most talented bunch of juniors going around it can give them early exposure to the match day experience, plus helps cover for our less than robust outside backs. The number of times we were forced into a reshuffle last year was frightening
What are you talking about? He played 17 reserve grade games and 4 NRL games last year, that's a totally different scenario to my imaginary one.
If the Cup side hadn't made playoffs you could've erased 4 games from his season which wouldn't have been much in an injury free season
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Our Cup side play curtain raisers like 13 times and we are an international flight away from all other NSW Cup teams. We'd be the most affected, in terms of taking playing opportunities away from squad members
