General Warriors Preseason 2026

I dont normally get too worried about preseason but fuck, with Mets and TMM out, CHT pushing for a start, and our only other experienced half being Tannah fucking Boyd.....
This could be an ugly start to the season.
Hopefully our forward pack will limit too much damge but Webby is going to need to get a bit creative.
We need the experienced heads of Fish, Egan and Capewell to lead and Leka, Laban and Demi to live up to the potential they all have and offset the obvious weaknesses.
 
I dont normally get too worried about preseason but fuck, with Mets and TMM out, CHT pushing for a start, and our only other experienced half being Tannah fucking Boyd.....
This could be an ugly start to the season.
Hopefully our forward pack will limit too much damge but Webby is going to need to get a bit creative.
We need the experienced heads of Fish, Egan and Capewell to lead and Leka, Laban and Demi to live up to the potential they all have and offset the obvious weaknesses.
At least I just hope they throw offloads at will. I feel like they’ve been told to tuck it.
In saying that a couple basic fundamentals of the game the boys seem to struggle with. A simple hands down the line, and half the time when boys throw an offload it’s often dropped because they’re looking around getting ready for the next play. Simple stuff
 
I dont normally get too worried about preseason but fuck, with Mets and TMM out, CHT pushing for a start, and our only other experienced half being Tannah fucking Boyd.....
This could be an ugly start to the season.
Hopefully our forward pack will limit too much damge but Webby is going to need to get a bit creative.
We need the experienced heads of Fish, Egan and Capewell to lead and Leka, Laban and Demi to live up to the potential they all have and offset the obvious weaknesses.
Ball playing should be a fundamental for everyone in my opinion.

Ball playing lock is handy. Ball playing centres are handy too. And if you can get them firing shots at the defensive line then it can relieve the pressure on the halves. The other option is for the halves to let it rip.
 
I'm expecting the Dolphins and Eels to contend for the 8.

We are easily the weakest of the top 10 teams.

I think we start slow and it's outside looking in for the season. Would need a few big wins in Aus to make it this year, Broncos twice at Suncorp, probably not coming there
 
Forgot how morbid it can get on here after a loss, even if it doesn't count season wise.

Already some of you are counting us out with a slow start to the year. Just remember we all thought the same thing after our Vegas debacle last year. Nothing is for certain in the NRL, so no need to get depressed so early into the year. TB is the easy target for our slide out of the 4 last year, but people forget that Mets went down in rd 16 last year when we were 4th. We were still 4th in round 25. So things were still relatively stable with TB and CHT as our halves pairing until the very end.

As with any halves pairing, playing behind a pack winning the ruck is important. As far as I'm concerned, the bigger issue towards the end of last year was losing the middle defensively when Barney went down. That and our other middle injuries forced bigger minutes from TSS, EIT and co who needed to be eased in to first grade. They will all be better for the experience this year. With Barney and the others back, possibly from round 1, TB and CHT will be playing behind our full strength pack. That alone will put us in most games this year, so I have no doubt they can hold the fort till Mets comes back in rd 7.

Bottom line, we all need to take a deep breath and recognize we still have a competitive team for this year. One bad trial played in horrendous conditions doesn't change that. The form of our players in the All-Stars Game should have taught us that much.
 
Forgot how morbid it can get on here after a loss, even if it doesn't count season wise.

Already some of you are counting us out with a slow start to the year. Just remember we all thought the same thing after our Vegas debacle last year. Nothing is for certain in the NRL, so no need to get depressed so early into the year. TB is the easy target for our slide out of the 4 last year, but people forget that Mets went down in rd 16 last year when we were 4th. We were still 4th in round 25. So things were still relatively stable with TB and CHT as our halves pairing until the very end.

As with any halves pairing, playing behind a pack winning the ruck is important. As far as I'm concerned, the bigger issue towards the end of last year was losing the middle defensively when Barney went down. That and our other middle injuries forced bigger minutes from TSS, EIT and co who needed to be eased in to first grade. They will all be better for the experience this year. With Barney and the others back, possibly from round 1, TB and CHT will be playing behind our full strength pack. That alone will put us in most games this year, so I have no doubt they can hold the fort till Mets comes back in rd 7.

Bottom line, we all need to take a deep breath and recognize we still have a competitive team for this year. One bad trial played in horrendous conditions doesn't change that. The form of our players in the All-Stars Game should have taught us that much.
We won 4 out of 11 games after Metcalf went down. Out of those 4 wins 2 were against the tigers and titans, Scraped past Knights thanks to Leka and then a dragons team that lost 3 forwards in the 1st half, and they nearly beat us. 4 shit teams.
I just guess after that end to the year we hoped to see a bit more success in that trial, a bit of razzle dazzle, but no, just another loss, without firing a shot.

Also everyone making the excuse that it’s just a trial. we go harder at scrimmage on club training nights, 1st grade vs Reggie’s or under 20s.

But ye I guess we’ll see
 
Forgot how morbid it can get on here after a loss, even if it doesn't count season wise.

Already some of you are counting us out with a slow start to the year. Just remember we all thought the same thing after our Vegas debacle last year. Nothing is for certain in the NRL, so no need to get depressed so early into the year. TB is the easy target for our slide out of the 4 last year, but people forget that Mets went down in rd 16 last year when we were 4th. We were still 4th in round 25. So things were still relatively stable with TB and CHT as our halves pairing until the very end.

As with any halves pairing, playing behind a pack winning the ruck is important. As far as I'm concerned, the bigger issue towards the end of last year was losing the middle defensively when Barney went down. That and our other middle injuries forced bigger minutes from TSS, EIT and co who needed to be eased in to first grade. They will all be better for the experience this year. With Barney and the others back, possibly from round 1, TB and CHT will be playing behind our full strength pack. That alone will put us in most games this year, so I have no doubt they can hold the fort till Mets comes back in rd 7.

Bottom line, we all need to take a deep breath and recognize we still have a competitive team for this year. One bad trial played in horrendous conditions doesn't change that. The form of our players in the All-Stars Game should have taught us that much.

We have the forwards and the right game plan to win half of our games till Metcalf comes back.

I for one am thankful for our vanilla game plan come times where we are weakened in the halves - yet strong through the middle third.

Or forward pack is good, it may even (injury willing) end up being great by seasons end with more road miles in the young fullahs legs.

With the depth and form we have been seeing there, we only need a territory (this is the biggest threat, kicking yards, thank god for Tanah) based game, with safe high completions to get our young star forwads down their end and competing for chip kicks in the air.

TMM and Boyd would have been sweet the first six rounds. If we get even two wins from six (gettable) I will be happy enough. That means being in touch with the chase and awaiting the arrival of your marquee star spine player.

We are in a good position, no need to panic.
 
I think we should get our minds right as a team that has injuries but not excuses. Bloody hell. Let's win as many games as we can. Every single one of them. With who we have. It's part of why we beat Penrith without most of our main guys. When Addin spat his dummy. Just get on with it and embrace the challenge. Therein provides more than enough enthusiastic stuff and quite an intoxicating challenge since it appears we have not much hope in our current state.
 
We have the forwards and the right game plan to win half of our games till Metcalf comes back.

I for one am thankful for our vanilla game plan come times where we are weakened in the halves - yet strong through the middle third.

Or forward pack is good, it may even (injury willing) end up being great by seasons end with more road miles in the young fullahs legs.

With the depth and form we have been seeing there, we only need a territory (this is the biggest threat, kicking yards, thank god for Tanah) based game, with safe high completions to get our young star forwads down their end and competing for chip kicks in the air.

TMM and Boyd would have been sweet the first six rounds. If we get even two wins from six (gettable) I will be happy enough. That means being in touch with the chase and awaiting the arrival of your marquee star spine player.

We are in a good position, no need to panic.
I hope you are right but I have serious doubts. Tannah Boyd has never successfully functioned as an NRL level halfback and the NRL is not really a competition that allows you to have one or two below standard players especially at halfback. Look if the Titans who had some of the most dysfunctional halves in the comp let him go, I have serious concerns. I think we will be lucky to win 50% of our games with Tannah at HB, but more likely be looking at 33%. Just my thoughts.
 
I'm really intersted to see how TT goes over the weekend. If CHT does not make round 1 , TT should become a real option for 6 , although CNK may get the position?? Then again DWZ could drop back to 1 with RTS and AKP on the wings with CNK at 6???
Puts all of the kicking onto Boyd if the case.
Of course, we could end up with the 2 x near bald blondies at 6 and 7 (Boyd and Hanson)??
 
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Be amazing if Tanah just Brains it.
Doubt it.
Funnier things have happened.
It’s hard to imagine that even when Metcalf is healthy that Boyd wants to give the jersey up and the only way to potentially hold onto it is to win, or at least perform. Hopefully in this trial he has a go, though again only a trial, he’s against one of the premier halfbacks of the comp in Isaiya Katoa. He didn’t get the luxury of playing behind a full healthy pack too and may not get the opportunity until round 2? Hopefully to start the season with Barnett healthy
 
Personally I`m the least enthused I`ve been for the start of a season. Sure we`re a development club now and seemingly the best we`ve eve been managed but there`s just so little to be excited about.
You cannot be serious.

The return of Barney and Luke, who were playing out of their skins last year?

Guys like Leka, Laban, Vaimauga and EIT cementing their roles and going to the next level?

A million talented youngsters coming up through the grades?

How much more do you need to be excited about?! Crikey there's some cynics around here!
 
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