Team List Warriors v Tigers - [Round 19, 2025]

[slime]

With Metcalf out our goal kicking should improve.

• Metcalf 42/63 - 67% in NRL 2025 (NRL career 68%)
• Boyd 66/82 - 80% in NSW Cup 2025 (NRL career 79%)
• Tuaupiki 8/11 - 73% in both comps 2025 (4/4 in his NRL career)

We also had these capable kickers out there:

• Pompey 48/65 - 74% NRL career
• CHT 63/82 - 77% NRL career*

* Yes that includes his bad run in 2024 where he finished with 11/18 (61%), which was really just one bad 0/3 game. Prior to that season he was 52/64 (81%).

 

[Kav1]

Further up the ladder? I wasn't really prepared to go that far, given we are in a post Barnett world, and likely to take a few games to bed in the new combo.

Then there is the harder third of the season to come, teams fighting for their lives now every week.

Having said all that I do think that provided we have some luck with injury then yes, passing the Dogs is gettable. Storm and Raiders no chance, and forgetting the ladder, I think there is every chance we will be playing better in a few games from here than where we were tracking.

No games against Storm and Raiders, the only other teams in the top 4. Storm and Bulldogs have tougher draws against us, particularly the Storm who have to play the Broncos twice (one or the other may drop out of the 4 or not quite make it).

 

[Kav1]

I know we are coming off two losses, and some of the play in both games was a bit of a concern. But overall, the team has been going well this year.

The team will be confident that they can turn things around. This helps with Boyd and Tuaupiki coming in to replace Metcalf and CNK. Coming into a team going well is a lot easier than a team low on confidence.

Boyd has been biding his time. Barring injury, he's going to have a good chance to impress. Webster will likely have him locked in for a few weeks. I'm a fan of that as chopping and changing halves is typically done by teams at the bottom of the ladder**. Bulldogs are currently an outlier for that statement.

I like the fact that TB injects a fresh approach to a key position. The Tigers might not have seen play much of his play.

 

[Naynay]

I'm with you. Metcalf is our only speedster, and his ability to see and accelerate into half-gaps has been a revelation this season.

I think taine at fb helps with this a little, much different to CNK and his meter eater style