Post Match Warriors vs Panthers - [Round 16, 2025]

[Tpadds]

After 24 hours to process I'm not too devastated by the loss.

With Metcalf on one leg we didn't look like scoring points after Laban's try.

TMM on the bench would have been the back up plan but he was already covering in the centres.

Niukore being ruled out early messed with the bench rotation and although Demitric was outstanding off the pine and Ford came on and did Ford things, we still had to play 65 without our only real big body in the middle.

Capewell shined in his absence. Really does seem like a key piece of the puzzle and even more so without Barney.

I would love to see Healey on the bench. I was actually surprised to see TMM come on straight into centre. I thought CHT might have moved out with Te Maire coming into the halves. Maybe with Metcalf injured also that wasn't an option. Overall though I think we saw that having TMM as injury cover doesn't actually offer a great deal. Healey showed too much class against the sharks to not be in the 17.

We were never going to win every game for the rest of the year so a slip up against the reigning premiers, all be it an under strength version isn't the end of the world. The thing that we've been so excited about with the new warriors is that they have a system that works. Penrith still have that despite a slow start to the season. We lost to a good club who outplayed us on a night where we were hampered by in game injuries.

It does load a bit of pressure on the Broncos game next week. Another loss wouldn't be a death sentence for the season but it is a game where the team must perform well to remain a genuine too 4 side.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

This game shows how important Capewah is to our team, especially after Barney's injury. He's an integral part of our kick-chase and does so much clean up work for us defensively on the edges. If he was there on Saturday, I don't think many of those long-range breaks we conceded happen. MGT's try showed us what he can do on attack but the previous 78 minutes demonstrated that his defense is just not up to scratch for first grade.

 

[The Undertaker]

I keep saying it, some days you are the dog. Some days you are the fire hydrant being pissed on. We were the latter in this game.

All the 50:50 calls and bounces of the ball went Penriths way all night. Short kick offs bouncing into their hands, blowing a couple of try’s with Penrith making Hail Mary plays, being held up a couple of times and then a couple of slips at bad times leading to tries or breaks. And then injuries screwed up our combos and rhythm.

It was just one of those nights. I also didn’t see a team who were ready to hurt the opposition. Possibly it was way too respectful. You know - compare that to the Sharks game when we came out absolutely feral and after a certain AFB.

I expect we see that back this week at Suncorp. We are going to have the occasional off night - cest la vie.

Flush the dunny and move on to a game we need to win to keep our distance in the 4 from the chasing pack.

Broncos got lucky yesterday - Sharks had them on toast. Should never have lost that game.

 

[John Nick]

I keep saying it, some days you are the dog. Some days you are the fire hydrant being pissed on. We were the latter in this game.

All the 50:50 calls and bounces of the ball went Penriths way all night. Short kick offs bouncing into their hands, blowing a couple of try’s with Penrith making Hail Mary plays, being held up a couple of times and then a couple of slips at bad times leading to tries or breaks. And then injuries screwed up our combos and rhythm.

It was just one of those nights. I also didn’t see a team who were ready to hurt the opposition. Possibly it was way too respectful. You know - compare that to the Sharks game when we came out absolutely feral and after a certain AFB.

I expect we see that back this week at Suncorp. We are going to have the occasional off night - cest la vie.

Flush the dunny and move on to a game we need to win to keep our distance in the 4 from the chasing pack.

Broncos got lucky yesterday - Sharks had them on toast. Should never have lost that game.

Sure & with the comp so close we were always going to have one of those type days.
The main thing is the bounce back. How we front up next week.
Hopefully our entire squad & support staff learn from this defeat & I am sure Fish will be rarking the guys up during the upcoming days.

 

[Naynay]

The back-door player Laurie was for DWZ to mark, not that he could he was on one foot. MGT was covering wing/Jenkins. The 3 man was Metcalf on Sorenson, Metcalf was in no mans land but maybe he was already injured as he he left a lot of those gaps.

Fair call i didnt notice laurie on the replay. Having a look Metcalf coped the knee to the calf after labans almost try.

So it was most likely just 2 injured players trying to cover what they could but really didnt have the ability at that time to be able to slide as they should.

Either way I dont think that was really anyones fault just panthers are smart enough to take advantage of an injury.

 

[juju]

I keep saying it, some days you are the dog. Some days you are the fire hydrant being pissed on. We were the latter in this game.

All the 50:50 calls and bounces of the ball went Penriths way all night. Short kick offs bouncing into their hands, blowing a couple of try’s with Penrith making Hail Mary plays, being held up a couple of times and then a couple of slips at bad times leading to tries or breaks. And then injuries screwed up our combos and rhythm.

It was just one of those nights. I also didn’t see a team who were ready to hurt the opposition. Possibly it was way too respectful. You know - compare that to the Sharks game when we came out absolutely feral and after a certain AFB.

I expect we see that back this week at Suncorp. We are going to have the occasional off night - cest la vie.

Flush the dunny and move on to a game we need to win to keep our distance in the 4 from the chasing pack.

Broncos got lucky yesterday - Sharks had them on toast. Should never have lost that game.

Like John Nick says it will all be about the bounce back.
We drop a couple now and the old demons come flooding back.

 

[Theking267]

Capewell was a massive out particularly with his ability to cover the outside backs & DWZ injury. This would have also meant TMM could have replaced Metcalf in the halves.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I would go back and watch the game. The riff are a master class in milking penalties and getting away with some fairly dodgy stuff.

Never a coincidence when you get key injuries piling up. The Storm are the other team to do it.

I'm not having a crack at the officiating, as that's piss weak. But there were definitely some key moments that were missed.

It happens.

 

[juju]

I would go back and watch the game. The riff are a master class in milking penalties and getting away with some fairly dodgy stuff.

Never a coincidence when you get key injuries piling up. The Storm are the other team to do it.

I'm not having a crack at the officiating, as that's piss weak. But there were definitely some key moments that were missed.

It happens.

Mitch Kenny their 9 was a master of being pest and drawing penalties. infuriating to watch live haha.

 

[SJ2k]

I would go back and watch the game. The riff are a master class in milking penalties and getting away with some fairly dodgy stuff.

Never a coincidence when you get key injuries piling up. The Storm are the other team to do it.

I'm not having a crack at the officiating, as that's piss weak. But there were definitely some key moments that were missed.

It happens.

The early reffing felt very one sided. Especially with generous late tackle 6 against to Penreff. A lot of even up calls once the game was basically gone.

 

[pleatedpantspete]

At one point in the game we had given away more 6 agains despite Penrith averaging a faster ruck speed.
The two aren’t mutually exclusive stats but unfortunately our game this year relies a lot on slowing the ruck and when opposition teams get away with it and we don’t we struggle.
Saw it in the last raiders game. Warriors are one of the best disciplined sides statistically and raiders one of the worst and somehow we came out evened up in that game.
We need paris on Twitter again, individual ref interpretations are going to affect us

 

[pleatedpantspete]

Also charnze has been better but man that decision to let the ball bounce late in the game was so costly and so school boy. He’s done this a lot. He’s a fullback, take it on the full

 

[The Warrior Waka]

The shot of him running 50m and offloaded to Metcalf for the try vs broncos a few weeks ago, dude can run long distances if required

Bro, I understand the glazing lol. And Capes is the man. But it wasn't like Moalas try at all. My point was, Capes isn't scoring tries with the speed & step that Moala showed. But Capes is superior at everything else.

 

[Canonball]

After 24 hours to process I'm not too devastated by the loss.

With Metcalf on one leg we didn't look like scoring points after Laban's try.

TMM on the bench would have been the back up plan but he was already covering in the centres.

Niukore being ruled out early messed with the bench rotation and although Demitric was outstanding off the pine and Ford came on and did Ford things, we still had to play 65 without our only real big body in the middle.

Capewell shined in his absence. Really does seem like a key piece of the puzzle and even more so without Barney.

I would love to see Healey on the bench. I was actually surprised to see TMM come on straight into centre. I thought CHT might have moved out with Te Maire coming into the halves. Maybe with Metcalf injured also that wasn't an option. Overall though I think we saw that having TMM as injury cover doesn't actually offer a great deal. Healey showed too much class against the sharks to not be in the 17.

We were never going to win every game for the rest of the year so a slip up against the reigning premiers, all be it an under strength version isn't the end of the world. The thing that we've been so excited about with the new warriors is that they have a system that works. Penrith still have that despite a slow start to the season. We lost to a good club who outplayed us on a night where we were hampered by in game injuries.

It does load a bit of pressure on the Broncos game next week. Another loss wouldn't be a death sentence for the season but it is a game where the team must perform well to remain a genuine too 4 side.

eek, a bit hard on TMM I feel - I see your point but he was plugging a hole more than anything else - I like TMM as a utility option, Healey in his place only really gives you cover for hooker and maybe lock - other than that pretty much agree with your pov ... not hugely upset about the loss for similar reasons, and puts us 'back under the radar' to a degree too

 

[Rick O’Shay]

Like John Nick says it will all be about the bounce back.
We drop a couple now and the old demons come flooding back.

Take it from an expert. It only takes a loss like that for the sweating, jitters and anxiety to come flooding back. I'm afraid Warriors PTSD is like Malaria, once infected, it's yours for life.

 

[Stalefish540]

Fair call i didnt notice laurie on the replay. Having a look Metcalf coped the knee to the calf after labans almost try.

So it was most likely just 2 injured players trying to cover what they could but really didnt have the ability at that time to be able to slide as they should.

Either way I dont think that was really anyones fault just panthers are smart enough to take advantage of an injury.

Nah it's not end of the world stuff.

MGT dropped back to wing, DWZ was on one leg standing like a lame duck. So even if Metcalf didn't have a leg issue I think hes in nomans land wondering how he covers Sorenson and Laurie for DWZ.

I only just saw Sorenson has been charged for the hip drop and two week early plea the set prior he did on DWZ. DWZ got up and played the ball so it wasn't picked up, I missed it as well tbh. So Sorenson should have been in the bin not scoring a try running at the player he injured. Talk about salt in the wound for him to score given the scenario.

 

[Noitall]

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLGb4ooy8rl/

Shame we couldn’t pick up the win for TMM 100th

 

[Wrighty]

Sure & with the comp so close we were always going to have one of those type days.
The main thing is the bounce back. How we front up next week.
Hopefully our entire squad & support staff learn from this defeat & I am sure Fish will be rarking the guys up during the upcoming days.

This is the key take on the match. The important part is how we come back this week.