Pick Your Team Wests Tigers v NZ Warriors - [Round 4, 2026]
- Thread starter CWC
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Wahs_Ultras
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Sounds familiar
CHT has played hooker internationally and does a very good job.
He’s a natural there. His defence is elite (for a hooker).
Defensively you have a point but CHT doesn't offer the running threat of Healey though. Healey/Egan have been forming a good combo: Egan's ball distribution skills and putting our middles into space is crucial to setting up our ruck dominance. Once the ruck is fully blown up, we bring on Healey to run amok in the final 20. IMO Healey has a lot to do with how we annihilated the Raiders 34-0 in the second half.
Arguably, attack makes finals but defence wins finals
yes I agree. I also think there are enough defensive minded players through the middle in our team to make way for more creative attacking players like Taine and Sam. Copying and pasting the Penrith defensive model can only take you so far. As we found out last year, it's enough to get you into finals. But as Webby said in his presser after the Penrith final, it's not enough to take us to the next step to be a true contender that can challenge the big 3- Penrith, Melbourne and Brisbane.Arguably, attack makes finals but defence wins finals
It's clear Webby has learned that lesson by adding attacking variations to that structure, not necessarily through backline shape but through ball playing in the middle and second phase play. That's why we are blowing teams out this year whereas last year we were choking on heart pills every week eeking out victories. Sam is critical to that change which is why he has to be in this team (as does Taine).
Compare that to the Dogs and Ciraldo who have doubled down on simply copying/pasting the Penrith model. The proof is in the pudding- both teams have the same defensive stats (12 pts conceded on average) but we're scoring 40 pts on average in attack, whereas dogs are on 14.5.
I would like to see the evolution of the 18/19 man where we have an attacking option and a defensive option.
When Egan comes off, if we’re defending a lead in a grind CHT comes on; if we’re chasing a game Healey comes on.
I think this is preferable to a player just sitting waiting as straight injury cover.
I think we can only have one DH/utility option that we use during the game. The other 3 players that we use off the bench have to be forwards since that bench impact is why we are blowing teams off the park during the middle third of games. So it has to be Healey or CHT, not both if we are going down the path of both TB and Mets in the team.
CHT would make a more complete hooker than Healey.
Healey is a more dynamic runner but CHT has better service/ball-playing and he’s better defensively.
Plus he offers a kicking game. Being able to launch 40/20’s on the 4th tackle from the PTB is a cheat code. Cam Smith was a master at it. Ben Hunt was pretty good.
But we know CHT absolutely hates playing hooker. If we played him there he would 100% sign elsewhere for 2027 onwards. He sees himself as a half more than CNK sees himself as a fullback which is saying something.
Cces
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He has started 1 game at hooker for Samoa and got knocked out.
Did play well off the bench there though last season I thought.
CWC
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- Thread starter
- #60
Ya I thought both times when the other team put up a fight was when Egan came off. If we're blessed to have all 3 halves available then Healey the junior should return to injury cover and work on his distribution/momentum game. Another way to fit them all is Ali to make way for CNK, TT FB and you can have 1 of Healey/CHT as 14 and the other takes TT's role. Ali has a few things he can work on too.
And CNK/TT will have head knocks and injuries anyway on top of Metcalf pulling a calf or hammy, so we really really don't have to worry about players not getting game time, we're barely hanging on with player availability right now
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Team Ave
Team Average
James Fisher-Harris
Highest
Best Performance
Luke Metcalf
Lowest
Needs Improvement
