Team List Wests Tigers v NZ Warriors - [Round 4, 2026]

[Lance155]

TMM did play well in that run and people were getting excited. But TMMs performances were not like what Boyd has been producing, it is only a mini run atm but has been genuine complete performances with kicking, running, passing and organising all firing.

100% Boyd has been a lot better. Don't get me wrong if he keeps going I am all in. I am just surprised how quick people are to jump. Boyd has shown to be quite shakey when things are tight. We haven't seen that tested yet. I also worry that we are in a situation where things might have to go really south before we change back to what was working.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

100% Boyd has been a lot better. Don't get me wrong if he keeps going I am all in. I am just surprised how quick people are to jump. Boyd has shown to be quite shakey when things are tight. We haven't seen that tested yet.

Things change alot over the preseason.

We've come out the gate far better than any side we've put out for a while now and Boyd is at the centre of that. Hell, the plan with Metcalf circa 2023/24 (Metcalf6/SJ7) so it's not like Webby's hitting us with a hot take.

 

[CWC]

It's insane we're playing our normal game now and putting on 40 points each game, when we actually evolve mid season and open it up, guess the baseline is pretty high already to work on the next stage of attack

That Panthers game will be interesting, the last game Webby benched Clark a lot to have TMM and Egan sniping around the rucks, will we try again with Metcalf, Egan and TT sniffing around this time?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

To describe the first 3 weeks as easy is not truly reflective of how tough they actually were. Roosters brought it back to 30-18 with 20 to go. We were 6-6 at half-time v the Raiders. If not for Leka's last minute try, we go into HT only 12-6 up v the knights. In all 3 games, there were moments where we could have been looking at a nervous 1-12 pt game instead of 13+ blow outs. But in all 3 games, Tannah stepped up and guided the team away to a comfortable shellacking. So to say that Tannah hasn't been tested in tight situations I don't think is quite fair.

I also think that we have a rosy view of how things really were under Mets as the controlling half. Even though we were dominating the ruck most weeks, our attack was clunky af this time last year. He'd have a brilliant moment here and there but we were only eeking out 1-12 pt wins like the dogs are this year. This year we are scoring 40 pts on average and only conceding 12 pts against. Marked improvement with Tannah as the controlling half.

100% Boyd has been a lot better. Don't get me wrong if he keeps going I am all in. I am just surprised how quick people are to jump. Boyd has shown to be quite shakey when things are tight. We haven't seen that tested yet. I also worry that we are in a situation where things might have to go really south before we change back to what was working.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

foxsports reporting Bunty to make his Tigers debut against us. Don't know if this is confirmed and who he is coming in for.

‘Set him up to fail’: Manly defend call on young half as Tigers ‘revelation’ to make club debut

‘Set him up to fail’: Big call on Manly prodigy as debutant looms; Tigers to unleash ‘revelation’

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[sydneywarrior92]

It's insane we're playing our normal game now and putting on 40 points each game, when we actually evolve mid season and open it up, guess the baseline is pretty high already to work on the next stage of attack

That Panthers game will be interesting, the last game Webby benched Clark a lot to have TMM and Egan sniping around the rucks, will we try again with Metcalf, Egan and TT sniffing around this time?

One thing we can work on is to develop our attacking shape on the edges. At the moment, most of our tries have come through the middle third of the field and in the final quarter of the game. So we are definitely playing like the Raiders from last year: bashing through the middle and burning teams late when we have fully opened up the ruck. But this gameplan depends on dominating the middle, which we might not achieve every game this year. So we certainly need a way to break teams down on the edges as well. Poor old RTS hasn't got a try yet despite all his great work this year!

 

[Lance155]

To describe the first 3 weeks as easy is not truly reflective of how tough they actually were. Roosters brought it back to 30-18 with 20 to go. We were 6-6 at half-time v the Raiders. If not for Leka's last minute try, we go into HT only 12-6 up v the knights. In all 3 games, there were moments where we could have been looking at a nervous 1-12 pt game instead of 13+ blow outs. But in all 3 games, Tannah stepped up and guided the team away to a comfortable shellacking. So to say that Tannah hasn't been tested in tight situations I don't think is quite fair.

I also think that we have a rosy view of how things really were under Mets as the controlling half. Even though we were dominating the ruck most weeks, our attack was clunky af this time last year. He'd have a brilliant moment here and there but we were only eeking out 1-12 pt wins like the dogs are this year. This year we are scoring 40 pts on average and only conceding 12 pts against. Marked improvement with Tannah as the controlling half.

Never said it was easy. Scores being tight at half time vs the last 15 minutes is very different. Also behind a pack that isn't dominating is also a whole other ball game.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Never said it was easy. Scores being tight at half time vs the last 15 minutes is very different. Also behind a pack that isn't dominating is also a whole other ball game.

No doubt that our middle dominance has helped Tanah. But keep in mind Mets was playing behind a pack dominating the ruck most games last year too. Yet our attack was clunky af for much of his tenure as our controlling half. We were literally on a p/d of +1 until like rd13. Compare that to what our attack looks like now with Tannah as the controlling half with a p/d of +82 and scoring 40 pts on average. So clearly we are better at converting territorial dominance into pts with TB as the controlling half rather than Mets.

 

[roguei]

No doubt that our middle dominance has helped Tanah. But keep in mind Mets was playing behind a pack dominating the ruck most games last year too. Yet our attack was clunky af for much of his tenure as our controlling half. We were literally on a p/d of +1 until like rd13. Compare that to what our attack looks like now with Tannah as the controlling half with a p/d of +82 and scoring 40 pts on average. So clearly we are better at converting territorial dominance into pts with TB as the controlling half rather than Mets.

I'm on neither side but it'd argue our pack is immensely better than last year. People were calling fish out as a waste of cap space. Ford was the same error prone engine man he has been for ages before this year. Our young pack was only really getting into first grade and looked no where near as good as they do this year. Only real bright spot was Barnett.

That plus the new 6 again rules rewarding a great, fit forward pack much more than it did last year. And you've got yourself a combination for Ivan and Webster ball to dominate in. So it feels wrong to say the everything is the same except tannah has had a pre-season and is our starting 7.

 

[Beastmode]

No doubt that our middle dominance has helped Tanah. But keep in mind Mets was playing behind a pack dominating the ruck most games last year too. Yet our attack was clunky af for much of his tenure as our controlling half. We were literally on a p/d of +1 until like rd13. Compare that to what our attack looks like now with Tannah as the controlling half with a p/d of +82 and scoring 40 pts on average. So clearly we are better at converting territorial dominance into pts with TB as the controlling half rather than Mets.

Metcalfs tendency to crab across the field using up valuable space and killing the shape used to annoy the crap out of me. Tannah compliments his style well. One is the organiser the other an instigator looking for holes to hit. The question mark is his defence as he’s no CHT

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm on neither side but it'd argue our pack is immensely better than last year. People were calling fish out as a waste of cap space. Ford was the same error prone engine man he has been for ages before this year. Our young pack was only really getting into first grade and looked no where near as good as they do this year. Only real bright spot was Barnett.

That plus the new 6 again rules rewarding a great, fit forward pack much more than it did last year. And you've got yourself a combination for Ivan and Webster ball to dominate in. So it feels wrong to say the everything is the same except tannah has had a pre-season and is our starting 7.

this is a pt about degree though. I think I agree that the extent of forward dominance this year is greater than last year due to the issues you mentioned. But we were still in the top 4 last year for much of the year (before Barney went down) for running metres (both total and post-contact) with largely the same personnel as last year. Yet we were only winning in shit fights this time last year (14-6 v Roosters, 26-24 v Tigers, 20-18 v Broncos, etc). Small sample size still I know, but with a full pre-season under our belt with TB as the controlling half, we just look much more clinical in attack than we did under Mets. None of this is to say TB is better than Mets. He is clearly not: just that he is a better game manager imo.

 

[roguei]

this is a pt about degree though. I think I agree that the extent of forward dominance this year is greater than last year due to the issues you mentioned. But we were still in the top 4 last year for much of the year (before Barney went down) for running metres (both total and post-contact) with largely the same personnel as last year. Yet we were only winning in shit fights this time last year (14-6 v Roosters, 26-24 v Tigers, 20-18 v Broncos, etc). Small sample size still I know, but with a full pre-season under our belt with TB as the controlling half, we just look much more clinical in attack than we did under Mets. None of this is to say TB is better than Mets. He is clearly not: just that he is a better game manager imo.

I 100% agree that we should not get rid of the best half of 2026 so far. It's his jersey to lose.

But I think it's a bit understated how much this rule change has made dominate forward teams much better on attack. Out opposition looks frustrated and angry all the time because they cannot fight back momentum using a penalty. Which is exploited perfectly by tannah, and arguably better than any current half can. But to me 2025 and 2026 starts are not totally comparable because of how different the game looks.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

foxsports reporting Bunty to make his Tigers debut against us. Don't know if this is confirmed and who he is coming in for.

‘Set him up to fail’: Manly defend call on young half as Tigers ‘revelation’ to make club debut

‘Set him up to fail’: Big call on Manly prodigy as debutant looms; Tigers to unleash ‘revelation’

www.foxsports.com.au

Tigers saying bunty was a revelation this pre season but he wasn't picked early on, was he injured?

If bunty is the revelation then God help them! sorry but not sorry to the bunty appreciation society.

 

[CWC]

To describe the first 3 weeks as easy is not truly reflective of how tough they actually were. Roosters brought it back to 30-18 with 20 to go. We were 6-6 at half-time v the Raiders. If not for Leka's last minute try, we go into HT only 12-6 up v the knights. In all 3 games, there were moments where we could have been looking at a nervous 1-12 pt game instead of 13+ blow outs. But in all 3 games, Tannah stepped up and guided the team away to a comfortable shellacking. So to say that Tannah hasn't been tested in tight situations I don't think is quite fair.

I also think that we have a rosy view of how things really were under Mets as the controlling half. Even though we were dominating the ruck most weeks, our attack was clunky af this time last year. He'd have a brilliant moment here and there but we were only eeking out 1-12 pt wins like the dogs are this year. This year we are scoring 40 pts on average and only conceding 12 pts against. Marked improvement with Tannah as the controlling half.

One thing we can work on is to develop our attacking shape on the edges. At the moment, most of our tries have come through the middle third of the field and in the final quarter of the game. So we are definitely playing like the Raiders from last year: bashing through the middle and burning teams late when we have fully opened up the ruck. But this gameplan depends on dominating the middle, which we might not achieve every game this year. So we certainly need a way to break teams down on the edges as well. Poor old RTS hasn't got a try yet despite all his great work this year!

Ya we haven’t gotten those Dallin 23 plays yet which will probably develop through the season

And yes I was impressed how the halves were clutch to convert in the redzone I think all 3 games we had quick tries from 18 to 30 points to shock and blow the game open

A few long range tries too

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I 100% agree that we should not get rid of the best half of 2026 so far. It's his jersey to lose.

But I think it's a bit understated how much this rule change has made dominate forward teams much better on attack. Out opposition looks frustrated and angry all the time because they cannot fight back momentum using a penalty. Which is exploited perfectly by tannah, and arguably better than any current half can. But to me 2025 and 2026 starts are not totally comparable because of how different the game looks.

Totally agree about the rule changes. But I don't think this is particularly new: this tendency towards a faster game has been a gradual trend for a number of years now. Six agains were introduced in 2021 I think and has long benefitted mid-sized but fit, mobile packs like us. Huge packs like Cronulla that carry 4 props on the bench, all of whom can only play 20 mins at a time, are the ones suffering big time today. Dogs pack is probably too small. Us, Canberra and Penrith are probably the right balance between size and mobility imo.

Another interesting comparison is the transition from 2003-2004 for us. Back in 2001-2003 we had that monster pack under DA but then we crashed massively in 2004. I remember that much of the commentary at the time was that we were too big and lacked mobility in the face of similar changing rules (can't remember the details).

It seems like now is another one of those times. The days of the monster 6'4 110kg prop are clearly dead and the era of the Jackson Fords are here.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

No pics of Metcalf in captains run on the warriors socials

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Tigers saying bunty was a revelation this pre season but he wasn't picked early on, was he injured?

If bunty is the revelation then God help them! sorry but not sorry to the bunty appreciation society.

There is a reason we moved him on which will become apparent if/when he plays against us tomorrow. He is great for a good 10-20 minute burst, but becomes a massive liability in defense after that. Very similar to Royce Hunt imo.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

No pics of Metcalf in captains run on the warriors socials

surely they aren't going to pull him at the last minute after that social media hype.

 

[CWC]

Totally agree about the rule changes. But I don't think this is particularly new: this tendency towards a faster game has been a gradual trend for a number of years now. Six agains were introduced in 2021 I think and has long benefitted mid-sized but fit, mobile packs like us. Huge packs like Cronulla that carry 4 props on the bench, all of whom can only play 20 mins at a time, are the ones suffering big time today. Dogs pack is probably too small. Us, Canberra and Penrith are probably the right balance between size and mobility imo.

Another interesting comparison is the transition from 2003-2004 for us. Back in 2001-2003 we had that monster pack under DA but then we crashed massively in 2004. I remember that much of the commentary at the time was that we were too big and lacked mobility in the face of similar changing rules (can't remember the details).

It seems like now is another one of those times. The days of the monster 6'4 110kg prop are clearly dead and the era of the Jackson Fords are here.

A classmate in 2004 told me they need to het rid of Ali to get some go forward

They did and we were never the same

 

[CWC]

surely they aren't going to pull him at the last minute after that social media hype.

They just wanted to make 360 for 2 days in a row