Would you say that they were peak in the 2023 prelim?
It's not the Broncos I'm put out by, it's the forward passes that go unnoticed.
General Will we make the 8?
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Would you say that they were peak in the 2023 prelim?
It's not the Broncos I'm put out by, it's the forward passes that go unnoticed.
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those calls seem to be going our way this year haha. But before that pass they were still beating us 24-12. They would have still beaten us that day if it had been called imo. Maybe not by 42-12. But we were clearly a rung below Penrith and Brisbane that year.
But this is 2025, not 2023. Capewahs on our side now and our pack has gotten stronger since 2023. I'd back us to beat them at Suncorp next week even if they come back into a little bit of form.
Sure, but we had a lot of momentum, built through pressure. That forward pass basically shot down and chance of us being able to come back.
I'm not disagreeing that we are a better side this year, I'm just saying that like Latrell Mitt - Walsh has a knack for getting away with pretty blatant infractions.
I'm with Frank on this one, I'd rather see them fall out of the 8 and play a team with less.... leniency given to them.
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Absolutely agree.
We need to play the top sides in form now.
If we are to do anything in the finals we need to get dusted up a bit and learn, or....obviously we click and shit gets crazy and we go into the finals with some confidence, rather than where we are now (in my estimation we will be a chancer in the finals, and not much of one either when we hit the Storm etc, they are just too good).
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First post for quite a long time. Glad to be back. Having a look at our run home, we have one of the softest runs home (in terms of opposition ladder position) of any of the top teams. We have done extremely well during the early/middle season against the stronger teams. Looking at our run home. Here is how I see it going.
H vs Panthers (weakened) W
A vs Broncos L (I think we are due an away loss and this may be the one)
Bye
H vs Tigers W
A vs Knights W
H vs Titans W
H vs Dolphins W
A vs Bulldogs (flip a coin - possibly L)
H vs Dragons W
A vs Titans W
H vs Eels W
A vs Manly W
I think the Storm, Broncos and Panthers are going to rise and the Bulldogs are going to fall. I can’t help thinking that the Bulldogs are heavily overrated. They have had a soft draw and at the pointy end of the season the wheels may fall off. This is what I think the ladder may look like (Panthers rise will heavily depend on Nathan Cleary’s injury). I can see them beating the Dogs next week if he is playing. I can also see the Broncos pushing the Dogs the week after and I can see the Cowboys pushing them at home the week after. So, I think the Dogs may go 1/3 during that run.
1. Storm
2. Raiders/Warriors
3. Raiders/Warriors (our points differential against the Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs is not great which may cost us a spot or two on the ladder)
4. Bulldogs
5. Broncos
6. Dolphins
7. Panthers
8. Sharks
I am confident in beating any team in that top 8 except one……… The Storm. I feel we need to avoid the Storm in the final’s series. We have a shot against them in a grand final, but I do not want to be facing them in a prelim especially if it is in Melbourne. That is why if Melbourne finish in the top 2 we HAVE to also be in the top 2 to avoid them. A great scenario for us would be finishing top 2 facing say the Raiders at home first week of the finals and playing the Dogs in a home prelim final. A few injuries to key players for any of the top sides could completely mix things up. For us I see Metcalf, Fish Halasima, CNK (maybe RTS) as those players. I feel Egan could be replaced by Healey and we won’t miss much of a beat. TT is not up to this level yet as a fullback so CNK is very important. RTS is always an option, but this then weakens the wing.
The Raiders do not worry me as much as the Storm. I think we would have beaten them at home if Fish had not been suspended. We missed that hard edge up against Tapine. I think we can write off the Vegas match as an outlier.
If we have one weakness this year it is speed. Our outside backs are slow compared to some of the other teams. This can be overcome with good defence, discipline and keeping games close but once the opposition gets a couple of tries in front the floodgates can open (Raiders and Storm this year). I don’t know if we are a team that can chase a lot of points in a short space of time. The good thing is I don’t think we are going to get completely blown away again this year.
Ladder predicting is tough even half way through a season as so many things can happen. But if I was pushed to predict (maybe this is because I am a die-hard Warriors fan) I would go with a Storm/Warriors grand final. Storm/Raiders grand final is a strong possibility also and who knows if the Panthers will be purring come September (I can not see them winning it though). Broncos are a definite dark horse if everything clicks.
H vs Panthers (weakened) W
A vs Broncos L (I think we are due an away loss and this may be the one)
Bye
H vs Tigers W
A vs Knights W
H vs Titans W
H vs Dolphins W
A vs Bulldogs (flip a coin - possibly L)
H vs Dragons W
A vs Titans W
H vs Eels W
A vs Manly W
I think the Storm, Broncos and Panthers are going to rise and the Bulldogs are going to fall. I can’t help thinking that the Bulldogs are heavily overrated. They have had a soft draw and at the pointy end of the season the wheels may fall off. This is what I think the ladder may look like (Panthers rise will heavily depend on Nathan Cleary’s injury). I can see them beating the Dogs next week if he is playing. I can also see the Broncos pushing the Dogs the week after and I can see the Cowboys pushing them at home the week after. So, I think the Dogs may go 1/3 during that run.
1. Storm
2. Raiders/Warriors
3. Raiders/Warriors (our points differential against the Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs is not great which may cost us a spot or two on the ladder)
4. Bulldogs
5. Broncos
6. Dolphins
7. Panthers
8. Sharks
I am confident in beating any team in that top 8 except one……… The Storm. I feel we need to avoid the Storm in the final’s series. We have a shot against them in a grand final, but I do not want to be facing them in a prelim especially if it is in Melbourne. That is why if Melbourne finish in the top 2 we HAVE to also be in the top 2 to avoid them. A great scenario for us would be finishing top 2 facing say the Raiders at home first week of the finals and playing the Dogs in a home prelim final. A few injuries to key players for any of the top sides could completely mix things up. For us I see Metcalf, Fish Halasima, CNK (maybe RTS) as those players. I feel Egan could be replaced by Healey and we won’t miss much of a beat. TT is not up to this level yet as a fullback so CNK is very important. RTS is always an option, but this then weakens the wing.
The Raiders do not worry me as much as the Storm. I think we would have beaten them at home if Fish had not been suspended. We missed that hard edge up against Tapine. I think we can write off the Vegas match as an outlier.
If we have one weakness this year it is speed. Our outside backs are slow compared to some of the other teams. This can be overcome with good defence, discipline and keeping games close but once the opposition gets a couple of tries in front the floodgates can open (Raiders and Storm this year). I don’t know if we are a team that can chase a lot of points in a short space of time. The good thing is I don’t think we are going to get completely blown away again this year.
Ladder predicting is tough even half way through a season as so many things can happen. But if I was pushed to predict (maybe this is because I am a die-hard Warriors fan) I would go with a Storm/Warriors grand final. Storm/Raiders grand final is a strong possibility also and who knows if the Panthers will be purring come September (I can not see them winning it though). Broncos are a definite dark horse if everything clicks.
NZWarriors.com
I like your attitude!!We are 100% in finals games against Melbourne in Melbourne
I say bring it on
If we did have an away prelim, would you prefer to play Melbourne or Canberra?
Good run down.
Playing Devils advocate:
I think the Raiders will win the minor premiership. There is no one in their draw from here that they fear (Tigers, Knights, Dragons, bye, Eels, Knights, Dragons, Manly, bye, Panthers, Tigers, Dolphins)
I can only see Penrith and the Dolphins winning those games.
leaving us, the Storm and the Dogs to scrap over 2nd.
Melbourne have challenging games against:
Souths
Sharks
Cows
Manly
Roosters
Broncos
Panthers
Dogs
If they get through that lot unscathed, give them Premiership already if you know what I mean...that is a run from hell.
The Dolphins are emerging as a worry for the Warriors...a big worry.
Interesting times ahead, like you...I am struggling to buy into the Dogs....
NZWarriors.com
You raised some good points there about the Raiders run home. The only reason I had the Storm in first is because I have them winning all but one of those games and the Raiders dropping the game away to the Panthers and one other game (they are due a slip up somewhere). The Storms points differential is out of this world and if they end up equal on the ladder with another team they will get the better position.
Now can the Storm win that many tough games? As you say it is a heck of a run home and if they can do it they are heavy favourites. Only time will tell. The sensible thought is the Raiders will finish above the Storm. I would most definitely prefer to face the Raiders in the finals than the Storm though. The Storm have too many big name players in the spine that can carve you up if you make even the smallest mistake. That spine of Paps, Munster, Hughes and Grant is terrifying (and all big game players). If their forward pack at least get parity I can't see anyone sticking with them. The Warriors are a team could take them though if we have a game like we did against the Sharks and our defense and discipline are on point. That's why Metcalf is absolutely crucial. He is our x-factor (along with Leka) and in a big game you need one or two magic moments.
Agree with you on Dolphins. The teams that have fast backs and halves scare me as a Warriors fan and the Dolphins have that. I am hoping the Webby has some plans over the next few years (recruitment or up and comers) to fix that speed issue we have.
I think we can match any team up front this year or bully them which will nufflify the oppositions speedsters, as long as we don't have any more injuries to key forwards.
Welcome back btw, hope you have time to stick around, so much to talk about bro....this year is one of the great ones.
From my pov no matter what happens from here...even if we miss the eight (look I know that ain't gonna happen but if we lost six staring players....and we are screwed, I ain't gonna forget what these boys have done for my weekends, I ain't gonna turn on them ) my blood lust has been satisfied by what I have seen.
To date this has been almost as good for me as 2002 and 95.
Have you guys noticed that the Forum is much quieter when we are winning?
Says a lot about who we are as New Zealanders I recon, no reason to put the boot in, no posting.
It is as if we have thousands of members who can't think of anything to say this year when their usual inputs "one swallow doesn't make a summer' or 'we have been here before' or 'lets see if Webster can repeat one seasons success' it seems those dozens and dozens of regulars have fucked off because they find themselves with limited Rugby League knowledge in the absence of cliche.
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Thanks mate, I have really missed being on the forum and have been meaning to post for some time but yea, planning to stick around and hope the rest of the year turns out be just as good as the year so far.
I completely agree with you about the boys. My missus is watching every single Warriors game with me now and she is really getting into it. Like actually almost as excited as me to watch the games. She is learning the rules properly and just loving it. It is the big event of our weekend and she gets disappointed if we have a bye and dont play that week. Next step is taking her to a live game. We were going to go to the Panthers this weekend but couldn't get tickets.
(Edit) She just mentioned she has been to live Warriors games from years ago and I promised to update this haha.
I remember going to the Warriors vs Broncos game back in 95 as a kid and was in awe with the 2002 team as well, but this year feels just as good. The best thing about it is that I think we are set up for a consistent finals run over the next 5-6 years with the mix of experience and youngsters coming through the ranks. Even if we got 1 premiership over that timeframe that would be my dream come true.
I think when it comes down to it there are only a certain number of people that actually support the Warriors and are also passionate about rugby league. There are always a ton of bandwagon supporters when we are winning (who would not post on forums) and people who just love putting the boot into the Warriors when things aren't going well (and/or are sceptics or dont have a passion for the game at heart) and who do post on forums - heavily. But then when things go well they disappear because they have nothing to contribute anymore.
Then there is the group that has constructive criticism to make if things are going wrong and genuinely want the club to succeed and they then move into a very positive mode when things are going well (I think this the primary group I am in). And then there is the group who is just positive about everything and won't hear any negativity about the club even when it is at its lowest point. I guess it is a good thing if things are going well and the people posting are just genuine Warriors and rugby league fans who want the club to keep getting better and better.
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NZWarriors.com
I have been a supporter since 95, finally relinquished my season (Bay 32) tickets in 2017 after Kearney killed me but I don't get the hate on the "Bandwagoners" as I think they have more brains than us.
I sat at that god forsaken hole in pouring rain until I finally had enough of Kearney. I have continued to support the team and will never support another team and still love watching them from the comfort of my armchair.
Anyone that turns up and pays for a ticket regardless of how fickle they are puts money in the coffers and helps build league in NZ.
Forgot to add Welcome back
I love the bandwagon too.
From my experience of Warriors forums it is the regulars that post sack the coach every season and get stuck into the Jerome Ropati's the Lance Hohaia's the Bill Tupou's the Ed Kosis, the Jackson Fords, the Adam Pompeys that tend to get quieter when we are winning.
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Cheers mate. I definitely don't have any hate for the bandwagons, was just mentioning that they are not the type of fan who would post on here discussing rugby league. The more people that go to games and buy Warriors merch the better.
I've got to admit I struggled during the Kearney years and I was one of the many on here who was calling for his sacking because I could see the damage being done to the club with his limited gameplan and the good players careers he was ruining. We really wasted the best years of RTS during that time and I don't blame him for going to rugby. Imagine a 2018-2020 version of RTS at fullback of the current Warriors team.
The fact we have actually turned things around so quickly under Webby is super impressive. And if even a small amount of those bandwagon fans actually become loyal supporters that is only good for the game in NZ.
Awesome mahi slime.
Unless we shit the bed, imo that looks like the order the top 4 will finish in:
Raiders
Wahs
Dogs
Storm
Would be the best outcome for us too imo.
Home final against Dogs, smesh their faces and then have a week off and watch Melbourne get bashed around before facing them at Mt Smart, where we go on to break our hoodoo, before facing Raiders in the final and destroying them, with Erin Clark getting in Tapine's face and Fish finding Samale in the stands and calling him a weak pussy.
Book mark this post, you heard it here first!
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