Gameday Witzer Pre-Season challenge round 2- Warriors vs Manly

[Beastmode]

Psssssst Webby ……..you forgot to teach them offloads….

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

I dont get the hate for Boyd? Hes going to be great for our cup team!

Not even that, should be demoted to waterboy. Can’t have him taking all of my boy Jett Cleary’s minutes.

 

[Canonball]

Pretty much 16 points put on us in both halves apart from a dropped goal at the end means defensively is where I’d like to see us be better in the next one. Again in consideration to the trial last year, it was interesting reading the comments that Vaimauga impressed in that game. Though he had debuted it was last season that he cemented himself in the team, I think we’ll see that with TSS and Laban where they’ll become regulars this season and by next season EIT at that point. Though he’ll still see plenty of game time and with a 6 man bench probably a good option to carry

Yes please - defensive effort was not there in that trial - tho a lot of it was excusable - the aforementioned lazy marking from Clark, the lack of lateral awareness from Halasima, I think were both symptoms of the trial scenario and not big issues to be fretting about - we know Clark will put in when required, we know (i hope) that Halasima is not a first choice centre - it will be interesting to see the difference with Fish back ... personally i'm now keen to see him a lock with a warriors jumper on after that allstars game - he looked great there

 

[John Nick]

..

Yes please - defensive effort was not there in that trial - tho a lot of it was excusable - the aforementioned lazy marking from Clark, the lack of lateral awareness from Halasima, I think were both symptoms of the trial scenario and not big issues to be fretting about - we know Clark will put in when required, we know (i hope) that Halasima is not a first choice centre - it will be interesting to see the difference with Fish back ... personally i'm now keen to see him a lock with a warriors jumper on after that allstars game - he looked great there

So you would have Clark in the prop rotation. Serious question

 

[Horriors2013]

Yes please - defensive effort was not there in that trial - tho a lot of it was excusable - the aforementioned lazy marking from Clark, the lack of lateral awareness from Halasima, I think were both symptoms of the trial scenario and not big issues to be fretting about - we know Clark will put in when required, we know (i hope) that Halasima is not a first choice centre - it will be interesting to see the difference with Fish back ... personally i'm now keen to see him a lock with a warriors jumper on after that allstars game - he looked great there

I'm not worried about defence. We generally build that throughout the season. It's the attack that scares me. Too predictable.

 

[WAH MAN]

I'm not worried about defence. We generally build that throughout the season. It's the attack that scares me. Too predictable.

Our attacking plays could be Leka-centric. So he is either the play before the kill shot to bend/break the line.

Or return to the runners in motion and teach our halves to nail that pass to the right bloke at the right moment.

Also. Like Demi said about AKP. Kick early for Lofi

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Is Richard Agar still there? Another one of Webbys pick and sticks. Even Webbys best attacking year IMHO was mostly just SJ, Tohu and RTS.

Hopefully the loss of Barnet & Metcalf last year derailed what was going to be an increase in attack at the back end of the year. Based on all available evidence, that seems unlikely.

 

[Wrighty]

I'm not worried about defence. We generally build that throughout the season. It's the attack that scares me. Too predictable.

I agree with the drum Damo is beating. Don't worry about the trial. As long as you don't get a hiding it is all good. The only thing to be worried about from these games are if injuries happen. Gannon and all our first string guys looked like they were treating it as a Sunday picnic. I don't think we will see much more effort in the next trial either. Judge them on round one.

The things I personally will be paying great attention to in the next trial is who is named where. Usually the second trial closely resembles the starting side for round one - so tomorrow's team list will answer many questions. Who will be full back. Who will get the wing spots? Who will play centre in round one with Berry out. I assume Pompey and Leiataua but let's find out. Who will be the bench. Is Gannon going to be in the top side round one or playing NSW cup to start the year. I reckon we get a read on all of that from the second trial team. But that we don't get a read on how well the team will play this season from the next trial.

The final point I want to make is that the Warriors have said in previous seasons they practice offence last in pre-season. So it is possible they have just turned their attention to attack recently and spent much the rest of pre-season on defence, wrestling, line speed and fitness.

 

[Wrighty]

Well in further news for those who want to see a 180 degree turn on offence this weekend you are highly unlikely to get it. CHT is listed on the injury report as out this weekend and TMM got injured last night which leaves the hapless pair of Boyd and Hanson to run the cutter again.

I actually think Boyd is a good half back but only when paired with a highly competent 5 8th.

 

[Sammyw]

So it is possible they have just turned their attention to attack recently and spent much the rest of pre-season on defence, wrestling, line speed and fitness.

this is just as much a worry then, we looked puss defensively... im not panicking because trials are irrelevant, but we looked well off the pace. Boyd at 7 is wildly uninspiring, gannon looked average.. slim pickings for positives aside from the youngsters looking hungry even when the game was gone.

 

[WAH MAN]

When your Dally M Lock of the year doesn't chase out from marker when backed up on the line to let a try in then, yeah, it's something like complacency

In a GF I would not forgive that. This weekend gone I will. Repeat it in season and it would be a real bummer

 

[Dannevegas]

Our attacking plays could be Leka-centric. So he is either the play before the kill shot to bend/break the line.

Or return to the runners in motion and teach our halves to nail that pass to the right bloke at the right moment.

Also. Like Demi said about AKP. Kick early for Lofi

Return to runners in motion, can’t remember the last time we did that? But ye we definitely need players in motion, sniffing around the ball, there’s been none of that under webby except for Metcalf

 

[WAH MAN]

Return to runners in motion, can’t remember the last time we did that? But ye we definitely need players in motion, sniffing around the ball, there’s been none of that under webby except for Metcalf

Curran, Berry, running lines in 2023 was the year I think. Shaun was getting the ball bang on their chests as they hit their gaps or running through the defender's weak shoulder.

So yeah it's been a while.


View: https://youtu.be/evscedfzZmM?si=tyLdhgcabHQUN0Bu

 

[Horriors2013]

I agree with the drum Damo is beating. Don't worry about the trial. As long as you don't get a hiding it is all good. The only thing to be worried about from these games are if injuries happen. Gannon and all our first string guys looked like they were treating it as a Sunday picnic. I don't think we will see much more effort in the next trial either. Judge them on round one.

The things I personally will be paying great attention to in the next trial is who is named where. Usually the second trial closely resembles the starting side for round one - so tomorrow's team list will answer many questions. Who will be full back. Who will get the wing spots? Who will play centre in round one with Berry out. I assume Pompey and Leiataua but let's find out. Who will be the bench. Is Gannon going to be in the top side round one or playing NSW cup to start the year. I reckon we get a read on all of that from the second trial team. But that we don't get a read on how well the team will play this season from the next trial.

The final point I want to make is that the Warriors have said in previous seasons they practice offence last in pre-season. So it is possible they have just turned their attention to attack recently and spent much the rest of pre-season on defence, wrestling, line speed and fitness.

I hope you're right. I'm just used to young guys attacking their asses off in trials to try and make firsts. I'd be giving it my all. That said, Webby said 15 players pick themselves. So maybe they already know they're not in with a chance and just told their work-ons. You make good points.

 

[Muddogz]

I don’t think Webby’s gameplay will change much considering the backline personnel he has available to him. It’s a floor raising strategy rather than a ceiling raising one, but it’s got us to the playoffs two years in three as opposed to the one in eleven we got previously. I get the feeling they are pretty happy with the young blokes they’ve got coming through but they are still a year or two away.

Disappointing performance on Saturday, but i expect he’s kept his best attacking plays up his sleeve until the season begins. He won’t be happy with the amount of points conceded, far too many considering the calibre of the opposition.

 

[Canonball]

..
So you would have Clark in the prop rotation. Serious question

Given a sample size of one i thought Fish's service as a lock had the potential to be better than Clark was in that role last year - and you'd still want Clark's fast legs in the middle so, yeah, maybe... then again I reckon Vaimauga has all the skills and fire to be an even better option at 13 ...

 

[John Nick]

Given a sample size of one i thought Fish's service as a lock had the potential to be better than Clark was in that role last year - and you'd still want Clark's fast legs in the middle so, yeah, maybe... then again I reckon Vaimauga has all the skills and fire to be an even better option at 13 ...

Thanks mate. Intriguing forward rotation with soo many options
Pity we don't have the same depth in our backs.

 

[jonesy101]

I dont get the hate for Boyd? Hes going to be great for our cup team!

He will be. And hopefully will do an adequate job in first grade until Metcalf returns. There seems to be an expectation that every other club has elite back up halves in their squad, but it simply isn't the reality. The Bulldogs may have to play Sean O'Sullivan if Burton doesn't get over his hamstring injury by round 1.

 

[Naynay]

He will be. And hopefully will do an adequate job in first grade until Metcalf returns. There seems to be an expectation that every other club has elite back up halves in their squad, but it simply isn't the reality. The Bulldogs may have to play Sean O'Sullivan if Burton doesn't get over his hamstring injury by round 1.

Yeah look if boyd can steer us to atleast 3/7 or 4/7 before Luke gets back we are probably looking pretty good for a finals appearance all going well.

 

[Horriors2013]

He will be. And hopefully will do an adequate job in first grade until Metcalf returns. There seems to be an expectation that every other club has elite back up halves in their squad, but it simply isn't the reality. The Bulldogs may have to play Sean O'Sullivan if Burton doesn't get over his hamstring injury by round 1.

I don't think that other teams have better half depth. I just think that we don't have the flair in the backs to score without Metcalf.