General Yay Ropati's not dropped....

[Iafeta_old]

but George Gatis is??? WTF?

I'm sorry Ivan, but you've seriously got this one wrong, son.

Duo back in Warriors line-up


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Jun 6, 2006

Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei and hooker Lance Hohaia return to the side for Sunday's NRL clash against the Sydney Roosters at Aussie Stadium.

Vatuvei, 20, has been cleared after the hamstring trouble that has restricted him to just two appearances in the Warriors' last eight games.

Hohaia is back for the first time since the second round match against Parramatta in Hamilton. Since then he has played Bartercard Cup football for the Waicoa Bay Stallions although he was part of an 18-man squad that prepared for the Brisbane match last Sunday.

Joining Vatuvei and Hohaia is 19-year-old prop Sam Rapira who again comes into the squad with captain Steve Price on State of Origin duty with Queensland. Rapira will be on the bench for his third first-grade match while Evarn Tuimavave moves into the starting line-up.

Hohaia's recall comes at the expense of George Gatis, who has been the interchange dummy half for 10 successive matches.

"Lance comes back in partly because of the balance in the team," said Cleary.

"He provides different attributes than George and has been working on aspects of his game at training and with Waicoa Bay in the Bartercard Cup.

"At the same time, Nathan Fien has been going well for us at hooker so George hasn't seen a lot of game time. He'll go back to the Bartercard Cup with the Counties Manukau Jetz to get some more football behind him."

Hohaia is on a five-man bench along with Micheal Luck, Wairangi Koopu, Clinton Toopi and Rapira.

With Vatuvei back, Tony Martin returns to the centres after playing on the wing against Brisbane. That has forced Koopu to the bench with Cleary opting for the same starting combination in the back row of Awen Guttenbeil, Louis Anderson and Sione Faumuina used against the Broncos.

Russell Smith has been named as referee

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

What the hell? ....I mean...oh...argh!
Look I'm happy Hohaia is going to be considered very likely but...why Gatis thou? As far as I've seen he's done absolutely nothing wrong! Damn it and that....that...little mingy idiiot is still there!

 

[warriors4life_old]

Yeah, it's great that Hohaia is back but it shouldn't have been at the expense of Gatis, Ropati needs to go back to Bartercard and learn the basics of being a good five/eighth.

 

[warriorfaithful*_old]

Yeah, it's great that Hohaia is back but it shouldn't have been at the expense of Gatis, Ropati needs to go back to Bartercard and learn the basics of being a good five/eighth.

Agree completley. Whats ropati doing to keep his place in this team. Gatis has been far more impressive. Good to see hohia back though!

 

[KeepingTheFaith_old]

So who are our props? Or has Wiki been named in the team?

I'm guessing when Wiki is ruled out through suspension Luck/Rapira will move into the starting lineup leaving us with our 4 man bench.

Conclusion: Toopi will definately be there.

 

[JonB_old]

What has Ropati got on Cleary is what I am wondering.

 

[warriors4life_old]

Here is the team:

1. Brent Webb
2. Patrick Ah Van
3. Tony Martin
4. Simon Mannering
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Jerome Ropati
7. Grant Rovelli
8. Ruben Wiki (c)
9. Nathan Fien
10. Evarn Tuimavave
11. Awen Guttenbeil
12. Louis Anderson
13. Sione Faumuina

14. Sam Rapira
16. Wairangi Koopu
17. Micheal Luck
18. Lance Hohaia
20. Clinton Toopi
(one to be omitted)

 

[warriors4life_old]

Interesting that Ruben Wiki has still been named with judiciary charges pending...

 

[JonB_old]

On the assumption that Luck and Tuamavae are starting, that means the bench could look like this

14 Rapira
15 Louis Anderson
16 Hohia
17 Toopi

That is a very balanced bench which is bad we need more power than speed.

 

[fiamacho_old]

This is a disgusting call, Lance Who???? As "Skinny" pointed out what has Gatis done wrong ???

Ropati should be out and then there will be a place for Lance, but not at the expense of Gatis.

This is crazy !!!

 

[Northern_Union]

What has Ropati got on Cleary is what I am wondering.

You and me both brother!!!

Ropati is terrible, simple as that.

 

[warriorfaithful*_old]

What has Ropati got on Cleary is what I am wondering.

You and me both brother!!!

Ropati is terrible, simple as that.

With you both on that one as well!

 

[mosh_old]

Wheres number 15?

 

[sebastian_old]

Look i'm not worried yet most of us want hohaia in the halves right??
Well i'm guessing they're easing him in, seeing if the todd byrne bugg didn't infect him, seeing if hohaia still has it. And if he impresses, see ya later ropati. They can then bring gatis back.
Hohaia, all us fans are counting on ya, good luck & don't let us down!!!

 

[kiwi man_old]

very dissapointed with this team, if wiki cops the inevitable suspension we are left with 2 props. im happy with the back line (xcept for ropati), cant complain with the starting back row, BUT we have an abundance of one dimensional backrowers.
every week we go with all our backrowers in there sumwhere and it doesnt work. to be honest we need to try something different.
i dislike cleary more and more as each team gets named.

 

[Northern_Union]

Cliff Beverly is playing for the Raiders in the Bartercard Cup....as ordinary as Ropo is Fluff is better and thats saying something.

 

[sebastian_old]

very dissapointed with this team, if wiki cops the inevitable suspension we are left with 2 props. im happy with the back line (xcept for ropati), cant complain with the starting back row, BUT we have an abundance of one dimensional backrowers.
every week we go with all our backrowers in there sumwhere and it doesnt work. to be honest we need to try something different.
i dislike cleary more and more as each team gets named.

yeah i agree, i don't know why they even signed george t. the only chance he was givin(trials) he impressed. then he's not heard of, i mean they rate toopi( a centre) will do more on a bench than a big ass prop. To any one who hasn't seen george t, he is one big lad. I mean he'd trample morley big. I feel for the guy, how has he gone in barter cup anyways???

 

[Tajhay_old]

Shocking!!!!!

how many more opportunities does ropati need?

and wtf toopi selected again? against the broncos i felt that he was pushed back into the goal line for a drop out on purpose. he just stood there waiting for the broncos players to get him back. sorry toopi, we have had enough. the last thing we need to tell other players is that inconsistency will guarantee you a place in the spot.

im glad that vatuvai and hohaia are back. however pissed off that gatis is not in the 17. he has been a solid contributor to the team. i can not accept the fact that he has been made the scapegoat out of all this.

where is cooper, fai or tuakara............

 

[Iafeta_old]

I've got to ask the question again....

What has George Gatis done wrong?

• * He tackles anything that moves
  * He has a very acceptable and SMART kicking game (IE kicking to turf, and towards corners rather than aimless kicking)
  * He knows how to exploit a quick ruck by running, attracting not only markers but A defenders to put support players away
  * His passing is very decisive out of dummy half.
  * His support play is good.
  * He chases well in kick-chase.
  * He doesn't give away penalties.
  * He doesn't get dominated on defence so can slow the ruck down cleanly.

Yes, he doesn't do the 100 in 10 seconds flat, but he's a smart polished footballer who knows how to get himself in the right place, at the right time. I personally don't get it, really. Yes, Lance Hohaia needs to come back into the side, but at George's expense?? I view that very cynically really - one guy comes in, does the job asked of him and more, gets the cut, yet a guy playing five eighth gets the hook mid game last week and his poor display undoubtably cost the Warriors the game. No ifs, no buts. Thats the major part of it. His poor ability cost the Warriors the game. Gatis came on belatedly and did a fine job, he nearly dotted down for a good try himself which would have, in my book, sealed the deal. Yet Ropati in the first half was directly responsible for gifting two tries through poor handling and negligent sliding defence.

Calling Ivan - what has Gatis done wrong?? I'd take 100 George Gatis' before I even look at one Jerome Ropati's.

 

[MarkW_old]

Well, Ropati will really have to impress in this next game to keep the 6 jersey.

Gatis I think has gone reasonably well so far this year - but he hasn't come across as being spectacular from what I've seen. He's had a couple of very good games though and shows he's a reliable/solid player. He still needs to take his opportunities on attack running out of dummy half - I feel he tends to hesitate a little too often. Fien on the other hand is going very well since moving to 9. Yes, he's a bit hot headed at times but is quicker off the mark and can make some good easy metres for the forwards - and of course offers more in the kicking dept.
The fact that Gatis is a specialist number 9 probably goes against him as far as versatility is concerned too.
He'll get more first grade footy in the coming weeks though for sure.