General Your 2024 lineup

[ROCCO]

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Shaun Johnson

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Chanel Harris-Tavita
10. Marata Niukore
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Jackson Ford
13. Tohu Harris

14. Wayde Egan
15. Mitchell Barnett
16. Dylan Walker
17. Luke Metcalf

 

[Defence]

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Shaun Johnson

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Chanel Harris-Tavita
10. Marata Niukore
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Jackson Ford
13. Tohu Harris

14. Wayde Egan
15. Mitchell Barnett
16. Dylan Walker
17. Luke Metcalf

Cht starting is an interesting call- take the sting out of the game then Egan plays the last 60 with cht covering injuries.
Quite like that.
Bench a bit small for mine…

 

[Horriors2013]

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Shaun Johnson

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Chanel Harris-Tavita
10. Marata Niukore
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Jackson Ford
13. Tohu Harris

14. Wayde Egan
15. Mitchell Barnett
16. Dylan Walker
17. Luke Metcalf

I'm interested to know why so many prefer TMM over Metcalf. He's hardly played a game for us and Metcalf had a great season. Is this a hope that TMM gets back to his pre-career-ending form? Or is it a desire for stability as he is a good defender? Not saying it's a bad choice. Just wondering myself how does he fit in if SJ and Metcalf are both fit at the same time?

 

[Horriors2013]

Cht starting is an interesting call- take the sting out of the game then Egan plays the last 60 with cht covering injuries.
Quite like that.
Bench a bit small for mine…

Yeah, you couldn't have the Egan/CHT rotation as well as the TMM/Metcalf rotation at the same time. You're asking for the best props to run right through the middle. Which is why I asked the TMM/Metcalf question. It needs to be addressed at some point. Walker and Jazz with two of those would be risky as. Unless our plan is to play at full tilt for 80 minutes. But then we don't have the back speed the other teams have. Hmm.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I'm interested to know why so many prefer TMM over Metcalf. He's hardly played a game for us and Metcalf had a great season. Is this a hope that TMM gets back to his pre-career-ending form? Or is it a desire for stability as he is a good defender? Not saying it's a bad choice. Just wondering myself how does he fit in if SJ and Metcalf are both fit at the same time?

Metcalf had a great season i agree, but if TMM is fit I think he's starting evey day of the week.
2024 is shaping as one of our biggest opportunities to win the whole thing, so you have to go TMM. More experience and better defence, but also had more try assists per game over Metcalf too. His only asset over TMM would be speed, and even then Martin's no slouch

 

[Horriors2013]

Metcalf had a great season i agree, but if TMM is fit I think he's starting evey day of the week.
2024 is shaping as one of our biggest opportunities to win the whole thing, so you have to go TMM. More experience and better defence, but also had more try assists per game over Metcalf too. His only asset over TMM would be speed, and even then Martin's no slouch

Wow. You're overlooking actual results. I think you're looking at it in the wrong light. Results trump theory. In my view, there's no question Metcalf's speed benefited the backline attack more than TMM's defence.

Our attack was ordinary, and we were waiting for the catalyst to ignite them. Metcalf and to a lesser extent Berry hit the advantage line at speed and that made up for a lack of overall backline speed because we got behind the defence, and proved to be the difference that lifted our season from good effort to title threats I thought.

 

[Fonzie]

There's been a lot of talk about Marata potentially moving in to the front row to accommodate Capewell, which I think is a good option but just wanted to touch on 2 things:

1. That's kinda not Webbys vibe - he's spoken about playing to people's strengths, as opposed to trying to fit people in places and making them fit. Do we think Niukore to prop really fits Webbys plans? Time will tell.

2. Niukore is listed at 106kg. There's a tick over 15 weeks to Rd 1 Nek year- if he was given the green light, realistically how much muscle could he look to add to his frame to help him handle the rigors of the front row, without losing too much speed and lateral movement? Would love to see him up over the 110kg mark.
I love his physicality in the collision and would love to see him make 10-15 hit ups a game, he'd finish with 150+ meters every game I reckon

I think (could be wrong) his weight sits a bit high, centre is gravity is a bit off, for an elite prop. Still a big body that can do a job

 

[WahsaurusRex]

He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to play “his” guys over what’s already there for the sake of it, but it’s worth noting that Webby himself signed Te Maire and Chanel, while Volkman and Metcalf are carry overs from Hodges/Brown, and even they were probably just looking at notes that POS had left behind.

He also said very early into preseason that Te Maire would be the starting 6, and it’s been said he called CHT after accepting the job to check if Chanel was 100% on taking time away. That shows a lot of belief in the two of them imo

Also Metcalf is a ball hog, so there is that lol

 

[Inruin]

Metcalf had a great season i agree, but if TMM is fit I think he's starting evey day of the week.
2024 is shaping as one of our biggest opportunities to win the whole thing, so you have to go TMM. More experience and better defence, but also had more try assists per game over Metcalf too. His only asset over TMM would be speed, and even then Martin's no slouch

Agree with this. I also felt with TMM the left edge looked better organised and those outside backs got earlier and better quality ball. Obviously that's my opinion and others may feel otherwise or think that Pompey and Montoya are more at fault for that.

Currently I think Metcalf is still recovering from his hamstring injury. If TMM is 100% good to go he is my first pick for 6. I doubt Martin will get through the whole season uninjured so Metcalf will get his chances as well.

 

[sup42]

Metcalf is probably better than his showing so far, he probably will turn into a gun six, but maybe not the best fit for the Warriors.
It is hard not to get the feeling when goes lone all the time that he is auditioning for his next gig.

Might be reading too much into it, but he is a long way from home and quite young.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Luke Metcalf
7. Shaun Johnson

8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Wayde Egan
10. Marata Niukore
11. Jackson Ford
12. Kurt Capewell
13. Tohu Harris

14. Chanel Harris-Tavita
15. Dylan Walker
16. Mitchell Barnett
17. Jazz Tevaga

Taine Tuaupiki
Ed Kosi
Adam Pompey
Ali Leiataua
Te Maire Martin
Ronald Volkman

Freddy Lussick
Bunty Afoa
Tom Ale
Demitric Sifakula
Zyon Maiu’u
Jacob Laban

Exactly the same team, but TMM over metcalf. He was injured for a large chunk of the year, has won a premiership at 6, played very well for the broncos & is a kiwi international. He’ll come back better than ever imo. Metcalf hot on his heels but TMM spot to lose imo.

 

[Horriors2013]

He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to play “his” guys over what’s already there for the sake of it, but it’s worth noting that Webby himself signed Te Maire and Chanel, while Volkman and Metcalf are carry overs from Hodges/Brown, and even they were probably just looking at notes that POS had left behind.

He also said very early into preseason that Te Maire would be the starting 6, and it’s been said he called CHT after accepting the job to check if Chanel was 100% on taking time away. That shows a lot of belief in the two of them imo

Also Metcalf is a ball hog, so there is that lol

He's a running 5/8. Compliments SJ, who controls the game. It's not that he hogs it. It's that he sees the gap, runs through it and generally scores or makes a lot of ground. If you listen to what SJ was saying during the test final, he's been teaching CNK to pass while sweeping. I think if you've got 2 spine players looking to assist tries, it's a good balance to have a speedy 5/8 who is a hole-runner.

 

[ROCCO]

Cht starting is an interesting call- take the sting out of the game then Egan plays the last 60 with cht covering injuries.
Quite like that.
Bench a bit small for mine…

Yes those are my thoughts re CHT. I want him to toughen up, put shots on and fire up the middles. Egan is vulnerable to the physicality. Bring him on later in the half so he can use his strengths of Speed vision and footy smarts.

The game is about mobility and speed these days lighter faster bench could be advantages.

 

[ROCCO]

I'm interested to know why so many prefer TMM over Metcalf. He's hardly played a game for us and Metcalf had a great season. Is this a hope that TMM gets back to his pre-career-ending form? Or is it a desire for stability as he is a good defender? Not saying it's a bad choice. Just wondering myself how does he fit in if SJ and Metcalf are both fit at the same time?

Martin is more experienced, better defender and seems more of a team player then Metcalf.

 

[sup42]

He's a running 5/8. Compliments SJ, who controls the game. It's not that he hogs it. It's that he sees the gap, runs through it and generally scores or makes a lot of ground. If you listen to what SJ was saying during the test final, he's been teaching CNK to pass while sweeping. I think if you've got 2 spine players looking to assist tries, it's a good balance to have a speedy 5/8 who is a hole-runner.

Agree on the running part, but we shouldn't let him off the hook for not passing when there were overlaps that he blew.

What is separating him from being a great half and what he is, comes down to vision eh....he doesn't have to be the best organizer in the world, but you want to see both halves looking at the opportunities to use the ball to give someone who is in a better position his shot.

The Broncos and Panthers have it all over us because their spines can really shift a ball, that is what makes them great attacking sides, not individual fast halves, look at Walsh, he is faster than Metcalf, and a full back...not a half, and he has great instincts around using the accelerator then shifting the ball.

I am in the glass is still half full camp with Metcalf, I think it is way to soon to write him off.

 

[sup42]

Wow. You're overlooking actual results. I think you're looking at it in the wrong light. Results trump theory. In my view, there's no question Metcalf's speed benefited the backline attack more than TMM's defence.

Our attack was ordinary, and we were waiting for the catalyst to ignite them. Metcalf and to a lesser extent Berry hit the advantage line at speed and that made up for a lack of overall backline speed because we got behind the defence, and proved to be the difference that lifted our season from good effort to title threats I thought.

We were one of the better defensive sides in the NRL, ergo we finished high, nothing to do with one player making breaks for half a season.

You have it all back to front.

 

[Dannevegas]

Martin is more experienced, better defender and seems more of a team player then Metcalf.

Nikorima destroyed him in the dolphins game

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Nikorima destroyed him in the dolphins game

You mean TMM wasn't great after being injured for over 20 rounds and we had rested 8 players?

Say it isn't so lol

 

[Warriorsfan92]

You mean TMM wasn't great after being injured for over 20 rounds and we had rested 8 players?

Say it isn't so lol

I would assume this was common sense but clearly not lol

 

[Horriors2013]

We were one of the better defensive sides in the NRL, ergo we finished high, nothing to do with one player making breaks for half a season.

You have it all back to front.

Go back and watch the season. The team went up a notch after Metcalf came back in. It's about improving. Yes the team were defensively good. But attack-wise we looked like we hit our ceiling a few times in our losses. I never at any stage said that he was the sole determinant of team performance. What an outrageous presumption. But if you're going to say "nothing to do with one player making breaks" lol.

A few forumers here can't make the distinction between a player being the core reason for the team result and a player being the reason for improvement to one aspect of the team's potency, which happened to be the missing ingredient of overall performance. It's a fact that we were all talking about how slow our backs were. We were hanging in there on defence in every game, but losing to good teams because we couldn't score enough.