General Your 2025 team

[Milking!]

With the emergence of our young bucks, I feel like we have a few too many players for next year who should be playing first grade.

Players like Pompey, Ford, Bunty, CHT, Lussick and Ale who aren't in most people's first choice team. I guess the NRL has a long season and they'll feature at points in the year.

For me I'd go:

CNK
DWZ
Berry
Ali
RTS
Metcalf
TMM
Fish
Egan
Barnett
Ford
Capewell
Tohu

Healy
Clark
Marata - front row rotation
Sifakula

Halasima and Ale first cabs off the rank, then Laban imo (although I'd love Halasima to be playing from Rd 1).

CHT, Lussick, Taine, Pompey and Bunty all straight replacements instead of trying to fit then in somewhere, they'll all get some decent time next year

Interesting lineup. Jackson Ford is such an enigma - can see him everywhere from 80min starter to Cup regular. If he could only iron out some of those errors …
No Walker? Bold call

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Interesting lineup. Jackson Ford is such an enigma - can see him everywhere from 80min starter to Cup regular. If he could only iron out some of those errors …
No Walker? Bold call

Shit I went over the team several times and felt I had missed someone haha, yes Walker has to be there.

Just makes my point a bit more...so many first graders in that 30...

 

[MrFrankWhite]

What I think AW is going to go with R1. I think we'll have losing 1st half of the season because of the 11-17

1. Taine
2. RTS
3. CNK
4. Leiataua
5. DWZ
6. Metcalf
7. Boyd
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Barnett
11. Niukore
12. Capewell
13. Harris

14. Lussick
15. Walker
16. Ford
17. Demetric

 

[Damo]

What I think AW is going to go with R1. I think we'll have losing 1st half of the season because of the 11-17

1. Taine
2. RTS
3. CNK
4. Leiataua
5. DWZ
6. Metcalf
7. Boyd
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Barnett
11. Niukore
12. Capewell
13. Harris

14. Lussick
15. Walker
16. Ford
17. Demetric

If this is the case hopefully they strip some size off Niukore, bro was too bulky from the original plan this season to play in the middle.
This team would go alright, but I think Erin Clark will be in that 13 - 17 somewhere.

 

[Milking!]

What I think AW is going to go with R1. I think we'll have losing 1st half of the season because of the 11-17

1. Taine
2. RTS
3. CNK
4. Leiataua
5. DWZ
6. Metcalf
7. Boyd
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Barnett
11. Niukore
12. Capewell
13. Harris

14. Lussick
15. Walker
16. Ford
17. Demetric

Interesting take on the second-rowers / bench being our weak point. I reckon we’re quite well served there, and our fortunes depend on how well our halves go at a: kicking for field position and b: orchestrating points.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

If this is the case hopefully they strip some size off Niukore, bro was too bulky from the original plan this season to play in the middle.
This team would go alright, but I think Erin Clark will be in that 13 - 17 somewhere.

Youre right on Clark

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Interesting take on the second-rowers / bench being our weak point. I reckon we’re quite well served there, and our fortunes depend on how well our halves go at a: kicking for field position and b: orchestrating points.

Personally I think that's part of the reason we lost last season.

 

[Milking!]

If this is the case hopefully they strip some size off Niukore, bro was too bulky from the original plan this season to play in the middle.
This team would go alright, but I think Erin Clark will be in that 13 - 17 somewhere.

Agreed. Love Niukore at second row. Going into the season, seems the most reliable option for consistently steamrolling opposition halves for momentum and a quick play the ball. A move to the middle works in theory, but not sure we’ve anyone who can pick up that role yet (unless one of the youngsters really kicks on)

 

[Milking!]

Personally I think that's part of the reason we lost last season.

Good point. Tohu being out, so Walker was off the bench had a huge flow-on effect.
Ford not reaching the heights of ‘23 was also not ideal.

 

[Noitall]

Agreed. Love Niukore at second row. Going into the season, seems the most reliable option for consistently steamrolling opposition halves for momentum and a quick play the ball. A move to the middle works in theory, but not sure we’ve anyone who can pick up that role yet (unless one of the youngsters really kicks on)

Something to behold was how he piss bowled Barnett against Australia. His size could be handy in the middle and Capewell and Ford on edges?

 

[Wrighty]

What I think AW is going to go with R1. I think we'll have losing 1st half of the season because of the 11-17

1. Taine
2. RTS
3. CNK
4. Leiataua
5. DWZ
6. Metcalf
7. Boyd
8. JFH
9. Egan
10. Barnett
11. Niukore
12. Capewell
13. Harris

14. Lussick
15. Walker
16. Ford
17. Demetric

The well respected Robbie Mears says Pompey and Ali are lining up at centre in pre season scrimmages with Roger on the wing. I think we all should be locking in Pompey and Ali at centre.

 

[Milking!]

Something to behold was how he piss bowled Barnett against Australia. His size could be handy in the middle and Capewell and Ford on edges?

If Ford can get back to his best, or a youngster is ready to make the step up, then absolutely.
But if not, then you’d probably have to move Niukore back out there to beef up the position … but if he’s spent the offseason bulking up, we might just have same issues as this season

 

[Wrighty]

If Ford can get back to his best, or a youngster is ready to make the step up, then absolutely.
But if not, then you’d probably have to move Niukore back out there to beef up the position … but if he’s spent the offseason bulking up, we might just have same issues as this season

Is this updated now ? https://www.warriors.kiwi/teams/nrl-premiership/warriors/marata-niukore/

Niuokore listed as 106kgs I remember him being listed as a bit less last year. But could be wrong.

 

[Noitall]

If Ford can get back to his best, or a youngster is ready to make the step up, then absolutely.
But if not, then you’d probably have to move Niukore back out there to beef up the position … but if he’s spent the offseason bulking up, we might just have same issues as this season

Looking at latest instagram pictures, the team looks in good nick. Noticing some muscle going onto Halasima and wondering if his X factor could force his way onto an edge? We seem to be building some great depth in many positions

 

[MrFrankWhite]

The well respected Robbie Mears says Pompey and Ali are lining up at centre in pre season scrimmages with Roger on the wing. I think we all should be locking in Pompey and Ali at centre.

CNK 1 and Taine out? Liking the team less and less. Good for Ali though.

 

[Wrighty]

CNK 1 and Taine out? Liking the team less and less. Good for Ali though.

That's what it seems to hint at indeed.

 

[Inruin]

I think taking anything out of preseason prior to Christmas is pointless.

Wait for the trials. That's when it all happens.

 

[Milking!]

Looking at latest instagram pictures, the team looks in good nick. Noticing some muscle going onto Halasima and wondering if his X factor could force his way onto an edge? We seem to be building some great depth in many positions

he’d slot in perfectly, but just being so young you’d think they’ll bring him along slowly. Interesting to see if he or Laban are regulars in the 17 by the end of the season.

 

[Milking!]

I think taking anything out of preseason prior to Christmas is pointless.

Wait for the trials. That's when it all happens.

Then Jackson Ford watch can begin in earnest!

 

[Wrighty]

That's what it seems to hint at indeed.

CNK was 28 last season and will be 29 throughout next year, It doesn't make sense that seems to have fallen off a cliff. Was he playing injured last year (2024 season).