Are we just ignoring how much Mark Robinson is pumping into development?
Highlighted posts
- Thread starter
- #557
- That try against Brisbane at Suncorp? Still one of the best individual efforts ever!
- That speed against Penrith to race the distance from a Locke offload
- Step and flair against the Tigers at Mt Smart - still don't know how we lost that one!
- Capped all off with what will live on as one of the great plays in the modern era channeling his inner Benji to put Lewis Brown over and into the Grand Final.
- 4 head coaches in his first 100 games - what a basket case we were
- Would love to have seen SJ come through the Storm or Brisbane under Wayne.
- Golden boot winner
- Kangaroos were his bitch for a couple of years there around 2014
- That try to beat England in the 2013 WC semifinal (French Kiss).
This happens a lot more than you think mate.
Ciraldo did it last week, not putting on Lipoi Hopoi.
Cleary did it last week, not putting on Trent Toelau at all.
Bellamy played Moeroa for 9 minutes and Vaalepu for 12.
It's all game dependant, people thinking it's not a normal thing done by various coaches throughout the NRL are incorrect. People thinking these low minutes for our bench guys is abnormal are also incorrect. The more experienced guys throughout the whole NRL all play the majority of the minutes.
Fuck there's so much to like about this team. Letting ourselves down in little areas of the game but honestly, I feel there's a top 4 side in there somewhere.
I think next year were still in with a big chance
I think next year were still in with a big chance
Roache could be a starter next year imo. Quick service. Very active hooker. Physical in attack. His tempo specifically in the Penrith game lifted the team up a couple notches.
I think I'm one of Bunty's harshest critics on here but I think the reality is, you need a few club men on little coin that can come in and do a job when necessary.
Imo there's almost no one in the NRL who has 100+ games experience that would be willing to come to NZ that would cost less or the same as what Bunty is on.
If there's a serious injury in the front row, we can bring Bunty in to do a job and rely on him, whereas there is no way we could rely on Sifakula, Maiuu, Stowers or anyone else to walk in to the front row and play consistently for 5+ weeks.
And as someone else pointed out, moving Bunty on for someone else isn't going to move the needle for us in either direction so I'm not too bothered about him remaining there for the time being. Too much movement for no real gain is only going to create headaches down the track imo
tajhay
💙💚❤️
yeah it feels that way for me too. just lost for words even though we knew it was coming. his impact on the game was profound. imagine the countless number of kids who would have tried to emulate him or looked upto him that really got into league. so many games where he singlehandedly won us games. he was special and itll be a long time before we have anyone remotely close to him.
Above all, it has to be said. He has always shown a lot of love for the club, and truely cherished each time he would run out of the tunnel at mt smart. Always spoke glowingly about he got to live his dream of playing for the warriors. From a fan to a club legend. And a good husband, father and never in media spotlight for negative reasons.
Farewell SJ. Enjoy your last few games and hope everyone gives him the send off he deserves. We will miss you.
International football for me and he dominated that.
Never forget him burning inglis to ice the four nations final against Australia in 2014- I almost jumped through the roof.
We beat them in the following Anzac test too to make it 3 in a row for the first time ever and I’m pretty sure he was man of the match all 3 games.
View: https://youtu.be/VCOHkioRSvQ?si=HJWy6kkTF9ZZaMDz
Would've been around 2006/07 i was coaching a schools touch team at a nationals and the word went round that there was this hot stepping kid from Orewa absolutely carving everyone and to check him out. Hot steppers in Touch are a dime a dozen and in a sport that has produced the best steppers of all codes in the likes of Remus Gentles and Benji Marshall before him (and id been stepped by both of them) i went to watch and was completely blown away. This kid was just audacious and unstoppable in the red zone, not just pulling off the most ridiculous step ever but the speed off the mark and then hitting his wingers on the chest with 20-30 metre left to right bullets....had seen plenty of talent and skill before but this left me gobsmacked.
Never once thought he'd be on the League radar tho cause this kid was as skinny as a rake. At the next years corresponding tournament couldnt believe the muscle he had packed on, thought he must have been on the roids.....he was still just as deadly on his feet tho and if anything faster, cause once he got open space he was going length of the field leaving some also pretty fast kids in his wake. Heard then that he did have a background in League, and that he had a big boot on him due to playing some AFL and that the Warriors had locked him up.
From then on made the point to follow him on the League path and to watch him progress and star in Juniors to NRL first grade to a stellar International career has for the most part just been a helluva enjoyable ride (pity the Turks hacked our site last year cause basically his whole career from start to finish was on that Shaun Johnson thread, which im sure Tahjay would confirm was one of the longest running biggest threads on our site).
He didnt always hit the mark for sure and maybe didnt develop his all round game as quick as we wouldve hoped, but as others have pointed out and ive always maintained over his formative years this club was an absolute basket case at times, with 5 coaches in 6 seasons (and a couple of dud ones at that) its little wonder......i cant think of any other playmaker who had to learn the game with that level of disfunction. Still, within that time he managed to produce some really iconic Warrior moments which showcased his exciting talent. At times when this club was at its most self destructive and an absolute rabble, Shaun was the one shining light that kept fans coming back on the hope that maybe he could do something special......couldnt do it all the time, but when he did it was always next level special.
I think cause he hasnt played for a while his International career has been criminally under rated. There was a small period of dominance we had over the Aussies which SJ was instrumental in. He was always someone they feared and generally he always played well against them......there's a try he scores where he makes Greg Inglis look like hes wearing concrete boots.....leaves him for dead.....this is Greg Inglis!.....whose alltime.....truly remarkable some of the greats he's made look...well.....ordinary!
Cant beat the clock tho and time (and injury) has caught up with him....its obviously showed this season and he'd be well aware of this more than anyone...i think.his legacy is still intact tho escpecially from that great season last year....may not have got the big one but he was still the Dally M halfback of the year....no one can take that off him. His impact and influence is without question as everyone from Nathan Cleary, Dylan Brown, Reece Walsh, Te Maire Martin, Chanel Harris Tavita and countless others have rated him an idol of theirs and as Cam George pointed out has perhaps been the single most influential individual in NZ rugby league in Kiwi kids choosing tp put on a pair of League boots....thats a helluva impact to have.
The fact also he's never once been involved in an ounce of off field shenanigans and just projects a real positive vibe, love for his family and Warriors......goes out a champion in my books.
Never once thought he'd be on the League radar tho cause this kid was as skinny as a rake. At the next years corresponding tournament couldnt believe the muscle he had packed on, thought he must have been on the roids.....he was still just as deadly on his feet tho and if anything faster, cause once he got open space he was going length of the field leaving some also pretty fast kids in his wake. Heard then that he did have a background in League, and that he had a big boot on him due to playing some AFL and that the Warriors had locked him up.
From then on made the point to follow him on the League path and to watch him progress and star in Juniors to NRL first grade to a stellar International career has for the most part just been a helluva enjoyable ride (pity the Turks hacked our site last year cause basically his whole career from start to finish was on that Shaun Johnson thread, which im sure Tahjay would confirm was one of the longest running biggest threads on our site).
He didnt always hit the mark for sure and maybe didnt develop his all round game as quick as we wouldve hoped, but as others have pointed out and ive always maintained over his formative years this club was an absolute basket case at times, with 5 coaches in 6 seasons (and a couple of dud ones at that) its little wonder......i cant think of any other playmaker who had to learn the game with that level of disfunction. Still, within that time he managed to produce some really iconic Warrior moments which showcased his exciting talent. At times when this club was at its most self destructive and an absolute rabble, Shaun was the one shining light that kept fans coming back on the hope that maybe he could do something special......couldnt do it all the time, but when he did it was always next level special.
I think cause he hasnt played for a while his International career has been criminally under rated. There was a small period of dominance we had over the Aussies which SJ was instrumental in. He was always someone they feared and generally he always played well against them......there's a try he scores where he makes Greg Inglis look like hes wearing concrete boots.....leaves him for dead.....this is Greg Inglis!.....whose alltime.....truly remarkable some of the greats he's made look...well.....ordinary!
Cant beat the clock tho and time (and injury) has caught up with him....its obviously showed this season and he'd be well aware of this more than anyone...i think.his legacy is still intact tho escpecially from that great season last year....may not have got the big one but he was still the Dally M halfback of the year....no one can take that off him. His impact and influence is without question as everyone from Nathan Cleary, Dylan Brown, Reece Walsh, Te Maire Martin, Chanel Harris Tavita and countless others have rated him an idol of theirs and as Cam George pointed out has perhaps been the single most influential individual in NZ rugby league in Kiwi kids choosing tp put on a pair of League boots....thats a helluva impact to have.
The fact also he's never once been involved in an ounce of off field shenanigans and just projects a real positive vibe, love for his family and Warriors......goes out a champion in my books.
Jackson Ford in 2024 - Left-edge, Right-edge, starting-prop, bench-middle
RTS in 2024 - Left-centre, Right-wing, Fullback, Right-centre, Left wing
Capewell - both edges
Marata - trained all pre-season as a middle, starts season in middle, now on the edge
Many more suspect selections and rotations etc...
It is very hard to defend Webby at the moment. He does not look like he knows what his best team is....
God I hope he can properly review this year and come back in 2025 with a bit more conviction
RTS in 2024 - Left-centre, Right-wing, Fullback, Right-centre, Left wing
Capewell - both edges
Marata - trained all pre-season as a middle, starts season in middle, now on the edge
Many more suspect selections and rotations etc...
It is very hard to defend Webby at the moment. He does not look like he knows what his best team is....
God I hope he can properly review this year and come back in 2025 with a bit more conviction
Respect 
We overachieved last year, with a hardened veteran squad some of which played some career best football. We’ve tried to run it back to go for a comp and added more veterans. Father Time has caught up on SJ and Harris and possibly a couple others.
It’s a long term game for us, getting Flegg, Matthew’s and SG Ball teams will pay off in the long term but we are a few years away from reaping fruits from it.
I am confident Webster is the man to take us forward but there will be some bumps before the promised land. It took a while and two stints for Ivan as well. Just have to be patient.
It’s a long term game for us, getting Flegg, Matthew’s and SG Ball teams will pay off in the long term but we are a few years away from reaping fruits from it.
I am confident Webster is the man to take us forward but there will be some bumps before the promised land. It took a while and two stints for Ivan as well. Just have to be patient.
It's really set in now that SJ is hanging up the boots at the end of this season.
I started to really follow this team (obsessively) during the 2010 season, 2011 was my first true year being on board. I remember my bro from Uni telling me about this gun player running around with the u20s/Vulcans that's going to be the next big thing. Y'all remember that 240p quality touch highlight video that was doing the rounds around then?
Mid way thru 2011, Brett Seymour gets injured and this guy makes his debut. His 2nd game vs Tigers @ Mt Smart, he scores his first NRL try off a nice short ball from Mateo; blistering pace left everyone in the dust, little goosey to fool the fullback...I was like Holy shit who's this guy!
Of course we all remember the 70m solo try vs. the Broncos later that season; that'll go down as one of the best individual efforts of all time. Him and Locke carving up the Panthers a few games after. And of course, the dummy that still has Kevin Proctor spinning, dishing it to Lewis Brown to seal our ticket into the 2011 Grand Final.
The arrival of SJ was something I don't know well see again.
The heights of the 2011 season SJ probably never found again until last year (2023); 2012 season was disappointing but that was an organizational issue due to Ivan leaving and Bluey being a dud. Unfortunately that started a negative trend for the club that they're still trying to get out of today. 2013/2014 much the same; wrong coach at the helm, underachieving squad. Highlight probably being the inaugural 2014 nines team - the atmosphere at Eden Park for those 2 days was electric, and SJ definitely delivered. SJ himself had a solid season, winning the Golden Boot too.
2015 felt like the year we were going to finally break through - Cappy was doing a decent job and the team were in the top 4 after a phenomenal win vs. Storm @ Mt Smart (infamously known for the Nathan Friend flip pass). 2 games later, SJ breaks his ankle scoring a try, and that marked how the rest of his career would pan out.
SJ athletically wouldn't be the same after that- his game management skills did grow and he learned to control the game without solely relying on his speed and athleticism. His defence improved significantly over the years, going from a turnstile to a solid defender for a halfback.
The 2018 season was the year we finally made the 8; the 5 game win streak to start the year was awesome. But as we all know, the first game of finals with RTS being injured early, everything fell onto SJ's shoulders and he'd cop the blame for the loss to the Panthers; to the point where Cam George called him out through the media causing the fallout between SJ and the club, and SJ moving to the Sharks. Apparently SJ and Kearney also didn't have the strongest relationship. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth even tho I was coping at the time (can you believe we were excited by Adam Keighran after we beat the hapless Bulldogs in round 1 2019 lol).
Can't forget his caps for the Kiwis; debut in 2012 scoring a 80m intercept try vs. Kangaroos @ Eden Park, the game winning try and conversion in the 2013 RLWC semi final against England, winning the 2014 Four Nations final vs Australia with a class performance, winning the 2015 ANZAC test vs the Aussies.
His return to the Warriors in 2022 felt right; although he had a disrupted season due to injuries, and again having another coach dip. Didn't end up how we expected (spending the majority of the year still based in Aussie didn't help) - but then we get to 2023.
If anything, I'm so happy we got to atleast have the 2023 season. Andrew Websters refreshing arrival, SJ having his most consistent season, leading our team to a top 4 berth and guaranteeing a home semi final. Just falling short of winning the daily M. The vibes at a all time high. That semi @ Mt Smart vs the Knights will be one of the best games in clubs history. I'm so happy I got to be there that night. We all wish that success steamed into this year, but not everything gets a fairy tale ending. I just hope the boys really play out of their skin these last few games, and send SJ out a winner. That final home game vs Bulldogs in a few weeks going to be emotional.
SJ has spoken highly of Webby, saying hes the best coach hes ever had. I think we can trust SJ on that; having had 8 different coaches at his time @ the Warriors. At least we have that bit of positivity moving forward.
SJ will go down as the best Warrior of all time. A young kid that always dreamed to wear the Warriors jersey in a country obsessed about the All Black dream. He bursted onto the scene as a prodigy, and had lofty expectations placed on his shoulders from the get go. The club really failed to give him the stability needed for his skills to really elevate this team to the success we were destined for; and he copped at lot of the blame for our shortcomings over those years. A player that should've been captain, perhaps wasn't accepted or viewed as one, or perhaps no one believed he could handle the extra responsibility. One of the most gifted athletes in NRL history, ultimately failed by his body that broke down on him.
The hardest part of this is, he's the player I wanted to be part of the first team that won the premiership. And while I'm sure he'll still be part of the organization in some capacity, it won't hit the same. But everything happens for a reason, and every story has to come to an end.
And more importantly, its great its ending on SJ terms and he has been able to navigate this in his own way, with options for life post footy.
SJ, I know you'll never read this, but thank you for everything you put into being a player for our beloved Warriors. As I've mentioned before, I have (as many others) watched you from debut right until retirement. Its an end of a era, and it'll be a sad day when the final whistle blows and your unlace those boots for the last time. You are synonymous with the Warriors and RL here in NZ and for your contributions to the game, and the inspiration you've given to the next generation of Kiwi RL players, thank you and all the best in retirement.
Warrior #168. Over 200 games for the Warriors. Embodied everything being a Warrior should be.
Legend.
I started to really follow this team (obsessively) during the 2010 season, 2011 was my first true year being on board. I remember my bro from Uni telling me about this gun player running around with the u20s/Vulcans that's going to be the next big thing. Y'all remember that 240p quality touch highlight video that was doing the rounds around then?
Mid way thru 2011, Brett Seymour gets injured and this guy makes his debut. His 2nd game vs Tigers @ Mt Smart, he scores his first NRL try off a nice short ball from Mateo; blistering pace left everyone in the dust, little goosey to fool the fullback...I was like Holy shit who's this guy!
Of course we all remember the 70m solo try vs. the Broncos later that season; that'll go down as one of the best individual efforts of all time. Him and Locke carving up the Panthers a few games after. And of course, the dummy that still has Kevin Proctor spinning, dishing it to Lewis Brown to seal our ticket into the 2011 Grand Final.
The arrival of SJ was something I don't know well see again.
The heights of the 2011 season SJ probably never found again until last year (2023); 2012 season was disappointing but that was an organizational issue due to Ivan leaving and Bluey being a dud. Unfortunately that started a negative trend for the club that they're still trying to get out of today. 2013/2014 much the same; wrong coach at the helm, underachieving squad. Highlight probably being the inaugural 2014 nines team - the atmosphere at Eden Park for those 2 days was electric, and SJ definitely delivered. SJ himself had a solid season, winning the Golden Boot too.
2015 felt like the year we were going to finally break through - Cappy was doing a decent job and the team were in the top 4 after a phenomenal win vs. Storm @ Mt Smart (infamously known for the Nathan Friend flip pass). 2 games later, SJ breaks his ankle scoring a try, and that marked how the rest of his career would pan out.
SJ athletically wouldn't be the same after that- his game management skills did grow and he learned to control the game without solely relying on his speed and athleticism. His defence improved significantly over the years, going from a turnstile to a solid defender for a halfback.
The 2018 season was the year we finally made the 8; the 5 game win streak to start the year was awesome. But as we all know, the first game of finals with RTS being injured early, everything fell onto SJ's shoulders and he'd cop the blame for the loss to the Panthers; to the point where Cam George called him out through the media causing the fallout between SJ and the club, and SJ moving to the Sharks. Apparently SJ and Kearney also didn't have the strongest relationship. Still leaves a bad taste in my mouth even tho I was coping at the time (can you believe we were excited by Adam Keighran after we beat the hapless Bulldogs in round 1 2019 lol).
Can't forget his caps for the Kiwis; debut in 2012 scoring a 80m intercept try vs. Kangaroos @ Eden Park, the game winning try and conversion in the 2013 RLWC semi final against England, winning the 2014 Four Nations final vs Australia with a class performance, winning the 2015 ANZAC test vs the Aussies.
His return to the Warriors in 2022 felt right; although he had a disrupted season due to injuries, and again having another coach dip. Didn't end up how we expected (spending the majority of the year still based in Aussie didn't help) - but then we get to 2023.
If anything, I'm so happy we got to atleast have the 2023 season. Andrew Websters refreshing arrival, SJ having his most consistent season, leading our team to a top 4 berth and guaranteeing a home semi final. Just falling short of winning the daily M. The vibes at a all time high. That semi @ Mt Smart vs the Knights will be one of the best games in clubs history. I'm so happy I got to be there that night. We all wish that success steamed into this year, but not everything gets a fairy tale ending. I just hope the boys really play out of their skin these last few games, and send SJ out a winner. That final home game vs Bulldogs in a few weeks going to be emotional.
SJ has spoken highly of Webby, saying hes the best coach hes ever had. I think we can trust SJ on that; having had 8 different coaches at his time @ the Warriors. At least we have that bit of positivity moving forward.
SJ will go down as the best Warrior of all time. A young kid that always dreamed to wear the Warriors jersey in a country obsessed about the All Black dream. He bursted onto the scene as a prodigy, and had lofty expectations placed on his shoulders from the get go. The club really failed to give him the stability needed for his skills to really elevate this team to the success we were destined for; and he copped at lot of the blame for our shortcomings over those years. A player that should've been captain, perhaps wasn't accepted or viewed as one, or perhaps no one believed he could handle the extra responsibility. One of the most gifted athletes in NRL history, ultimately failed by his body that broke down on him.
The hardest part of this is, he's the player I wanted to be part of the first team that won the premiership. And while I'm sure he'll still be part of the organization in some capacity, it won't hit the same. But everything happens for a reason, and every story has to come to an end.
And more importantly, its great its ending on SJ terms and he has been able to navigate this in his own way, with options for life post footy.
SJ, I know you'll never read this, but thank you for everything you put into being a player for our beloved Warriors. As I've mentioned before, I have (as many others) watched you from debut right until retirement. Its an end of a era, and it'll be a sad day when the final whistle blows and your unlace those boots for the last time. You are synonymous with the Warriors and RL here in NZ and for your contributions to the game, and the inspiration you've given to the next generation of Kiwi RL players, thank you and all the best in retirement.
Warrior #168. Over 200 games for the Warriors. Embodied everything being a Warrior should be.
Legend.
Always so sad when your favourite player has to call curtains on his career, and SJ has been my fav since the moment he scored that scintillating individual try against the Broncos at Suncorp in 2011.
I’ll repeat things I’ve said before, however I was at the prelim final against the Storm when SJ put Brown over, and as a fan, and outside of a premiership, that was as good a moment that you could hope to experience. And there were a heap more to follow.
Was he the greatest halfback of all time? No definitely not. Was he the greatest Warriors halfback of all time? Line ball however I’d probably still side with Stacey. However in terms of ceiling, peak SJ was just about as good as it has ever got. At his very best his running game was without peer, he was a magician.
I’ll repeat things I’ve said before, however I was at the prelim final against the Storm when SJ put Brown over, and as a fan, and outside of a premiership, that was as good a moment that you could hope to experience. And there were a heap more to follow.
Was he the greatest halfback of all time? No definitely not. Was he the greatest Warriors halfback of all time? Line ball however I’d probably still side with Stacey. However in terms of ceiling, peak SJ was just about as good as it has ever got. At his very best his running game was without peer, he was a magician.
My old man was never one to go and watch the curtain raisers before the NRL game at Mt Smart. That changed in 2008 with the introduction of the Under 20s. We didn't have a membership at that stage but if we were going to a game we would always go early and watch the 20s.
I remember this kid in headgear carving up the Toyota Cup Under 20s comp in 2009 and 2010 and by 2011 he was already a household name with many of us just itching at the thought of him making his NRL debut.
Who could imagine what came after, some of the most scintillating play by a young star:
What can't be questioned though is his Kiwis legacy
The major injuries were such a shame for him, he had us humming at times before some very cruel injuries. 2015 was looking like an all time season for him, breaking his leg while scoring another amazing individual try.
Farewell Princess - I don't think his commitment could ever be questioned. Certainly could not say the same about some of those around him.
I remember this kid in headgear carving up the Toyota Cup Under 20s comp in 2009 and 2010 and by 2011 he was already a household name with many of us just itching at the thought of him making his NRL debut.
Who could imagine what came after, some of the most scintillating play by a young star:
What can't be questioned though is his Kiwis legacy
The major injuries were such a shame for him, he had us humming at times before some very cruel injuries. 2015 was looking like an all time season for him, breaking his leg while scoring another amazing individual try.
Farewell Princess - I don't think his commitment could ever be questioned. Certainly could not say the same about some of those around him.
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The club has made the finals 9 times in 30 seasons.
Talk of Premiership windows for a club like us is really quite ridiculous.
Even if it takes another 20 years there should be one goal and one goal only - to play finals every single year. Occasionally you will miss
If you play finals most years (like the Storm, or Roosters, or Penrith etc etc) then inevitably one of those years you will go good.
We made the finals 4 out of 5 years between 2007 and 2011 - one of them we got the GF.
It's why I asked the question that no one answered in the new thread - the question being "What does our year even mean"
Will we win the premiership next year? No. Will we make the finals next year? That is the only question that matters and should ever matter.
It takes 4 weeks to win a Premiership and 24 weeks to make the finals. Our focus needs to be on what we can do in the 24 weeks. Play enough finals series in a row and grand finals will come....
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Thank you SJ for the memories! True legend of the game who did things on the field that were truly unreal. A highlights reel for the ages - will be looked at for generations to come. 2023 is where it all clicked - what a ride that was! Dally M in all our eyes.
A career that only a % of people could dream of achieving - looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
One of the
’s who had an impact on many!
A career that only a % of people could dream of achieving - looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
One of the
’s who had an impact on many!
Thank you very much Giffy!!! I just however had a similar generous offer from another member of this forum and will be flying up from Wellington to see the Legend off. I am sure someone else would be keen for your tickets though!!!