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God, it's hard to not be excited about the future of this club.

Well played, Warriors recruitment. Well played.

Laban is a relief.

I was not worried about Leka. The club know what they have there. Pleased they know Laban is a future star of a different kind also.

That Try Laban scored this week, his first NRL Try, is absolute text book Laban, he has done that before, more than one, followed the kick, plucked the ball out of the air, found the turf. It is a specialty of his.

Laban reminds me of Hugh McGahan at the same age. A defensive backrower who was highly fluid when he ran - Ali Lauitiiti ran like that, you can just see it...he glides....that Try where he regathers a bobble from a mid air challenge for the ball, twists and slam dunks it is what I am talking about....that is classic Ali Lauitiiti mobility for a large body.

Laban has a unique combination of Traits for a young Warriors product, Size, mobility, engine, hand eye coordination.

If you were to critcize his game (some have started already) he when compared to Leka and Demitric lacks explosive power and off the mark speed.

Give Laban time and patience, he will be the most balanced forward of the lot. His game is a defensive game and he has been blessed with the ability to fool the defence in critical moments because teams will see him as a tacklebot.

Warriorsfan92 said:

Huge.

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Let's Go!!! That's some of the best news all year.

Sick, don’t even care about the money, they seem like hard workers and they can’t get homesick. Skies the limit

Ponga at 27, playing fullback? I’d take that in a heartbeat. Sure, we’d likely have to let a few forwards go, maybe some aging outside backs—but pair him with Luke and Egan and it’s pure fucking

All we’d need is a steady, low-cost 6 to steer the ship. With that forward pack? We’d be scary AF.

Let’s be real, he hasn’t had a proper 6, 7, or 9. Not even a ball-playing lock. And some of those coaches, absolute duds!

KP wouldn’t cop the ire of Knights fans either, only snipes from us palooka’s Those against, book in for a brain scan!

Fuck me 4 years ago we’d be happy with a signing of the calibre of Kane Evans. Now we’re knocking back Lamborghini’s

Get them onside ref! said:

Vaiamauga still not convincing me
Early days I guess

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I’ve been a big fan personally. Think we’ve been spoiled with how Leiataua came onto the scene and what Halasima has been doing since getting his opportunity and Vaimauga and Laban will get better and better

Id say if Ali is moving fine at training, fitness test etc he plays. But dont mind capewell at centers. Blokes been super solid for past 3 weeks.

I still get baffled with all these people on FB calling for Taine over Rog (even though Rog carried for 200+m). Him and charnze carrying first two hit ups sets a lot of us.

Dal should get better too. Overall nice team.

Will be a cracker

Great move by Webby to make Capes Captain. Counters the disappointment from Origin selection and I bet he’ll want to prove to the selectors that he’s still got it.

Noitall said:

Apparently Maguire has approached broncos management and hierarchy saying saying he needs to turn the roster over. Could become some good players available, but attitude might not be optimal

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Jessie Arthurs would be good for a wing spot. Plays tough and seems to be one with a good head on his shoulders.

I'm just pleased that it's nearly June and we haven't started the traditional "have we still got a mathematical chance of making the Top 8" thread yet

Tookey 2.0 said:

Jeeze I hope we didn't piss Jake Friend off at any point (or who ever that is) as he's got some of our top young fullas. Leka, Laban, and Vaimauga all to the Roosters?

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Jordan that is, one of his brothers is the team socials manager, and another is a coach in the juniors, so we should hopefully be sweet lol- They are all nephews of Dean Bell I believe, as well

Not sure if it was already posted, but I've gone through the Code article on who manages who, if anyone is interested:

Sports Vision
Bunty Afoa (S. Martin)
Erin Clark (S. Martin)
Chanel Harris-Tavita (S. Martin)

Wasserman Rugby
Tom Ale (B. Sharrock)
Rocco Berry (B. Sharrock)
Leka Halasima (J. Friend)
Sio Kali (J. Friend)
Ed Kosi (D. O'Loughlin)
Jacob Laban (J. Friend)
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (D. O'Loughlin)
Adam Pompey (D. O'Loughlin)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (B. Sharrock)
Demitric Vaimauga (J. Friend)

Pacific Sports
Mitch Barnett (C. Orr)
Kayliss Fatialofa (M. Parata)
Sam Healey (G. Ghazal)
Patrick Moimoi (M. Parata)
Marata Niukore (C. Orr)
Taine Tuaupiki (T. Bartlett)

Titan Sports
Tanah Boyd (D. Riolo, M. Hudson, or M. Adamson)

Gillis Schifcofske Sports
Kurt Capewell (C. Schifcofske)

Rise Sports
Wayde Egan (M. Stewart)

SFX Sports
James Fisher-Harris (G. Mimis)
Luke Metcalf (P. Sutton)

Pulse Talent
Jackson Ford (C. Rogaris)

Sportsplayer
Morgan Harper (T. Smith)
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (T. Smith)

Ultra Sports
Ali Leiataua (S. Ayoub or N. Wijesekera)
Freddy Lussick (S. Ayoub or N. Wijesekera)

Map Sports
Te Maire Martin (A. Purcell)

Just somthing i've noticed that I personally have not seen over the last 3 years from most of the squad. The ones that are on/are active on instagram posting more about the games they've played. Which could easily just be because they're winning. But mainly they all some to be group photos or related content. Previously it'd be a shot of themselves after a good profmance, where as now each post from metcalf or cht seem to always contain some shot with each other. Others being the whole team, or the group they are mainly in (back 5, leka-demitric-laban-ali) And quite a few players seem to be in the comments amping each other up. Plus any debut and the whole team is posting about it.

Not trying to say we get to the same heights or anything. But this is all very similar to how the original panthers (2020-2021) were.

Testimonial game he leads the team out against the Broncos for his NRL 100.

Body language tells you a lot.

Pompey looks back at his team mates in a mark of humility that he is famous for and when the Camera tracks him in a close up as he runs on field he casts his eyes away and turns his back to the attention.

The quiet achiever is very much where this guy lives hey and in a era where we have all these cock sure young bucks coming through he is the type you want out there to balance the mojo of this team.

When fans bemoan his slowness, I see strength and character that offsets those shiny things fans love.



View: https://youtu.be/6pesIqOQX-8?si=4pszCqj796DwGUel

Forget looking for signings, we need to lock up Fatialofa, Crosby, Saulilio, Bishop Neal etc longterm.... We are developing some great players.

Probably the pic of the game. Pomps getting the appreciation he deserves!

Five&Last said:

Interesting, who in particular?

For example, if I was an Aus club I would be looking hard at Hickley Ioka as a future NRL fullback. Didn't get a look in with Jeremiah Lamana there but has some serious talent and playmaking versatility.

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Those two are good examples having both played the game for over 10 years now. Jerry’s best position is centre and I don’t think he’d played any other position in league prior to this years Matt’s campaign. He had one season playing fullback in his first year of school rugby but none in league that I can remember. He won the Matt’s title last playing at centre then played the rest of the year in school rugby on the wing. He also played at the u16s nationals and nz clubs vs schools at centre. So fullback is his third position but he’s such a natural footballer that he was better than most other Matt’s fullbacks. Hinkley was picked at fullback over Jerry in both Nationals and NZ clubs vs schools. In Kelston’s loss against St Kent’s yesterday, Hinkley was at fullback and Jerry was on the wing. It was a similar story for Hinkley, he started last year playing in the halves in the SJ comp and then the Auckland u16s tour to GC then played centre/midfield for most of the year before playing fullback at Nationals. His best position is stand-off but he only played in the Matt’s final there when all the other halves options were injured. His best position in rugby is 2nd 5.

So how does this all relate to the clubs recruitment and retention plan? This club hasn’t developed a NRL first grade quality fullback since Locke 15 years ago and even he was originally a halfback. Fullbacks are expensive but we are good at developing centres. If you look at the other NRL clubs who have good junior catchments, most of their fullbacks come from their juniors. Our X factor juniors have to be retained and molded into the skill positions that the club has trouble recruiting in.

209m from RTS last night plus earned x2 penalties coming out of yardage. He makes errors, but less so then Kosi, and Tuaupiki only made 115m on that Wing last week. RTS's spot isn't in jeopardy this season.