Highlighted posts
- Thread starter
- #7,380
CLQV3R
♀️
That sucks that people didn't get the invite. I got an email on Jan 23 from the membership team. Friends I go to games with got the same message then too. It was a small turn out, but I think it was have chaotic if it was bigger as there were very limited spots to actually view the training. It was on Field 3 which has no seating and two sides are factories. I took my elderly dad and we ended up literally sitting in a bush and pushed up again a chain link fence so people standing behind us could see.
The team were doing tackling drills onto mats when I arrived, then a game of two hand touch, then full contact league. There was a ref calling the game. The two teams were a jumble of players for two top squads.
AKP got a break but threw an inside ball that was called forward. Saw him get stepped by young outside I couldn't name. He was busy but he chucked an arm out to tack there which didn't look like great technique. Can see he is not going to be a meter eater either. Think it was Mellars that got a break and tried the kick back inside, but that went out on the first bounce. Thought Gannon looked busy at the beginning and looking to offload, but saw him throw a crazy hospital pass that was lost. Noticed Te Maire played dummy half a fair bit before moving to the halves. Rocco was on a training bike whole hour I was there. Taine was running laps, but may have been playing fullback at the start.
Game got pretty tense near the end. They were hitting each other in the tackles, throwing the ball away after turn overs to stop other team getting it. No-one was pulling their punches. Can see guys are fighting for spots.
Quite a bit of dropped ball throughout the game overall. Some clumsy passes and handling. Bit worried about the lack of creativity in the red zone too, as most of the tries seemed to be forwards falling over the line. Set plays just seem to keep going sideways. I realise it was a mix of players, but can see lots to work on.
I didn't stick around for the meet and greet.
I notice in everyone’s predicted 17 there is know mention of Jacob Laban. He
Is my pick for a standout this year , alongside Demitric.
He was going great guns before his injury. Forgotten man by all the media.
Is my pick for a standout this year , alongside Demitric.
He was going great guns before his injury. Forgotten man by all the media.
Not directly related to this thread, but after watching the lower grades and seeing the shift in junior signings since the Warriors returned home post-COVID, I’m confident we’ll be perennial contenders over the next decade.
In 45 years of following this game, I’ve seen potential come and go — but I’ve never seen an influx of junior talent like this, with a genuine conveyor belt pushing quality through the system.
Last season’s Harold Matthews Cup and NSW Cup results are clear proof we need to trust the process and be patient while this group comes together. This could be the foundation of a dynasty.
(Also… not a paid plug for the sponsor — I preferred Puma too
)
In 45 years of following this game, I’ve seen potential come and go — but I’ve never seen an influx of junior talent like this, with a genuine conveyor belt pushing quality through the system.
Last season’s Harold Matthews Cup and NSW Cup results are clear proof we need to trust the process and be patient while this group comes together. This could be the foundation of a dynasty.
(Also… not a paid plug for the sponsor — I preferred Puma too
)
Cces
🎯
DWZ has scored off a Berry pass only twice in their last 20 games together. The last being Rd 7 2024 so 10 games together without Berry throwing the last pass. SJ made everyone look good in '23
Just a general comment, but isn't it great to see the action on this forum pick up again after what seems a real long off season and no real Wah's headline news (bad or good) or 'big' signings to pull to pieces.
At this point the club seems to be well in control of their responsibilities. Only 2 weeks to go until the first trial. Superb!
At this point the club seems to be well in control of their responsibilities. Only 2 weeks to go until the first trial. Superb!
we need to stop moving RTS around. He's a winger now and he's developed into quite a fine one now. Certainly one of the form wingers to end the season. So got to disagree with some of the previous posters- I can't see any good reason to shift him. You don't improve a position by weakening another.
I very much doubt RTS will be centre.
Fonzie
👍
Hi mateChanges at TWL.
Does this mean more involvement from you this year @Fonzie?
This Warriors Life...a new era
All the TWL content you know and love (and argue with) - just more of it.www.thiswarriorslife.com
I love the changes, but personally I’m looking to make a similar contribution. My work and home life commitments get bigger every year so I’m trying to contribute as much as I can. I’m a big believer in TWL and view my role as helping them stay afloat and (hopefully) at the top of the independent media space.
Also, I’m sure the boys would love to have you on any time!
Maybe for your next act you can post on the Harold Matts thread that you don’t care about junior footy.Complete opposite, I’m not trying to maximise it because I don’t actually care
This is literally the thread to discuss the topic. If you want to discuss Sudan start a thread about it.
Regarding Tomkins. He actually wasn't a bad player at all, just maybe overhyped and paid too much? He was top 5 for tackle breaks and top 10 for line break assists.Reading this headline made me laugh.
Will Warriors break Super League recruit hoodoo with Morgan Gannon?
The Warriors haven’t had the success of some other clubs with their English recruits.
John Lazo-Ron
Morgan Gannon is poised to become just the fourth English-born player to kit up for the Warriors directly from the Super League in the upcoming 2026 season.
The talented forward is looking to make a major impact with the Warriors, with Gannon recently revealing his decision to cross hemispheres wasn't just about a new club, but about testing himself and stepping outside his comfort zone.
At just 22 years old, Gannon arrives at the Warriors with an already strong reputation. The young second-rower has racked up an impressive 67 appearances for the Leeds Rhinos, a remarkable feat for someone so early in his career.
Gannon's experience and composure on the field belie his age, making him one of the most promising talents to make the leap from the Super League to the NRL in recent years.
While other English stars have managed to make their mark in the NRL – Sam Burgess and James Graham come to mind – the Warriors haven't had quite the same success with their Super League recruits over the years.
Back in their inaugural season in 1995, then head coach John Monie brought over English superstars Andy Platt and Denis Betts with him from Wigan.
Platt, who played test footy for Great Britain and England, landed at the Warriors with a reputation for being a fierce competitor. However, the second rower/prop struggled to mirror his performances in the Australian competition that saw him rise to fame in the UK, falling short of the expectations that accompanied his arrival in Auckland.
It didn't help that the then 32-year-old's stint with the Warriors was plagued by misfortune from day one, with a persistent knee injury limiting him to only 14 games that season, including the club's historic debut match.
Platt returned to the Super League after the 1996 season to see out the rest of his career.
Like Platt, Betts was a seasoned international and a proven winner.
Betts inked a five-year deal with the Warriors, not only bringing with him a wealth of experience but also abundant success with numerous titles under his belt. At the time, Monie reportedly declared Betts as the ‘highest paid league player in the world' supposedly on a whopping $800,000 per season salary.
He was expected to make a significant impact on the club's maiden campaign, however only managed to cross the tryline 11 times in 42 matches across three seasons – a decent effort but far from the game-changing influence the club would have been banking on. Eventually, the club parted ways with Betts with two years still running on his contract.
Arguably the most disappointing Super League signing in the Warriors' history is Sam Tomkins.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 27: Sam Tomkins of the Warriors reacts during the round 16 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium on June 27, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Touted as one of the world's most exciting players, the dynamic fullback was brought over from Wigan in 2014 on a three-year deal, on top of a staggering world-record $1.5 million transfer fee to secure his signature.
After a decent start, where he played every game and scored 13 tries, Tomkins failed to press on in his second season and scale the heights he did in the UK.
In 2015, the Warriors' marquee signing managed only 13 appearances and scored only one try after a season hindered by injury. As the weeks rolled by and the tries dried up, the whispers grew louder, with Tomkins receiving criticism from pundits and fans alike who questioned whether his performances justified his heavy price tag.
League great Peter Sterling said on Triple M's Rush Hour show at the time, “He came out with a lot of promise and just never really lived up to it … I thought he was disappointing in the NRL”.
While he has no regrets about his time at the Warriors, Tomkins himself said of his time in the NRL: “I think my form with the Warriors probably mirrored that of the team as we missed the finals both seasons, so you have to say it was a disappointment”.
The hype that came along with Tomkins probably didn't help his cause as expectations were already skyrocketing before he stepped foot on Mt Smart.
He returned to the Super League with one-year remaining on his contract, with the Warriors securing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as his replacement.
There are high hopes that Gannon will be the one to break the Warriors Super League recruitment mould and shine where others have struggled. Warriors CEO Cameron George recently stating that Gannon “… could be a real smokey this year that could really have an impact”.
With talent, youth, and ambition on his side, all eyes will be on the rising star as he prepares to make his mark in the NRL.
Time will tell.
Cces
🎯
Changes at TWL.
Does this mean more involvement from you this year @Fonzie?
www.thiswarriorslife.com
Does this mean more involvement from you this year @Fonzie?
This Warriors Life...a new era
All the TWL content you know and love (and argue with) - just more of it.
www.thiswarriorslife.com
Metcalf has revealed that he is set to be available for selection from around Round 7, while Barnett could be as soon as Round 2.
Jett with the ball in the bin
The players since Webster took over always say they are the happy Warriors.
Especially the guys from over the ditch, the relaxed fun culture is new to them.
It shows in these vids.
Very different to the scene under our other coaches, none of them unfortunately had the fun thing worked out because of the pressure of the club underperforming.
Having said that if you cast your mind way back to Happy Frank Edacott, he had a contented side that did ok given what we learned was going on off field. But Frank didn't have the training that Webster has had, nor the support of his owners and CEO.
These are our best years off the field, long many it last, a strong top four club is inevitable if you understand how to make a structured culture that suits all your ethnic groups.
People have claimed that the Poly players needed a special kind of management, well.....they have it....the young ones are thriving, the team is always fitter than the opposition or on par.
JaggedJ
👍
Another reason we're stockpiling Aussie halves is they know the systems way earlier than Kiwi halves.
They also on average tend to communicate better.
This becomes valuable for our young locals in other positions who are being taught what lines to run, where and how to position themselves etc because of that.
This is where our systems failed us previously, especially when we relied heavily on union converts in our junior ranks who tried to get by purely on skill and athleticism.
I've got no doubt our young forwards and outside backs will come into first grade better prepared than previous generations because of it.
They also on average tend to communicate better.
This becomes valuable for our young locals in other positions who are being taught what lines to run, where and how to position themselves etc because of that.
This is where our systems failed us previously, especially when we relied heavily on union converts in our junior ranks who tried to get by purely on skill and athleticism.
I've got no doubt our young forwards and outside backs will come into first grade better prepared than previous generations because of it.
Cappy deserves his flowers on this one
Milking!
📈
Webby dead-set must be one of the absolute best coaching communicators out there. No muddling or metaphors, just legit authentic feedback but delivered in way where the player knows where they stand but still know the coach is behind them, and the media gets a decent response. Just masterful.
Can reveal a few tidbits regarding the young fellas taken on the recent squad camp:
Amituanai is still in the mix
Jack Thompson
Lemana
Pasikala
Putoko
And of course Jett, Tafua and Salalilo were there.
Below Mellars and AKP, our outside back depth averages about 20 years old.
Amituanai is still in the mix
Jack Thompson
Lemana
Pasikala
Putoko
And of course Jett, Tafua and Salalilo were there.
Below Mellars and AKP, our outside back depth averages about 20 years old.
Jim Crow is back.
It is funny how some get their knickers in a twist when I make comparisons to the NAZIS.
Are we allowed to call these NAZIS.......NAZIS now?
Gee people can be really ignorant. The Nazi regime was heavily influenced by the American system, they even sent teams of legal experts to the States to study the American segregation system, and the model for exterminating the indigenous, banning non white immigration etc etc.
The Americans are the original NAZIS, D'Jango slave killing rapists and all, with their sterilization programs of blacks, their deliberate infection of blacks with disease and proliferation of drugs, guns, and encouraging violent culture - all to feed the new Slavery model - the Prison industrial complex.
Ice are just the GESTAPO. Same model. Secret police. Killing their own citizens based off Racial profiling, Sexuality, political beliefs.
Like the GESTAPO they hire any stupid uneducated white racist and train them to attack and kill all non NAZI sympathizers that get in their way.
It beggars belief closet racists on here post about how night is day, nothing to see.
Last edited: