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    Ric Flair Wrestling GIF by WWE
     
    Number one, fuck the storm then, now, forever.

    Number two Don’t want to get into metcalf-Boyd again, but CHT is the special sauce for this team, the vibes, the defence. How can you leave him out going forward?

    Feel a bit bad for metcalf the team were at 50% wattage the games he played compared to tonight and the other games.

    Bit of arrogance about the lads, like they know they are good and just didn’t play properly against the sharks and tigers for whatever reason. They going to play properly against the titans?

    Edge defence looks fine all of a sudden when the middle is so dominant.
     
    Lots of injuries, sending our B team over. Upset win like when we bet Panthers in magic round couple years ago 💪
    Thunder and lightning 🌩️ ⚡ ain't got shit on the mighty Warriors .
    This is the game where the storm play us back into form for once.
    Keep the faith!
    Up the mighty Warriors!!!
     
    Rick O’Shay said:
    What's your thoughts on Inch? Is he a half or 6 prospect or maybe further out?
    Click to expand...
    I wasn't asked but....

    He plays like a league fullback.

    So we play him at six instead. I am sure the Warriors think tank can see he is a natural League fullback (confidence under the high ball, vision, runs hard, hits hard) yet our brains trust threw him in the deep end instead.

    Which is pretty smart I feel (he is going to learn the on the ball game in league a lot faster in the halves than watching from fb) and the Unionists had him as a Stand off so.....

    But to answer your question, he looks talented enough to play anywhere in the spine without much effort, even though he is a fish outta water in the games I have seen (little tells like a careful slow ptb, he jogs at times like he expects a pause in play with a ruck forming on a kick chase) and sometimes he looks like he just doesn't know where to stand.

    But he is a smart lad and still very young, what great prospect, he will be ripping the ball out in the tackle with sneaky fingers and faking HIA's in no time.

    I love this guy, he comes to league and plays in the humble no one in the crowd scene and starts putting shots on.
     
    Cces said:
    Motu Pasikala played 13 games of Cup in 2024 & has one sole appearance since.
    Sio Kali played 8 games of NSW Cup in 2024 & has 13 appearances since.
    Daeon Amituanai arrived back here in 2025 with 48 NSW Cup appearances & he has added 10 games since.

    I sure hope we internally develop a Wing or Fullback that becomes a NRL regular this decade.

    With AKP, Mellars & Warbrick all under contract until at least 2028, the likelihood isn't particularly high
    Click to expand...
    Fullback will hopefully be one of Ratcliffe or Lemana.

    I think Lemana is more well rounded; better ball-player, defender and stronger runner. But I can also see him adding a lot of size to his frame over the next couple years (very broad shoulders etc) which would be hard to carry round all those miles at fullback. I think he ends up a center long term.

    Ratcliffe would be ideal at fullback. Great support runner and fit as hell. He's become pretty dangerous with ball in hand this year with his footwork and speed of the mark. Natural glider when running shape and skipping to the outside. But badly needs to develop some ball playing imo, i've seen too many loopy passes from him.

    Norris is a darkhorse at fullback only because he might be the best aerial threat I've seen for someone his height. He'd only be 6ft flat but out-jumps literally everyone. More proven ball runner at this stage than other two as well, but is 2-3 years older.

    I noticed David Bryenton has left the Bulldogs to go back to QLD. Hopefully we were trying to get him back home to NZ. He would immediately be the clubs long term number 1. But the club seems to be backing Ratcliffe by giving him an extension this week (or Lemana if that's his long term position)

    At the very least, Norris is an absolute shoe in to play on the wing in first grade before end of 2028 for me. He's such a safe prospect to bet on. Very high floor in terms of his worst case outcome imo.

    Motu Pasikala is starting to get back to his 2024 form. Was at his destructive best on the weekend for Jersey Flegg. If he can play like that consistently, I'd bet on him nabbing a first grade appearance on the wing in 2027. He has been inconsistent in the past though, so not as safe of a prospect to bet on.

    Deaon Amituanai isnt a serious first grade prospect for us imo. He must need to be home otherwise he would surely get better opportunites in QLD cup or other NSW cup teams.

    Caelys Putoko seems to be struggling defensively with the step up to NSW cup at center. With ball in hand he looks fine and his meters have been impressive. Not the biggest player but has speed which we lack. Lots of potential but jury still out on him.

    Sio Kali is just flatout injury riddled. Which sucks because he has so much talent. I always thought Rocco Berry was just extremely unlucky as opposed to being injury prone as such. Sio Kali is a different level. Just finds new ways to get injured on the field. We all know if he wasn't injured all the time he would be top 30 this season (which in turn means we probably don't go out and get Mellars or AKP)

    Darkhorse wing prospect is Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi. His rate of improvement over the past year has been insane. Becoming a really well rounded player. Expremely fast, has good size, great step, strong runner, great defensive reads, and can put other players into space.

    I have no idea how Mellars would go in first grade. He's top 30 but i think he would really struggle. He's probably our best finisher at the club. Give him a small bit of space in the corner and he will get the 4 points. Great in the air also, however, i think Norris is somehow better in the air (hot take?). Mellars would get absolutely destroyed at the collision line in first grade, really struggles with physicality.

    I'm a huge fan of Vake too. Bit on the shorter side but great in contact and has speed. Super competitive kid.

    The below is the sort of pipeline in my view, which should be the make up of our outside backs in 3-4 years time. There's some other ones coming through that we'll be talking about by that point too like Mark Sikuvea and Kaian Olsen.

    Fullback
    1. Lemana
    2. Ratcliffe

    Center
    1. Lemana
    2. Kali
    3. Putoko
    4. Pasikala
    5. Vake

    Wing
    1. Norris
    2. Kali
    3. Pasikala
    4. Mellars
    5. Tauafiafi-Iutoi
     
    enterthewarrior said:
    Metcalf doesn't have the kicking and organizing game to be a 7. He's not a natural halfback
    Click to expand...
    Who was responsible for kicking & organising in his starts at #7 last season?
    1000016442.webp
    Just because he doesn't combine well with Boyd doesn't mean he's not a #7.
    The club re-signing him last year might turn out to be a poor one, with the beauty of hindsight, but it was 100% the right one at the time when Boyd had zero wins against playoff teams in his 9 starts
     
    I see the period we are entering as a real test for Webby and his player management team. Form slumps at a time immediately after announcement of leaving (RTS, Niukore), the risk of perceptions of packing a sad with position changes (LM, CNK) and key injuries to experienced heads when desperately needed (Capewell, Barney) could see us in a negative spiral which will be challenging to stop before it's too late.

    Factual or not, this combination creates unnecessary doubt amongst the group, a general lack of confidence and results in less than 110% effort, especially in defence. We saw this yesterday.

    If even some of this is the actual situation it's a significant challenge ahead for Webby to address, requiring big calls and further significant risk. We face an interesting few weeks. The best way to allay such fears is to put on a massive show against Melbourne, even if we eventually lose by a few points. A hammering will add to any doubt.

    Staying on for another run on the roller coaster? 🤔
     
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