I actually like the back row. Seeing Niukore there makes a huge difference. Barnett and Niukore gives us more power and tackle busting ability in the attacking 20 as opposed to Capewell and Ford. Ford has less thinking to do with decoy runs and what not in the front row, can just do his workhorse stuff without trying to catch hospital short balls and bust a line. He’s been good these past few weeks
Highlighted posts
Great looking team, all thing considered.
Jazz came back after a one month lay off and when he wasn’t dropping the ball or giving away our challenges I thought he was FANTASTIC. The energetic battery the team needed. He was cutting down forwards left right and center. Very impressed with his performance last two games. And I thought he was washed up when he walked off injured last time…
Not sure if its been mentioned here but heard that the club only offered Jazz minimum salary extension. Said he'll be looking at Super League if they cant bump it up. Was told from a well known source who spoke to him personally but ICBF asking him if I can name drop him but take it as gospel...
Will give him his dues that he’s turned this club around at least and backing up what he said he was going to do
NSW cup stats are up:
Leka Halasima in 80m
16runs 177m (62pcm)
1 lb, 6 TB
30 tackles 2missed
Leka Halasima in 80m
16runs 177m (62pcm)
1 lb, 6 TB
30 tackles 2missed
With regards to Jazz, you can't re-sign everyone. As it stands, the club only has a couple of potential roster sports open for 2025. These young kids coming through NSW Cup look awesome and a couple of them (Halasima and TSS most notably) will need to be upgraded from development deals onto a full contract for either next year or the year after. Jazz had been a solid contributor over the years but his impact has declined noticeably. It's time now to give Sifakula or Zion a regular bench spot in his place. Jazz can ride off into the sunset as he deserves to with a longer deal in the UK.
Sifakula is an absolute beast of a player. Not only is he MASSIVE - and evidently still growing - he is so agile and aggressive. He did one run yesterday where he was just toying with the defence: side-stepping, knocking players over. It was epic. With the way his frame is developing, I'd imagine he'll slot into the front-row before long and be an impact weapon there in the mould of Leniu - albeit a much bigger version.
Halasima is freakishly athletic. There was one play yesterday where he was being bent over backwards by 2-3 defenders and somehow still managed to slip a pass out. He'll be a genuine strike weapon on the left edge with Laban acting as a battering ram on the right. In a few years, it'll be the most lethal backrow in the comp.
These are the guys we need to push forward with. Which means Jazz will likely go. And perhaps they'll also whisper quietly in the ears of a few others off contract at the end of 2025 who aren't shifting the needle for us but might now be able to get longer deals elsewhere (Ford being the obvious one).
Between TMM, CHT, Metcalf and SJ, the halves are locked down. Then you have Cleary arriving to add to the log-jam in the lower grades. Hanson looks tidy and organised but lacks spark and speed. I don't know if he'll kick on. But the Flegg half Jesse Soric looks a solid prospect.
Elsewhere in the backs, Pasikala looks like a really exciting prospect. And he's a clutch goal-kicker too, which is handy. His footwork and work-rate for a kid who has only just turned 20 is awesome. He'll be the longterm fullback successor. And then there's the question of how to fit Ali into first grade because he just has to be there. I wonder if Webby might discreetly encourage Roger to chase that Japanese Yen after all.
Sifakula is an absolute beast of a player. Not only is he MASSIVE - and evidently still growing - he is so agile and aggressive. He did one run yesterday where he was just toying with the defence: side-stepping, knocking players over. It was epic. With the way his frame is developing, I'd imagine he'll slot into the front-row before long and be an impact weapon there in the mould of Leniu - albeit a much bigger version.
Halasima is freakishly athletic. There was one play yesterday where he was being bent over backwards by 2-3 defenders and somehow still managed to slip a pass out. He'll be a genuine strike weapon on the left edge with Laban acting as a battering ram on the right. In a few years, it'll be the most lethal backrow in the comp.
These are the guys we need to push forward with. Which means Jazz will likely go. And perhaps they'll also whisper quietly in the ears of a few others off contract at the end of 2025 who aren't shifting the needle for us but might now be able to get longer deals elsewhere (Ford being the obvious one).
Between TMM, CHT, Metcalf and SJ, the halves are locked down. Then you have Cleary arriving to add to the log-jam in the lower grades. Hanson looks tidy and organised but lacks spark and speed. I don't know if he'll kick on. But the Flegg half Jesse Soric looks a solid prospect.
Elsewhere in the backs, Pasikala looks like a really exciting prospect. And he's a clutch goal-kicker too, which is handy. His footwork and work-rate for a kid who has only just turned 20 is awesome. He'll be the longterm fullback successor. And then there's the question of how to fit Ali into first grade because he just has to be there. I wonder if Webby might discreetly encourage Roger to chase that Japanese Yen after all.
I dunno man. I know we have some great juniors coming through and we've had two great backs against the walls victories with a few of our younger players present, but imo I think a few people are getting carried away, picking these juniors to replace seasoned vets after a handful (or sometimes just one) game where they have played to NRL standard. They're not even having GREAT games, it seems that as long as they didn't suck, quite a few are shouting about how they should get the call up over the more seasoned players.
Let's look at all of the young guns who have played this year - Laban, Zyon, Roache, MGT, Ali - they've all looked decent, but you can't say any of these guys have had an exceptional game. Even Roache, who I thought had the best game out of all the juniors this year - he completed his tackles and had good distribution, with limited errors or mistakes. Thats not worthy of getting rid of the incumbent, that's just him doing the basics of his role really well, which should be a minimum standard.
Imo there's very little chance that Sifakula is coming back from an ACL, and within a year of returning, he's going to make more meters than Jazz, while creating the tempo on defence that he often does.
Look at Ale. Webby's been PAINFULLY slow with his development, he's played 29 of the 36 games over the last two years and only now things are looking like they're starting to click for him. Same as Berry - he really only started to show how good he can be in his last 20 or so games. I cant see how any of our other rookies are going to get significantly more game time than that, unless it's through injury. And even then, they have to perform exceptionally well to keep their spot.
With the amount of injuries in today's game, over the next 18 months I think a lot of those above named players, including a few more like Halasima will deffo get a run and will probably be 10-30 games in to their career and are able to meet the week in/week out requirements of the hardest competition in the world, ready for 2026 when Tohu, SJ and co are all finished up
Jersey sales, memberships and gate takings are not where its at. It's sponsors. One could rock up and invest more money than those 3 things put together. Add in a few of them and you can see where the real money is.
Sponsors, advertisers, business and financial partners. This where population and popularity combine to give regions like Brisbane an advantage over most clubs. Broncos also have an exclusive club called the Thoroughbreds who are rich people given access to players where secret deals and dodgy one sided bets are placed over rounds of golf. Broncos also regularly sell enough season passes a year to sell out Mt Smart every game. Can't be forgetting their awesome club rooms, sponsorship deals from an international car maker, casino chain and brewery. Our sponsors back pockets pail into comparison.
A club like the Roosters while languishing at the bottom with us are far from broke because they have Saint Nick who has setup foundations to ensure the financial viability of the club long after he has passed. That use to Eric Watson in his early days but he then ran the club off the smell of an oily rag after that. The new owners look to be putting a lot of investment into the club particularly in junior development but they don't have the wallets of Uncle Nick.
Warriors are between a rock and a hard place. While the game day experience is extremely popular we lack a facility that can bring people in outside of that and we will almost never be able to enjoy the vast losings gathered by most Aussie clubs from pokie machines. Having a bar is a step in the right direction but that could also be a white elephant that the Auckland Warriors of old know only too well after a failed series of official bars went belly up in the early days. We should all be extremely grateful that Vodafone/One NZ have stuck around so long and invested so much into the club. It's not easy getting sponsorship but if there was ever a time for the club to capitalise it would be right now...
24 16 full time us
Jersey Flegg won 20 - 16.
Hmm werent you the one a few weeks back absolutely spraying SJ for getting caught on the 4th tackle a couple of times in the game against the Titans taking himself out of the last play option? Apparently its what cost us the game.....might have been a chance for the other playmaker to step up then no?
[/HEADING][/HEADING][/HEADING]
[HEADING=3][HEADING=3][HEADING=3]sup42
Horrible.Shaun needs to own this game.
We had no rudder there.
Shauns fault. He has one job, and it aint dying with the ball on the last two sets in a row.
Tbh bro while i generally respect your opinion and the good points you make i just find your views either overly entrenched, or contradictory to suit whatever bandwagon your on at the time (Laban, Walsh, SJ last year), or overly emotive (we're all either dumb khunts, suck arses or sheep) to constructively debate with, hence why i dont reply to the flood of (paraphrasing here)"SJs to blame" "Laban the next generational talent" type posts.......so ill just "like' the ones i agree with......which their are many.
As far as the lefts "failure": is concerned i dont put all that on Te Maire at all, like everything its never just "one" thing and all must take responsibilty......including SJ and how he connects with Te Maire.....but moreso its evdent we werent running the same structures that side (no multiple lead runners, Charnze very rarely sweeps that side, Capewell or whichever 2nd rower running that edge inability to shorten the defensive line)......and to this which even yours (and mine) beloved Webster must take responsibilty. Tbh i think your the one who lacks perspective as your so entrenched in your SJ view that you wont acknowledge all these other factors because it doesnt suit your marrative of the number 1 target.
And im not that entrenched as an SJ fan to realize a lack of variation was obviously evident, i was probably calling for it before it became the en vogue thing to do, (hate quoting my own posts, so tacky)
Boats n Hoes
We needed to shelve the block plays 2nite. Block plays in those conditions are always fucking hard cause you cant get the crispness or timing, of passing or catching..... just end up going sideways which is easy D.
Boats n Hoes
More variation needed was obviously evident during that bad patch.
Wether through SJ monopolizing or TMM content taking a backseat (probably a bit of both) hopefully now TMM has the confidence to impose himself on a game, and the rest of the team has the confidence when he calls for the ball (actually no demand the ball).....give it to him.
As fas as TMM taking more ownership as an alternate playmaker ive played enough League as a halfback to know you need to own it, and as i alluded to in the post you quoted the signs were there he was content to take a backseat......Te Maire himself has even come out and said as much, Coach Webster has said the same thing.....and we 100% need him to even with SJ back to get that defence looking the other way.
Tbh tho as much as the attack has been the focus of the last 2 weeks i think whats criminally been overlooked (and surprisingly so for a self acclaimed "tactics sage") and for mine the main factors in our improvement the last couple of weeks is that since we went on that losing streak the last 2 games either our error rate or penalties conceded has been less than the opposition and we've our highest tackle efficiency rate. This means we've been able to sustain pressure on attack because we havent been handing over the ball or yielding field position through piggyback penalties, plus we're just defending a helluva lot better.
I guarentee you these are the KPIs and factors Websters been referring to in his press conferences in the "we were happy we were able to achieve the things we wanted to" because without these basics it doesnt matter who u throw out there your not a chance. I can also guarentee4 u these things are overlooked cause for their not "sexy" enough.....you and i should know better tho right?
I also acknowledge that during that losing period the whole team just appeared flat and the young ones coming through certainly added much needed spark. Was down to a lot of guys playing busted (whcih im not a fan of) plus some pretty questionable Bench tactics which only Webby can take responsibilty for.
As a Warriors fan im stoked Te Maires stepped up (cause god knows we need him to) but if your objective enough their are still limitations in his game and if it turns out the variations of play arent evident when SJ and the senior players get back, and if the root cause is SJ then so be it the change should be made accordingly. Even tho im a unabashed SJ fan im a Warriors fan first and foremost......however can u say the same if SJ comes back and kills it?, as ive noticed in the past your pretty quick to try change the narrative when it doesnt back up your rants. Also i cant help but disagree how Te Maire and the left goes is soley on SJ....thats ridiculous.....without doubt those 2 need to connect better, but also without doubt hopefully Te Maires new found confidence means he doesnt take a backseat, that when they have gone right, he's organising his edge getting ready to pull the trigger,,,,,and then Demanding the ball.
Also u say being an SJ fan like its a bad thing lol. Why shouldnt we be.......has genuine love for the club., knocked back 2 offers now to stay with the cllub he loves on unders, has never been in an ounce of trouble off the park over a long career (which goes a long way in my book), unlike the plethora of other dickheads, a great inspiration and example to the younger players, and a significant reason why League in this country is on the upturn. If loss of form or injury takes him so be it, the end is nigh as they say......but either way, he's a champion,
Like i said bro no offence, u generally have some really insightful observations and no doubt you'll have a clever reply instore, but ill probably leave this here as i dont do tit for tat. Have a good night. Uo the Wahs!
Last edited:
View: https://x.com/PenrithPanthers/status/1795655172733198353
Beautiful moment. Shows just what it means to this guy
In what way has that effected his character on or off the field bro?
We don't get to pick our parents. The fact he's been able to make a successful career and has taken his younger brothers under his guardianship should tell you everything about him as a person. He's been a success in spite off them and should be given all the credit rather than having who his parents are held against him as a person.
run_it_str8_again
Guest
Your point is very well made and I fully agree. One thing about him recently is his in camp for origin interview where he acknowledged what's going on with his parents (or particularly his Dad) and said that his focus is on looking after his younger siblings so essentially while he has a murderer mum and a drug dealer Dad he is fulfilling the roles of both Mum and Dad for his siblings while being 24 and representing NSW. So I have respect for him in light of his response to having said mum and dad.
It reminds me of an anecdote I heard once that told the story of two brothers whose father was a rotten to the core violent abusive drug dealing scoundrel of a man and father.
30 years passed and the two brothers where interviewed about how their lives had turned out.
One was in prison for a whole bunch of bad stuff and said "with the father that I had what else could I do?"
The second was happy, "successful" by whatever measures and living a great life. He said "with the father that I had what else could I do?"
Wouldnt touch taumalolo. Cant believe I'm saying this but id rather re-sign jazz.
Yes what youve said are facts, but if we're looking at facts please don't just pick and choose which ones suit you
*SJ had been playing injured and was not able to train a lot of the time.
* There were a shit tonne of injuries and movement each round, and often big reshuffles mid game which would have a huge impact on our halves and how they play.
* Despite these two points, up until he was injured SJ's attacking stats - tries, try assists, forced drop outs and line break assists - were better than he was last year (when everyone thought he was the best player in the game), and we're better than the current Daly M for this year (Nicho Hynes at the time).
To me it's clear as day, a fit SJ is a no brainer as even when he's injured and cant train, he's still one of the best players in the game.
Now that TMM has found some form we should be looking at how we can fit these pieces of the puzzle together, not discarding them or trying to come up with a new puzzle.
It’s been reported that Barney will be the likely replacement on the edge for Liam Martin in game 1 if he succumbs to his Hamstring injury picked up over the weekend.