Team v Storm

[Meth]

An important game. A difficult game. Anyone else already having nightmare recollections of THAT game.

Tuesday night football.

1- Tuivasa-Sheck
2- Fusitua
3- Ayshford
4- Kata
5- Nicoll-Klokstad
6- Foran
7- Johnson
8- Lillyman
9- Luke
10- Vete
11- Afoa
12- Hoffman
13- Mannering

Res- Lisone, Gavet, Sao, Roache

Thompson, Maumalo and Gubb (predictably) gone

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Yep, I know we got 'fourtied' if thats a word. I know its the figure in my head when I think of last years ultimate let down.

I'd drop Sao and persist with Thompson. Sao pissed me off with an error where he got over the line but was wrestled by three around the post and...just...pissed me off. Thompson made some errors too but he offers a little more than Sao in attack for me.

I seen one game where Klokstadd was playing and he was a standout. The question always is with these reserve grade guys, can they transfer the goods theyre showing to the first grade?

 

[vvvrulz]

The question always is with these reserve grade guys, can they transfer the goods theyre showing to the first grade?

Omar and Fish say otherwise, but definitely not a rule.
The good swim and the crap sink.

If we want to be a top eight side we can't field three rocks and diamonds players in Ken, Bodene and Kata. All three have rocks so bad you could drop them on that alone, while it's debatable if Ken even has a diamond. Dumping Tui was one step of the process, need to finish the job.

 

[JJ]

Thompson seems an automatic selection, for the life of me I can't see why - Kata and Maumalo should go too, but likely won't

It's bizarre, but it's probably the likes of Ayshford that'll be sacrificed - again, for another player who's generally rocks and twice a season diamonds - ra

 

[jaseg]

Ken out for either Manu or CNK (prefer CNK, he's earned a shot).

If Matulino is fit, he comes back for either Gubb or Sao. I'd like to see another reserve forward (Pat Sipley most likely) in for the other also, but one at a time, I think (same principle for Bodene).

Now that I've calmed down a little from seeing Kata run sideways and back across his own try line in defence, I'll give him one more week before calling for him to be dumped.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Thompson seems an automatic selection, for the life of me I can't see why - Kata and Maumalo should go too, but likely won't

It's bizarre, but it's probably the likes of Ayshford that'll be sacrificed - again, for another player who's generally rocks and twice a season diamonds - ra

Kearney simply cant afford to make Ayshford the scapegoat just because hes not that good a winger.

I wonder if he'd gamble on swapping Ayshford and Thompson. Ayshford no.12 and Thompson no.3. Before you say 'fug off' think about Thompsons lines that he runs off Shauny, and consider Ayshfords go forward in his hit ups...it could work.

 

[vvvrulz]

Thompson's way too lazy for edge defence.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Kearney was singing Ayshfords praises last week, I doubt he'll drop him.
It's the left side needs work.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

playing the storm is not the time to blood new players

 

[SpaceMonkey]

playing the storm is not the time to blood new players

It's also not a good time to stick with players you know will get skinned.

My choices for left wing in order of preference this week:

Manu
CNK
Tui
Ken

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

we have 10 days to get it right before the storm game

why is kata gone from beastmode to shitmode in the space of 1/4 of a season??? perhaps maumalo being outside a different centre will benefit him

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

It's also not a good time to stick with players you know will get skinned.

My choices for left wing in order of preference this week:

Manu
CNK
Tui
Ken

surely tui is bottom of the list

 

[Big Marn]

we have 10 days to get it right before the storm game

why is kata gone from beastmode to shitmode in the space of 1/4 of a season??? perhaps maumalo being outside a different centre will benefit him

not sure how having Ken outside a different centre will change the way he tackles people. For a guy that big he should be hurting people, not flapping at them like a hungry seagull as they jog past him.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

surely tui is bottom of the list

He's above Ken this week because Ken had a shocker and needs to be dropped

 

[Iafeta]

Thompson seems an automatic selection, for the life of me I can't see why - Kata and Maumalo should go too, but likely won't

It's bizarre, but it's probably the likes of Ayshford that'll be sacrificed - again, for another player who's generally rocks and twice a season diamonds - ra

No chance Blake gets dropped. I've been hard as hell on him but he had a serious dig last week.

 

[Iafeta]

we have 10 days to get it right before the storm game

why is kata gone from beastmode to shitmode in the space of 1/4 of a season??? perhaps maumalo being outside a different centre will benefit him

Allegedly the Warriors told him to focus on speed in the offseason. No focus on strength, all speed. He's really lost tackle breaking ability.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Manu in for Ken would be amazing. If he was able to stay fit for the rest of the reason and finish it out in the #5 it would be even better.

 

[vvvrulz]

He's above Ken this week because Ken had a shocker and needs to be dropped

Garbage + metres is still better than garbage

 

[Big Marn]

Ben Matulino’s comeback moves a step closer with his inclusion in the extended 21-man squad for the Vodafone Warriors’ traditional Anzac Day NRL clash against the Storm at AMII Park in Melbourne next Tuesday (7.00pm kick-off local time; 9.00pm NZT).

While the match is still a week away, the Vodafone Warriors are required to submit their squad as usual today.

In doing so, head coach Stephen Kearney has included the 28-year-old Matulino in his line-up of eight interchange contenders.

The senior prop, four games short of becoming just the club’s fourth 200-game player, has been sidelined following knee surgery.

“Ben’s getting closer,” said Kearney.

“He has been making good progress since returning to full training and should be ready to play soon.”

When he does make his comeback, Matulino will join the handful of players who have appeared across 10 NRL seasons for the Vodafone Warriors – Stacey Jones, Awen Guttenbeil, Lance Hohaia, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Simon Mannering and Sam Rapira.

Matulino’s inclusion on the bench is the only change from the 21-man squad initially named for last Saturday’s clash against Canberra. He joins Nathaniel Roache, Charlie Gubb, Ligi Sao, Sam Lisone, Bunty Afoa, Ata Hingano and Mason Lino on the extended bench.

Next Tuesday’s encounter will be the eighth Anzac Day match between the Storm and the Vodafone Warriors since the fixture was first introduced in 2009. On that occasion, the match finished in a 14-14 draw after golden point extra time. Current assistant coach Stacey Jones lined up for the Vodafone Warriors that day; of this year’s squad, veteran back rower Simon Mannering, front rowers Jacob Lillyman and Matulino plus wing Manu Vatuvei played for the Vodafone Warriors while Ryan Hoffman was in the Storm’s line-up.

The Vodafone Warriors will head to Melbourne with 3-4 win-loss record after their seventh-round 8-20 reverse against the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.



VODAFONE WARRIORS v MELBOURNE STORM

AAMI Park, Melbourne

7.00pm, Tuesday, April 25


VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)

2 BLAKE AYSHFORD

3 DAVID FUSITU’A

4 SOLOMONE KATA

5 KEN MAUMALO

6 KIERAN FORAN

7 SHAUN JOHNSON

8 JAMES GAVET

9 ISSAC LUKE

10 JACOB LILLYMAN

11 BODENE THOMPSON

12 RYAN HOFFMAN

13 SIMON MANNERING

Interchange:

14 NATHANIEL ROACHE

15 CHARLIE GUBB

16 LIGI SAO

17 SAM LISONE

18 BEN MATULINO

20 BUNTY AFOA

21 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO

22 MASON LINO

HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY

http://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2017/04/18/_your_team_matulino_.html

 

[Big Marn]

well its official. Ken is SK's pet.