The run to the finals

[Evil_Mush]

Well, quick look at the table and draw for next week. We are going to go from sitting pretty in 4th, to 7th in one weekend. Not unless we can pull off a major upset and beat the bulldogs. Crichton could be gone/should be gone, but I think they will be very fired up after losing to the Tigers. Given the teams we are playing in the next few weeks, bar maybe Manly, are in good form, we are lucky to win a game to end the season!

Manly game is also DCE's send-off, not to mention they may also be trying to push for our spot in the 8!


I'm heading up to Auckland for the Dragons game, really hoping my presence is a good luck charm hah! After a perfect 3 from 3 in 2023 (Knights in Welly, Manly in Akl, Knights semi), I wasn't so lucky for the only game I caught last year (Eels 30-20 defeat) nor the last time I saw Dragons (36-0 defeat in Welly a decade ago!)


Really hoping we get some vengeance this week to the non-penalty/sendoff debacles in both our Doggies games last year (those injuries though... )

 

[Meth]

Broncos lose, which is good for us. I think we want the Dragons and I guess the Roosters to win this week?

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Broncos lose, which is good for us. I think we want the Dragons and I guess the Roosters to win this week?

Yea looks that way. Assuming Penrith wins and we lose... a Drags win leaves us 5th at the end of the round while a Sharkies win drops us to 6th. I dont think either is that bad though tbh.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Season is cooked

 

[Evil_Mush]

Manly game is also DCE's send-off, not to mention they may also be trying to push for our spot in the 8!


I'm heading up to Auckland for the Dragons game, really hoping my presence is a good luck charm hah! After a perfect 3 from 3 in 2023 (Knights in Welly, Manly in Akl, Knights semi), I wasn't so lucky for the only game I caught last year (Eels 30-20 defeat) nor the last time I saw Dragons (36-0 defeat in Welly a decade ago!)


Really hoping we get some vengeance this week to the non-penalty/sendoff debacles in both our Doggies games last year (those injuries though... )

Got this reminder on FB today - hopefully we can right that wrong next week (yes I know we've beat the Dragons nicely a few times since then, but not when I was there!!)

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Season is cooked

No its not

 

[Meth]

Big games this coming week- Storm v Panthers (let's go Storm) and Broncos v Dolphins (let's go Dolphins), as well as Sharks v Titans (let's go Titans)

 

[JJ]

let’s go Storm

Booooooooooo

 

[Blair]

Another loss this weekend and the thread title should be changed to 'The run from the finals'.

Four games, and a potential Warriors horror show ahead.

 

[Rich102]

What? From the biggest brand in NZ sports?
Yeah right.

 

[JJ]

What? From the biggest brand in NZ sports?
Yeah right.

you just know when they come out with that bullshit, karma's gonna get em

 

[Grizzman]

I'm trying to look at this objectively and remove myself from that mid season hype we found ourselves brewing.
If at the beginning of the season, you had told me we would be top 8 by season end with the squad we had, I would be satisfied. If you told me we would be top 6 I would have been ecstatic.
We've blooded a bunch of young players who are actually showing serious promise. With Laban, Halasima, Vaimauga and TSS we have a pack (assuming we can hang onto them) that we can really build something around. We have some real injury issues with Berry and Leatauia but keep them healthy (at least alternately)and with Metcalfe, Taupiki and CHT we have a spine that's ok.
We seriously need some wing depth for the future though.
Anyway, my point is ... I think our season IS cooked. Our injury toll has been horrible in key positions at key times throughout the season. Barnett was by far our biggest loss.

 

[ozenzud]

I'm trying to look at this objectively and remove myself from that mid season hype we found ourselves brewing.
If at the beginning of the season, you had told me we would be top 8 by season end with the squad we had, I would be satisfied. If you told me we would be top 6 I would have been ecstatic.
We've blooded a bunch of young players who are actually showing serious promise. With Laban, Halasima, Vaimauga and TSS we have a pack (assuming we can hang onto them) that we can really build something around. We have some real injury issues with Berry and Leatauia but keep them healthy (at least alternately)and with Metcalfe, Taupiki and CHT we have a spine that's ok.
We seriously need some wing depth for the future though.
Anyway, my point is ... I think our season IS cooked. Our injury toll has been horrible in key positions at key times throughout the season. Barnett was by far our biggest loss.

This is a point I've already made. If we were offered this position at the start of the year, you would have taken it in a heartbeat. We just overachieved early in the year, partially due to a very favourable draw. I am just praying for a good performance, 1 more win and a finals appearance. Preferably at home.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yeah, I agree with all of that. That's not to say we shouldn't learn from some lessons of things that haven't gone right. A couple of losses, Titans particularly, were really soft and devoid of quality on-field leadership. Could argue Penrith as well, although injuries did hit that day.

If we can somehow get to week 2 of the finals, and have young guys especially experience that pressure, that will be a significant win for mine. We definitely aren't in the best four sides in this comp

 

[Penrose Warrior]

This is a point I've already made. If we were offered this position at the start of the year, you would have taken it in a heartbeat. We just overachieved early in the year, partially due to a very favourable draw. I am just praying for a good performance, 1 more win and a finals appearance. Preferably at home.

You could argue we've had about as plum a draw as it could possibly be. Played Melbourne once, Raiders once at home, Dogs once, Penrith once (and with Origin players out), none of our final 4 games are against top 4 sides, playing the last placed Titans twice, Knights twice, it's just been pretty ideal all year.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Last week was a bit of a nadir for me.

Before then you could argue injuries have cruelled us in the back half of the season, and we’d been so fortunate with injuries to that point it was almost inevitable we’d get smacked eventually.

But those late spine changes which backfired weren’t the injury gods squaring the ledger, we created that mess for ourselves.

Losing cos we played badly or the other guys were just too good is one thing. But struggling to even compete, due to coaching decisions made before the game even starts... man I haven’t felt that flat since Vegas.

This week, the boys need to lift no doubt but so does Webster. If he doesn’t, at best we’ll limp into the finals and limp straight back out again.

 

[ozenzud]

I have the warriors having to win 2 games to make the finals. Win only 1, they are not guaranteed. In theory, they should/could win all 4. I don't think they will. In fact, I greatly fear all 4 games will be dropped, due to the form of the sides we are playing who have all come good in the latter part of the season. Whilst our wheels have fallen off. I will be very bitter to not at least play in the last 8.

 

[Blair]

Well guys, we know what we have to do.

If we win then I'll be surprised. Not that we beat the Dragons but that we got back in the four, after dropping out of it.

Then Penrith have the Raiders and we have the Titans. We could go three points ahead of Penrith with two rounds to play.

But, as said in another thread, 'it's the hope that kills us'.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I mean, the scene is absolutely set now. We win tonight, we are 4th. Then we have the 17th placed side, the 13th, and the 10th.

I don't expect we will make it, and our history includes a lot of final round flame-outs to make finals or top 4, but gee that's as good a chance as it gets.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

After the last few weeks we've had, to think we could be back in the top 4 by tonight... crazy year all round