Silly Season 2025/26

[Manu Vatuvei]

In the short term I’m not sure we have better than Metcalf, but in the medium term a 27 year old half who depends on his speed and has never survived a season of first grade is not a great investment

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Huge potential this kid has.
Also incredibly lazy. The games I have watched him in, he didnt really get in and do the tough stuff. Liked to have a hit up out wide 30m out from the oppositions line but never seen him hit it up on yackle 3 or 4 when they were trying to get out of their 20

I was speaking to someone the other day involved in coaching junior footy, he sort of scoffed at Neal, said his parents were dickheads. Time will tell but it shines a bit of a different light on all of the media attention he’s been getting.

 

[Matua]

I hear ya, but I think once our NRL junior pathways have been around a few more seasons we won't need to go to Australia for halves.

I hope so, but it's the Warriors so I'm not confident, we used to have success with our U20s back in the day that never transferred to NRL level success.

 

[Matua]

In the short term I’m not sure we have better than Metcalf, but in the medium term a 27 year old half who depends on his speed and has never survived a season of first grade is not a great investment

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I was speaking to someone the other day involved in coaching junior footy, he sort of scoffed at Neal, said his parents were dickheads. Time will tell but it shines a bit of a different light on all of the media attention he’s been getting.

Yeah that’s not a good sign and neither is the laziness part- sounds to me like he’s the kind of kid who has coasted on phenomenal natural talent in juniors and could get found out big time once he hits senior level.

 

[Izz]

I was speaking to someone the other day involved in coaching junior footy, he sort of scoffed at Neal, said his parents were dickheads. Time will tell but it shines a bit of a different light on all of the media attention he’s been getting.

Did they say why the parents were dickheads? Like, are they entitled, or over-protective, or think they know better than everybody else?

 

[Big Marn]

I guess its what they consider dickish? Was Tiger Woods Dad a dick? Or the Williams sisters Dad? Probably.

 

[Izz]

I mean, dickish is a pretty wide spectrum

 

[Blair]

I guess its what they consider dickish? Was Tiger Woods Dad a dick? Or the Williams sisters Dad? Probably.

We can safely say that Damir Dokić was.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

In the short term I’m not sure we have better than Metcalf, but in the medium term a 27 year old half who depends on his speed and has never survived a season of first grade is not a great investment

Yeah fair, I agree, the issue is how much relevance you place on the short term

 

[Penrose Warrior]

We can safely say that Damir Dokić was.

Could do a list - old man Agassi was a chump, LaMarr Ball is a dick, are there any NZ ones? Sure there are, just can't think of any right now.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

2 of our strongest (warriors) fullback options on display yesterday and tbh both pretty disappointing.

Samoa lacked the creativity out the back with RTS in that position and poor D on Mcleans 2nd try, not wrapping up the ball.

CNK pretty ineffective on his kick returns and 4th tackle carries and dropping the sitter that led to Mariners first try.

Maybe Taine is the guy for 2026?

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

2 of our strongest (warriors) fullback options on display yesterday and tbh both pretty disappointing.

Samoa lacked the creativity out the back with RTS in that position and poor D on Mcleans 2nd try, not wrapping up the ball.

CNK pretty ineffective on his kick returns and 4th tackle carries and dropping the sitter that led to Mariners first try.

Maybe Taine is the guy for 2026?

I actually thought RTS was pretty solid TBH.

McLean miss wasn’t great as you say, but otherwise he churned out 200+ metres, stopped an Isaako try, and it was a very nice catch/pass for Mariner’s first score. Plus a number of half breaks that started kick return sets well.

For a guy whose last game at fullback was nearly 12mths ago, I thought he did well.

 

[Matua]

I actually thought RTS was pretty solid TBH.

McLean miss wasn’t great as you say, but otherwise he churned out 200+ metres, stopped an Isaako try, and it was a very nice catch/pass for Mariner’s first score. Plus a number of half breaks that started kick return sets well.

For a guy whose last game at fullback was nearly 12mths ago, I thought he did well.

Yep, his performance convinced me I was right in wanting him to be the Warriors fullback this year.

CNK is a shadow of his former self. I think he needs to move into the forwards and become a workhorse back rower, because the fullback stuff he needs, the speed/zip and catching appear to be gone. Dude tries, but he looks out of his depth these days.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Could do a list - old man Agassi was a chump, LaMarr Ball is a dick, are there any NZ ones? Sure there are, just can't think of any right now.

Kaylin Pongas old man is a goose

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The St George Illawarra Dragons shaping as the smokies for Luke Metcalf, whose partner just had a baby and is rumoured to want to return to Sydney from One NZ Warriors via Daily Telegraph
#nrl

 

[Blair]

The St George Illawarra Dragons shaping as the smokies for Luke Metcalf, whose partner just had a baby and is rumoured to want to return to Sydney from One NZ Warriors via Daily Telegraph
#nrl

Bloody WAGS. Plus Metcalf sitting around the house sulking, for the final third of last season, probably didn't help.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Pezet activates release from the Storm, 2026 at Parra then a multi year deal at the Broncos from 2027 onwards if reports are correct

Not really sure why Parra would bother with that

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yep, his performance convinced me I was right in wanting him to be the Warriors fullback this year.

CNK is a shadow of his former self. I think he needs to move into the forwards and become a workhorse back rower, because the fullback stuff he needs, the speed/zip and catching appear to be gone. Dude tries, but he looks out of his depth these days.

Yeah I honestly don't think we move forward as a side with CNK at 1 in 2026. Although I'm almost certain that's what is going to happen.

Taine at 1, RTS at 5, AKP on the other wing, Pompey one centre, Leaitaua hopefully on the other, CHT + Metcalf. It's not the best backline in the comp but it can win games.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Pezet activates release from the Storm, 2026 at Parra then a multi year deal at the Broncos from 2027 onwards if reports are correct

Not really sure why Parra would bother with that

Yea that seems a little desperate from Parra...

But gees that's a spectacularly good score for the Broncs if that all lands.

No idea how they're making the cap work, but with Pezet, Mam, and Walsh... all 22-23 yr olds... that's a ridiculous spine. For the next decade.