OK. 2020 is done on to 2021. Where will we finish?

[Rich102]

We finished 10th this year.
We have strengthened our team but not our spine.
Where will we finish in 2021?

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

At this point in time I'm feeling 6-10 depending on the usual varying circumstances.

Top 8 pack, bottom 8 backs, and a spine with more question marks than the Riddler.

I think we'll compete, but which side of the top 8 line we land on will depend on the variables such as injuries, form, development/emergence of youngsters, bounce of ball/ref etc

 

[JJ]

I reckon we over-achieved a bit this year - I agree on the 6-10 range, will pick 9th

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I chucked down 13-16, based solely on being burnt before when the Warriors promise a big year and it all goes horribly pear shaped

Say it every year, but it is looking like such a tight comp again that the margins are so small

Most vulnerable in the 8 will be the Sharks

From outside the 8, Titans had a big finish and add Fifita, they’ll be expecting big things. Warriors with AFB and co expect to move forward, Manly add Tom, Walker and Foran and expect to be right amongst it again, and the Dragons and Cowboys will think the talent is there to make a dent under a new coach

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Broncos could come right under Walters too. Tigers and Cowboys who knows? Don’t see the Dogs threatening the top 8.

 

[sup42]

It would not surprise me to see the Warriors go top four.

Covid has removed or at least shrunk some of the clubs biggest hurdles and you saw how that transferred on the paddock.

1. Less travel. It is likely they will be based in Aus for the season. I don't see a vaccine being widely used before the end of next year, so at the NZ end people traveling back from Aus will still have to quarantine.

2. New coach. All of our recent coaches have enjoyed their best seasons in season one of taking over the job.

3. Extra coaching for the young guys, an intensive bubble environment. The Warriors recruits are years behind QLD cup players or NSW cup Aussies in their development. We again saw the gains made by the coaching bubble...the life style living and breathing footy in terms of the rapid gains by the greenhorns.

4. Lets assume that the Warriors get a fair run with injuries in terms of key players, they have the best backrow in the comp, they have the best attacking centre, another attacking centre. Plenty of size across the entire pack. Adequate hookers, decent options at wing three quarter a very good fullback.

5. The halves. A weak spot, however it is not like we are living in an era of immortals in the halves across the NRL. The general standard is well below the Cronk Thurston era. Kodi and CHT will get by ok off the back of a lot of front foot ball.
You have to remember we will still have Ken plus that pack, and RTS, that is a lot of meter gains. Territory won't be a problem.

6. Defence. Our defence is the biggest worry, however again we saw with the bubble that the extra intensity and focus of living footy away from NZ helped our defence no end.

7. Acclimatizing. Living in Aus rather than here closed the gap significantly for the Warriors. Heat was no longer a factor.

8. Tamworth. If they base themselves there next season and are winning I can see them getting a lot of local support.

9, Referees. Phil Gould will help. His rants and his high profile are something the Warriors have not had before. Also Gould is a charismatic figure that our church going Warrior boys would readily sign up to the Trump of the NRLs cult.

10. Aggression. A missing factor in the team. I think after this season and the players we have added that the agro will be back and that is the best Warrior old school missing factor from our game.

At the start I said I would not be surprised to see them dominant in the competition next season.

Obviously as a Warriors fan life long I would not be surprised to see them totally shthouse.

Go the Warriors.

 

[Tongue]

7-9, but its not an option.

 

[JJ]

Broncos could come right under Walters too. Tigers and Cowboys who knows? Don’t see the Dogs threatening the top 8.

Cowboys should improve a lot...

The Broncos were so awful it's hard to know - they have the talent, obviously - in many ways similar to us, obvious strengths, obvious weaknesses - but they start from a bad place... Walters is unproven, I'd be surprised if they don't charge out of the gate, but not sure how resilient they will be...

For us, I just don't know- Payten was doing a good job, and I'm not convinced Brown has proven anything in the NRL, nor have the likes of BMM and Evans... Gould could be great for the club, and the talent is there, the middle is there in theory, plus with Harris (wherever he plays) and Katoa we start to look threatening on the edges - if Kodi, CHT and Egan can develop well I see big upsides, but I'm thinking more year after next...

I am hopeful, but taking a longer-term view

 

[TheDMC]

If I was a betting man, I'd put money on 9 to 11

But anything is possible, so will just go in with low expectations and get excited if we start with a hiss and a roar next year.

 

[nswarrior]

4th

 

[Rich102]

4th

Would be great. But I just can't see the Panthers, Storm, Raiders, Souths or Roosters dropping too far next year.

 

[SmashEmBro]

I'd guess 6-9th.

After this year, we're due to have a good year injury wise, so as long as it doesn't go as bad as it was this year (upwards of 15 players out at any given time), I think we'll compete well.

If we play the way we did in those last 10 games, we'll go alright and will have something to celebrate come August 2021

 

[Izz]

Loss in the GF to the penny panthers

 

[waipiro]

I reckon 5 - 8 is where we should be in 2021....id say 6th.
Titans should be sharp improvers as well

 

[spear tackle]

I went 5-8 , the new owner seems to expect accountability not faith to drive the club forward so an improvement on last year is what I expect as well.

 

[TheDMC]

WARRIORS - Will Brown regret his sizeable recruitment?

After a year in which the game’s new six-again rule “brought back the little man” the Warriors went the other way and have recruited for size under new coach Nathan Brown.

They are quite literally massive.

The Kiwi outfit has gone out and signed Ben Murdoch-Masila, Addin Fonua-Blake and Kane Evans to bolster their pack.

Adding them to a forward cohort that includes Tohu Harris, Jamyne Taunoa-Brown and Eliesa Katoa means that the Warriors will possess arguably the biggest pack in the NRL - and that could go one of two ways. Either the Warriors are going to run through teams at a rate of knots and trample everything in their path.

Or, they’re going to run out of gas by the time the season reaches its midway point and find the game’s new rules are too much for their big men to handle.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/news/n...s/news-story/3587e618808b6d1ca065422ab5fed7c5

Thoughts on this?

 

[JJ]

Well, if we do indeed have the biggest pack (I'm not sure that's the case) then at least the BS spouted by Strayan commentators will to a degree reflect reality

I have no problem with a big pack, if it's quality - no question that AFB and Tohu are quality... Katoa could be anything, the rest of them are journeymen with a bit to prove

 

[nswarrior]

Top 4 here we come!!

 

[sup42]

WARRIORS - Will Brown regret his sizeable recruitment?

After a year in which the game’s new six-again rule “brought back the little man” the Warriors went the other way and have recruited for size under new coach Nathan Brown.

They are quite literally massive.

The Kiwi outfit has gone out and signed Ben Murdoch-Masila, Addin Fonua-Blake and Kane Evans to bolster their pack.

Adding them to a forward cohort that includes Tohu Harris, Jamyne Taunoa-Brown and Eliesa Katoa means that the Warriors will possess arguably the biggest pack in the NRL - and that could go one of two ways. Either the Warriors are going to run through teams at a rate of knots and trample everything in their path.

Or, they’re going to run out of gas by the time the season reaches its midway point and find the game’s new rules are too much for their big men to handle.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/news/n...s/news-story/3587e618808b6d1ca065422ab5fed7c5

Thoughts on this?

I dunno where they come up with the idea that a big pack runs out of gas mid season.

It works the other way around, big packs struggle early on and get fitter the longer the season runs.

We have tried it both ways and our best success was when we had big props.

There are big guys and there are big fit guys. A big fit guy is better than a small fit guy.

Last season I was very happy with the teams fitness, living in a bubble where training is a way to fill the day, and eating good is closely monitored, will work in our favor.

We also have some big guys with huge motors, Katoa and Harris can go all day. That gives the coach a lot of options with running his Units in in shorter stints.

I am looking forward to this year, the hooker, Eagan is great at delivering the ball at the advantage line, which is key for that roll on, and really works when you have monster forwards.

 

[Rich102]

Looks like Beaver may be on the money!