5 things we learnt from the 9's

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Yeah I didn't see much from Henare Wells either other than being indecisive and almost injuring Johnson.

More importantly Id like to know the 5 thing the Warrior learnt from the 9's.

 

[Matua]

The Warriors can pack a seasons worth of heartache into two days - start well, go off the boil, put on some huge wins to get to the finals, and then resort to crap.

Wells looked pretty decent to me, had speed, made a few tackles.

SJ can play a wicked flat passing game when he wants to, combine that with his running and add some organisational ability and he'll be our Thurston - just not sure he's got the last part.

 

[JJ]

1) Shaun Johnson for all the talent in the world has still not learned how to run a football team. Robson looks steady but Shaun draws so much attention from the opposition that he needs to be pulled aside by Stacey Jones/McFadden/Andrew Johns/any bloody ex half and told/taught to play at the line more often. by doing so we will have more running play options and more flow in our attack. Our plays are all predictable behind the line stuff backing on explosive line impact rather than skill!

2) Justin Morgan has made a big impact. Our defense already looks more improved from last season. The boys are more aggressive and look in general to be reading the players more effectively on attack. Still way to much shirt grabbing going on but that hopefully will be corrected as the season goes on.

3) Our last and 2nd to last tackle plays are still absolutely awful. How many times last season I banged my head against the wall in frustration that lillyman or Gubb is thrown the ball for a hit up on tackle 5 on what is an absolute gimme for the opposition defense. We need more variety and options on attack in the danger zone and we need the right people having the ball in their hand on these plays. This for me is an ongoing concern in our attacking set up.

4) Ryan Hoffman is not fitting in the the Warriors DNA. I thought Hofffman struggled to find his way with the Warriors balance and style last season and during the nines he decided he was a playmaker! which did not work out so well for us! - Mannering and Hoffman should be a dream workhorse combination. I am still going to back Morgan to have these two guys as rocks in a defensive line for the Warriors but i have concerns they may choke us a little on attack by virtue of trying to hard and forcing their limited athletic ability. This is also a reflection of having halves who cant steer a team around the park.

5) The Warriors lack footy intelligence. I means this in the most respectful way possible. I have spent a bit of time around a few of the boys and they are honestly an amazing bunch of guys who are genuine good soughts. Here is the issue though, they lack real footy intelligence, knowing how to read the field, read the opposition, take higher percentage plays, when those plays are on and not etc, and most of all - how to stay composed under fire - its missing in this club. Shaun Johnson for example is an instinct player - have an off day and he wouldnt know what percentage plays to make to get he warriors on the front foot. Intellect cant be taught but percentage acknowledgement can be. Id enlist all the warriors in a statistics course over a season, you would see huge rewards come the business end of the season.

1, 2, 3 and 5 are good points - 4/5 ain't bad. I don't give a shit about the 9's, but Hoffman is a fine player of the real game - if he's not fitting in as you like, it's up to the coaches and ball players to fix

 

[ozbash]

http://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2016/02/09/nine_plays_from_the_.html

 

[sup42]

Disagree with 1 and 2.

1. Konnie made blunders but it's early, it's the nines where ever ones casual (e.g. crazy pushed passes). He has undeniable robustness. I think if Konnie went to another club, it'll be like Nigel Vagana all over again in that Vagana became a try scoring machine at the doggies.

2. Henare Wells didn't do much for me at all other than almost injure Johnson. I can't remember much else. Hell I think Konnie did more work. I heard he's good but all I remember is him and Johnson getting in each others way looking like klutses and that's not NRL level for me.

The first play Wells was involved in as a Warrior was when Hoffman put a Kick through against the Broncos.

Hoffman Kicking the ball is unexpected. Wells was up on his toes ready for it....unlike any Warrior Winger you care to name.

Wells had to beat a Bronco who was inside him and had a straight line to the ball.

Unlike our last speedster the Flying Fish....Wells actually ran fast enough to go around the outside of the Bronco and make a dive at the ball in the in goal....someone here posted that he stuffed that play up....to me that sequence screams 'specialist winger'.

In the Same Game Wells saves a try by putting himself in the passing lane of the Broncos.


Wells second touch was after Lolohea cuts the broncos open and goes sixty meters, Wells cruises up beside Lolohea at speed and takes a pass to score a no try off a forward pass ruling.

Lolohea is pretty fast, Wells looks faster.

In the same game Wells scores off a Johnson cut out ball by virtue of standing in the perfect alignment to make that play possible.

in the same game Wells makes try saving tackles by reading the edge play and is fast enough to catch up to Hurrell who has a ten meter+ headstart on him on the fly.

Otherwise he doesn't show much promise as a winger on debut.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

The first play Wells was involved in as a Warrior was when Hoffman put a Kick through against the Broncos.

Hoffman Kicking the ball is unexpected. Wells was up on his toes ready for it....unlike any Warrior Winger you care to name.

Wells had to beat a Bronco who was inside him and had a straight line to the ball.

Unlike our last speedster the Flying Fish....Wells actually ran fast enough to go around the outside of the Bronco and make a dive at the ball in the in goal....someone here posted that he stuffed that play up....to me that sequence screams 'specialist winger'.

In the Same Game Wells saves a try by putting himself in the passing lane of the Broncos.


Wells second touch was after Lolohea cuts the broncos open and goes sixty meters, Wells cruises up beside Lolohea at speed and takes a pass to score a no try off a forward pass ruling.

Lolohea is pretty fast, Wells looks faster.

In the same game Wells scores off a Johnson cut out ball by virtue of standing in the perfect alignment to make that play possible.

in the same game Wells makes try saving tackles by reading the edge play and is fast enough to catch up to Hurrell who has a ten meter+ headstart on him on the fly.

Otherwise he doesn't show much promise as a winger on debut.

If he's a natural winger, bloody great. Let's see how he goes. If he's got jets, knows his position well on defence and attack and has the right attitude, let's get in behind this guy. I know I bag the shit out of the guy but Jono Wright played far too much football last year based on the other wingers being more inept than he is. I wouldn't mind having a guy in the squad who puts up his hand with performances. The Fish was crap - a real downhill skiier who never fronted v good sides - Maumalo doesn't look to me a natural winger at all, and Wright can do a job but as I said last year and I was proven right, you're not winning anything when you're required to play Jono Wright. You're playing him because your more talented kids and semi-kids aren't up to it.

 

[sup42]

If he's a natural winger, bloody great. Let's see how he goes. If he's got jets, knows his position well on defence and attack and has the right attitude, let's get in behind this guy. I know I bag the shit out of the guy but Jono Wright played far too much football last year based on the other wingers being more inept than he is. I wouldn't mind having a guy in the squad who puts up his hand with performances. The Fish was crap - a real downhill skiier who never fronted v good sides - Maumalo doesn't look to me a natural winger at all, and Wright can do a job but as I said last year and I was proven right, you're not winning anything when you're required to play Jono Wright. You're playing him because your more talented kids and semi-kids aren't up to it.

If he isn't a natural Winger, I want to know who taught him to work the side line (unlike Kata and others who get bundled into touch) chase up in sypport and not overrun the ball carrier, show up on both Wings to add an extra number, stand in the opposition passing lane when your out numbered, catch the ball around your ankles....stand inch perfect to catch a cut out ball and stroll over untouched....who ever taught him that ( I don't care if its his mum, dad or the bloody milk man) we need to hire that person to coach our wingers.

Wells may be unproven (only a newbie in a meaningless nines tournament) he may have run into Johnson....but sure as death and taxes....he has less to learn about fundamental wing play than all the time invested so far by the Warriors in trying to convert other players (fullback/center/and halves converts to Wing).

He reminds me of a Jason Nightingale type, mental aptitude over physical attribute, deceptively quick without being the fastest, quick enough in his decision making to make up ground faster players concede trying to work out what's going on.

He's no slouch, catching Hurrell and Lolohea means his long distance top end speed is respectable.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Absolutely, let's get whoever it is that knows how to teach positional play to outside players - most notably wingers and centres - and pay them lots of money. It's been our Achilles heel for years if not decades. Obviously Manu, as much as I love the bloke to death, isn't the guy to mentor our up and comers. So someone needs to be. Maybe it is Justin Morgan, maybe he picked up things from Bellamy who was a winger and has seen more games of league than most.

But yeah that's something to get excited about if we have a natural, positionally proficient winger on our books. Guys who have come before like that, largely unheralded guys like Todd Byrne, Justin Murphy and John Carlaw one position in were absolutely massive assets. And I know we'd all have Jason Nightingale on our books in a shot, so if Wells can become even near the player he is, happy days.

 

[ozbash]

Otherwise he doesn't show much promise as a winger on debut.

impressed me, quick and smart.

 

[sup42]

impressed me, quick and smart.

I should have left that comment out, I was being facetious.

Yeah he did a lot on debut, you couldn't ask for much more from a greenie in front of a big home crowd.

I see he had issues with calling for Kicks (that was a real successful ploy this year) lots of sides struggled with the Kicks, it's what you get when forwards are playing where backs would normally stand and players are constantly revolving.

Fair play to the Eels they used the confusion around fielding kicks, in the Nines well.