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Andrew Webster

JJ

Immortal
Messages
33,066
Agree, we’re over achieving, so bagging the coach atm seems strange tbh
 

Campion

Juniors
Messages
498
Just came across this, with how important possession and momentum is these days, to be this far ahead of every other side in the comp is a good recipe to stay in the contest in every game

View attachment 101340
I can't see the image as it's really small. When I click on it to open it bigger I get an "Ooops! We ran into some problems. You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action." This isn't limited to your images but to everyone's. I wonder does anyone know how to fix? Specifically keen to see the stats ont his one tho.
 
Messages
10,611
I can't see the image as it's really small. When I click on it to open it bigger I get an "Ooops! We ran into some problems. You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action." This isn't limited to your images but to everyone's. I wonder does anyone know how to fix? Specifically keen to see the stats ont his one tho.
Weird

Warriors have conceded the least penalties this year at 23, next lowest is 33 and highest is 51!
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
36,463
Agree, we’re over achieving, so bagging the coach atm seems strange tbh
There’s never really a good time to be a Webster critic. If we are winning, we are winning. If we are losing, he had us winning in 2023
 

Manu Vatuvei

Coach
Messages
17,305
We are in the top four because of our Defence (lord knows it has nothing to do with our attack).

Our game plan is to hold the ball and shut down the opposition.

Webster selects his team line ups based on their ability to follow those two simple game plan instructions, complete, and defend.

Based off that we are camped in the opposition half for hundreds of sets (not literally allow me some wax on me lyrics here, you get the point) but there is a clear game plan to live in the oppositions half off their mistakes.



We have a very mobile forward pack, the Gumby Ford keeps getting picked for that reason, and even though he has zero attack in him, he does allow for Webster to gamble on bringing in his future star backrowers

An excellent summary, particularly about Ford who absolutely is a gumby who stifles the attack (it gives me the shits when people try to find positives in his attacking game based on his numbers, like he isn't visibly ineffective) but no doubt is there because he is fit and mobile and can play big minutes.

I think we can all agree that winning is the most important thing. I personally just find the way we play hard to watch and hard to get excited about, but if this is what wins NRL matches in 2025 then so be it.
 

Manu Vatuvei

Coach
Messages
17,305
It's funny cos I feel like rugby league has lost some of its intrigue for me because at the top level there's not enough flair and avoiding errors is almost more important than being skilled and creative on attack. On the other hand, my other favourite sport cricket has lost much of its intrigue for me because there's too much flair and no-one bats properly (i.e. trying to avoid errors) anymore. I suspect the common denominator is me getting older and grumpier.
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
33,066
There’s never really a good time to be a Webster critic. If we are winning, we are winning. If we are losing, he had us winning in 2023
I think last year he and the team generally deserved criticism... with a demonstrably poor squad imo, we're doing suprisingly well atm, I don't think it can last, but they are committed and determined, especially on defence... although the Melbourne game was a reality check, and the table is pretty close atm aside from the Dogs
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
33,066
An excellent summary, particularly about Ford who absolutely is a gumby who stifles the attack (it gives me the shits when people try to find positives in his attacking game based on his numbers, like he isn't visibly ineffective) but no doubt is there because he is fit and mobile and can play big minutes.

I think we can all agree that winning is the most important thing. I personally just find the way we play hard to watch and hard to get excited about, but if this is what wins NRL matches in 2025 then so be it.
yeah, I think that's it - and if we were playing with more flair without tbh the requisite talent, we'd be making ridiculous errors endlessly and we'd all be grumpy... bring back fatigue via the old 80s substitution rules, and I think it's become more open (I'm getting older and grumpier too, love watching Williamson, and would love to see more bats like Kallis and Dravid)
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
41,179
, and the table is pretty close atm aside from the Dogs
….Nek minnit the team that we held to 6 points for 70+ minutes in the wet last week and beat puts 42 on the Dogs…

We may not be be flashy and I don’t think we’re going to win the comp but right now I like our chances of playing finals this year and not getting bundled out in week one. We’re capable of beating anyone, albeit we probably need to get the top few teams on an off day.
 

nswarrior

Juniors
Messages
1,409
Good test for Webby tonight! Big occasion, team feeling confident after last weeks win. Need to maintain the energy, hunger and aggression and not relax a little bit
 

Shaun Hewitt

First Grade
Messages
6,865
….Nek minnit the team that we held to 6 points for 70+ minutes in the wet last week and beat puts 42 on the Dogs…

We may not be be flashy and I don’t think we’re going to win the comp but right now I like our chances of playing finals this year and not getting bundled out in week one. We’re capable of beating anyone, albeit we probably need to get the top few teams on an off day.

The only team I can't actually see us having a chance against is the Storm. I'd be confident we'd give any other team a decent go. That may just be a bit of over confidence from the last fortnight or so creeping in.

I've been mighty impressed this season with our younger players, in particular Leka and Halasima. Can add Taine to that. To a lesser degree Ali, thought he started extremely well and now, perhaps he doesn't stand out as much but that's also not necessarily a bad thing as he isn't doing much wrong either.
Laban did well as well
 
Messages
11,412
And to think these boys lost 2-3 years of their development due to covid too.

Leiataua especially would've been 17-19 yrs old over those lock down years. Prime development time.
10000% this

Ive had constant debate with all the Aussies i run into that Covid killed our 1st grades chances by 3 years.
We need all the young grades playing week in week out against these Aussie kids

Good to see our HM team into another GF final as well. This week we hopefully go back to back
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,298
Webby followed my advice to ditch the little man bench obsession and look at the results, although if were missing Leka AND Halasima in a couple of those games I doubt we'd have got the W.

Anyway, credit to him for making the change, although I'm slightly suspicious it was Walker leaving enforced rather than by design.

The four horsemen: Halasima, Vaimauga, Laban & Leiataua.
Great juniors that will be around for years.
Considering it's the Warriors I generally fear we're going to lose a few of them, especially as three of them play the same position as our newly acquired young pommie dude.
 
Messages
10,058
The only team I can't actually see us having a chance against is the Storm. I'd be confident we'd give any other team a decent go. That may just be a bit of over confidence from the last fortnight or so creeping in.

I've been mighty impressed this season with our younger players, in particular Leka and Halasima. Can add Taine to that. To a lesser degree Ali, thought he started extremely well and now, perhaps he doesn't stand out as much but that's also not necessarily a bad thing as he isn't doing much wrong either.
Laban did well as well
So nice, you named him twice!

I haven't been as excited about a Warriors homegrown forward since Matulino.

In terms of Ali L, it's my opinion he's having to adjust to the left. He looked beast mode at times on the right, and seemed to be switched to accommodate Berry? I hope that changed when RTS comes back + DWZ. I would have Pompey ahead of Berry, on the left, and Ali/DWZ on the right.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
36,463
Considering it's the Warriors I generally fear we're going to lose a few of them, especially as three of them play the same position as our newly acquired young pommie dude.

I’ll be so pissed with the club if that happens
 
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