Best looking Warriors outfit ever... They'll win it all!

[Glen from the Mount]

No, they have had better squads in the past but if they can click like they did in the back end of last year then a top 4 finish is a possibility.

However, realistically I expect them to finish in the bottom half of the top 8, perhaps 6th or 7th.

 

[KiWi_BoI_15]

If Manly dont win it this year, ill be hoping the Warriors do.

 

[Shorty]

^They got it last year,can't be pleased can you!:lol:

 

[Johns Magic]

(let's be realistic here people who rate Storm or Eagles to get the premiership are lazy).

Or it's just genuinely what they think.

 

[Noa]

On topic this is the most complete squad the Warriors have had, especailly if they get Greg Eastwood. Sure they had some talented players in the past but they didnt have it upstairs.

And if you think this teams good they will only get better in the next few years

 

[Shorty]

Or it's just genuinely what they think.

Or they're lazy.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

1. McKinnon
2. Kemp
3. Tate
4. Ropati
5. Vatuvei
6. Fien/Moon
7. Jones
8. Rapira
9. Henderson
10. Price
11. Mannering
12. Matulino
13. Luck

14. Hohaia/Fien/Moon
15. Royal
16. Lillyman
17. ?? (Probably a prop, Packer, Ah Mau, Poching)

Barring any late signing of Eastwood, or injuries, that should be the team that starts off round 1.

Strong forwards, deadly backs, just need the halves to click.

I think Jones will go well. With the Warriors backline as it is Jones doesn't have to create much on his own. All he has to do is sum it up and take the right options, which is something the Warriors halves have lacked at times since he left. As long as Jones' mind is sharp he'll be very dangerous.

 

[Eels Dude]

Jury still out on the halves.

You're only saying that since Witty has been told he's unwanted at the club.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

They have a super squad this year. Releasing Michael Witt is a strong indication that they are going to pick up Eastwood as well imo.

Don't know that Jones will figure too heavily this year. I think they have picked him up more for insurance this year than anything else. I reckon in the halves it'll be more likely-

6. Moon
7. Fien

14. Hohaia

to start the year with Jones as a back up should this combination not click. It's great for the Warriors that Moon and Hohaia can both play other positions as well. The depth they have is enormous, especially if they pick up Eastwood as well. This team will be almost impossible to beat at home. I will be very surprised if they don't finish top 4 this year.

 

[Perth Red]

I hope they start strongly. With the Kiwis being world champs and a Warriors team sat on top of the NRL it could be a massive shot in teh arm for RL in NZ at a time wehn it needs it most. Would be great to see Mt Smart packed out for every game.

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

What do ya play there in your best Warriors lineup?

6. Fien
7. Jones

6. Moon
7. Fien

6. Ropati
7. Foran

6. Hohaia
7. Jones

There's a million and one choices. I'm not even including other obvious Warriors options there this season.

Ropo will never play 5/8 because he's too stupid for it

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

And I think they'll do well and start of strong, but as is their nature they'll have this bald patch somehwere in the middle where they can't win games, as usual get lazy and start going for individual glory, come on and end well and make sneak into finals but that is about it.

Why/ Because that's the trademark of the Warriors. Fale promises and always fall at that final stage somewhere

 

[Johns Magic]

Or they're lazy.

No, idiot.

 

[Bulldog Force]

If Kemp can bring his Broncos form across the Tasman, he'll be the buy of the year. Try-scoring whiz. Very under-rated. I'm glad he joined you guys.

 

[Iafeta]

Ropo will never play 5/8 because he's too stupid for it

Firstly, coming from you that's just hilarious. Talk about pot, kettle, black.

As far as being inconsistent, they have the 4th best record of any team (win-loss) over the past 3 seasons. It's a Wayne Pearce-ism of his Warriors calls, it's something that shouldn't be believed.

1 Melbourne 58-0-14
2 Manly 49-0-23
3 Brisbane 39-1-32
4 Vodafone Warriors 38-1-33
5 Parramatta 36-0-36
6 St George Illawarra 36-0-36
7 Cronulla 36-0-36
8 Canberra 35-0-37
9 Newcastle 35-0-37
10 Sydney Roosters 33-1-38
11 Bulldogs 33-0-39
12 Wests Tigers 32-0-40
13 North Queensland 31-0-41
14 Gold Coast 20-0-28
15 Penrith 28-1-43
16 South Sydney 23-0-49

Stats courtesy of http://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=24897 . Those figures are excluding their 2 wins 1 one loss record in last year's finals series.

IMO it will come down to if they can find a way to improve their away record. At home their record is very good, the only heckyll and jyde element of the Warriors these days seems to be when they get on and off an Air NZ aircraft.

 

[Marshall_magic]

As far as being inconsistent, they have the 4th best record of any team (win-loss) over the past 3 seasons. It's a Wayne Pearce-ism of his Warriors calls, it's something that shouldn't be believed.

They still come out and play a shocker too often for my liking. When they're on they'll beat anyone, but when they put in one of their shockers, they're dead set awful. I'm not saying that they have to be at their best every week, but the gap between them are their best and them at their worst is far too large.

 

[NIGHTMARE-HITTER]

Ropo will never play 5/8 because he's too stupid for it

God help us your still here - please Fu@k off

 

[2black2strong]

No, they have had better squads in the past

You haven't thought this through have you?

When have we ever had a lineup like we have now?

1. Wade McKinnon - best support player in the world, would be in top 5 fullbacks in the NRL.
2. Denan Kemp - Was top try scorer for a large part of last year, one of the classiest finishers in the NRL and looks to be a top goalkicker.
3. Brent Tate - Current Australian and QLD rep.
4. Jerome Ropati - Current World cup winning centre.
5. Manu Vatuvei - Officially titled, "worlds best winger" at the international awards last year
6. Nathan Fien/Joel Moon - World cup winning halfback or promising Junior Kangaroo.
7. Stacey Jones - Need I say more?
8. Sam Rapira - Current World Cup winning Prop.
9. Ian Henderson - Arguably the Warriors best player last year.
10. Steve Price - Current Australian and QLD rep. Would be in the top 3 props in the world.
11. Simon Mannering - Current World Cup Winning player, was officially the Warriors best in 2008
12. Jacob Lillyman - Current QLD rep.
13. Michael Luck - Has made more tackles than any other player in the NRL in the past 3 years.

14. Lance Hohaia - World Cup Winning Fullback
15. Ben Matulino - Warriors rookie of the year. NZ and Samoan WC squad member.
16. Russell Packer - Captain of the highly successul NYC warriors team and arguably the best up and coming prop in the NRL. Made 400 metres in final game last year.
17. Jesse Royal/Evarn Tumivave - One of the best offloaders in the game/ World cup winning squad member.





Now tell me any year we have had a squad that has matched this? 2002? We had players like Matt Jobson and John Carlaw filling in the 17 named every week. This year will be a dissapointment if we DON'T finish top 4, not many teams get a roster like this and keep it for more than the one season. This should be Prices last.

 

[GC_Gladiator]

Now tell me any year we have had a squad that has matched this? 2002? We had players like Matt Jobson and John Carlaw filling in the 17 named every week. This year will be a dissapointment if we DON'T finish top 4, not many teams get a roster like this and keep it for more than the one season. This should be Prices last.

The difference between 2002 and now was that back then stacey jones was the second best halfback in the world. Now his an older unknown quantity.

 

[NIGHTMARE-HITTER]

You haven't thought this through have you?

When have we ever had a lineup like we have now?

1. Wade McKinnon - best support player in the world, would be in top 5 fullbacks in the NRL.
2. Denan Kemp - Was top try scorer for a large part of last year, one of the classiest finishers in the NRL and looks to be a top goalkicker.
3. Brent Tate - Current Australian and QLD rep.
4. Jerome Ropati - Current World cup winning centre.
5. Manu Vatuvei - Officially titled, "worlds best winger" at the international awards last year
6. Nathan Fien/Joel Moon - World cup winning halfback or promising Junior Kangaroo.
7. Stacey Jones - Need I say more?
8. Sam Rapira - Current World Cup winning Prop.
9. Ian Henderson - Arguably the Warriors best player last year.
10. Steve Price - Current Australian and QLD rep. Would be in the top 3 props in the world.
11. Simon Mannering - Current World Cup Winning player, was officially the Warriors best in 2008
12. Jacob Lillyman - Current QLD rep.
13. Michael Luck - Has made more tackles than any other player in the NRL in the past 3 years.

14. Lance Hohaia - World Cup Winning Fullback
15. Ben Matulino - Warriors rookie of the year. NZ and Samoan WC squad member.
16. Russell Packer - Captain of the highly successul NYC warriors team and arguably the best up and coming prop in the NRL. Made 400 metres in final game last year.
17. Jesse Royal/Evarn Tumivave - One of the best offloaders in the game/ World cup winning squad member.





Now tell me any year we have had a squad that has matched this? 2002? We had players like Matt Jobson and John Carlaw filling in the 17 named every week. This year will be a dissapointment if we DON'T finish top 4, not many teams get a roster like this and keep it for more than the one season. This should be Prices last.

The Truth is the Warriors have never had a sqaud of this quality. Across the board that team is unbelievable. Alot of clubs will wonder how they got that under the salary cap. Add in the factor that they could still possibly sign Greg Eastwood - wow. Also rumours still exist Frank Pritchard could be on the cards also.

With the Amount of juniors they have coming through it feels like all of the sudden the Warriors have finanlly decided to arrive properly on the NRL scene. Apparently alot of kiwis are wanting to come home to the club also.