Great news! + fearless predicton

[Iron Lion]

The first trial is upon us, exciting times as the 2019 season gets close to kicking off.

Just want to let you guys know that I am really looking forward to pissing you off this season and you better prepare yourself for the Iron Lion roaring as Warriors march towards the finals.

My fearless prediction is for Tom Ale to become a first grader sometime in 2019 and bring a bunch of aggression and impact off the bench. I rate him a decent upgrade on Joseph Vuna and think you guys will be pleased when he gets given some game time. He sits between and Isaiah Papali'i and Jason Taumalolo in terms of talent. He is going to be a good one!

2nd fearless prediction is Kata will become a standout star and fan favourite. They have taken the time and built him into a robust tank for this season, he has more maturity and I think Kata is going to become an elite NRL centre in 2019. His combination with Maumalo, in particular, is set to deliver pain to the opposition with both packing on 111kg and 104kg of hard running robust muscle - try defending that over and over. Expect Kata to be a top 3 NRL Centre.

What's your fearless prediction? apart from me pissing you off too much.

Also of note, the boys are noticeably bigger - Kearney has a larger pack than last year. 2nd largest pack in the NRL and probably biggest overall team.

Isaiah Papalii - 108kg
Bunty Afoa - 111kg
Agnatius Passi - 114kg
Leeson Ah Mau - 111kg
Leivaha Pulu - 110kg
Ligi Sao - 109kg
Sam Lisone - 110kg
Chris Satae - 114kg
Tohu Harris - 112kg

Even the backs
David Fusitua 106kg
Ken Maumalo 111kg
Pita Hiku 101kg
Solomone Kata 104kg

We will look to dominate teams this year physically.

 

[Matua]

Got to give you credit for fearlessness! For prediction 2, he'd have to turn into peak Renouf/Daley/Meninga etc to become a fan favourite to me.

 

[Iron Lion]

Got to give you credit for fearlessness! For prediction 2, he'd have to turn into peak Renouf/Daley/Meninga etc to become a fan favourite to me.

Matua, Kata is going to peak this year! you watch he will be a ROCK for the Warriors this year.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

My main problem with Kata has been him being too much of a robust tank. I'd prefer to see more skill and brains than more muscle.

My biggest concern is the lack of out and out pace we have. We really don't scare anyone with speed and I fear that may hurt us.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Great news huh...

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Good to see some size in the pack this year. If they’re fit that’s about the sort of weights I reckon a top pack needs to be at to be properly competitive.

 

[VillaTheGorilla]

Wow....how does the players weight compare to last year's? I'm hoping this doesn't impact our fitness as that was one of our biggest improvements last year - at the 60/70 min we didn't run out of puff as we used to.

I've never minded Kata really. If he learned to draw and pass, and cut the brain explosions out he'd be more than decent. That's a big if though, And we have a few options at centre this year.

Brave prediction? We finish higher than last year even with the loss of SJ and co. That's as brave as I'll get

 

[Iron Lion]

My main problem with Kata has been him being too much of a robust tank. I'd prefer to see more skill and brains than more muscle.

My biggest concern is the lack of out and out pace we have. We really don't scare anyone with speed and I fear that may hurt us.

Your right but there is guys in around the squad with lightning speed. Ratuvada, Perham and Sosomea would all be classed as lightning quick. SK himself refers to Roache as a Ferrari.

Wow....how does the players weight compare to last year's? I'm hoping this doesn't impact our fitness as that was one of our biggest improvements last year - at the 60/70 min we didn't run out of puff as we used to.

I've never minded Kata really. If he learned to draw and pass, and cut the brain explosions out he'd be more than decent. That's a big if though, And we have a few options at centre this year.

Brave prediction? We finish higher than last year even with the loss of SJ and co. That's as brave as I'll get

Certainly, some players 3 - 5kg heavier than last year but the good news is the guys are every bit as fit as last season too. One criticism of our pack last year was that they were probably too much on the lean side and couldn't really bully other packs around though Afoa did his best to prove himself hard to handle as did Paasi at times. This year you can see the Warriors plan to send fire down the middle. Probably a play to counter SJ leaving, a reaction to the panther's finals debacle and offer our halves more stability in going forward.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Didn't someone say Tom Ale was a cluster f**k on defence? That's not a good thing to have attributed to you before you've even taken the step up to FG.

I still like Kata, I know he's been awful at times but I'm going to continue to back the club to make him better. I won't ever write a player off again after I could've put the house on Maumalo not being an NRL standard winger.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

From what I saw in the trial the forwards certainly look bigger this year. No sign of them being out of condition either which is good.

 

[JJ]

He sits between and Isaiah Papali'i and Jason Taumalolo in terms of talent. He is going to be a good one!
.

Without being disrespectful to young Isaiah who I regard highly there would be a pretty large number of NRL forwards sitting between him and JT, and 'talent' is pretty subjective

And no, Kata won't be in the top 3 NRL centres this year, and the talent pool at centre is pretty shallow

 

[waipiro]

I've never minded Kata really. If he learned to draw and pass, and cut the brain explosions out he'd be more than decent. That's a big if though, And we have a few options at centre this year.

Yeah i think you are right.....he is reasonable in defence and good with ball in hand. I think if he passed more at the right times he would be much more effective.

And i know people keep saying he is Kearnys pet but in saying that he keeps getting picked for Tonga so he must have merit.

In saying all that i think there could be a few changes at Centre this year......Herbert for Hiku?, Fus to center to open a wing spot for a young one?

 

[Rich102]

Yeah. Fus with Perham outside him could be lethal.

 

[Big Marn]

Yeah. Fus with Perham outside him could be lethal.

as long as perham can do handstands with the ball like The Fus.

 

[WellsNZ]

Please no taking Fus off the wing again.

 

[spear tackle]

Yeah. Fus with Perham outside him could be lethal.

I read this as "Fus with a perm" I need more coffee before going online I think.

 

[ozenzud]

Kata has to learn to pass before he will be a top anything. Maybe he should be a winger.....

If our team is bigger, maybe other teams will be bigger as well.

 

[Iron Lion]

Kata has to learn to pass before he will be a top anything. Maybe he should be a winger.....

If our team is bigger, maybe other teams will be bigger as well.

According to official 2019 listings, Warriors have had the biggest jump and are now the 2nd largest pack in the NRL with the average forward at 110kg. Cowboys are at number 1 with an average of 111kg. If I remember right the Broncos were around 107kg Average.

You could clearly see we were overall physically bigger than Storm in the trial with the exception of NAS. No surprise we held the middle ground and they couldn't get over the top of us.

 

[Hov]

According to official 2019 listings, Warriors have had the biggest jump and are now the 2nd largest pack in the NRL with the average forward at 110kg. Cowboys are at number 1 with an average of 111kg. If I remember right the Broncos were around 107kg Average.

You could clearly see we were overall physically bigger than Storm in the trial with the exception of NAS. No surprise we held the middle ground and they couldn't get over the top of us.

I like the fact we are bigger. But if we stick with our same bench rotstion policy as last year it means nothing. I think if we can get the right balance of middles on the field at the same time we will be fine and we will hold our ground well. Last year once we had Tevaga/Blair on at the same time we started to lose the middle battle.

Our first 20mins was pretty much spot on most weeks last year but it was the 20th minute when we rolled our subs that we lost the middle as our balance just wasn't right.

I didnt see all of the trial v Storm but how was Tevaga used? What is Blairs best position for us? Is he an edge or middle?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Your list in incomplete Mr Lion:

Burr - 103kg
Blair - 109kg
Tevaga -94kg

And our 3 hookers are all at 93-94kg which I imagine is pretty typical for the position.

Still your quoted average is about right, 110.6kg and second equal with the Storm.

I note that the team list now has Blair listed as a back rower, not a prop.