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Knights v Warriors game chat

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
35,742
a trial is a trial, but my thoughts-

Much prefer Fisiiahi to Locke- at least Fisiiahi looks like he wants to be there and shows great promise as a support runner. If we are going to take a punt on a young fullback, let's take the punt of him.

Inu must not play centre. And I'm not comfortable with him on the wing either.

The young guys looked great- Fisiiahi, Godinet, Mara

Moon definitely should partner Ropati in the centres.
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
29,125
I thought Berro looked okay, engaged the markers well and got the Warriors moving from the ruck. Passing game is still a little loose but that's always been his style, defensively, he was as strong as he ever was.

Mixed performance by the Warriors, a lot of mistakes but plenty to look forward to, especially in the forwards. Brown was easily the stand out of the bunch but looking deeper Gavet looked lively reguarly towering over his opposition players granting him offloading opportunities. There was a few others but their names escape me.

Fish was good in support, certainly out enthused Locke.

Godinet was promising in attack, probably too small to play first grade though, that try by Houston served as an important reminder of that.

Didn't like what I saw from Locke, Inu or Mateo. Hopefully they pull their fingers out.
 

Fast Eddie

First Grade
Messages
8,085
I thought Mateo was impressive and is going to add that spark we missed a lot last year. Can't wait to see him action during the season. How good would Fish be running of his offloads, instead of our fullback standing out in the backline like a 2nd 5/8th.
 

Warmess

Juniors
Messages
870
Was impressed with Moon, Godinet, Fish, Mara, Mateo as well as the whole front row really. Was really not impressed with Inu.

Mara has really bulked up it seems, few times I thought I saw Ta'ai at dummy half, lol.

Trying not to take too much away from it, being a trial and all. However, it looks like the same old issue of getting into their 20 and.......yeah.

Still, I think there's promise there, given the right team takes the field each week.
 

mean_maori_mean

Juniors
Messages
2,251
Warriors should donate a lawnmore to the coast.
The ground condition would have hampered the game a little also.

Not a big fan of moon but he looked much more dynamic than usual.
Seems to be in better shape as usually he carries a little puku.

Thought taylor, gavet played with plenty of intent.

Houma should be persisted with for sure.
He is giant and still relatively mobile/fit and just imagine what a few more months as a professional footy player will do to him.

Remember it took ta'ai a while to come good. I think houma could be a weapon in FG by end of the year. He is only 20/21 too.

NOT a big fan of the four L's.
Lilyman, Luck, Lattimore & Lousi.

Lattimore is too weak as is luck.
Lilyman alright as a bench prop - but think that might be taken by taai, houma.

Lousi is getting better but too middle of the road - decent defender, average runner, little ball skills. However he is young.

Persist with Inu in the trials. He is hit and miss player but more footy and coaching he gets the better he is going to get.

Everybody keeps bagging heremaia but easily got more skill than berrigan and mara put together.

Berrigan still bloody strong defense and running.
However not impressed with the ball work out of dummy half- though the long grass.
wouldnt of helped lol.
 
Messages
607
Fisiiahi has to start somewhere...anywhere please, the guy looks hungry and I'm sure he'll be a key player come round 1.

Godinet impressed me also.

Mateo played well, Inu is STILL Inu...

Moon had a good game.

Wasn't impressed we let them catch us but meh, we did ok for a first hitout.

And yes that jersey design is just yuck.
 
Messages
100
I thought it was a good hit out, Was impressed by Mateo. Moon had a good game in the centres, Inu seems so casual and missed tackles really cant see a place in the team for him. I thought Mara totally outplayed Berrigan and with Heriemia starting hooker i cant see a place for him either. A couple of the young forwards made some good runs but i didnt see anything that would put them in front of the forwards last year. Im tipping Lillyman to have a big year, and Brown looks solid. Luck has tried his guts out for us for a long time but i think we would be stronger with Brown Mannering and Mateo as second rowers and lock with Tai coming of the bench, Seymour and Maloney in the halves. Just my opinion
 

Martli

Coach
Messages
11,564
Pretty much felt the same way as everyone else: Moon, Mateo, Mara, Godinet, The Fish; all had pretty solid games. Man Inu was rubbish. Berrigan was good before he knocked his head, was posing a lot of questions at dummy half.

I'm wondering if our best halves paring might be Mateo and Maloney? Putting Mateo at 6 might let us make better use of our 2nd row stocks.
 

Fast Eddie

First Grade
Messages
8,085
I thought Seymour played pretty good yesterday though, defended very well and made that good line break and a decentish kicking game. I think our best option atm is Mateo at 12. I would have him at 13 but can't see Luck being displaced.
 

Iafeta

Referee
Messages
24,357
I wasn't overly impressed by us, but I temper that with the fact that it was obviously a heavy ground, it's very early in the trial phase, and really to me the whole thing was more about the 6k or so sitting in the stands and lining the embankments around the ground than the game itself. The two clubs players will forget this as a match within months, this game will live in West Coast history for a very, very long time to come. I know as a West Coaster myself I had a tear in the eye to see the park like it was, to see some great people surrounding the ground, and the true rugby league pioneering spirit of the Coast out in force to try and find solace from the game in the face of just a horrendous tragedy. I couldn't be prouder of everyone involved.

So before I give any thoughts on the game itself, I want to firstly congratulate and thank the Warriors, the Newcastle Knights, the West Coast Rugby League & Peter Kerridge, and all the volunteers rugby union players included who made this happen. It was good to see the union boys commemorating the spirit of the Michael Monk, one of the West Coast reps, by ensuring the park was ready. And what an effort just to get it ready, it was basically relaid after the trial was announced. Add in a big volume of rain in the interim and the fact that its all basically volunteers with a bit of council assistance and a thoroughly outstanding effort.

As for the game itself...

Boys are going to have to fix up their play-the-balls. Cost them, big time.
Inu's defence... appalling.
Fisiiahi played great, Locke made some good cover defending tackles though, but just didn't get involved with the ball enough
Moon outstanding
Mateo involved and smart
Godinet reminds me a bit of Preston Campbell, great acceleration off the mark and bobbing up at the right place at the right time
Mara made a massive difference in at dummy half
Taylor and Henry got burned in the centres
Where was Upu Poching? Injured?
James Gavet went well in limited time
Houma looks physically impressive, hands let him down though
Steve Rapira still a good defender, not sure of his impact ball in hand
Luck got owned for running like a pussy
Last 10 minutes was a concern - was it mental or physical fatigue?
Seymour had a couple of good moments but generally our last play options were poor
Berro was quiet, linked well in Tupou's try though

Best on ground for me was Moon, followed closely by Godinet. Moon for me nearly cemented his centres position. He looks to have gained a bit of speed which was his only real concern for me. Ones to be nervous would be Locke and Inu, the Fish is bearing down on them both for that wing spot.
 

LeagueNut

First Grade
Messages
6,980
Ones to be nervous would be Locke and Inu, the Fish is bearing down on them both for that wing spot.
Just on this point - lots of people have said that Locke hasn't fulfilled his potential because he's being played out of position. Would Fisiiahi suffer from the same thing if he was played on the wing?

Either way, if "The Fish" makes it as a first grade regular, we'll have to find someone else to give the nickname of "Chips". :crazy:
 

Micistm

Bench
Messages
4,470
Anyone see me there? I was the shortarse idiot in a plastic poncho taking photos like a nutcase! Sister, wife & niece with me, disappointed a couple piked out cos they were scared of the weather. Which behaved itself almost like clockwork through the game.

The game was fun. Can't read anything into it whatsoever, both sides rusty and really in chillout mode
 

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