Off Season 2024/25

[Beavers Headgear]

lol absolutely hilarious, another club has been stupid enough to take a punt on Lodge, Dragons have him on a train and trial deal. Slight chance in stance from turning down a new contract because he was worth more than what was on offer

 

[JJ]

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I was well on board until #17 bahaha… I’d be looking more for a big middle, Seuseu perhaps, maybe even Barnett…. Or if you want errors and aggression I think I’d probably take Jazz over Monty…. Luck, Guttenbeil, even Platt, Vagana, Villisanti etc…. Guess I never got Monty….


9 is interesting too, Marsh perhaps?

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

TMM is a funny one for me because while I wasn't overly impressed by him last season, there's no denying that the team as a whole was more successful when he was at 7. Some aspects of his game are pretty clunky (and I still worry about the lack of a proper long kicking game) but somehow his presence seems to lead to points. In particular, he seemed to have the knack of taking the right options when we were attacking inside the 20 (which stood out like a sore thumb given SJ was having an all-time bad season in terms of setting up tries in "good ball" situations).

I struggle to see us being a top 8 team with the halves options we have but I can't really go past TMM as the first choice at 7.

I also hope that these journo-named teams omitting Halasima are wrong. If I pretend to be optimistic for a moment, one thing that could improve us this year is big seasons for some of our youngsters, who hopefully add more attacking threat on the edges - I'm particularly thinking about Leiataua and Halasima here.

Whilst TMM does have some good option taking I would say Dylan Walker had a big part of making it look better on our attack when he played at lock. I like TMM but still unsure on whether he is the guy. The club are thinking the same too as they still haven't offered him a new deal yet. Who knows perhaps Boyd (Shudders) may become that guy we need under Webby. A big if though.

You are dead on with Halasima and Leiataua being a big part of scoring some points with our average halves options we got currently.

 

[Big Marn]

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Ropati cant be in our top 2 centres surely?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Ropati cant be in our top 2 centres surely?

JRo will forever be a warriors legend for beating Greg Inglis cold to set up the winning try in that 1v8 semi vs Melbourne.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Dylan Browns manager offering him to the Wallabies as well

 

[hitro]

Ropati cant be in our top 2 centres surely?

Brent Tate??

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Dylan Browns manager offering him to the Wallabies as well

Didn't I see him quoted yesterday or some time (quote was from 2020) that he really wanted to be an AB?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Update on the Lodge situation, Dragons put him through a medical and offered him a train and trial deal, he said he wants a top 30 deal, so Flanagan has said see ya later

Apparently he had a deal lined up with the Rabbits but that fell through, Bennett is a good judge of character

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Didn't I see him quoted yesterday or some time (quote was from 2020) that he really wanted to be an AB?

Probably just his agents seeing if there's still room on the Suaalii gravy train. Be surprised if Brown seriously considered the Wallabies.

Wouldn't mind seeing him give union a crack though, I reckon he'd make a very good 15.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Not a bad side really!

Think I'd probably start Campion ahead of Tohu.

As harsh as it is, I'd probably drop Betham out, and bring in Barnett honestly. With Tohu able to cover lock, and Hohaia as a utility who can do hooker, I feel having another prop in there would be better.

I'd also consider Hape over Ropati, and I'd love to open up a spot for Hoppe but arguments can be made for Meli and Vatuvei.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Was meant to quote the all time Warriors 17 post above

 

[JJ]

Not a bad side really!

Think I'd probably start Campion ahead of Tohu.

As harsh as it is, I'd probably drop Betham out, and bring in Barnett honestly. With Tohu able to cover lock, and Hohaia as a utility who can do hooker, I feel having another prop in there would be better.

I'd also consider Hape over Ropati, and I'd love to open up a spot for Hoppe but arguments can be made for Meli and Vatuvei.

how is it harsh to drop Betham - I find that selection astonishing...

Think I'd go with Tate at centre

Be interesting to do polls here as they do in the Penrith forum...

 

[Matua]

how is it harsh to drop Betham - I find that selection astonishing...

Think I'd go with Tate at centre

Be interesting to do polls here as they do in the Penrith forum...

Agreed.

Also, is there some recency bias with nominating Barnett? Better than say Joe Vagana in his overall Warriors career (for one example) or Sam Rapira or Jacob Lillyman or Seuseu? I don't think so ... yet. Edit: Scratch all that, Matulino should be in there.

I never warmed to Tate too much as a player but I would have him over Ropati. I was going to say it's weird we don't have many centre options outside of those three (and Nigel Vagana) but I've spent half a lifetime complaining about the Warriors playing 2nd rowers at centre. Hiku an option if you want the wings to score tries but the backrowers to do some covering tackles.

Luck would be the unluckiest (pun probably intended) player. But then again lots of good backrowers have missed out like Gutteinbal, Swann, Koopu, Kearney etc.

Agree, a poll would be interesting. If Kata gets chosen as centre I'm going to exile myself from this place.

 

[JJ]

Agreed.

Also, is there some recency bias with nominating Barnett? Better than say Joe Vagana in his overall Warriors career (for one example) or Sam Rapira or Jacob Lillyman or Seuseu? I don't think so ... yet. Edit: Scratch all that, Matulino should be in there.

I never warmed to Tate too much as a player but I would have him over Ropati. I was going to say it's weird we don't have many centre options outside of those three (and Nigel Vagana) but I've spent half a lifetime complaining about the Warriors playing 2nd rowers at centre. Hiku an option if you want the wings to score tries but the backrowers to do some covering tackles.

Luck would be the unluckiest (pun probably intended) player. But then again lots of good backrowers have missed out like Gutteinbal, Swann, Koopu, Kearney etc.

Agree, a poll would be interesting. If Kata gets chosen as centre I'm going to exile myself from this place.

Je lepers, Matulino and Lillman…. Of course!!!

 

[Penrose Warrior]

It's a really hard one...because do you take peak Ben Matulino, or do you take the one that lost form and eventually faded away to the Tigers? Lillyman was outstandingly consistent, but didn't have a POTY season like Barnett. But Barnett probably doesn't have the runs on the board yet. And peak Tate was better than Ropati, but only played 3 years to Jerome's 10+. I'd go the following:

1. RTS 2. Vatuvei 3. Tate 4. Toopi 5. Meli 6. Maloney 7. Jones 8. Wiki 9. Marsh 10. Price 11. Lauitiiti 12. Mannering 13. Luck 14. Hohaia 15. Lillyman 16. Campion 17. Harris

 

[Penrose Warrior]

AFB should probably be there over Lillyman, but Lillyman was a great club man and AFB caused too much shit, as wonderful as he is as a footballer

 

[Matua]

It's a really hard one...because do you take peak Ben Matulino, or do you take the one that lost form and eventually faded away to the Tigers? Lillyman was outstandingly consistent, but didn't have a POTY season like Barnett. But Barnett probably doesn't have the runs on the board yet. And peak Tate was better than Ropati, but only played 3 years to Jerome's 10+. I'd go the following:

1. RTS 2. Vatuvei 3. Tate 4. Toopi 5. Meli 6. Maloney 7. Jones 8. Wiki 9. Marsh 10. Price 11. Lauitiiti 12. Mannering 13. Luck 14. Hohaia 15. Lillyman 16. Campion 17. Harris

Peak Matulino was over 150 matches.