Off Season 2024/25

[Shaun Hewitt]

1. RTS
2 Vatuvei
3 Hape
4 Toopi
5 Hoppe
6 Johnson
7 Jones
8 AFB
9 Fien
10 Price
11 Lautiti
12 Mannering
13 Campion

14 Hohaia
15 Wiki
16 Harris
17 Barnett

__

Side unrelated note.
I do miss the days of Paleaasina, Tookey, E Tuimavavue. Big fellas who knew how to return a football. Leagues changed, so these types of players aren't suited to todays game, but Paleaasinas kick returns were a thing of beauty. Tookey, with the crowd going 'TOO' everytime he ran with the ball.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Side unrelated note.
I do miss the days of Paleaasina, Tookey, E Tuimavavue. Big fellas who knew how to return a football. Leagues changed, so these types of players aren't suited to todays game, but Paleaasinas kick returns were a thing of beauty. Tookey, with the crowd going 'TOO' everytime he ran with the ball.

Hell yea man… the ones who get excited today about Leniu off the back fence would lose their shit over Paleaaesina.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Rumour - Sharks offering Mulitalo to the broncos

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

It's a pitty Faumuina didn't carry the form he had, I think it was in 2002, or 2003. I recall (bare in mind, this is over 20 year ago now) that he too was a bit of an off-load machine, complemented Lautiti really well

 

[Matua]

1. RTS
2 Vatuvei
3 Hape
4 Toopi
5 Hoppe
6 Johnson
7 Jones
8 AFB
9 Fien
10 Price
11 Lautiti
12 Mannering
13 Campion

14 Hohaia
15 Wiki
16 Harris
17 Barnett

__

Side unrelated note.
I do miss the days of Paleaasina, Tookey, E Tuimavavue. Big fellas who knew how to return a football. Leagues changed, so these types of players aren't suited to todays game, but Paleaasinas kick returns were a thing of beauty. Tookey, with the crowd going 'TOO' everytime he ran with the ball.

He played 28 matches in three seasons and not all of them were at centre. Not sure what criteria he's been selected on.

 

[JJ]

Peak Matulino was over 150 matches.

strange that people seem to be overlooking how good he was for how long, both as a backrower and a prop...

automatic choice imo

 

[Penrose Warrior]

strange that people seem to be overlooking how good he was for how long, both as a backrower and a prop...

automatic choice imo

Yeah and I'm at fault here, I just remember him being really disinterested at the back of of his career and that's obviously (wrongly) coloured my view.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

He played 28 matches in three seasons and not all of them were at centre. Not sure what criteria he's been selected on.

TBH, it was out of 3. Ropati, Tate and Hape.

Position wise, well I put Johnson at 5/8th so I haven't been 100% on positions anyway.

I think thinking of longevity with Hape. I seem to remember him playing for the Kiwis longer (which he did until 07). Albeit, that's not for the Warriors - and looking into it now, it was even after he finished up with us - Memories of 20 years ago isn't so clear! Had a decent step, defensively pretty strong and had a decent boot on him too

I went with him over the other 2 because Ropati I felt was hot and cold, and I remember him getting injured quite a bit. On his day, he was excellent, but he frustrated the heck out of me sometimes.

Tate I might be unfairly comparing his time with us, compared to how he was at the Warriors. He was great for us for sure and I can certainly understand why he (and Ropati) have been selected in others teams.

 

[Matua]

TBH, it was out of 3. Ropati, Tate and Hape.

Position wise, well I put Johnson at 5/8th so I haven't been 100% on positions anyway.

I think thinking of longevity with Hape. I seem to remember him playing for the Kiwis longer (which he did until 07). Albeit, that's not for the Warriors - and looking into it now, it was even after he finished up with us - Memories of 20 years ago isn't so clear! Had a decent step, defensively pretty strong and had a decent boot on him too

I went with him over the other 2 because Ropati I felt was hot and cold, and I remember him getting injured quite a bit. On his day, he was excellent, but he frustrated the heck out of me sometimes.

Tate I might be unfairly comparing his time with us, compared to how he was at the Warriors. He was great for us for sure and I can certainly understand why he (and Ropati) have been selected in others teams.

It's your team, so all good, and as long as you don't go Kata I'm happy. Hape is the one who got away, could have been great for us but seemed to leave too early.

TBH, the more I think about I think I might go Vagana, I know that we mostly think of his time overseas but he did have three pretty good years for us.

But it's weird how we don't have standout centres. A guy as average (I know he has a fanbase here) as Berry has already clocked up 40+ appearances for us. And we have a bunch in the mid 50s who are again not much more than average.

I think I went with Hiku in my theoretical team for his ability to put his wingers away. Imagine him feeding Hoppe.

Johnson doesn't make my team, not a 6 or bench player and not better than Stacey at 7.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Yeah and I'm at fault here, I just remember him being really disinterested at the back of of his career and that's obviously (wrongly) coloured my view.

Yea likewise.

That said, while I know he played backrow coming through, he played the majority of his first grade games upfront so that's how I looked at him - and prop is one position we've been really really well served in over the years.

As much as I liked him (and I really did rate him, especially early on), I'd struggle to ultimately rank him over Price, Wiki, AFB, Jerry and Joe Vagana.