Pacific Cup 2024

[Blair]

The jersey:



The jersey is by Classic and is old school. The only patch I could find is the one I've ironed on it. It's long-sleeved. I was wearing it to the final next week.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Well played MMT, deserved the win. AFB and Taumalolo were immense in the first 30 especially.

If they can repeat that effort they’ll give the Roos a good run, but they’ll need to figure out how to keep the momentum going when their two main men get spelled.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

I was wrong in backing the legend as a coach.
Stacey is not a good coach. That is all.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Tonga winning just seals a shit 2024 for NZ Warriors and Kiwis for me.
2025 is not looking better.

 

[Blair]

I was wrong in backing the legend as a coach.
Stacey is not a good coach. That is all.

Is he still hanging around the Warriors?

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Is he still hanging around the Warriors?

I am uncertain. Blairy being around is enough

Knights move is good for all of NZ.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Tonga winning just seals a shit 2024 for NZ Warriors and Kiwis for me.
2025 is not looking better.

Kiwis will be much better next year if they get their full complement of players.

NAS and Leota will stiffen up the middle even more; Hughes, Brown and Smith/JMK completely change the spine dynamic and Nikora will add genuine threat on the edge.

Biggest issue will be in the coaching box cos unfortunately Stacey is not a head coach. I can’t see him getting flicked or stepping down though, so dunno how NZRL are going to fix the mess they created.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Can we just go back to a normal old fashioned haka ?

Don’t know if there is anything in it, but all the big boppers that put so much into the pre match performance were awful for the 20mins after it

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Kiwis will be much better next year if they get their full complement of players.

NAS and Leota will stiffen up the middle even more; Hughes, Brown and Smith/JMK completely change the spine dynamic and Nikora will add genuine threat on the edge.

Biggest issue will be in the coaching box cos unfortunately Stacey is not a head coach. I can’t see him getting flicked or stepping down though, so dunno how NZRL are going to fix the mess they created.

Oh, I understand that our Kiwis squad was weakened due to injuries and the long season.

Australia is also missing key players.

Tonga will be lucky to be competitive against the Australians in the final

The coaching is where I am worried. Stacey left Sorensen on way too long and I questioned Riki being dropped. Riki made a mistake last week but played good other than that.

 

[Blair]

Can we just go back to a normal old fashioned haka ?

Don’t know if there is anything in it, but all the big boppers that put so much into the pre match performance were awful for the 20mins after it.

I'd often think the Kiwis were all haka and no football, when we'd capitulate to the Kangaroos over many years.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I’m prepared to give Stacey more of a crack at it. I didn’t expect us to win either game with the squad we had, and we were competitive, without being overly flash in either game. Tonight in the first half, not sure I put that down to coaching, the senior players like Fish and Tapine were terrible and error after error was made

I remember back to Maguires first year, and we lost 3 out of 4 to England

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Tonight in the first half, not sure I put that down to coaching, the senior players like Fish and Tapine were terrible and error after error was made

Could be wrong here, will need to watch a replay to see for sure.. but did it seem like the Kiwis deliberately played on the edges more in the first 40? Seemed like Fish especially was passing at the line a lot more than I’ve seen him do before.

If so, that was definitely a coaching call - a shit one at that - and explains why Tapine and Fish were anonymous till their second stints in the second 40 when the team was finally playing more direct.

 

[Blair]

The elephant in the room might be the crowd. It was like a home game for Tonga, a sea of red.

There might not be much of an NZ crowd next week either, as it's a plate final but under the same expensive ticket as the final.

 

[hitro]

it was like watching the Warriors v the Warriors

 

[sup42]

Can we just go back to a normal old fashioned haka ?

Don’t know if there is anything in it, but all the big boppers that put so much into the pre match performance were awful for the 20mins after it

That haka is teets.
It is like a bunch of little kids screaming.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

We are so going to miss AFB next season at the Wahs.
He bends the line where as JFH doesnt

Big loss

 

[Big Marn]

what do the Kiwis and the England rugby team have in common?

Answer: They both miss dropgoals in the last minute to win a game.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I hope Australia beat those pathetic cowards 100-0 next week, but the universe hates me so “Tonga” aka the Aus/NZ exhibition 13 probably win it all.

f**k Tonga and f**k every piece of shit who supports them.

You have to ask yourself why they have chosen Tonga over Kiwis?
To me the NZRL seems to be a continual shit storm of incompetent decision making and the appeal/offer of playing for Kiwis is not appealing to those that have a choice and feel a closer connection to Tonga, Samoa etc.
I can't list all the stuff ups but recent memory in no particular order.

Sacking Madge when no need.
Appointing Stacey over Bennett.
Kidwell as head coach.
The level of professionalism in the camps in previous years (clubs complaining about players condition on return).

I'm sure more with deeper memories could add to the list.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

You have to ask yourself why they have chosen Tonga over Kiwis?
To me the NZRL seems to be a continual shit storm of incompetent decision making and the appeal/offer of playing for Kiwis is not appealing to those that have a choice and feel a closer connection to Tonga, Samoa etc.
I can't list all the stuff ups but recent memory in no particular order.

Sacking Madge when no need.
Appointing Stacey over Bennett.
Kidwell as head coach.
The level of professionalism in the camps in previous years (clubs complaining about players condition on return).

I'm sure more with deeper memories could add to the list.

For all the younger ones now, big factor is they can have their cake and eat it too currently, in regards to Origin

Promote Tonga to where they should be, Tier 1, and then let’s have a look at it

Personally as soon as Maguire took the Origin job, I immediately said he couldn’t do both, so I can’t bag them for that

 

[JJ]

We are so going to miss AFB next season at the Wahs.
He bends the line where as JFH doesnt

Big loss

Yeah, different sort of prop - IMO, he and Paas are the two best in the game atm...

That said, if you lose him, JFH is elite too, and offers different strengths - big loss for Penrith too