Potential signings for next season

[Meth]

Dont really know much of Gubb but we i rekon we need to find us a 60min + prop. Tolman wouldv been perfect, not that we woild eve have got himt. Someone in the Price mould though. Leads by example n does the hard yards when needed.

How about we play Matulino for more minutes and see how we go?

 

[Penrose11]

I was thinking similar. He was a second rower in his early warrior days if what means anything. Maybe train him a bit differently for a bit more endurance. Sounds easy.

 

[jaseg]

Yep, we are totally fine at prop. Ridiculously stacked. And hooker IMO also (Friend is way ahead of the rest but Leuluai is a great backup, plus Havili and anyone we keep out of Mara/Godinet) is alright. Reasonably happy with centre and fullback (but wouldn't say no to a BIG signing in either position, particularly if it's fullback allowing Locke to play 6). Back row isn't too bad but could do with an addition, we still need a good winger and a half wouldn't go amiss.

In an ideal (erm, fantasy) world we'd go out and sign something ridiculous like Lyon, Tomkins & SBW - but that ain't happening. I'd be happy with 2-3 signings;

Tomkins(as a fullback)/Hodkinson/Carney/Sam Williams/Keeping Godinet and moving him to 6
+
Bukuya/Symonds/Costigan/Crocker
+
Bryson Goodwin/Kevin Naiqama/Chase Stanley/Tom Briscoe


I'm probably still dreaming...

 

[Penrose11]

Goodwin is a goal kicker as well. Pretty sure he's been playing centre for souffs last few weeks as well. We've lost a few games this year where a kick or two could've made all the difference.

Still think either our props need a real f'n rocket and start playing to their ability werk in and week out or we get us 1 or 2 that will. In a couple of our previous games our front rowers cant even make 100m. Isn't that a pre rec these days for a 40 minute prop?

 

[jaseg]

We use a 4-prop rotation (not all teams do), drop the ball more than most (not just the props) and quite often have less possession than our opponents. I'm not THAT worried about some fairly arbitrary benchmark for individual metres with the props atm - but yeah, they do need to lift to some degree.

 

[Iafeta]

I was thinking similar. He was a second rower in his early warrior days if what means anything. Maybe train him a bit differently for a bit more endurance. Sounds easy.

Steven Price played a lot of second row earlier in his career.

 

[Penrose11]

Who was our last nuggetty forward who we could rely on to bust a tackle n score or to get the offload away? I dont meen the Mateo style of dance around them and get the ball away but actually up the middle and break the tackle. I'm talking players like Gallen, Dave Taylor, watmough, sbw, alex glen, burgess etc. Is it as far back as Lautiti? Akuma Tai was maybe the type but was shown the door by Bluey (I think). Henry, Mannering, lillyman, packer, lowrie just dont do it anymore if ever.

We need some dynamic ballplayers up front. Not just the hit it up types we have currently. Defences are now to tight across the board to just hit it up until 5th tackle.

 

[MKEB...]

Lauaki, was the last forward that I can remember like that before Taai.

 

[tangalife]

Who was our last nuggetty forward who we could rely on to bust a tackle n score or to get the offload away? I dont meen the Mateo style of dance around them and get the ball away but actually up the middle and break the tackle. I'm talking players like Gallen, Dave Taylor, watmough, sbw, alex glen, burgess etc. Is it as far back as Lautiti? Akuma Tai was maybe the type but was shown the door by Bluey (I think). Henry, Mannering, lillyman, packer, lowrie just dont do it anymore if ever.

We need some dynamic ballplayers up front. Not just the hit it up types we have currently. Defences are now to tight across the board to just hit it up until 5th tackle.

This is my problem with letting Mateo go. For _YEARS_ we were crying for a ball playing back rower, some ppl forget that. Once Mateo goes we have NIL creativity up front. Our props are hit and go players and our back rowers are tackle bots.

Mateo was the exact person we needed for years, since Ali. It was probably the biggest flaw in our game, even worse than our halves combinations over the years.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Lauaki, was the last forward that I can remember like that before Taai.

Pretty much. Shame he only really had a 3 month spell where he was consistent.

 

[hitman82]

Haha, everybody on here hated on Lauaki and Ta'ai non-stop for their discipline issues and inconsistent form. Funny now we have no equivalents, a lot of people complain that we lack big angry forwards and such. Personally, I think every team needs at least one legit maniac.

 

[Aragorn]

We just need a coach that can teach forwards how to draw, pass and maybe do a little chip kick. its really not that difficult to learn and forwards arent as dumb as they look. Hassler managed to do it with Kasiano and Pritchard so i dont see why Elliot cant do it with the likes of Mannering, Talyor or Henry.....

 

[Iafeta]

Haha, everybody on here hated on Lauaki and Ta'ai non-stop for their discipline issues and inconsistent form. Funny now we have no equivalents, a lot of people complain that we lack big angry forwards and such. Personally, I think every team needs at least one legit maniac.

Both players had ordinary work rates, poor handling, and gave away cheap penalties.

For the odd bump and tumble run, neither was worth it. Lauaki had one sensational game against the Roosters in '08 from memory, but was generally extremely ordinary.

I for one am not unhappy neither player is at the Warriors. I will be unhappy if we lose Mateo. He is a point of difference in that in form he can pass well before the line (pity no one is doing the Maloney job and running the right line), and he can also set up a break off an offload. THAT'S something that none of our other forwards do well.

 

[Penrose11]

I wasn't implying that I wanted either player back or necessarily rated either Lauaki or ta'ai but was really asking who was our last real tough forward who'd roll up their sleeves in do the hard ysrds but yet could be relied on to bust the tackle and get the pass away.

In the current style of football the NRL is at present, with the defences of the top 4 or 5 teams being so tight, it can be these tackle busts and offloads etc that can b difference in a game. This is what I was getting at. We just don't seem to have these types of players at the moment.

 

[Iafeta]

I agree. Matulino hopefully is given a bit more free reign to look at offloading. He can bump through the centre of the field, but would be so much more effective at holding up defenders if he started slipping offloads. Sam Rapira used to have the ability to skittle them in the middle, but I think his injuries have hampered him significantly.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

I agree. Matulino hopefully is given a bit more free reign to look at offloading. He can bump through the centre of the field, but would be so much more effective at holding up defenders if he started slipping offloads. Sam Rapira used to have the ability to skittle them in the middle, but I think his injuries have hampered him significantly.

Sammy Rapira pre injuries was an absolute beast. Hopefully a full year of no injuries plus a problem free pre season can get him and his confidence back there.

 

[Iafeta]

I recall Braith Anasta I think it was in the press saying that Sam Rapira is the toughest guy to tackle because he's always bumping and driving through tackles, and he's built like granite. That was after the Warriors knocked the Roosters out in that semi at Mt Smart, the one where Ruben Wiki gave Sia Soliola a headache or two.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

What's the situation with Lama Tasi? He looked the goods last season and is nowhere to be seen this year,would love to see us have a crack at him.

 

[playdaball]

What's the situation with Lama Tasi? He looked the goods last season and is nowhere to be seen this year,would love to see us have a crack at him.

Won't cross the Tasman (got in before official club quote comes out).

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

I recall Braith Anasta I think it was in the press saying that Sam Rapira is the toughest guy to tackle because he's always bumping and driving through tackles, and he's built like granite. That was after the Warriors knocked the Roosters out in that semi at Mt Smart, the one where Ruben Wiki gave Sia Soliola a headache or two.

I remember that. I think Anasta was repeating what Nate Myles said to him because Myles got bumped off twice in that game by Sam.

Sunday footy show maybe.