Season 2025 Changes I'd like to see.

[Wheeled Warrior]

With the finals now looking out of reach this season, I'd like to create a thread to ease the disappointment we've felt throughout 2024. Here are some changes I'd like to see for the Warriors in the 2025 season.

1. Metcalf to halfback. (SJ to retire.)
2. RTS moves to fullback.
3. CNK moves to 5/8. (Running half with good linkage play.)
4. Mitch Barnett remains captain, Tohu still in leadership team but he will be playing his last season.
5. Roache starting hooker. (Egan to retire.)
6. CHT is our utility interchange #14


7. Lineup 2025:

01: RTS.
02: DWZ.
03: Leiataua.
04: MGT.
05: Tuaupiki. (gk2)
06: CNK.
07: Metcalf. (gk1)
08: JFH.
09: Roache.
10: Barnett. (c)
11: Niukore.
12: Capewell.
13: Harris (vc)

14: CHT. (gk3)
15: Ford.
16. Halasima.
17. Laban.

8. Better attaching variation, especially fifth tackle plays.

9. More communication to improve team cohesion on attack and defence.

10. Defensive line speed to improve.

11. Webster to trust our youngsters more and select form over experience players.

I can see a few people disagreeing with SJ and CNK/RTS changes, however I cannot fake how I feel what should be.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Sorry MGT and Leiataua are not there yet, and 2 rookie centre showed tonight how defense falls apart so easily.
Berry been very solid till injured and Pompey was holding his own.

The rest can seem logical but don't see Webster buying into RTS at fullback, requires admitting being wrong. Not sure on many top coaches egos handling that.
I keep hearing them say fullback is a young man's spot now days (then they say Tedesco is a freak).

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I'd like a don't play injured player policy and maybe a NSW Cup game if returning after more than 6 weeks off?

 

[nswarrior]

With the finals now looking out of reach this season, I'd like to create a thread to ease the disappointment we've felt throughout 2024. Here are some changes I'd like to see for the Warriors in the 2025 season.

1. Metcalf to halfback. (SJ to retire.)
2. RTS moves to fullback.
3. CNK moves to 5/8. (Running half with good linkage play.)
4. Mitch Barnett remains captain, Tohu still in leadership team but he will be playing his last season.
5. Roache starting hooker. (Egan to retire.)
6. CHT is our utility interchange #14


7. Lineup 2025:

01: RTS.
02: DWZ.
03: Leiataua.
04: MGT.
05: Tuaupiki. (gk2)
06: CNK.
07: Metcalf. (gk1)
08: JFH.
09: Roache.
10: Barnett. (c)
11: Niukore.
12: Capewell.
13: Harris (vc)

14: CHT. (gk3)
15: Ford.
16. Halasima.
17. Laban.

8. Better attaching variation, especially fifth tackle plays.

9. More communication to improve team cohesion on attack and defence.

10. Defensive line speed to improve.

11. Webster to trust our youngsters more and select form over experience players.

I can see a few people disagreeing with SJ and CNK/RTS changes, however I cannot fake how I feel what should be.

That team could challenge for the wooden spoon for sure!! Slow in attack and defence

 

[JJ]

Not sure why Egan would retire…

Agreee on RTS, centre and halves remain a problem though…

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Have to say, I wouldn't be keen on a CNK/Metcalf halves combo. There isn't a lot of structure and game management there.

I'm feeling like Roger should be the fullback, but there's a lot I don't know holistically about that position. It'll be very hard to find a spot for CNK, as it is, to be honest, for Roger.

I think the best fit might be for Egan and Roache to share the 9 duties. Lussick offers little, and Egan has fallen off a cliff since he re-signed/since early season

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Have to say, I wouldn't be keen on a CNK/Metcalf halves combo. There isn't a lot of structure and game management there.

I'm feeling like Roger should be the fullback, but there's a lot I don't know holistically about that position. It'll be very hard to find a spot for CNK, as it is, to be honest, for Roger.

I think the best fit might be for Egan and Roache to share the 9 duties. Lussick offers little, and Egan has fallen off a cliff since he re-signed/since early season

You’re right, Metcalfe hasn’t shown any game other than his running game, passing is mediocre and kicking is average

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Have to say, I wouldn't be keen on a CNK/Metcalf halves combo. There isn't a lot of structure and game management there.

I'm feeling like Roger should be the fullback, but there's a lot I don't know holistically about that position. It'll be very hard to find a spot for CNK, as it is, to be honest, for Roger.

I think the best fit might be for Egan and Roache to share the 9 duties. Lussick offers little, and Egan has fallen off a cliff since he re-signed/since early season

I feel RTS is being played out like Holmes for Cowboys. He came back bigger and a bit slower from another code after playing fullback, It's seemed to come good year 2, but now Holmes can test the open market.

 

[Scott]

Massive off season of solid coaching required. Improvement is required by every single person in the squad, across every aspect of the game. Basics like kicking, catching & passing especially.

 

[Matua]

You’re right, Metcalfe hasn’t shown any game other than his running game, passing is mediocre and kicking is average

Yeah, I'm wondering what @Wheeled Warrior sees in Metcalf's game that he thinks he can play 7. His strength is running off a 7 and if he hadn't have got injured this year that may have been worked out by defences like everything else the Warriors do has been worked out this year.

 

[Izz]

We need to bring back more second phase. I know often Panthers and Storm are thought of as really structured, but they actually both do a great job of keeping the ball alive. Some of the stuff the Storm does is just unreal - Hughes and Munster are both instinctive players working within structure but who've been given license to also play what they see.

We also need to make sure guys like Leka and Laban are actually part of the game plan, not just there to make tackles, take 3rd tackle hitups, and run decoys. Leka played 33 mins against the Eels, according to nrl.com, but only ran the ball 3 times. And not because he wasn't looking for work, but because the ball consistently went elsewhere.

MGT not ready to be a regular FG centre yet, imo. Berry and Ali for me. MGT might go okay on the wing.

Big no to Tuaupiki on the wing. He'd get outjumped and outmuscled 9.5 times out of 10.

Also don't think Metcalf can play 7, though I get the feeling that's where Webby wants to play him. I guess we haven't really seen him given the chance to run a team but everything about him suggests a running five-eighth, ala early James Maloney, except without a long kicking game.

Egan still our best option at 9. Much as I like Roache, I don't feel like he'd last a full season in FG, and I also don't think he quite has the skillset to be a regular NRL hooker.

I think RTS will be better next season, but where to play him is a big question. I don't think there's room for both him and CNK in the team, but I also feel like shifting CNK to centre won't work as his value comes from his huge workrate at the back (I also kinda feel like he'll throw his toys if he's asked to permanently move from fullback). I'm not sure I buy the talk that CNK is a better defensive organizer than RTS, but I don't really have anything to go on there other than gut feel.

I really want Maiu'u to be given a real shot at FG. Also think Ale's been unlucky this year to not consistently be on the bench. I don't hate on Ford as much as some do around these parts, but while he had a big role to play last year, we have plenty of forwards now who can play big minutes, so he doesn't really have a place in the team going forward, imo.

The above being said, I actually feel like Webby doesn't really understand how impact works. He likes guys who can play 60-80, but if you give guys like Niukore a brief to go out and there and put everything into a couple 20-minute stints, i feel like we'd see a lot more from them.

 

[Blair]

I want them hitting the dunes extra hard, from December to February.