Team v Bulldogs

[sup42]

Huge game into the bye. We have to play the Dogs in our 2nd to last game of the season, as well, so figuring out how to unlock them is pretty vital.

I haven't watched the Dogs this year, what sort of side are they? Pretty decent to be running 5th after a plodding season last year

Watched the Dogs too (Agree with @Thatwasnthighref about their play).They use the same right side set up we did under SJ. Except Crichton is the target in the way Berry is not so much, Crichton is on fire, standing and offloading, flick passes, burning guys on the outside, winger races in corner.

On their left they stack big fast units like Kikau and Xerri who just hit the hole off a flat ball and good night. It will be very entertaining with our side playing quite similar in your face direct League. Pompey becomes pretty critical, almost unfair to ask anyone to do a Job on a behemoth like Crichton but that is what is needed. Grabbing him is one thing, stopping the fancy offloads and flick passes is another thing entirely.

Obviously the Dogs have a lot more speed out wide than us, but our best assets in our fast forwards and fast passing are not easy to plan against either. We will need to be really good.
I love that people kept saying the Dogs are going well, good on them, but they won't make the eight. And anyone backing them for the eight being laughed at. No ones laughing now, they certainly deserve it more than we do atm.

Obviously their defence is a lot heartier, no ones given them the horror hidings of recent seasons. Their form against top four sides shows they have a lot of potential:

Dogs beat Melbourne. The Storm revenge match saw the Storm scrape home by 2 points.

They beat the Roosters.

Last week they won over the top four Sharks (Cronulla only beat them by a try and a goal the first matchup this year).

Penrith only beat them by 6 their first meeting in 2024.

They are the definition of a dark horse.

 

[Leber]

Hopefully extra time last week will have taken it out of the doggies.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Been listening to the levels podcast this morning, they mentioned they asked Josh Curran about the differences between Webster and Ciraldo, and he said there is pretty much no difference, they both use the same defensive system so he found going to the Dogs very easy to settle into

 

[sup42]

Been listening to the levels podcast this morning, they mentioned they asked Josh Curran about the differences between Webster and Ciraldo, and he said there is pretty much no difference, they both use the same defensive system so he found going to the Dogs very easy to settle into

Thanks.
Makes sense hey, same school. Both coaches have significantly improved the defensive elements of the Dogs and the Warriors respectively.

Richard Agar the Super league coach and 1st assistant to Webster runs our defensive arm, but the model will be straight outta Compton AKA the PenRiff.

Agars is a good former head coach in his own right, I wish he got more air time in Warriors media coverage, as a straight talking Northern Englishman he is a good listen and does not hold back information about the Clubs strategy.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I wonder if that lends credence to the suspicions some of us have about Curran’s departure being more about personality/off field stuff than “didn’t fit the game plan” excuse.

 

[hitro]

 

[nswarrior]

View attachment 90498

Unchanged 17 from last week. I suppose why change a winning team but I can’t see us beating the Bulldogs at home. Surely Tuaupiki deserves a run to offer some pace and create some opportunities

 

[sup42]

I wonder what happened to Moala on the extended? Must have been out performed this week by Ali in the coaches eyes.

Both are good players with futures ahead of them, the coaching staff do need to keep both motivated with these extended bench nods, which are really just telling you who is playing hardest and training hardest in the Reggies.

Big step for Leka Halasima the wunderkind forward to make the NRL list in any capacity.

He is moving up then in their plans. He is very young so will be some time off making the NRL no matter what his raft of admirers want.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Sounds like RTS is going to start playing wing this weekend

 

[Meth]

Sounds like RTS is going to start playing wing this weekend

if so, I hope that means Leiataua to the centres, not Montoya.

Not sure this week is the best week to do that

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

if so, I hope that means Leiataua to the centres, not Montoya.

Not sure this week is the best week to do that

Yea agree; the Dog's edges are probably not the ones to try new ideas against.

Like the idea of RTS getting more ball on the wing and he was obviously a gun there for the Roosters, but that was all on the right side which suited his left foot step and beating markers with minimal room.

I dunno how he'd go on the left? But if it doesn't suit him, then he's just another yardage carry workhorse.

 

[nswarrior]

Yea agree; the Dog's edges are probably not the ones to try new ideas against.

Like the idea of RTS getting more ball on the wing and he was obviously a gun there for the Roosters, but that was all on the right side which suited his left foot step and beating markers with minimal room.

I dunno how he'd go on the left? But if it doesn't suit him, then he's just another yardage carry workhorse.

An expensive winger

 

[SpaceMonkey]

An expensive winger

Probably costing us less than DWZ

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Probably costing us less than DWZ

Reckon? Thought RTS came back on pretty good money.

Not that I heard anything specific, I only assumed it would've taken a good offer to give away the Japan route.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Reckon? Thought RTS came back on pretty good money.

Not that I heard anything specific, I only assumed it would've taken a good offer to give away the Japan route.

DWZ is one of our highest paid players, and one of the highest paid wingers in the NRL.
not sure on what RTS is on exactly but I’m assuming not prime fullback $

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

DWZ is one of our highest paid players, and one of the highest paid wingers in the NRL.
not sure on what RTS is on exactly but I’m assuming not prime fullback $

Really? shit I had no idea. I mean he's been good obviously (on attack at least) and I can understand being one of the top paid wingers across the comp, but feels weird for a wing to be one of the top earners within a club.

 

[Meth]

Really? shit I had no idea. I mean he's been good obviously (on attack at least) and I can understand being one of the top paid wingers across the comp, but feels weird for a wing to be one of the top earners within a club.

I think we got him as a fullback, oddly. On fullback money

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Think it was along the lines of him being on 800-900k at the Dogs, they wanted to move him on so chipped in at least half of that amount last year but his money is 100% Warriors this season and beyond

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I think we got him as a fullback, oddly. On fullback money

Ah yes I remember now… he joined in mid ’21 didn’t he? after playing mainly fullback for the Dogs that year, and when RTS had already announced he was switching.

Walsh was here and having a crack by then, but was obviously just a kid. DWZ may have been Plan A to replace RTS, with Walsh being the (at the time) moonshot Project X.

 

[ozenzud]

With a resurgent souffs, we are looking very sad on the table atm at 14th. Don't win this week, (a win being improbable) , and it really is, season over