Team v Dragons

[WellsNZ]

Ideally Ayshford is available what's his go?

I don't want to f**k with Fus on the wing He can be one of the very best wings in the comp leave him there and figure the rest out.

Between Ayshford, Gelling, even Tohu at centre there's options.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Media saying that there is a stomach bug going though St George and that McDonald did not front to training, neither did Tyson Frizell for a back issue.

With the right hydration the will be good by Friday. Now if it was Wednesday/Thursday it ran thru their camp, that's a different story.

 

[Mighty Ape Man]

Just hoping his 7 minutes last week aren’t indicative of him and it was nerves. From a physical stand point I think he’d be fine. Just hopefully can cut those errors out.

Hardly his fault. One game gets 5 mins. Next game 2 mins. Then 7 mins.

Don't know why we carry a back on the bench. Has someone in backline been carrying an injury?

 

[Mighty Ape Man]

Wow, I've been quite impressed with Hiku to be honest. Has had the odd missed tackle,

NRL.com stats

Most Missed Tackles
1st James Maloney (51)
2nd Peta Hiku (30)
3rd Mitchell Moses (28)
4th Johnathan Thurston (27)

Three of them are halves

Hiku has been good in attack but needs to fix up the missed tackles

 

[LeagueNut]

For everyone asking about Ayshford...

https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2018/04/15/injury-update-side-line-stints-for-kata-and-pulu/

INJURY LIST

Blake Ayshford | Back | TBC

Gerard Beale | Leg | Round 9

James Gavet | Hamstring | Round 8

Solomone Kata | Ankle | Round 9-10

Junior Pauga | Knee | Mid-season

Leivaha Pulu | Foot | TBC

Nathaniel Roache | Back | Season

 

[vvvrulz]

That’s turning into a long list.

 

[ozenzud]

Gotta leave the Fus on the wing. You can't take a bloke out of his most effective position and make him something else. Gelling is cover for forwards and backs on the bench. Pity Beale still out. In theory we have plenty of cover for centre but 3 are out injured.

Dragons centres are on fire so whoever plays there, better be a good defender.

 

[Iafeta]

NRL.com stats

Most Missed Tackles
1st James Maloney (51)
2nd Peta Hiku (30)
3rd Mitchell Moses (28)
4th Johnathan Thurston (27)

Three of them are halves

Hiku has been good in attack but needs to fix up the missed tackles

Definitely. In fairness though I expect halves and centres to be at the top of this list. In tighter you are covering smaller channels and it’s usually fairly predictable. Out wide your team can be short on numbers, back pedaling and the attackers have space to use.

He’s got to start using his shoulder though. He is a massive arm grabber. He’s probably better giving his opponent an extra step and then drive into the hip from the side, like a fullback on a long break will tend to try.

 

[Iafeta]

Hardly his fault. One game gets 5 mins. Next game 2 mins. Then 7 mins.

Don't know why we carry a back on the bench. Has someone in backline been carrying an injury?

He’s also a backrower. The way our team has been, we have had a lot of guys who rarely come off particularly in the back row. Even the likes of Jazz coming off the bench could probably go the vast majority of the game. So it creates an opportunity for backline security on the bench.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

NRL.com stats

Most Missed Tackles
1st James Maloney (51)
2nd Peta Hiku (30)
3rd Mitchell Moses (28)
4th Johnathan Thurston (27)

Three of them are halves

Hiku has been good in attack but needs to fix up the missed tackles

Its normal for halves to be up there for missed tackles because players run at them and they like to get in there. A centre however is surprising to say the least.

 

[JJ]

NRL.com stats

Most Missed Tackles
1st James Maloney (51)
2nd Peta Hiku (30)
3rd Mitchell Moses (28)
4th Johnathan Thurston (27)

Three of them are halves

Hiku has been good in attack but needs to fix up the missed tackles

Not great, I guess in Hiku's defence he's currently offering as much on attack as Thurston and Moses

But as said, they are halves, have many more touches per game etc etc... Maloney's missed tackles are poor, but my god he has been impressive for the Panthers

 

[Leber]

Gelling was awful last week, but I'm hoping that he plays better this week. We are in a bit of bother with centres: Beale, Kata, Ayshford out injured... Gelling playing like shit, Hiku a bad defender etc. I dont see the point in moving fus because he is a better winger than a centre. Plus, you dont want to upset the applecart by moving the right side about.

I'd begrudgingly go..
1 RTS
2 Fusitua
3 Hiku (learn to tackle bro)
4 Gelling (learn to not drop the ball bro)
5 Maumalo
6 Green
7 Johnson
8 Afoa
9 Luke
10 Paasi
11 Mannering
12 Harris
13 Blair

14 Tevaga
15 Papali
16 Lisone
17 Sao/Vete

 

[Hov]

I hear what people are saying about Hiku.

But im going to say a lot of his misses are beacuse of SJ. He jumps out of the line way to much and more often than not they still get around him with a pass. Therefore Hiku and the Fus get massively exposed. If you want an example check out Oates first try. Very bad structure defensively all over the show.

I still see Hiku doing some jersey grabbing which is completely on him. But that is my feeling on why his MT numbers are higher.

 

[JJ]

I hear what people are saying about Hiku.

But im going to say a lot of his misses are beacuse of SJ. He jumps out of the line way to much and more often than not they still get around him with a pass. Therefore Hiku and the Fus get massively exposed. If you want an example check out Oates first try. Very bad structure defensively all over the show.

I still see Hiku doing some jersey grabbing which is completely on him. But that is my feeling on why his MT numbers are higher.

That's part of it for sure, but he was horrible long before he became a Warrior

Think it's mikeob that suggested we might be starting another streak, just the wrong sort, in the other thread... the fundamental problems with the squad haven't gone away - and they are definitely fitter, but you wonder if they can keep it up... and goodness, I watched Kearney on NRL360 last night y'know, y'kow that reinforced y'know that he's really y'know got no idea y'know

He can't make a point, so WTF is going on - all I can conclude from hearing him speak is that this is either a fluke, or Smith and Corvo are the reasons

 

[Fufu Andronez]

6pm Friday! Perfect timing, finish work and get straight to the pub to see the lads bounce back.

Can't come quick enough

 

[Penrose Warrior]

That's part of it for sure, but he was horrible long before he became a Warrior

Think it's mikeob that suggested we might be starting another streak, just the wrong sort, in the other thread... the fundamental problems with the squad haven't gone away - and they are definitely fitter, but you wonder if they can keep it up... and goodness, I watched Kearney on NRL360 last night y'know, y'kow that reinforced y'know that he's really y'know got no idea y'know

He can't make a point, so WTF is going on - all I can conclude from hearing him speak is that this is either a fluke, or Smith and Corvo are the reasons

If he's not great in front of the media, I'm not too phased. It happens. Some guys are just much more comfortable in their team environment than the media. I saw nothing in the Warriors doco pre-season to suggest Kearney can't speak well in front of the group.

There's clearly coaching going on this year. We were flat on Saturday, I didn't see anything to suggest that was anything to do with coaching apart from mental if you want to go that way. But even that might be reaching.

I think there's a fair bit of knee jerking going on after Saturday. Just see how our run into the bye goes before we get too carried away a) with how good we were to be 5-0 b) how poor we are now at 5-1.

 

[JJ]

If he's not great in front of the media, I'm not too phased. It happens. Some guys are just much more comfortable in their team environment than the media. I saw nothing in the Warriors doco pre-season to suggest Kearney can't speak well in front of the group.

There's clearly coaching going on this year. We were flat on Saturday, I didn't see anything to suggest that was anything to do with coaching apart from mental if you want to go that way. But even that might be reaching.

I think there's a fair bit of knee jerking going on after Saturday. Just see how our run into the bye goes before we get too carried away a) with how good we were to be 5-0 b) how poor we are now at 5-1.

Yep, agree - at the end of the day we have to be pleased with where we are at - but the media etc are huge on how the Dragons, Warriors, Tigers are certainties for the playoffs the Cowboys, Eels are gone etc - or at least the Eels are - at the end of the day there are 2 points between the Eels and Cowboys, and 8 between us and the Cowboys - there are some loaded squads mid table (Storm Roosters), some aging superstars there, and obviously Thurston hasn't played in a long time, and he and Morgan have yet to work out what to do...

The Dragons, Tigers, and Warriors have too much recent history to be pronounced playoff certainties yet, but all are showing good signs - whether the intensity can be maintained is up for debate and injuries are unpredictable

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yep, agree - at the end of the day we have to be pleased with where we are at - but the media etc are huge on how the Dragons, Warriors, Tigers are certainties for the playoffs the Cowboys, Eels are gone etc - or at least the Eels are - at the end of the day there are 2 points between the Eels and Cowboys, and 8 between us and the Cowboys - there are some loaded squads mid table (Storm Roosters), some aging superstars there, and obviously Thurston hasn't played in a long time, and he and Morgan have yet to work out what to do...

The Dragons, Tigers, and Warriors have too much recent history to be pronounced playoff certainties yet, but all are showing good signs - whether the intensity can be maintained is up for debate and injuries are unpredictable

I totally agree with that. But I also understand why the media go as hard as they do in one direction, whether it is 'Team X is incredible' or 'Team Y sucks and will get the spoon etc'. We (rightly) see the media as sensationalists...but at the end of the day a headline of 'Retired NRL star says we should wait and see if this team is any good or not' gets no clicks. The headline 'The Eels are bound for the spoon, possible player revolt' gets heaps. It's public-led. The public loves gossip, they love to react - with love or anger - to what is in the media. It explains someone like Phil Rothfield, who is a Class A bottom-sniffing paparazzi grub. But people react to his stuff so he stays relevant. Same as Mark Watson, who is probably the biggest f**kwit in the global media landscape (fair achievement that). Mark can't even string words together but Radio Sport keep him because he incites opinion and emotion in listeners, that someone reasoned and intelligent does not.

I wouldn't write the Cows off at all, too much class in their club to do so. The Eels, I'd be quicker to - once again a club falters with cancer Hayne in their system. It's happened too many times to be a coincidence. We're already hearing that Moses stormed out of a training because he was pissed off at Hayne going through the motions.

And yeah, the history of the Drags, Tigs and us says not one of those clubs are in the finals until it's confirmed. We know that the NRL is about talent but it's also about mental application and sustainability (as well as luck with injuries). Anyone's fortune could and will change month to month.

 

[JJ]

VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
8.00pm, Friday, April 20, 2018

VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 PETA HIKU
4 SOLOMONE KATA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 BLAKE GREEN
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 ISSAC LUKE
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 SIMON MANNERING
12 TOHU HARRIS
13 ADAM BLAIR
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 SAM LISONE
16 ALBERT VETE
17 ANTHONY GELLING
18 CHRIS SATAE
20 MASON LINO
21 ISAIAH PAPALI’I
22 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD

HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY

Kata named... miraculous recovery, or bullshit? Vete in 17 too, and Gelling still there...

 

[vvvrulz]

Kata's back, dafuq?

I don't mind seeing Vete back but Papalii > Gelling.

I don't have a problem with Gelling as such, but after that shocker he needs some proper game time with the reggies.