Team v Sharks

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Kosi FFS

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Anyone see any interest in CNK to centre, that it might be a 'lets look and see'? Or just a case of TT at the back is more preferable to them than CNK there and MGT at center

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Anyone see any interest in CNK to centre, that it might be a 'lets look and see'? Or just a case of TT at the back is more preferable to them than CNK there and MGT at center

Initially thought the same, but probably more TT can't play centre.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Initially thought the same, but probably more TT can't play centre.

True...but MGT can, even if they seemed to write him off after the Eels loss. They obviously saw something in him there when he got skinned that he wasn't up to it. Probably more so that they see TT as a more dependable option. Conspiracy theorists might go down the 'CNK to centre, 2025' route, but who knows

 

[Big Marn]

True...but MGT can, even if they seemed to write him off after the Eels loss. They obviously saw something in him there when he got skinned that he wasn't up to it. Probably more so that they see TT as a more dependable option. Conspiracy theorists might go down the 'CNK to centre, 2025' route, but who knows

Wouldnt give up on MGT just yet. I think it was more his hands let him down at critical momentum swinging times in that game.
Subsequently hes played light out the last 2 Cup appearances. Still raw but the potential to be a good NRL player is there.

 

[JJ]

I'd be blooding the youngsters tbh, if they have the talent - if they can't handle the roughness when will they? No pressure as season is gone, and already going well at lower levels...

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Wouldnt give up on MGT just yet. I think it was more his hands let him down at critical momentum swinging times in that game.
Subsequently hes played light out the last 2 Cup appearances. Still raw but the potential to be a good NRL player is there.

Nah I'm a fan. I think it was seen that he was defensively exposed against the Eels, and as we know there's only one way to improve that...well two, train but most importantly play and get experience.

I would have gone CHT at 1 and MGT at centre, but I appreciate Webby is seeing more than me, has the picture for NSW Cup etc.

Does anyone know how Halasima is going in NSW Cup? I know guys in our back row chew up big minutes, but we need to get this guy in the fold somehow. Beasts like him just don't come along.

 

[Meth]

From the little I've seen, I'm keen to see how Graham-Taufa goes on the wing.

 

[Blair]

Kosi FFS

If we meet at a NSW Cup semi it will be 'Kosi FFS' that day too!

 

[sup42]

I'd be blooding the youngsters tbh, if they have the talent - if they can't handle the roughness when will they? No pressure as season is gone, and already going well at lower levels...

I would do the same but unfortunately there is this tension between doing that and using the games to try to get senior incumbents to better execute the game plan that likely will form the basis of 2025's campaign.
Our Juniors can handle the collision side of the NRL, the cup has plenty of bruisers and a number of our juniors like to put big shots on in cup.

The problem is the defence in terms of reading the more complicated plays. We saw that versus the Eels where they basically laid on set plays to attack MGT and Ali. Unfortunately (I think a lot of fans missed this point) the plays themselves were brilliant and the execution was as good as I have seen. You could argue that those plays they hit MGT and Ali with would rip open any NRL center, and that the Eels could play ten or more games and not be able to pull them off as well.

Just unfortunate imo that they created the perfect storm, hats off to them, much damage done to our development program.

I posted this somewhere else but the bigger issue in that game was having two new centers rather than one.
This therefore did not allow for the Warriors to somewhat watch one weak spot and to intentionally load that side (CNK should have chosen a side and been the extra man on that side for one Center, therefore the players around the other Center could be on extra be aware status to protect their side).

Without the fullback having the smarts to at least lock down one side of the field we ended up letting them hit both sides at will.

 

[sup42]

Looking forward to seeing Dimitric get another shot. The challenges for him are staying on the field through the threat of injury and or a send off.
He is an angry violent man. Was it the Newcastle bench that he walked past when he was sent of and told them to get F'd as he strolled past glaring at them?
I forget which team it was but he is a firebrand and a real intimidation guy. I think the Warriors should buddy him with JFH next year, make them Roomies on tour, teach him to channel aggression and look after his body better.

 

[sup42]

Anyone see any interest in CNK to centre, that it might be a 'lets look and see'? Or just a case of TT at the back is more preferable to them than CNK there and MGT at center

I think there is something to this.
Up until now CNK has been dictating that he is here to play fullback only, a declaration that I personally never like hearing out of players mouths.
I am one of those old school folk who believes in team first, individual players second. I never liked Johnsons attachment to that seven jersey when frankly before he developed his kicking game at the Sharks he was a ball running six wearing the seven.
Fans of SJ will cry foul but I say bugger off because legends of the NRL for almost his entire career all had the same criticism of him, that he did not know how to control a game. So I am not alone in that assessment, but hey props to him, the Sharks forced him to become and organizer at the threat of dropping him from the team, something the Warriors would never dream of, which is how they enabled the incompletion of him as a player in the many years they pandered to his whims.

So CNK who was dropped to the NSW cup with his career on a lifeline saying that he signed here to play fullback only was a bit rich in my estimation. Ín my working life in prisons and special high secure hospitals, as i rose to management and becoming a specialist, I had this mentality that I would keep changing the linen bags, mopping the floors, emptying rubbish bins in front of the people that called me sir. I resent status and hierarchy for hierarchy's sake because it is anti team, and I firmly believe that demonstrating service is the most powerful way to influence all units of a team mechanism.

Which is why I identify with Roger Tuivasa Sheck. His selflessness and sacrifice, his humility and drive to better those around him put CNK and the Johnsons of the world to shame.

Anywho CNK being put at center runs counter to his demands and Websters declarations that he will only be fullback. It signals a sea change in Websters thinking, and I think gives CNK an over due reality check, hey mate, you are on hundreds of thousands of dollars you will god dam play where the club says.

I read comment that this is about Taine not being able to play Center. While that may be true, Montoya can play Center, so it is not the reason CNK is being shifted in my estimation. My read is CNK is being shifted because Webster is changing his process and re evaluating his absolutes....which is what fans want right? fans keep berating Webster for being Kearney like being fixed in a failed system in which case this change is significant because lets remind ourselves it is a change that last year was unimaginable, CNK for fullback was the first pick of that season, no one would argue with that.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Nicoll-Klokstad’s centre switch not permanent, despite RTS’ shadow on No 1 jersey

The Warriors fullback debate isn’t dying down as the season ends.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I wonder how much of this wanting to play a particular position comes down to $$ and player managers. Everyone wants fullback or halfback money.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I wonder how much of this wanting to play a particular position comes down to $$ and player managers. Everyone wants fullback or halfback money.

I haven’t followed every interview but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Charnze himself come out and say he must play there, who knows behind the scenes though

 

[TheDMC]

I haven’t followed every interview but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Charnze himself come out and say he must play there, who knows behind the scenes though

Same. He doesn't seem like that type of dude, more like a real team player.

I've been a big fan of his (even when at Canberra) and he has generally been solid this year (when not injured) but I might be done with him as a fullback. I want to see some pace and elusiveness in the number 1, not a workhorse.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I haven’t followed every interview but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Charnze himself come out and say he must play there, who knows behind the scenes though

Nah, he's not that guy. He's too professional for that. Or so I think.

Same. He doesn't seem like that type of dude, more like a real team player.

I've been a big fan of his (even when at Canberra) and he has generally been solid this year (when not injured) but I might be done with him as a fullback. I want to see some pace and elusiveness in the number 1, not a workhorse.

Might be a good point, maybe Charnze at FB is good when there's pace and effective ball playing elsewhere in the spine, but otherwise we lack that incisive running and ability to bust through a line that we'd get with prime Roger, and some of these jets that are coming through elsewhere in the NRL.

 

[Big Marn]

Dont care much for the officials for our game.
Chris Butler who is basicaly a bunker puppet and the bunker is Grant Atkins who always treats the players like they just defecated on his doorstep an hour before the game.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I honestly just think CNK is playing centre because our top 3 centres are out and Webster thinks this is the strongest team available (i.e. he rates Tuaupiki higher than MGT). Remember CNK played 6 against the Panthers, so it's not a hard and fast policy that CNK must be fullback. I think the policy is just that when he and RTS are both available, CNK is first choice fullback and RTS is first choice centre.

I'd love to believe Webster is being flexible but looking at the rest of the team, nah - he's still just picking what he thinks is the strongest line-up.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I feel sorry for CNK tbh. I think he's basically played the same as last year (I imagine the stats would show this) and he's being criticised because the team sucks.

All effort, high work rate FB in a good team - "He's exactly what we need"
All effort, high work rate FB in a shit team - "We need more spark"

I have little faith that we take a quantum leap forward on the "spark" front with a 31-turning-32 RTS next year either