Team v Titans- where the hell do we go to from here?

[WellsNZ]

I was very critical of princess SJ last year but I don't see why people are piling on him this year. To me he looks much better this year and he's trying to make things happen but he's saddled with so much rubbish around him. At times it feels like it's pointless SJ creating anything anyway because no doubt one of team feet for hands will bugger it up anyway.

 

[vvvrulz]

The Dragons match was just an embarrassment, SJ created 4-5 chances out thin air and we butchered every one.

But you know nobody will be held accountable

 

[ozbash]

But you know nobody will be held accountable

Today's team will tell us just how serious Kearney and co are.

 

[Benek]

On SJ, I'm actually really pleased with his play so far this year, except his kicking game at times. There aren'y any halves that look great behind a pack getting dominated up the middle, yet even in those conditions Johnson has been looking dangerous and creating opportunities. Plus he seems to be getting over his fear of taking on the line. If the rest of the team would do their jobs, I think he'd be looking awesome this year. It's amazing how fans, commentators, and even coaches forget how much a good team makes average players look great, and a bad team makes great players look average. The Warriors are experts and making good players look average. The Storm are experts and making average players look good.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I just don't know how much more I can take.
I've been notably absent since the season kicks off.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...h/news-story/374f2b4d8180b3c2a49b260b09a9f51a

Laurie say drop SJ or bench him!
Has he been watching the games?

Daley was a great player who later became a good analyst of the game from which he landed the NSW coaching role. Since then, I personally think his analysis and his NSW team has been on the decline to the point where I think hes a phony that talked himself into the role.

Is Daleys idea to drop SJ an attempt to make SJ come back and play harder? He didnt explain the method to his madness. Daley did mention positional change, that could be something. Fullback perhaps, Hingano/Foran halves, RTS left wing with Kata...

 

[JJ]

Ironically there's not much to criticise atm, but Daley is still right in a general sense, SJ needs a slap and to wake up to himself - as a former Penrith fan I recall Gould doing that to Alexander - calling him out in front of everyone after a lethargic performance, I think then he shifted him to fullback for a couple of weeks, then made him captain (ahead of club legend Simmons) and shifted him back to #7 - and it worked

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The Dragons match was just an embarrassment, SJ created 4-5 chances out thin air and we butchered every one.

But you know nobody will be held accountable

Except SJ apparently. Can't believe one of the commentators on NRL 360 was saying he was the one who needed to change his game or be benched/dropped.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Ironically there's not much to criticise atm, but Daley is still right in a general sense, SJ needs a slap and to wake up to himself - as a former Penrith fan I recall Gould doing that to Alexander - calling him out in front of everyone after a lethargic performance, I think then he shifted him to fullback for a couple of weeks, then made him captain (ahead of club legend Simmons) and shifted him back to #7 - and it worked

No he doesn't. It's most of the rest of the team that need that.

 

[JJ]

No he doesn't. It's most of the rest of the team that need that.

Again I said 'in general' not specifically after the Dragons game

I just don't think we're much good TBH seems in some eyes talent and inconsistency are interchangeable

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Nah, Daley is so far off the money it's ridiculous. SJ has been a whole hearted trier, creating opportunities that no one wants to run with him on. Yes his kicking game is mud, but when your play the balls are slow, you're coming out of your own half a lot and generally the flow of the game is against you, is that fairly understandable?

You drop SJ, you're worse than the Knights. And he'll go somewhere else, say f**k these guys I'm copping heat no matter how hard I try. Dumb, dumb idea.

 

[JJ]

Nah, Daley is so far off the money it's ridiculous. SJ has been a whole hearted trier, creating opportunities that no one wants to run with him on. Yes his kicking game is mud, but when your play the balls are slow, you're coming out of your own half a lot and generally the flow of the game is against you, is that fairly understandable?

You drop SJ, you're worse than the Knights. And he'll go somewhere else, say f**k these guys I'm copping heat no matter how hard I try. Dumb, dumb idea.

I think what his comments represent is the fact that they actually seldom watch the Warriors, or give half a shit... I think the criticism is fair in general, but not at the moment. But I do think he needs to keep at it, and he should be very strong with some of the BS his team-mates are producing - the basics are appalling at times

 

[Penrose_11]

Something else I noticed a lot in Sunday's 1st half V Dragons was that on defence we'd get 2 in the tackle early but couldn't get the attacker to ground, then a 3rd tackler arrives and drives in low at the player but was actually driving them toward their attacking try line. Early in the game Paul Vaughan had a huge run that got a 2nd wind once our 3rd tackler arrived. This happened another 3-4 times soon after. There's lots of little technical things we're doing wrong. Unsure what we learnt in the off season, but we haven't improved. Maybe McFadden is still running our D??

 

[ozbash]

I don't think we are fit.

 

[Big Marn]

Vodafone Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney is optimistic Kieran Foran will be able to make his belated club debut this week after naming him at standoff for Sunday’s fifth-round NRL encounter against Gold Coast at Mount Smart Stadium (4.00pm kick-off; match day sponsor: SKYCITY).

A hamstring twinge in the team’s warm-up forced the 26-year-old Kiwi international out of last Sunday’s clash against St George Illawarra in Sydney.

However, Kearney said today that Foran is now in line to appear for his new club for the first time in front of his home crowd. If he is cleared, he will become Vodafone Warrior #217.

“Kieran felt a twinge in his hamstring and in the warm-up and it wasn’t worth the risk to play him,” he said.

“He had good power in the leg at the time and has responded well since. He’s making good progress.

“We’re certainly hopeful he will be able to play and will give him every opportunity to prove his fitness.”

In the reshuffle forced by Foran’s late defection on Sunday, Kearney moved Tuimoala Lolohea to standoff, centre David Fusitu’a to Lolohea’s spot on the right wing and 18th man Blake Ayshford into the centres.

Ayshford backed up from an 80-minute effort in the Vodafone Warriors’ Intrust Super Premiership side’s 21-14 win over Illawarra in Wollongong with another 80 minutes against the Dragons in what was his 147th NRL career appearance. The 28-year-old Ayshford has been named on the right wing today.

The starting pack named is the same as the one used against the Dragons.

The bench again includes Sam Lisone as well as James Gavet and Ligi Sao, who both had their first NRL outings of the season last weekend. In 43 minutes on the field, Gavet made 129 metres from 15 runs, Jacob Lillyman the only Vodafone Warriors forward to carry the ball more with 151 metres from 15 runs.

Named in the #14 jersey and in line for his first NRL game this year is the club’s 2016 rookie of the year Nathaniel Roache. The hooker impressed in his first game after a long lay-off when he played almost 60 minutes for the ISP side, making 111 metres from 12 runs, scoring a try and also coming up with 28 tackles and no misses.

Others on the extended bench are Albert Vete, Bunty Afoa, Mason Lino and Ata Hingano.

A feature of Sunday’s return to Mount Smart Stadium will be the chance members and fans will have to honour the remarkable Simon Mannering following his club record 262nd NRL appearance last week. A special presentation will be made to him after the game.

Centre Solomone Kata reaches his 50-game milestone this Sunday after starting his NRL career in the opening round of the 2015 season.

This will be the 21st encounter between the Vodafone Warriors and the Titans with the home side holding a 13-7 advantage in the 20 match-ups so far. The Vodafone Warriors have won the last three contests and 11 of the last 12 since 2011.



VODAFONE WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland

4.00pm, Sunday, April 2


VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)

2 BLAKE AYSHFORD

3 DAVID FUSITU’A

4 SOLOMONE KATA

5 KEN MAUMALO

6 KIERAN FORAN

7 SHAUN JOHNSON

8 CHARLIE GUBB

9 ISSAC LUKE

10 JACOB LILLYMAN

11 BODENE THOMPSON

12 RYAN HOFFMAN

13 SIMON MANNERING

Interchange:

14 NATHANIEL ROACHE

15 JAMES GAVET

16 SAM LISONE

17 LIGI SAO

18 ALBERT VETE

20 BUNTY AFOA

21 MASON LINO

http://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2017/03/28/_your_team_foran_nam.htm

 

[Big Marn]

no tui. penny finally dropped.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Ayshford on the wing? I thought Fusitua played well on the wing. We only stuffed up one bomb through Maumalo but at least Tui wasnt on the other side to stuff up the other bombs Fusitua was defusing all night.

 

[vvvrulz]

Ayshford to wing to insist Fus is a centre.
Stupid but ok.

Rest is fairly predictable, finally Tui earned his chop

 

[Big Marn]

Ayshford to wing to insist Fus is a centre.
Stupid but ok.

Rest is fairly predictable, finally Tui earned his chop

if he makes sensible decisions on D, does his share of runs out of dummy half, im ok with it. They may swap fus and aysh around during the game depending on the situation.

 

[vvvrulz]

if he makes sensible decisions on D

This is where Fus has mucked up the most.