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

[Big Marn]

This is where Fus has mucked up the most.

i was talking about Aysh on the wing...

 

[Warriorsoul]

Is Gubb REALLY a starting prop?

 

[vvvrulz]

i was talking about Aysh on the wing...

lol, both points stand imo

 

[Big Marn]

Is Gubb REALLY a starting prop?

well hes certainly not there for impact off the bench... and no, as the answer to your question.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

but Daley is still right...and it worked

 

[Big Marn]

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.

anyone got stats on where SJ is with repeat sets forced. Last year at one stage he was leading the comp before we imploded at the back end of the season. He has noticeably been putting up a lot of bombs at the end of sets when maybe more grubbers would be the better option, as sending a bomb Kens way is just a complete waste of time and energy.

Granted, the closer to the red zone our forwards can get in their set of six would help with his kicking but i cant think what else they would be getting stuck into him about.

Plus he still has that annoying habit of kicking into opposing players when trying to grubber. He did it a lot last year and still seems to find opposing players more than he should, so far this year. Though if stats prove me wrong, im happy to be shot down on this.

 

[ozbash]

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

22 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO

HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

anyone got stats on where SJ is with repeat sets forced. Last year at one stage he was leading the comp before we imploded at the back end of the season. He has noticeably been putting up a lot of bombs at the end of sets when maybe more grubbers would be the better option, as sending a bomb Kens way is just a complete waste of time and energy.

He bombed to Ken last year as well which was predictably useless as Ken is not quick enough to get to the landing point to compete. Early last year when Tui was playing wing against the Roosters, he bombed it for Tui to compete in the air with Daniel Tupou! Johnson often grubbers well weighted chips but when it comes to bombs, he doesn't put much thought into it.

 

[WithTheDawn]

I'm sure SK is just messing with us now. Fus at centres with Ash on the wing...ffs. Put Fus on the wing already, he is a freak there!

Otherwise...good to see Tui dropped, he needs to find his edge again and has been average for awhile. Gubb in the starting lineup is amusing. Roache back is great, and Foran hopefully as well. This is a stronger team than we have had so far this year, but we will need to really pick up our game to start winning.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

He bombed to Ken last year as well which was predictably useless as Ken is not quick enough to get to the landing point to compete. Early last year when Tui was playing wing against the Roosters, he bombed it for Tui to compete in the air with Daniel Tupou! Johnson often grubbers well weighted chips but when it comes to bombs, he doesn't put much thought into it.

I wonder if much of that is force of habit through playing with Manu. Let's face it of Manu and Fus were the wingers you'd spend a lot of time going to the air.

 

[Mr Angry]

The Jason Taylor thing needs to happen...

Steve Price, John Cartwright, Stephen Kearney......

Great assistants.....assets, but not to be in charge overall.

That is for Stacey.

 

[Mr Angry]

You have the cattle required.

 

[Benek]

Surely Ayshford and Fusitua will swap positions?

Lino ahead of Hingano on extended bench? Likely neither will play, but if Foran not fit, then who?

Still can't believe Gubb is a starter.

 

[Meth]

Surely Ayshford and Fusitua will swap positions?

Lino ahead of Hingano on extended bench? Likely neither will play, but if Foran not fit, then who?

Still can't believe Gubb is a starter.

Does the order of the extended bench mean anything?

 

[MKEB...]

I am guessing Lino on bench as SJ pulled up short a couple of times on Sunday

 

[Benek]

Does the order of the extended bench mean anything?

Psychologically it seems to but in reality probably not. I would guess in generally those at the bottom of list are most likely to drop off, but I haven't looked at previous team lists to verify that at all.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I wonder if much of that is force of habit through playing with Manu. Let's face it of Manu and Fus were the wingers you'd spend a lot of time going to the air.

At the NRL level where everything is rush rush, some halves seem to have all the time and composure. Some halves premeditate and think about the past, the present and the future of their actions all really quickly. I think at times, Johnson just bombs to look decisive and just passes the buck on to his team mate as if to say 'well I did my part', when he can actually make it easier on them with simple considerations. For example, bombing for his shorter team mate to contest against a giant who could probably 360 dunk, is a Matt Utai/Israel Folau situation and will just make your team mate look inadequate which opposition could pick up on and exploit.

He's got a good in goal grubber and repeat sets are as good a momentum builder as quick play the balls. If he can mix up his kicking game like a DCE cross grubber or a Stacey Jones banana kick he can make his chasers look really good. Thats another thing - is the communication with his chasers, just like Cronk and Smith when they tell Slater where they'll kick. Or even back to the short vs tall man winger scenario - he can chip it so the opposition winger catches it near the sideline and tell his winger to let him catch it then tackle him out. So theres options for him to think about as a tactical kicker 30 or so metres out.

 

[gordynz]

Daley is right though, regarding SJ. We all know how good he can be but why do we hardly ever see it? Hes the most dangerous ball runner in the game yet he barely runs and when he does its when the games all over...

 

[WellsNZ]

Daley is right though, regarding SJ. We all know how good he can be but why do we hardly ever see it? Hes the most dangerous ball runner in the game yet he barely runs and when he does its when the games all over...

The running complaint is starting to become redundant. SJ looks much more willing this year, the princess SJ of last year fortunately looks to be a thing of the past.

Sure he has to cop some blame for his consistency in his career, but when you say why do we hardly ever see it, perhaps things like he plays on a team where Charlie f**king Gubb is a starting prop is a good place to find some answers.

 

[vvvrulz]

Daley is right though, regarding SJ. We all know how good he can be but why do we hardly ever see it? Hes the most dangerous ball runner in the game yet he barely runs and when he does its when the games all over...

That has happened a lot in seasons past, but this year he's been generally on the mark kicking game aside. With a more formidable half partner, a pack with a spine and hungry finishers he'd be a comp leader.