The comp leaders (Warriors/Saints)...how far will they go?

[super_coach]

Dragons should keep going pretty strong all year, but could take a hit around SOO as I see Hunt,Vaughn,Debelin and Frizzel all being a real chance of selection. Warriors on the other hand I think may hit the wall when the grind kicks in, but after seeing them thrash the Chooks you have to think they could slip under the radar

 

[Vic Mackey]

I know it’s stating the obvious considering they’re the 2 undefeated teams but atm both are miles ahead of everyone else.

I don’t think the Dragons will fade like previous years as they’re a much more balanced team. Biggest issue for them will be when injuries come, they’ve had a full strength 1-17 4 weeks in a row which is pretty crazy.

Warriors winning is great for the game. The saying Souths fans made up about themselves is crap, the one team which when winning benefits the game more then anyone is the Warriors. Not just for the game in NZ but there are kiwis everywhere. The crowd and atmosphere at the roosters game looked awesome on tv. Next week is the double header in Auckland which should be a sell out.Hope they keep it up.

 

[umina panther]

St Merge have very average backs. They aren't winning when it counts

 

[Iafeta]

It’s too early to proclaim this as the dawning of a new era. However I am enjoying my club for the first time in 6 or 7 years, so a massive shout out to all the Warriors fans who stuck through this. I know there are some here who have never experienced a drought like this - let me tell you, it’s emotionally draining to the point of apathy where you start to think there is never a light at the end of the tunnel and you dread the workplace water cooler chat.

For those saying we haven’t beaten anyone. We beat the comp favourites at their home ground by 24 without Shaun Johnson and Simon Mannering amongst others. Last year I reckon if you had James Gavet out it’d have doom and gloom. As for them being poor, the Warriors put a lot of pressure on them, hit hard and scrambled for each other. We haven’t won without Shaun since 2014.

Also consider our travel. Perth, Auckland, Canberra, Sydney. There’s a lot of home games to come yet. There’s an Origin period to take advantage of. And we are still a newish team finding our combinations.

If anyone thought the Warriors without Mannering would be 4 from 4 with the travel they’ve had they are delusional. Aware this is only early in the year, but this start is absolutely phenomenal.

 

[tumbidragon]

Ima say about tree fiddy.

 

[Life's Good]

St Merge have very average backs. They aren't winning when it counts

Yeah Hunt and Widdop are truly awful.

 

[Foreign Legion]

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/sport/warriors-sold-to-american-buyer-report/
The New Zealand Warriors have been sold to a consortium led by Hawaiian politician Richard Fale, according to reports.

According to Stuff.co.nz, the NRL franchise has been sold to a Tongan-American NFL consortium run by the colourful and ambitious Utah-born 36-year-old.

Fale, who served in the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan, brings with him a reputation as a wildcard, with his grand vision and staunch intent to lead both the Warriors and the local Pacific Island community into uncharted regions of success raising the eyebrows of sceptics wary of his bold declarations.

Richard Fale. Photo / Greg Bowker


His shoot-from-the-hip style almost saw negotiations fall over last month, when he threatened to pack his bags and fly home, furious in believing his group's Pacific Island heritage saw him underestimated by owner Eric Watson, who rejected his formal offer of $22 million while holding out for his reported $24m asking price.

"You can't be a pushover," Fale told theHerald on Sunday.

"[The club owner] is someone that you've got to count on that is firm in their values and principles.

"There's certain things we won't tolerate, like being treated unfairly, throwing stereotypes around.

"I have a major issue when people view Pacific Islanders as dumb idiots. 'They're great athletes but anything off the field, just shut your mouth'. That, I don't react very well to.

"I say, no, we do have something valuable to say. We are intelligent, we do deserve to be in position to make decisions, so don't just blow us off and think we're just cavemen with nothing intelligent to say.

"Treat us fair, treat us equally, and we'll be fine."

The Warriors currently sit second on the NRL standing after starting the season with four straight wins for the first time in their franchise history.

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/102758440/done-deal-warriors-to-be-sold-to-richard-fales-group
The Warriors come together for a post-game huddle after beating the Roosters in Sydney.


Richard Fale's consortium will be the new owners of the Warriors.

Eric Watson has agreed the structure of the purchase of the NRL club to the Hawaii-based businessman, who is fronting a consortium which includes current and former NFL players.

Fale revealed to Stuff that agreement had been reached verbally by the two parties. The lawyers then got to work putting it all together with the correct legal wording and confirming the agreement in written form.

DAVID WHITE/ STUFF
Richard Fale wants to lift the Warriors to new heights.


Fale's group will assemble in Arizona early next week to begin the final arrangements for the purchase and this is expected to take a couple of days.

READ MORE:
* ARL leading bidders for Warriors
* Fale will be no walk over at Warriors
* Warriors top of the NRL
* Stolen Warriors kit recovered

ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT
Eric Watson's time as Warriors owner will soon be coming to an end.


The confirmation of the sale of the Warriors ends a saga that has been going on since last August, when Auckland businessman Paul Davys put in an offer of what was believed to be $15 million for the club.

It was reported at the time that Watson was looking for $20m and the final price of the Warriors is understood to be closer to $24m.

Selling the club when they're on a four-game winning streak and looking to have their best season in a long while could seem strange. But it is worth remembering that Watson is a shrewd businessman and one of the golden rules of business is to buy low and sell high.

PHOTOSPORT
The Warriors will have a new owner by the time they play the Cowboys on Saturday.


Fale's plans to revolutionise the experience of going to Warriors games, or being a supporter of the club and plans to lift those levels to what are at large American sporting events, like NFL, NBA and MLB games.

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Negotiations between Fale's group and Eric Watson's Cullen Investments weren't smooth sailing. When Fale was in Auckland a couple of weeks ago the whole deal nearly fell over when Watson suddenly upped his price for the club.

Even as recently as this weekend there was a potential deal breaking situation over the way the Warriors would be sold.

Fale wanted to do an asset acquisition, where they would buy all the individual parts of the Warriors, but Watson was looking for a share sale, where the club along with its assets and liabilities would be taken over.

Fale was concerned that there could be some unexpected liabilities down the line if the deal was done this way. But it is likely there has been an agreement reached on this, with assurances made to Fale.

Auckland Rugby League, who were the other main contenders to buy the club, had for a short period of time become the front runners to take over the Warriors, because they didn't have a problem with a share sale.

Even though they were offering less money than Fale's group, the simplicity of the sale this way appealed to Watson.

The ARL had been interested in reacquiring the Warriors for some time. They initially made a joint bid with the Waipareira Trust and were granted and exclusivity agreement to buy the Warriors.

But when the Waipareira Trust pulled out, those negotiations collapsed and the exclusivity agreement ended.

They then launched another bid and saw ownership as part of a bigger picture to rejuvenate the sport in Auckland and also set up a semi-professional league.

There were initial talks of doing a joint bid with Fale's group, but this didn't last long and relations between the two have been frosty ever since.

The ARL had been in discussions with former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe, who was a part owner of the Warriors in the 1990s and the club's former CEO Wayne Scurrah. But it appears that has all come to nothing.

Fale's group will need to get approval from the NRL to buy the club, but this should be a formality.

Chairman Jim Doyle is likely to stay involved for a while to help ease the new owners into the club.

Cameron George has done an outstanding job as CEO in revitalising the club, as has Aaron Lawton as fan engagement manager and both are expected to stay on.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

*sigh* and the season had started so well too.

 

[Uncle Kraka]

They will scrape into the 8 at best

 

[SBD82]

Bellend isn't half the player Jake is

Nah. He's at least half the player.

And twice the player Merrin is.

 

[umina panther]

Nah. He's at least half the player.

And twice the player Merrin is.

Mez is going well, makes 50 tackles and 100m a game. I do love how Merge fans are still salty about him leaving

 

[SBD82]

Mez is going well, makes 50 tackles and 100m a game. I do love how Merge fans are still salty about him leaving

Salty? I'll drive him up there for training if it means that JDB remains at lock for us.

 

[Life's Good]

Mez is going well, makes 50 tackles and 100m a game. I do love how Merge fans are still salty about him leaving

About as salty as the Cowboys are after you overpaid, sorry bought, Tamou.

 

[Meapro Ham]

McGregor is like a jockey that goes out to an 8 length lead on the first lap of the Melbourne Cup. And he’s doing it again this year.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Depends on injuries as both teams lack depth.

I think both will make the 8 now.

But seriously if anyone thinks either of these teams will be in the Grand Final this year give yourself an upper cut.

 

[Shorty]

I completely rate the Warriors and think they'll finish very high.
The last few seasons they've been marred by injury and poor starts.
They're playing this year like they mean business, the fact that they beat one of the premiership favourites without their star half is a huge deal.

Saints will drop some games but I think they'll make the 8 too.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Depends on injuries as both teams lack depth.

I think both will make the 8 now.

But seriously if anyone thinks either of these teams will be in the Grand Final this year give yourself an upper cut.

Depends where injury strikes. I feel quite comfortable with our forward depth as most of them seem to be fairly interchangeable.

Against the Roosters we had Mannering, Lisone, Gavet, Papali'i unavailable. As long as Harris stays upright I think we're good for forward depth.

Zero hooker depth and fullback would be a real concern.

 

[jargan83]

It’s obvious the Dragons will go through the season unbeaten with a for/against of +1,000,000.

Obviously I’m mucking around but it’s a good start for the Dragons but we’ve been here in the last season or two haven’t we before fading out in a huge way. I think our squad this year looks a lot better than it has in previous years so fingers crossed we can keep playing well and keep chalking up the wins.

The Round 7 game vs the Warriors would have looked pretty meh to anyone who doesn’t support either side but it’s looking pretty big now.

 

[Iafeta]

Depends on injuries as both teams lack depth.

I think both will make the 8 now.

But seriously if anyone thinks either of these teams will be in the Grand Final this year give yourself an upper cut.

Johnson
Mannering
Gavet
Beale
Lisone
Papalii
Roache

They were all out.

Probably the thing I’ve liked most so far is blokes like Isiah Papalii, Bunty Afoa and Jazz Tevaga (let alone Mason Lino the other night), they seem to have come of age. Maybe Afoa may have got a bench spot if all were fit, but their improvement is phenomenal. Jazz was players player last week, Bunty was in round one.

Beale is no star, but he is a test player. I legitimately cannot find a place for him.