Tony Martin 1st choice kicker

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Martin gets first crack at goal-kicking


Feb 7, 2006
By Dale Budge
Former premiership winner Tony Martin will start the Warriors season as their centre and primary goal-kicking option according to new coach Ivan Cleary.

Martin has recovered from a career-threatening neck injury suffered almost a year ago and looks in good shape ahead of the Warriors first pre-season trial against Canberra at North Harbour Stadium this weekend.

Goal-kicking has been a major shortfall for the club since Cleary retired from his playing days at the end of 2002.

Brent Webb, Lance Hohaia and Stacey Jones have filled the role since but only Jones had any sort of consistent success and even that was not up to the elite standard set by Cleary.

So with the super boot now in charge of the Warriors, he has set about finding the best suitor for the job and Martin appears to have won the job to start with at least.

"Tony Martin has certainly put his hand up and wants the job," Cleary told tvnz.co.nz. "Sione [Faumuina] has been kicking well and we have got a few other options like Lance [Hohaia] but at this stage Tony is going to have first crack at it and i don't see any reason why he won't keep it."

Martin was labelled a talented goal-kicker by the Warriors when they signed him from the London Broncos two seasons ago but injuries have prevented him from cementing a spot in the line-up let alone perfecting the role.

But having spent the off-season working hard on fitness and in the gym, Martin looks in the best shape he has been since arriving in Auckland.

Cleary has brought in a former Kiwi goal-kicking great to work with Martin and the club's alternative kickers this season.

"I have got Daryl Halligan working with the boys this year, which is very good."

Halligan held point-scoring and goal-kicking records after spending a decade in the NRL with North Sydney and the Bulldogs and has generally been considered the best goal-kicker of all time.

Meanwhile coach Cleary confirmed that Faumuina will play at stand-off to start the season.

He believes that long-term Faumuina has all the skills to be a very successful five-eighth and is in the same mould size-wise as greats like Brad Fittler, Laurie Daley and Trent Barrett.

"You won't see his best football as a six for a while but I certainly think you will see it as he spends more time there," Cleary said.

So guessing that the backline will look like this

WEBB
BYRNE
TOOPI
MARTIN
VATUVAI
FAUMUINA
FIEN

 

[ozbash]

Brent Webb, Lance Hohaia and Stacey Jones have filled the role since but only Jones had any sort of consistent success and even that was not up to the elite standard set by Cleary.

could have sworn sione faumuina made a pretty good goal kicker.

"I have got Daryl Halligan working with the boys this year, which is very good."

good grief,,,,,


Halligan held point-scoring and goal-kicking records after spending a decade in the NRL with North Sydney and the Bulldogs and has generally been considered the best goal-kicker of all time.

well, naturally he,ll be the greatest kicking coach then,,, wont he ?

they should employ fox off the ARU , guy is a proven coach and probably the greatest goal kicker in history.


i get worried when i hear this type of touchy feely news. start thinking of snow jobs...

 

[ozbash]

it will be a damned shame if mannering gets benched or relegated to B/Cup.

i hoped to see him in a kiwi jersey soon.

 

[L NUTTER]

im with you bash where does martin fit in the starting 13
or more importantly who misses out??

 

[Skinner]

i get worried when i hear this type of touchy feely news. start thinking of snow jobs...

Methinks the Wocker PR machine is feeding the young Budge with all
sorts of starry stuff.......I can hear them sleigh bells 'aringin

Cheers
The cynical old buga

 

[Iafeta]

I can't see what the problem is, to be honest.

While he hasn't shown his best form here, he was highly regarded at Melbourne and at that stage of his career was building towards possible Origin representation. Himself and Aaron Moule were a big part of their premiership success.

He then went to London, and worked on his goal kicking to become one of the top goal kickers in Great Britain kicking at a decent percentage (between 75-80 odd percent).

Injuries struck, and we know the rest. I'd like to see him in full flight, and in particular I'd like to think the Warriors could be back to the Botica/Ridge days of being somewhat reverred for their goal-kicking rather than jeered at.

As for Mannering, he's out for probably the first month of the season through injury.

 

[Scorpio30]

Bit difficult to be the number one kicker when you arent in the team.

 

[Iafeta]

You've seen the team scorpio?

Prey do tell, who's selected for round 1?

 

[speedy1]

No offence oz or to Mr mannering but if he is anywhere near kiwi level yet we have a problem. Promising player yes but of the 30 centres playing NRL he has to be in the 25-30 range doesnt he. Am i the only one who cant quite figure if hes a centre at all? If tony martin manages his Melbourne form and goal kicking he'll do me for a start although we havent seen much in the first two years to give us confidence.

 

[ozbash]

you,re probably right speedy, maybe in a few years. he certainly has the potential.

he reminds me of a very young jarrod mccracken.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Heres the team for the first trail


Martin returns from injury

Tony Martin makes his return from a year out through injury for the Warriors in Sunday's NRL warm-up game against the Canberra Raiders in Auckland.


Martin will play at fullback in place of the injured Brent Webb and will also be the team's goal kicker.


Sione Faumuina and Nathan Fien are the halves.


Thirty-year-old prop George Tuakura makes his debut with Steve Price and Ruben Wiki both sitting out the opening games.






Copyright The Radio Network 2004


So does that leave us with

Martin
Vatuvai
???
Toopi
???
Sione
Fien
Tuimavavae
Hohaia
Tuakura
???
???
???



???
???
???
???

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

And the Raiders team is


1. CLINTON SCHIFCOFSKE
2. MARSHALL CHALK
3. PHIL GRAHAM
4. ADAM MOGG
5. ADRIAN PURTELL
6. WILLIAM ZILLMAN
7. LINCOLN WITHERS
8. JASON WILLIAMS
9. SIMON WOOLFORD
10. WILLIE RASTON
11. BEN JONES
12. TOM LEAROYD-LAHRS
13. ALAN TONGUE

14. TROY THOMPSON
15. DAVID MILNE
16. JERMAINE ALE
17. DANE TILSE
18. RYAN HINCHCLIFFE
19. TREVOR THURLING
20. TERRY MARTIN
21. TERRY CAMPESE
22. MICHAEL DOBSON

 

[mattyj]

Heres the team for the first trail


Martin returns from injury

Tony Martin makes his return from a year out through injury for the Warriors in Sunday's NRL warm-up game against the Canberra Raiders in Auckland.


Martin will play at fullback in place of the injured Brent Webb and will also be the team's goal kicker.

Thats great, we need depth in the fullback position and Martin i think has the potential to be a real safe one like Cleary himself was.

My only problem is, if the first article in this thread is correct and Martin is going to be one of the centres who gets first crack this year then surely you would start him there in the trial with his potential partner Toopi, especially after having almost a full year off.

Glad big George and Tuimavave are getting a crack.

 

[Scott]

I didn't realise Tuakura was 30 years old!!

 

[Iafeta]

VODAFONE WARRIORS: Tony Martin; Todd Byrne, Jerome Ropati, Clinton Toopi, Manu Vatuvei; Sione Faumuina, Nathan Fien; George Tuakura, Lance Hohaia, Evarn Tuimavave; Wairangi Koopu, Awen Guttenbeil; Louis Anderson. Interchange: Grant Rovelli, Cooper Vuna, Micheal Luck, Epalahame Lauaki, Richard Villasanti, Sam Rapira.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM: Leeson Ah Mau, Patrick Ah Van, Andreas Bauer, Rowan Baxter, Jason Commisso, Marvin Filipo, Robinson Godfrey, Jody Henry, Roman Hifo, Scott Jones, Toleafoa Leaupepe, Wade McDade, Manu Mau, Tipene Message, Constantine Mika, Daniel O’Regan, Eddie Purcell, Artie Shead, Phil Shead, Dean Shepherd, Malo Solomona, Miguel Start, Nopoto Tuimaualuga, Chris Tupou, Antoine Tusani.

 

[mattyj]

Heres the Development team for the Curtain raiser vs Harbour League selection

DEVELOPMENT TEAM: Leeson Ah Mau, Patrick Ah Van, Andreas Bauer, Rowan Baxter, Jason Commisso, Marvin Filipo, Robinson Godfrey, Jody Henry, Roman Hifo, Scott Jones, Toleafoa Leaupepe, Wade McDade, Manu Mau, Tipene Message, Constantine Mika, Daniel O’Regan, Eddie Purcell, Artie Shead, Phil Shead, Dean Shepherd, Malo Solomona, Miguel Start, Nopoto Tuimaualuga, Chris Tupou, Antoine Tusani.

 

[byrne_rovelli_fan82]

Not bad...not bad

 

[Iafeta]

In contrast to waltzing meninga's thoughts on our side...

"Not a great line up there. If we don't flogg them there is something wrong"

Hopefully there's a bit of humble pie to be had.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I thought baxter had left us?

 

[Skinner]

Jeez, that's a young side......some of those blokes were playing NJC U16s last
year.

Ahem.......apart from Artie & Phil Shead.

Cheers