Update on ex-players.

[Manu Vatuvei]

The TV crew were there bro so I guess so, I saw Krystal Rota but that is not unusual since she is a Sea Eagles girl.

Nah I see you're talking about the game a couple of months ago, which was livestreamed for Youtube.

The game where he got injured was more recently and was against Marist. That was a Wednesday night game at Mt Smart #2 and they played it live on Sky. Coincidentally Krystal Rota would've been there because she does the commentary with Steve McIvor.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Manu is playing? That's cool, I have absolutely no issue with him being involved back in the game and it seems like he is still an inspiration to those who saw him play.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Manu is playing? That's cool, I have absolutely no issue with him being involved back in the game and it seems like he is still an inspiration to those who saw him play.

Our best winger ever. Some of the tries he scored only he could do.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Manu is playing? That's cool, I have absolutely no issue with him being involved back in the game and it seems like he is still an inspiration to those who saw him play.

Just a shame he only played a couple of games this year and then got hurt. He’ll be 39 next year but I’d love to see him go around again.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Our best winger ever. Some of the tries he scored only he could do.

People forget bro. He was incredible.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Ok here’s my contribution:

David Bhana - former U20s captain, Junior Kiwi, played first grade for Newcastle

I saw him at indoor cricket last night and he’s a freak of nature, he’s easy 140kg but moves like quicksilver in the field and bowls awesome in swinging left arm pace with the ball

 

[Penrose Warrior]

People forget bro. He was incredible.

Not me, his consistency was incredible. And was Jonah-esque (not quite but in the same ball park) as a guy with pure pace but was also big, able to brush off defenders. I still remember where I was after that 07 Eels shocker, and he worked so damn hard to come back from that. In fact, his woes under the high ball that night became what he was renowned for - the bomb to Manu.

 

[Rich102]

‘Highly unacceptable’: Super League club sacks ex-NRL players as reason for axe revealed

‘Highly unacceptable’: Super League club sacks ex-NRL players as reason revealed

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

‘Highly unacceptable’: Super League club sacks ex-NRL players as reason for axe revealed

‘Highly unacceptable’: Super League club sacks ex-NRL players as reason revealed

www.foxsports.com.au

Taukeiaho is often spoken about as one of the ones that got away. Yes, he did amazing things at the Roosters, but I never liked his attitude. I think it was his attitude that made us not re-sign him. Then the Roosters snagged him, he matured a bit, and the rest is history.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I will be walking down the road this afternoon to watch some club footy, and ex Warrior Corey Lawrie still doing it at the age of 41-42

 

[Scott]

Sione Faumuina was featured on the Between 2 Beers Podcast.

Toss up between him & Jesse Ryder when it comes to who pissed away their career best. Hell of a talent.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Sione Faumuina was featured on the Between 2 Beers Podcast.

Toss up between him & Jesse Ryder when it comes to who pissed away their career best. Hell of a talent.

Was coming here to say the same, was a good listen. The whole transition from Kemp to Cleary really pushed him off the rails and he was teetering before that

On another note, new season of Match Fit starts on TV3 tomorrow night, union v league

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Gotta give Manu credit where it’s due, he looks like he’s stayed fit and focussed on the right things since his release, I’ve seen him in trading videos with Dave Letele too.
agree he was an exceptional talent, it’s just a real shame that outside football he never really escaped the gang life his family was involved in.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Was coming here to say the same, was a good listen. The whole transition from Kemp to Cleary really pushed him off the rails and he was teetering before that

Haven’t had a chance to catch the whole thing yet, but saw a segment where he said he never once thought about winning a premiership while playing which floored me a little bit.

I mean I can understand varying degrees of desire to win a title, but to not even think about it? I almost find that hard to believe. Surely it crossed his mind at some point... did he elaborate any more on that?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Haven’t had a chance to catch the whole thing yet, but saw a segment where he said he never once thought about winning a premiership while playing which floored me a little bit.

I mean I can understand varying degrees of desire to win a title, but to not even think about it? I almost find that hard to believe. Surely it crossed his mind at some point... did he elaborate any more on that?

He wasn’t really focusing in on himself at that point, was more of a group mentality among the younger guys. Mentioned a story where Daniel Anderson came in one day and said “boys, what a game from the Dragons last night” and they said yeah it was awesome and Anderson then told them the Dragons didn’t even play haha

He spoke of how under Kemp he was told he was being permanently moved to 6, so he told the Kiwis he was making himself unavailable so he could nail the pre season and get ready for it, then Kemp got sacked and Ivan came in, first meeting Ivan told him that he wasn’t worth the money he was on, and then didn’t play him at 6, and then he was informed the next year that he wouldn’t play for the Kiwis again after turning them down. Can see why that would put him in a spiral

 

[JJ]

He wasn’t really focusing in on himself at that point, was more of a group mentality among the younger guys. Mentioned a story where Daniel Anderson came in one day and said “boys, what a game from the Dragons last night” and they said yeah it was awesome and Anderson then told them the Dragons didn’t even play haha

He spoke of how under Kemp he was told he was being permanently moved to 6, so he told the Kiwis he was making himself unavailable so he could nail the pre season and get ready for it, then Kemp got sacked and Ivan came in, first meeting Ivan told him that he wasn’t worth the money he was on, and then didn’t play him at 6, and then he was informed the next year that he wouldn’t play for the Kiwis again after turning them down. Can see why that would put him in a spiral

Yep, but Cleary was just being honest, and Kemp was, well, Kemp

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I reckon Faumuina's 2005 season is one the great often overlooked seasons by a Warriors player. People mostly remember his razzle dazzle play during our great run in 2003, but in 2005 a lot of the time he was single-handedly responsible for creating anything for us on attack. He was like a 6, middle forward, and ball-playing backrower all in one.

Maybe I'm making too much of this, but remember that in 2005 he went and played a 3 game stint for Hull, at roughly the same time that Andrew Johns went and played a 3 game stint for Warrington. The way I recall it/saw it at the time, that was basically an indication that he was perceived as a marquee player at that time.

Of course Cleary may still have been right, in that 6 probably wasn't his best position and there's only so much you can afford to pay a ball-playing backrower under the salary cap. Nevertheless I can understand Faumuina being filthy if Cleary had approached him negatively after how good he had been for the team.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

He wasn’t really focusing in on himself at that point, was more of a group mentality among the younger guys. Mentioned a story where Daniel Anderson came in one day and said “boys, what a game from the Dragons last night” and they said yeah it was awesome and Anderson then told them the Dragons didn’t even play haha

He spoke of how under Kemp he was told he was being permanently moved to 6, so he told the Kiwis he was making himself unavailable so he could nail the pre season and get ready for it, then Kemp got sacked and Ivan came in, first meeting Ivan told him that he wasn’t worth the money he was on, and then didn’t play him at 6, and then he was informed the next year that he wouldn’t play for the Kiwis again after turning them down. Can see why that would put him in a spiral

Wow thats rough... will definitely need to catch the full pod. Thanks for the heads up

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I reckon Faumuina's 2005 season is one the great often overlooked seasons by a Warriors player. People mostly remember his razzle dazzle play during our great run in 2003, but in 2005 a lot of the time he was single-handedly responsible for creating anything for us on attack. He was like a 6, middle forward, and ball-playing backrower all in one.

Maybe I'm making too much of this, but remember that in 2005 he went and played a 3 game stint for Hull, at roughly the same time that Andrew Johns went and played a 3 game stint for Warrington. The way I recall it/saw it at the time, that was basically an indication that he was perceived as a marquee player at that time.

Of course Cleary may still have been right, in that 6 probably wasn't his best position and there's only so much you can afford to pay a ball-playing backrower under the salary cap. Nevertheless I can understand Faumuina being filthy if Cleary had approached him negatively after how good he had been for the team.

Just thinking about the Kemp / Cleary transition a bit more - Ivan was Kemp's assistant for a couple of years prior to taking over the head coach gig. So at least some of what he thought re: Sione's best position cant have been a surprise when he took over.?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I reckon Faumuina's 2005 season is one the great often overlooked seasons by a Warriors player. People mostly remember his razzle dazzle play during our great run in 2003, but in 2005 a lot of the time he was single-handedly responsible for creating anything for us on attack. He was like a 6, middle forward, and ball-playing backrower all in one.

Maybe I'm making too much of this, but remember that in 2005 he went and played a 3 game stint for Hull, at roughly the same time that Andrew Johns went and played a 3 game stint for Warrington. The way I recall it/saw it at the time, that was basically an indication that he was perceived as a marquee player at that time.

Of course Cleary may still have been right, in that 6 probably wasn't his best position and there's only so much you can afford to pay a ball-playing backrower under the salary cap. Nevertheless I can understand Faumuina being filthy if Cleary had approached him negatively after how good he had been for the team.

He spoke about that, and when they needed something special that year to get the team back into the game, it was Faumuina who the message went out to rather than the other big names. He felt robbed of the player of the year, and Ivan was one of the assistants so saw what he had produced. Got given 1 trial at 6 then tossed aside so he and Ivan never saw eye to eye

He is fairly open though that his issues were mainly caused by himself and the drink and doesn’t blame the clubs etc