Who are your top 5 favourite Warriors players of all time?

[attila_the_gorilla]

Maybe a bit of speed, better agility in defense and a prolonged career on the wing?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Maybe a bit of speed, better agility in defense and a prolonged career on the wing?

So basically slight improvements to skills that will never be his forte, potentially at the loss of his defining asset?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

...of course, I wouldn't argue against him being in shape- but I don't really think he was out of shape. Manu is BIG. I don't know about the idea of Manu training as if he needs to make the cruiserweight limit, while the rest of the comp is full of jacked guys with the normal modern day league player build, muscles on muscles.

 

[Mr Angry]

1. Kurt and Dane Sorenson - Hard men
2. Tawera Nikau - What a human.
3. Stacey Jones - Best NZ halfback produced.
4. Mark Graham - Great player, respect.
5. Benji Marshall - just like the dude, has had some bad injuries, but I enjoy his play.

Brendan Tuutu, merkin.

 

[Mr Angry]

Massive fail I went kiwis, sorry.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Down to 106kg apparently- career listed weight has been between 109kg-112kg and you'd imagine he's been heavier a lot of the time. My question is- at what point does The Beast stop being The Beast? 106kg isn't huge in the modern game, and if Manu isn't huge, what does he have?

He stops being the Beast when he retires. Opposition wingers will still be intimidated by him, and certainly more so if they watch - and they will be - him take down Eric Murray. So he's a few kgs lighter than he was...I'm excited about that. He's still going to have 5-10 kgs on every other winger, he'll have pace, more energy to get involved etc. I'm excited about Manu in 2013. 106 is still pretty huge for a mobile winger.

 

[Iafeta]

Around I don't know, '08-'09?? Manu seemed lighter, and certainly seemed more of a threat in all aspects - broken field running he was able to go long distances without being chased down easily, and he could still take a great hit up to get the team moving forward early in the set. I think that sort of playing weight is fine for Manu on the wing.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I don't have a source for this, but apparently Manu said he lost weight specifically for the boxing but will get back to his normal weight in time for the league season.

Boxing and league require very different body types and I can't see Manu starting the league season looking the way he did in the ring.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I don't have a source for this, but apparently Manu said he lost weight specifically for the boxing but will get back to his normal weight in time for the league season.

Boxing and league require very different body types and I can't see Manu starting the league season looking the way he did in the ring.

I read the same thing, Stuff I think. I dunno, I don't see Manu being trimmer as a bad thing at all.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I read the same thing, Stuff I think. I dunno, I don't see Manu being trimmer as a bad thing at all.

I reckon you're underestimating the amount of extra/excess bulk league players need to carry to survive all that contact. Being naturally big framed but pared back to the bare bones probably wouldn't cut it. I always thought Manu was fairly lean (in terms of muscle mass) for his size anyway. If he bulked like Cooper Cronk or Billy Slater or Lance Hohaia he'd play at 130kg.

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

No love for Aaron Whittiker?