NRL 2017
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Foran gives teams another threat to worry about. Foran was helping to stretch out the line and that created more openings for SJ, Luke and RTS. Was good to see Foran having a crack himself as well. Hammy seemed fine!
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The rollercoaster continues. Weeeeeee!
Some thoughts:
- I stand corrected. Foran really made the spine come alive in this game and it was Foran/Johnson/Luke/Tuivasa-Sheck who won this game from no-where for the team.
- Bully had his best game by far for the Warriors. Was causing havoc around the ruck area which is what we need.
- Started the game well but once Lillyman and Gavet came off the field the wheels fell off the Warriors again.
- Whether its fitness or just weak forwards, probably the latter, gaps appeared where there shouldn't be gaps in the first half.
- Watching this game at Mt Smart I realised in years past this should have been a comfortable win for the Warriors. Unacceptable that it took until the last five minutes to steal the game.
Five rounds in, time to review the team as it stands:
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck: You notice his skill level compared to say, a Tyrone Roberts. Dude is able to retrieve the ball and get out of the tightest of gaps. Took some big hits today. Verdict: Please don't get injured again. PLEASE DON'T.
David Fusitua: Best winger by far in the Warriors squad and teams were afraid to kick it at him, opting for Maumalo. Verdict: Wears the number five jersey the rest of the season.
Blake Ayshford: Two defensive errors at the start of the game led to tries for the Tits (despite one coming off an obstruction, two forward passes and a fluke kick) but he got better as the game wore on in both defence and offence. Will get better. Verdict: Keep him in the number three jersey for now.
Solomone Kata: Terrible in all his games this season. Has been turned inside out a few times on defence, and his reluctance to pass has moved beyond funny. Kata 2015 has returned in 2017. Maumalo was giving him filth in the first half of this game when Kata decided to have a crack at the line instead of passing to a wide open Maumalo. Verdict: Replaced by our best NSW Cup player Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Too much of a liability right now.
Ken Maumalo: Picked up a loose ball and had no one in front of him. Decided to run in field and get tackled by a desperate Titans defender. Been doing this too much in his five games. Verdict: Interested to see how he goes with someone who passes the ball, but I favour Tui Lolohea over Maumalo. Back to NSW Cup.
Kieran Foran: Only one game but he was threatening the entire time - with or without ball. Next up is former club Parramatta and I expect a rough affair. Verdict: Media will declare him the Savior however he needs a good platform to work off - just like Johnson.
Shaun Johnson: Despite his critics, Shaun Johnson has been the best player for the Warriors. When the whole team was faltering he was trying to make something out of nothing. Verdict: Foran relieved a lot of pressure off Johnson and if the forwards can get their act together the Warriors will go on a win streak.
Simon Mannering: Legend. Tackles everything, hits it up and always getting up in support. Rest of the forwards could learn a thing from him. Verdict: Probably Warriors' club player of the year again.
Ryan Hoffman: That try at the end saved him but reality is Hoffman has been mediocre to start the season. You have to start wondering if Father Time has caught him. Verdict: If they had lost, Hoffman should have been one of the first dropped to NSW Cup. Stays for now.
Bodene Thompson: Another struggling backrower, it appears he hasn't got over that pre-season injury. Only played the first half. Verdict: Replaced by Bunty Afoa or Jazz Tevaga until he is healthy.
Jacob Lillyman: Bull has been the consistent prop for the Warriors. When he's on the field they get some go-forward. Verdict: Needs help but Jacob is showing the others how to do it.
Issac Luke: As said above, his best game so far in a Warriors jersey. Needs to play the full 80 minutes if he wants to be effective. Verdict: A disappointment so far, maybe the reuniting of the Kiwis spine will bring Bully back to his best.
James Gavet: A poor man's Ben Matulino. James Gavet was awesome today, playing a true veteran's game. Verdict: Best suited to coming off the bench, he needs to be in the prop rotation with Lillyman and Matulino (who returns next round).
Ata Hingano: Wasn't used against the Titans but has shown great potential so far in his young career. Verdict: It all depends on the Foran situation, but Hingano is locked in the halves for 2018 if Kieran doesn't re-sign.
Charlie Gubb: Never have so many people been enthralled by someone who does so little. I don't get it but then again I didn't get John Key either. Verdict: Dropped to NSW Cup for rest of the season or released. Either option will help the Warriors.
Sam Lisone: Sammy can smash the ball up the middle of the park but still questions on his defensive work and positioning. Verdict: Has had a mixture of performances in the first five rounds but enough to consider him in the prop rotation.
Ligi Sao: A player who arrived at the Warriors in 2016 from Manly and disappeared for a while in the NSW Cup, Sao was called up last week with Gavet and has provided some impact off the bench. Verdict: Fringe player who should try to take advantage of the Bodene Thompson injury.
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Agee on SJ Sneak. We've overall been rubbish thus far this season, but he has been pretty good. Was good to see him and the rest of the spine working well off each other.
Anyone else think we were very lucky to get the ball back after the Hoffman shank? Didn't think any Titans player touched that. Had the commentary off so not sure what they were saying.
Our forwards are poor at the moment. NO one really standing up. They look unimaginative and lack any ball playing threat
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@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2017:
Agee on SJ Sneak. We've overall been rubbish thus far this season, but he has been pretty good. Was good to see him and the rest of the spine working well off each other.
Anyone else think we were very lucky to get the ball back after the Hoffman shank? Didn't think any Titans player touched that. Had the commentary off so not sure what they were saying.
Our forwards are poor at the moment. NO one really standing up. They look unimaginative and lack any ball playing threat
It looked like a deflection and there wasn't any Titans' complaining. Commentators didn't have an issue with it, but it is the NZ commentary team.
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I thought that 2nd half was the best we have played all year, there was only one team in it. Titans put in a shift considering their training ground was under water all week, but they were never going to win that.
Holy shit, Isaac Luke even looked like he cared. Foran was good, SJ has been in form all year when you look at it objectively, there were positives. But i still can't see us making the 8.
Some interesting results on the weekend. Manly with another big scalp, tipping up the Roosters. Melbourne look really good as they pump the highly touted Panthers. And maybe Jason Taylor wasn't the problem as the Tigers continue to suck.
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@mariner4life said in NRL 2017:
Some interesting results on the weekend. Manly with another big scalp, tipping up the Roosters. Melbourne look really good as they pump the highly touted Panthers. And maybe Jason Taylor wasn't the problem as the Tigers continue to suck.
JT wasn't the solution though. His attack was stale and his favourites never performed. Never should've got rid of Bunji....
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@ACT-Crusader no doubt, he's a shit coach, and has been for a while. But the Tigers are pretty ordinary.
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@mariner4life The Tigers fullback is pretty awesome but those halves are quite average. Either way, Ivan Cleary is now coach of Wests Tigers. Also Des Hasler is staying on as Bulldogs coach until 2019.
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@Sneakdefreak said in NRL 2017:
@mariner4life The Tigers fullback is pretty awesome but those halves are quite average. Either way, Ivan Cleary is now coach of Wests Tigers. Also Des Hasler is staying on as Bulldogs coach until 2019.
Im not quite sure why collectively they have been referred to as the big 4 in sections of the media , they dont live up to that
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@Sneakdefreak that's a strong move by the Bulldogs. On one hand i applaud it, as they are not bowing to media pressure, and recognise that not everything that is wrong with the Bulldogs is Hasler's fault. On the other hand he a whinging fluffybunny who plays dour bullshit football. Then again, it's the bulldogs, so fuck 'em.
The Warriors 2-3 could be enough to have them in the 8, if as ever, our for and against wasn't so shit. Everyone has had a win, and only the Storm are unbeaten
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Cronk goneski. Will be moving to Sydney next year.
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@ACT-Crusader good on him. Should get good money because he's still a fucking top halfback. Melbourne got a gun there, remember when no one thought he would make it as a halfback?
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Been on the cards for a while , his missus is fox sports presenter who lives in Sydney.
Tara rushton
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had to laugh at a comment I saw on Fb ,
it said the bitch is like Yoko Ono breaking up the beatles
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@kiwiinmelb said in NRL 2017:
had to laugh at a comment I saw on Fb ,
it said the bitch is like Yoko Ono breaking up the beatles
Clearly Cooper does not subscribe to the code. Just like Lennon
He will be the ultimate test of my theory that players never look as good as they do playing for the Storm
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Warriors named the exact same line up to face Parramatta Eels on Sunday:
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
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NRL 360 had a good chat about Kieran Foran's debut:
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Penrith drop Moylan, Hiku and Blake to reserve grade for, well, acting like people from Penrith and getting on the piss after work. Nah jokes, people from Penrith don't have jobs! Combined with the injuries, they'll pretty much be putting out the U20s this week.
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@kiwiinmelb said in NRL 2017:
had to laugh at a comment I saw on Fb ,
it said the bitch is like Yoko Ono breaking up the beatles
Clearly Cooper does not subscribe to the code. Just like Lennon
He will be the ultimate test of my theory that players never look as good as they do playing for the Storm
Could also test out the Storm a bit as well . they have always been really good at replacing the void caused by a departing player , but this one is a bit bigger than usual .
