NRL 2017
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@sneakdefreak said in NRL 2017:
@nepia Tonga will be thinking they can go deep into the tournament but they won't with Lolohea and Hingano in the halves. Really think they'll put Hopoate there.
Has Hopoate played many games in the halves?
Also, when is the Kiwis C team named? Has the Samoan team been named yet - if not we might wind up losing more to them too. Also, we're lucky that the Cooks aren't included as well.
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Addin Fonua-Blake is a bit of a surprise. No Ben Matulino, wonder if he will turn out for Samoa...
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@bovidae Halves will be Johnson and Martin. Hooker role will be shared by Leuluai (starting) and Nikorima (bench). But Nepia is right, it depends on their strategy (which Blair could be in the halves for all we know)
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Apparently Elijah Taylor only found out he was in the squad today. He had been told on Monday he wasn't, along with Jared Waerea Hargreaves. Circus.
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11933095
I hope for our sake this works out. My bro in law bumped into Mr Blair chilling in the hotel pool while on holiday in oz a couple of weeks back. He said he was super ripped, so at least he doesn't seem to be doing an Isaac Luke and heading home via the pie shop after signing up for the Warriors
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Strong words from Blair. If he can walk the talk, he may well be right. I did like his comments around the Kiwi squad defections too. Didn't pussyfoot around like Kidwell and co. Also clear that he's in super good condition, so hopefully the traditional Warriors preseason doesn't do him in.
Definitely a wait and see scenario though. Have seen far too many quality players come and get stuck in the Warriors-mud to have high expectations for a (potentially) good player like Blair.
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@paekakboyz I reckon Hoffman, despite his reducing output, was probably a strong trainer. Problem was he didn't totally have the ear of the other boys, and they probably looked at Pie Boy Isaac Luke and thought "More reps? Yeah nah". Hopefully Blair will lead by example at training and this flows on to the pitch
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@paekakboyz I reckon Hoffman, despite his reducing output, was probably a strong trainer. Problem was he didn't totally have the ear of the other boys, and they probably looked at Pie Boy Isaac Luke and thought "More reps? Yeah nah". Hopefully Blair will lead by example at training and this flows on to the pitch
I don't think Hoffman did enough on the field to make his gym sessions relevant. His form was declining the entire time he was here, and at the same time Mannering became who he was supposed to be. Mannering was more that workhorse 'Australian' that everyone claims the Warriors need, than he turned out to be.
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@Sneakdefreak Do the Kiwis have any warm up matches?
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Rugby League World Cup starts this weekend with NZ taking on Samoa at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night. Kiwis should win easily against a surprisingly weak Samoa team.
Kiwis: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Gerard Beale, Brad Takairangi, Jordan Rapana Kodi Nikorima, Shaun Johnson, Martin Taupau, Thomas Leuluai, Adam Blair, Kenny Bromwich, Joseph Tapine, Simon Mannering. Interchange: Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Russell Packer, Isaac Liu, Danny Levi. Reserves: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Peta Hiku, Te Maire Martin, Addin Fonua-Blake.
TOA SAMOA: Young Tonumaipea, Peter Mata'utia, Tim Lafai, Joey Leilua, Ken Maumalo, Joseph Paulo, Ben Roberts, Junior Paulo, Jazz Tevaga, Sam Lisone, Josh Papalii, Frank Pritchard (c), Leeson Ah Mau. Interchange: Pita Godinet, Herman Ese'ese, Suaia Matagi, Bunty Afoa, Zane Musgrove, Ricky Leutele, Frank Winterstein, Fa'amanu Brown
