The NRL Season of 2016
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To state the obvious that was a poorly selected team. What were Kearney and co thinking? To go into a test match with loose forwards at 9 and centre and an inexperienced 6 was stupid. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I think a lot if us saw it coming. Someone said it earlier, Kearney seems stubborn. An out of form Luke would have done a better job. Benji would have offered support to Johnson. Takarangi, Rona or even Kata may have been better options in the centres. At least they play there day in and day out. I know the Kiwis were decimated in key positions but you still, pick specialists where possible. It is selection 101.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="577560" data-time="1462580147">
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<p>To state the obvious that was a poorly selected team. What were Kearney and co thinking? To go into a test match with loose forwards at 9 and centre and an inexperienced 6 was stupid. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I think a lot if us saw it coming. Someone said it earlier, Kearney seems stubborn. An out of form Luke would have done a better job. Benji would have offered support to Johnson. Takarangi, Rona or even <strong>Kata </strong>may have been better options in the centres. At least they play there day in and day out. I know the Kiwis were decimated in key positions but you still, pick specialists where possible. It is selection 101.</p>
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<p>Kata is Tongan so he shouldn't ever be picked for the Kiwis but agree with the rest.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="577564" data-time="1462580645"><p>
Kata is Tongan so he shouldn't ever be picked for the Kiwis but agree with the rest.</p></blockquote>
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Didn't know that, but still, it doesn't seem to stop players getting picked. -
A good kicking game for SJ is finding the ingoal and getting at least two repeat sets. Not a high bar I know, but the kid has a poor kicking game and last night he put real pressure on the Aussies on a number of sets.
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Kearney is able to experiment while building depth ( if that's what it is ) pretty much give us little chance of winning , yet remain the most successful kiwi coach we have had .<br><br>
Not exactly a high pressure job is it ? -
Not sure if its on in NZ,<br><br>But here in Aus , junior kiwis v junior roos , on live now on fox , and more entertaining than last nights game
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The team that was selected was a bit of a joke really.<br><br>
Its like he just picked the best 17 players, regardless of position, then tried to fit them all in...<br><br>
Been said already, but Issac Luke at 9, and Thomas Leuleui at 6, even below their best would have been a lot better than second bloody rowers being thrown in willy nilly trying to patch things up. -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11636793'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11636793</a></p>
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<p>NRL: Familiar face on hand at Warriors</p>
<div><span>3:01 PM Tuesday May 10, 2016</span></div>
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<div><img height="310" src="http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201620/Ted_620x310.jpg" width="620" alt="Ted_620x310.jpg"></div>
<div>Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry. Photo / Getty</div>
<p>Help has arrived for Warriors coach Andrew McFadden in the shape of former World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry.</p>
<p>The club announced today Henry, who guided the All Blacks to the 2011 World Cup, has been signed up to provide support for the club's NRL squad and football department over the next month. He spent time at Mt Smart Stadium yesterday in a role he agreed to take up several weeks ago.</p>
<p>"I've had an association with Cappy (McFadden) on a social level for quite a while now," Henry said. "I've got a lot of time for him as a coach and I also really enjoy his company.</p>
<p>"We've had some healthy discussions about coaching previously and I'm thrilled to have the chance to be able to work with him, to observe the organisation and to provide some feedback."</p>
<p>The Warriors have been searching for a mentor for McFadden for some time, with All Blacks assistant Wayne Smith, who was also an assistant under Henry, and NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley among those approached.</p>
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<p>Former All Blacks coach and Warriors director of football John Hart, who also acted as a mentor for former coach Ivan Cleary, also spoke with McFadden on occasions last year.</p>
<p>There has been a feeling McFadden needs more support around him, given this is his first head coaching role and the fact the team have struggled over the past 12 months.<br>
His arrival is timely as the club deal with the fallout from six players who were stood down for breaching team protocol. Manu Vatuvei, Bodene Thompson, Ben Matulino, Sam Lisone and Albert Vete admitted to club officials they had mixed energy drinks and prescription medicine on a night out and were dropped from first grade and test selection. Konrad Hurrell denied drug taking but was also banned as punishment for being part of the late night escapade.</p>
<p>McFadden said Henry's arrival was the result of discussions he'd had with managing director Jim Doyle last year about engaging a mentor.</p>
<p>"I've always been open to the idea of having extra support to help me to develop and improve," said McFadden. "Jim and I have considered a number of options but it was important to take time to find the person who best fitted the position and was available to help.</p>
<p>"In the end we were really fortunate to be able to secure Sir Graham's services. It's a real privilege to have him involved and I know it's going to be hugely beneficial not only for me personally but for the squad as a whole."</p>
<p>Since the 2011 World Cup, Henry has worked with, among others, the Argentine rugby side and the Blues Super Rugby franchise.</p>
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<p>guess they need to try something different than 'can the coach' every season? What was Harts role?</p>
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Hart was Director of Football and was pretty successful in that role in helping to recruit and keep some decent players. Hart was pretty vocal a few years ago about us not keeping Cleary.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="578590" data-time="1462866338">
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<p>Hart was Director of Football and was pretty successful in that role in helping to recruit and keep some decent players. <strong>Hart was pretty vocal a few years ago about us not keeping Cleary.</strong></p>
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<p>in that he thought it was dumb not keeping Cleary or should not be keeping Cleary, am thinking the former based on something I heard on the radio last week?</p> -
Yeah Hart thought we should've held on to him. He was just coming into his own but the Warriors didn't want to commit long term when the Panthers (Phil Gould) came knocking on his door.
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<p>Stability. It's all I ask for and at least there was some of that (and playoff appearances) with Cleary-coached sides.</p>
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<p>Warriors to face Penrith in ChCh:</p>
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<p style="color:rgb(20,24,35);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">1 Tuimoala LOLOHEA<br>
2 Jonathan WRIGHT<br>
3 Blake AYSHFORD<br>
4 Solomone KATA<br>
5 David FUSITU’A<br><span>6 Thomas LEULUAI<br>
7 Shaun JOHNSON<br>
8 Jacob LILLYMAN<br>
9 Jazz TEVAGA<br>
10 James GAVET<br>
11 Bodene THOMPSON<br>
12 Ryan HOFFMAN (c)<br>
13 John PALAVI</span></p>
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<p>Interchange<br>
14 Issac LUKE<br>
15 Ben MATULINO<br>
16 Charlie GUBB<br>
17 Shaun LANE<br>
18 Matt ALLWOOD</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://matchcentre.nrl.com/match/2016/111/20161111030/#team-lists'>https://matchcentre.nrl.com/match/2016/111/20161111030/#team-lists</a></p>
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<p>Gordon Tallis is going off at Blair for being dirty in the test match - fair enough having a go at Blair, but why does Gordo keep quiet when dirty Aussies avoid suspension in the lead up to test matches. </p>
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<p>Gallen has come out in defence of Blair ....</p> -
I can't listen to Tallis anymore. I know most former players still love their old club, but his Brisbane/QLD centricity is unbearable. Plus he talks as if he's got some massive chip on his shoulder.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="578596" data-time="1462867112">
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<p>Yeah Hart thought we should've held on to him. He was just coming into his own but the Warriors didn't want to commit long term when the Panthers (Phil Gould) came knocking on his door.</p>
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<p>That decision has cost us 5 years of pain and futility</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="canefan" data-cid="578647" data-time="1462887954">
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<p>That decision has cost us 5 years of pain and futility</p>
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<p>He hardly covered himself in glory at Penrith though.</p>
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<p>In retrospect the Cleary firing was a poorly thought out one. Oft forgotten that the decision was made before that run to the grand final when things were looking bleak mid-season and before he realised what we all saw in Johnson.</p>
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<p>You do have to remember at the time the Warriors were on a multi year run of absolutely abysmal finals performances. Regularly losing as favourites, and getting blown out far too regularly. The 2011 run was the exception - but by then the decision was made. Those are things that are very easy to put on coaching and preparation.</p>
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<p>In hindsight we made the cardinal sin of firing coaches. Only ditch them if you have a better option. There are better coaches than Cleary out there, but there weren't at the time.</p>
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<p>I will put my hand up though and say I felt pretty comfortable with the Cleary firing and Bluey appointment after the first half of the 2011 grand final (better the devil you don't know perhaps?). That performance was the perfect example for me why a premiership under Cleary was pretty unlikely. 2012 would be a write off anyway with Maloney packing a sad and breaking up what was a premiership winning combo IMO.</p>
