NRL 2017
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@Sneakdefreak said in NRL 2017:
Who cares - we won.
This. It was pretty ugly viewing in the second half but a first up win for the first time since 2009? I'll take it
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Man, that was an up and down game to watch today. Agree with all your sentiments Sneak. Will be interesting to see how Erin Clark goes if Luke is injured. He was named in the wider squad but didn't make the final cut. As an aside, how do you injure your ribs kicking a goal?
A few thoughts of my own:
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l said in the Warriors preview last that I was pretty happy with our back rowers and today really cemented that. Mannering isn't flashy, but boy was he everywhere on the park. Likewise with Hoffman's gritty try. Mannering is such an honest player - no sets off, no hiding from the action.
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When Vatuvei leaves, presumably next season, we'll really miss that big back who can take a few hit-ups during the game. Kata does it a little bit, but it's still quite nice having Manu run it up as well.
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How did Lilyman end up on the field after only 18 minutes. Our props appeared to do sweet F.A for the first 20 minutes anyway, so I couldn't see how they'd be tired.
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Shaun Johnson looked really good when he held the ball today and the Knights looked like they struggled to contain him. If he can remain injury free, and coupled with Foran, this could spell danger for opposition teams this year.
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Most of our problems today didn't appear to be coach problems. Running at 50% completion rate in the first 30 minutes is ridiculous for a first grade team on a sunny day. If you can't catch or pass the ball, that's not Steve Kearney's fault.
Overall, a pretty scratchy performance, but to quote a wise ferner - "Who cares, we won". I think the Warriors showed good grit to hang in the game when things weren't looking good. To go from 8 - 0 down to 20 - 8 up in a short time was quite impressive. Last year that would have translated to 28 - 0 down.
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Interesting you point at the big carrying backs @aucklandwarlord because during the game i was thinking that we were relying on Fusitua, Kata and Maumolo to get us any momentum. In fact, our most effective ball runner in the back end of the game was probably Rog from the back.
I though our forwards got dusted. We struggled to dent their line, and couldn't slow their pack down at all. Mannering was fighting a lone battle in the middle, and the occassional Hoffman charge on the edge. Lillyman was huge when he came on, and turned the game i thought. He made metres and always landed on his front for a quick play-the-ball.
When we lost Mannering, and then Lillyman needed a rest we were fucked, thankfully Lisone built in to the game, and finished well. But on defense Newcastle were making metres at will right to the end. Look at the movement for their last try, from their own try line to an easy run in at the other end without anything really flashy.
Having no actual backup dummy half option on the bench killed us. Thompson was terrible, WTF was that terrible last tackle option to run it into a dead end? He wasn't alone though, our last tackle options were poor. Or made to look poor by our inability to keep Newcastle contained.
Still, we won in round 1, and that is huge really. Newcastle weren't terrible, they'll be like the Force this year it looks, drag teams to their level, and turn the game into an arm wrestle. But it was very hard to be too positive given what cost us is the same shit that costs us every year.
Still, could be worse, we could be Souths.
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I'm hoping that the injuries in the back end of the game and lack of options was the reason we fell off, but like you @mariner4life it just seemed like same ol' same ol'. Was ready to throw the remote after the Knights got within 2 points and then when they hit the lead I walked out.
The kicking game is still a massive problem. And the odd occasion SJ did a good deep kick out chasers were nowhere to be seen.
I am a little forgiving of the chasers as our outside backs were doing a lot of carrying. But that is the problem with our overallkicking strategy and I don't hold too much hope that Kearney will turn it around
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@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2017:
I'm hoping that the injuries in the back end of the game and lack of options was the reason we fell off, but like you @mariner4life it just seemed like same ol' same ol'. Was ready to throw the remote after the Knights got within 2 points and then when they hit the lead I walked out.
The kicking game is still a massive problem. And the odd occasion SJ did a good deep kick out chasers were nowhere to be seen.
I am a little forgiving of the chasers as our outside backs were doing a lot of carrying. But that is the problem with our overallkicking strategy and I don't hold too much hope that Kearney will turn it around
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Vodafone Warriors v MELBOURNE STORM
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
8.00pm, Friday, March 10Vodafone Warriors
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c)
2 Tuimoala Lolohea
3 David Fusitua
4 Solomone Kata
5 Ken Maumalo
6 Mafoa’aeata HINGANO
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Albert Vete
9 Issac Luke
10 Charlie Gubb
11 Bunty Afoa
12 Ryan Hoffman
13 Simon Mannering14 Erin CLARK
15 Jacob Lillyman
16 Sam Lisone
17 Bodene Thompson
18 Isaiah PAPALI’I
20 James Gavet
21 Manu Vatuvei
22 Mason LinoPretty much the same line up but I expect we'll lose Luke and roll with Erin Clark and Mason Lino in the dummyhalf role.
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Newcastle stalwart Jarrod Mullen's career looks over after he tested positive for steroids. Comes with a four-year ban.
Tbf Newcastle don't seem bothered since they were wanting to move on from Mullen anyway. -
Some interesting chat around.
Jarryd Hayne is not proving himself to be a real team man (fucking surprise surprise). By all accounts he's had a shit preseason (yes, partially affected by injury) and is not fit enough. The Titans have cut him from the leadership group, and fined him (but no one seems to want to say what for). Reports are he approached the Roosters in the off-season about moving there, but was rebuffed. Refuses to commit to the Titans, and has already said he'll look at all offers. Which, if his season goes like his rubbish round 1, won't be many.
And it's round 1, and already the refs are copping shit. Ricky Stuart surprisingly blamed the refs for the Raiders losing, then his mates in the Sydney media jumped in and reckon that it's true, and it's because JT gets preferential treatment. Good to see this season will be the same as every season then.
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@mariner4life said in NRL 2017:
Some interesting chat around.
Jarryd Hayne is not proving himself to be a real team man (fucking surprise surprise).
He's mates with Konrad Hurrell. Jus' sayin.
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Who's going to let down his club quicker this year, Hayne or Foran?
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Luke Ceary looking like the buy of the season so far.
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Of course that's balanced out by Mitchell Pearce still being deeply average.
The roosters are dominating this game, but Pearce has made 2 errors that have resulted in 2 dogs tries (one involving a Pearce missed tackle) and it's a 4 point game
