NRL 2022

[Hesi]

15 hours ago, Hesi said:

Why do you say that about Reece Walsh?

 

If the new franchise manage to swing Cameron Munster, Reece Walsh will be gone next year

[Hesi]

The Cowboys superb last night, and over a potential top 4 side.

Warriors get a win, but who they are beating and how, suggests they are a long way off the top 8.

A couple of interesting observations

Another coach that left the Warriors and establishes a great culture at another club, Cowboys and Payten.  There is something quite rotten at the core of the Warriors.

How to win a game of rugby league, the more traditional way that the Cowboys pulled off last night and the way the Bulldogs did it.  Boy were they happy though lol

 

 

[Hesi]

I think there are a couple of Brisbane fans on here.  Would have been pleased to see them demolish Souths last night, with a Souths signing, man of the match.

A big leap ahead compared to the train wrecks we saw in 2021, 2020.

One day

 

[Hesi]

A few things to take out of this round

1.  Melbourne has continued to progress to a new level and now must be favourites to take out the Grand Final.  How do they do it.  They can lose a player of Nicho Hynes class, who is going on to be a star for the Sharks, yet still maintain such a high level of performance.

2.  Penrith showing a few jitters.  Was it purely because the coach was in hospital

3.  Warriors, no, not this year.

4.  Parramatta, yeah, nah.  They always raise it for the local derby, but when the largish lady starts to sing, they will be found wanting against the top 2

[PWJ]

14 hours ago, Hesi said:

A few things to take out of this round

1.  Melbourne has continued to progress to a new level and now must be favourites to take out the Grand Final.  How do they do it.  They can lose a player of Nicho Hynes class, who is going on to be a star for the Sharks, yet still maintain such a high level of performance.

2.  Penrith showing a few jitters.  Was it purely because the coach was in hospital

3.  Warriors, no, not this year.

4.  Parramatta, yeah, nah.  They always raise it for the local derby, but when the largish lady starts to sing, they will be found wanting against the top 2

Yes Melbourne look like a machine this year but the loss of Papenhuyzen for 3-4 weeks might make them slightly vulnerable.

Penrith's performance was sub-par. I honestly think it was down to a bad game from playmaker Cleary which is a very rare happening.

Warriors were very Warrior-like. Do they ever go on the field with a plan ???

Parra rely heavily on Moses who has plenty of off days even if his good days are brilliant

Brisbane's performance was impressive. They may make the finals for a change. Reynolds was an inspired acquisition. He was gutted when let go by Souths but has made a terrific start up North. If they can keep Haas, Staggs, Carrigan, Oates on the field at the same time and hone Cobbo into a thinking player they will have a pretty good side further down the line

The Sharks are the team on the rise for me and look superbly coached and rock hard fit. Full credit to the coaching & management team. They are very fortunate to have Steve Price as assistant coach. Price, who coached the Warrington Wolves to a Cup Final win over St. Helens just 3 years ago has better credentials than half the current NRL managers and learnt his trade under Wayne Bennett. He might be the key to their huge improvement together with the acquisition of Nicho Hynes

PJ (at last Top Scorer for the Round in Chasing Ray's NRL Fantasy league !! 😎 )

[Hesi]

2 hours ago, PWJ said:

Yes Melbourne look like a machine this year but the loss of Papenhuyzen for 3-4 weeks might make them slightly vulnerable.

Penrith's performance was sub-par. I honestly think it was down to a bad game from playmaker Cleary which is a very rare happening.

Warriors were very Warrior-like. Do they ever go on the field with a plan ???

Parra rely heavily on Moses who has plenty of off days even if his good days are brilliant

Brisbane's performance was impressive. They may make the finals for a change. Reynolds was an inspired acquisition. He was gutted when let go by Souths but has made a terrific start up North. If they can keep Haas, Staggs, Carrigan, Oates on the field at the same time and hone Cobbo into a thinking player they will have a pretty good side further down the line

The Sharks are the team on the rise for me and look superbly coached and rock hard fit. Full credit to the coaching & management team. They are very fortunate to have Steve Price as assistant coach. Price, who coached the Warrington Wolves to a Cup Final win over St. Helens just 3 years ago has better credentials than half the current NRL managers and learnt his trade under Wayne Bennett. He might be the key to their huge improvement together with the acquisition of Nicho Hynes

PJ (at last Top Scorer for the Round in Chasing Ray's NRL Fantasy league !! 😎 )

Clearly your second best passion PJ.  What would you do then to get the Warriors into shape.  Nothing seems to have worked in the last few years.  With a squeeze, they could make a top 8, but they are just going to get smashed in their first finals match

[PWJ]

1 hour ago, Hesi said:

Clearly your second best passion PJ.  What would you do then to get the Warriors into shape.  Nothing seems to have worked in the last few years.  With a squeeze, they could make a top 8, but they are just going to get smashed in their first finals match

One of my many passions, Alan. Not sure how to fix the Warriors as I don't know enough about their internal structure. Their recruitment policy is crap though with an ageing Johnson the only decent signing in the past 12 months and so much dross amongst the remainder.

Would love to know how the salary cap has been spent but i think one could guess there are some vastly over-remunerated players in there. League has a pattern of some guys landing big money contracts far in excess of their true worth due to some good media manipulation on their behalf. Once that happens they know they are set up for life and tend to cruise from that point on. Happens in football too. When I was a semi-professional I knew that unless I played on Saturday I didn't get paid. That sharpens your training effort a bloody lot. What I got paid on Saturday if we won was equivalent to about 50% of my weekly wages in my normal job so it was quite the motivating factor.

To that end I would like to see more players on performance based contracts. If you're crap you don't play and if you don't play you only earn a basic wage. The first club that does this will win the Premiership !

Getting back to the Warriors, I'm not sure the Head coach is much chop. Despite success in the UK, his NRL record is very ordinary. Steve Price would have been a mile better !!

Like I said before the Warriors never seem to have a plan for any scenario - defending a narrow lead, coming from behind to win, outfoxing an opposition side with 12 men. It's like they make it up as they go along. Every time

I have national coaching certificates in two sports and it is my belief the two most important members of any side are

1) a coach who can anticipate situations, train his team to prepare for them and communicate solutions both in training for retention and during the match at immediate notice

2) an on-field leader who can turn those solutions into results schooling his team on the hoof, controlling the plays and all the while displaying superior leadership qualities. So often in many sports, the leadership role is given to the most senior player or the most popular guy and it usually turns out poorly. Think Cam Smith and his ilk as the best examples

[PWJ]

On 5/9/2022 at 9:43 AM, PWJ said:

Yes Melbourne look like a machine this year but the loss of Papenhuyzen for 3-4 weeks might make them slightly vulnerable.

Penrith's performance was sub-par. I honestly think it was down to a bad game from playmaker Cleary which is a very rare happening.

Warriors were very Warrior-like. Do they ever go on the field with a plan ???

Parra rely heavily on Moses who has plenty of off days even if his good days are brilliant

Brisbane's performance was impressive. They may make the finals for a change. Reynolds was an inspired acquisition. He was gutted when let go by Souths but has made a terrific start up North. If they can keep Haas, Staggs, Carrigan, Oates on the field at the same time and hone Cobbo into a thinking player they will have a pretty good side further down the line

The Sharks are the team on the rise for me and look superbly coached and rock hard fit. Full credit to the coaching & management team. They are very fortunate to have Steve Price as assistant coach. Price, who coached the Warrington Wolves to a Cup Final win over St. Helens just 3 years ago has better credentials than half the current NRL managers and learnt his trade under Wayne Bennett. He might be the key to their huge improvement together with the acquisition of Nicho Hynes

PJ (at last Top Scorer for the Round in Chasing Ray's NRL Fantasy league !! 😎 )

Steve Price an outside shot for vacant Bulldogs seat ??

Or will Big Phil just take over himself ?

[Tonkatime]

1 hour ago, PWJ said:

Steve Price an outside shot for vacant Bulldogs seat ??

Or will Big Phil just take over himself ?

There's also talk of David Furner and Shane Flanagan, the former more so on an interim basis.

[PWJ]

3 minutes ago, Tonkatime said:

There's also talk of David Furner and Shane Flanagan, the former more so on an interim basis.

Or maybe even Fittler

[Hesi]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:43 AM, PWJ said:

Yes Melbourne look like a machine this year but the loss of Papenhuyzen for 3-4 weeks might make them slightly vulnerable.

Penrith's performance was sub-par. I honestly think it was down to a bad game from playmaker Cleary which is a very rare happening.

Warriors were very Warrior-like. Do they ever go on the field with a plan ???

Parra rely heavily on Moses who has plenty of off days even if his good days are brilliant

Brisbane's performance was impressive. They may make the finals for a change. Reynolds was an inspired acquisition. He was gutted when let go by Souths but has made a terrific start up North. If they can keep Haas, Staggs, Carrigan, Oates on the field at the same time and hone Cobbo into a thinking player they will have a pretty good side further down the line

The Sharks are the team on the rise for me and look superbly coached and rock hard fit. Full credit to the coaching & management team. They are very fortunate to have Steve Price as assistant coach. Price, who coached the Warrington Wolves to a Cup Final win over St. Helens just 3 years ago has better credentials than half the current NRL managers and learnt his trade under Wayne Bennett. He might be the key to their huge improvement together with the acquisition of Nicho Hynes

PJ (at last Top Scorer for the Round in Chasing Ray's NRL Fantasy league !! 😎 )

The Storm were hammered on Sat by Penrith, and I don't think you can put it down to Papenhuyzen missing.  Eels and Sharks slipping off their game, while others picking up.

When those top sides hit their straps, like Penrith on Sat, they play a completely different class of game to the stuff showed by the bottom half.

Cowboys against the Storm this week.  We will see how real their rejuvenation this season is

[PWJ]

12 minutes ago, Hesi said:

The Storm were hammered on Sat by Penrith, and I don't think you can put it down to Papenhuyzen missing.  Eels and Sharks slipping off their game, while others picking up.

When those top sides hit their straps, like Penrith on Sat, they play a completely different class of game to the stuff showed by the bottom half.

Cowboys against the Storm this week.  We will see how real their rejuvenation this season is

I think the Sharks were badly hit by the loss of Kennedy and Nicho Hynes having to go to fullback. The Sharkies look aimless in possession without their playmaker in his natural slot.

Lack of strength in depth exposed.

Melbourne had similar issues with key players missing. Their reliance on "Papy" is probably greater than they realized.

Penrith without doubt the Apex team

[VC!]

On 4/26/2022 at 5:43 AM, VC! said:

 

As for Reece Walsh and Matt Lodge, both unlikely to resign, 

 

One down one to go

 

Q Have a guess what the Warriors nickname is now in Australia 

 

 

A Transit Lounge

[Hesi]

A few comments on Round 11

1.  Penrith continue their relentless charge.  They play the game faster than any other team.  Only State of Origin can dull that momentum, with them likely to have 7 players out

2.  It can be done with the right people, both in charge and on the field.  Cowboys, bottom 4 the last 4 seasons, now a serious challenger to the top tier, demolishing the Storm, with Taumalolo missing most of the game.  If they can do it, why can't the Warriors, in the 12 years, since Cleary was coach.  Even to a casual observer, many of the Warriors signings are poor

3.  Good to see some of the iconic names of the NRL, lifting their game, such as Canberra and Brisbane

4.  Match of the comp so far this Friday, Panthers vs Cowboys.  Could they really beat the benchmark team

[VC!]

What a dead set basket case the Warriors are

Between the owner of this club and the CEO they could well bury this club

Imagine paying Lodge out for this year, and 700k for next year, letting any club pick Lodge up for nothing

 

[Hesi]

2 hours ago, VC! said:

What a dead set basket case the Warriors are

Between the owner of this club and the CEO they could well bury this club

Imagine paying Lodge out for this year, and 700k for next year, letting any club pick Lodge up for nothing

 

Is that the deal?

Is that 700K included as part of the salary cap, so would that mean they have 700K left to play with in 2023

 

[Hesi]

Just corrected the above.  Cameron George is Chairman of the Board of NZTR, Bruce Sharrock is the CEO.  George is however CEO of the Warriors

[VC!]

7 hours ago, Hesi said:

Is that the deal?

Is that 700K included as part of the salary cap, so would that mean they have 700K left to play with in 2023

 

That means they have spent 700k of their salary cap for next year with no player, they have literally handed some club a free player

There is much more to this story than meets the eye Euan Aiken doesn't want to be based in NZ either but he's playing out the rest of this year, you just don't walk away mid season, having not signed with any other club yet

I believe the NRL Integrity unit will be investigating this story

I think its 700k all up possibly $550k for next season

Edited May 25, 2022 by VC!

[Hesi]

Why would any Aus player want to come to the Warriors, it's a downward step in their career, and highlights the need to develop local talent, such as the Panthers and Cowboys have done.  This was the line being put across 2-3 years ago by O'Sullivan, Gould and Nathan Brown.  There is just so much BS being spun around this club, it must have turned off all but the most ardent fans.

I note on NRL 360 Live, that some are tipping the Cowboys to roll the Panthers on Friday, even without Taumalolo and Feldt.  One comment stood out, the Cowboys, play as a team and for each other, and that is pretty much how the Panthers have achieved what they have

 

[VC!]

2 hours ago, Hesi said:

Why would any Aus player want to come to the Warriors, it's a downward step in their career, and highlights the need to develop local talent, such as the Panthers and Cowboys have done.  This was the line being put across 2-3 years ago by O'Sullivan, Gould and Nathan Brown.  There is just so much BS being spun around this club, it must have turned off all but the most ardent fans.

I note on NRL 360 Live, that some are tipping the Cowboys to roll the Panthers on Friday, even without Taumalolo and Feldt.  One comment stood out, the Cowboys, play as a team and for each other, and that is pretty much how the Panthers have achieved what they have

 

The Warriors is a transit lounge for Australian players, once they develop themselves, and if they are any good, they then look to go back to Australia usually breaking their Warriors contract

James Maloney reserve grader at the Melbourne Storm, opportunity at the Warriors once established doesn’t see out his contract goes to the Roosters wins a premiership 

Chad Townsend reserve grader at the Sharks once he establishes himself as a first grader seeks an early release on compassionate grounds goes back to the Sharks wins a premiership 

Now the Warriors have signed Luke Metcafle and Ronald Volkman, no names, should these two develop into first graders you won’t see them for dust, they will be back in Aus  for less money

The Warriors need to stop signing Australian players, they need to do something different, if they continue year in year out doing the same thing they will continue to end up with the same result

No one wants to be there CHT is taking time out next year

The organisation is brain dead

[VC!]

One other thing if they’re a shit player and can’t get a gig at another club they will stay on eg Blake Aysford, also Warrior fans thought he was good, one thing about Warrior fans they are#1 for accepting mediocrity 

Back at Mt Smart soon expecting to see the most overstated over rated banner in World Sport “Keep the Faith”

[PWJ]

5 hours ago, Hesi said:

Why would any Aus player want to come to the Warriors, it's a downward step in their career, and highlights the need to develop local talent, such as the Panthers and Cowboys have done.  This was the line being put across 2-3 years ago by O'Sullivan, Gould and Nathan Brown.  There is just so much BS being spun around this club, it must have turned off all but the most ardent fans.

I note on NRL 360 Live, that some are tipping the Cowboys to roll the Panthers on Friday, even without Taumalolo and Feldt.  One comment stood out, the Cowboys, play as a team and for each other, and that is pretty much how the Panthers have achieved what they have

 

I saw that Alan on NRL 360. I think it's a stretch though. The point has been mentioned that Taumalolo and Feldt are missing bringing Granville (slow veteran) and Taunoa-Brown (Warriors reject - says it all)  into the side. They are a big step down.

Payten has worked wonders with the Cowboys and they should make the Finals comfortably but they are a couple of good players shy of a top team.

 

Ian's comments on the Warriors being a transit station are very accurate. They need to invest more into a youth academy that can unearth local talent. At least if you find these rough gems you can have them for their first couple of years in the NRL.

I also believe they lack on-field leadership. Johnson' indecision in his own playmaking means he could do without the responsibility of Captain and the two official club captains - Harris & Fonua-Blake are injured half the time. They need a tough, hard natural leader who can inspire. I have watched Jordan Rapana (6 tries in 11 games for NZ) prove a natural inspiration to a misfiring young Raiders side this year. He loves a challenge and would be a fine example for the younger Warriors and still is playing tremendously well for a 32yo.

[PWJ]

2 hours ago, VC! said:

No one wants to be there CHT is taking time out next year

The organisation is brain dead

Ian, that CHT decision is a very strange one. Is there more yet to be revealed ? Does he have an upcoming police charge ? It just seems weird. If everything he says is true I'm not sure he is cut out to be a professional player.

[Hesi]

3 hours ago, VC! said:

 

The organisation is brain dead

Can you put your finger on why

[VC!]

1 hour ago, Hesi said:

Can you put your finger on why

To me the Warriors currently have two options when I get time I’ll explain what they are