NRL 2018
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STATEMENT GAME.
I'm having a hard time holding these alligators down!
Us against the world: Nothing was going right for the Warriors in this game. They lose one of their key playmakers prior to the game, lose a key forward during the game to concussion, have their main playmaker for the game sinbinned on a dubious call, have no ball or any possession and all this against the best team in the league. To win this game showed how committed the side is to playing defence, they seem to enjoy it more than playing with the ball. The Dragons were creative on attack but they could not break the Warriors wall enough times.
The Replacements: Question - is Mason Lino a better fit for this team than Shaun Johnson? He's got a better overall kicking game, loves to run out of dummyhalf, and is willing to play second fiddle to Blake Green. In his two games the Warriors seem to be a tad more consistent on attack. Shaun Johnson is the better player, he can single-handily win a game by himself, but Mason is putting forward a case. I criticised Anthony Gelling last week but it was nice to see him score a try tonight. He also made a couple of nice plays including defusing a Dragons bomb.
The real MVP: Isaac Luke was in fine form tonight. His 40/20 and subsequent try won the game for the Warriors but so did his dummyhalf running and pesky defending. Him and Jazz Tevaga are proving to be a good hooker/lock duo during the match.
What about the other guys? 6-0 is now 6-1. The Dragons would have won this game against most other NRL clubs but the Warriors tenacious defending meant Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt just couldn't get it done. Meanwhile their star fullback Matt Dufty, who has been more elusive than Lord Lucan, was ragdolled all night long.
Let's hear it for the refs: Ben Cummins and Henry Perenara made some 'unique' calls. Ten minutes after warning Roger Tuivasa-Sheck about his team taking a number of penalties the refs sent Blake Green off for a minor penalty. I understand sending someone off if there are a number of penalties in a one-minute span but ten minutes later? Come on. Also bad call: calling back the Dragons intercept because James Graham knocked on in midair two to three plays prior. I personally loved the call but think the advantage was well and truly over. One of the few times you'll hear rival fans yelling the same chant in unison: "Hey refs! You suck!"
@sneakdefreak the intercept try being called back was karma, I would have accepted it was a try but was happy with the get square
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I'm not really sure what to say. What do you do when everything you believe, everything you KNOW to be true, is busy being proved wrong, right in front of your eyes?
This may sound nuff-tastic, but is there a chance the warriors took their eyes off the ball last week, looking forward to this one?
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That was one of the most absorbing games I've watched involving the warriors. We just loved them to death, with lots of big friendly hugs. And we got especially frisky in our own 20!!
Luke! Fuck yeah, do work son! Dude has definitely got his mojo back. I reckon he feeds a lot off the energy of our forward pack, and that's been lacking over the last couple of years. But this year shit is different, there is a tangible buzz around the guys. I also think that Lino sparks him a bit too.
Some great efforts across the park. Losing Tohu (do we know if he is ok?) early was a massive test. Blair was really impressive, big minutes and he was talking heaps on D. Still a penalty risk but we seems to be getting more diamonds than rocks at the moment. Nod to big Ken M too, proving me wrong every week so far with effort and effectiveness.
Fusitua is still not quite there. But he was in the game and working hard - he's an immense talent so it won't be long till normal service resumes.
ps Points differential is poo
had missed that we'd only go level with the Dragons, thought I'd be seeing us at #1!! Soon! -
https://www.tab.co.nz/information/#2018-03-02/warriors-season-preview
TAB now has them at $7 to win it all.
Sportbet has them @ $12 and doubtless had them at longer (and more realistic) odds at the start of the season.
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What was the final penalty count? I was only watching after the rugby finished but Cummins wanted to penalise the Warriors off the park. His conversation with RTS said it all.
What was the final penalty count? I was only watching after the rugby finished but Cummins wanted to penalise the Warriors off the park. His conversation with RTS said it all.
Good on the kiwi ref for making the pivotal play
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I think Lino is a low risk player that thinks about what he is doing. Johnson plays what is in front of him and reacts. Both are important for us this season but I think I prefer Lino.
Green and Lino together have the potential to strangle the life out of the opposition with their kicking games but I also think there is a chance they could cancel each other out. Johnson is obviously the game breaker that makes something from nothing and to have the option of either of these guys is amazing. Too early to say Lino should supersede Johnson though.
Saw an article this morning bemoaning the wear on Kangaroos players from the WC and how it has effected the table. Essentially its upside down world. Never mind that the Warriors fielded the most rep players from one NRL team or that the Dragons had something like 8 players on WC duty. And the writer pretty much didn't.
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@canefan yeah I saw a post on FB yesterday which was along the lines of 'what do other die hard fans think of all these bandwagoners'
TBH, while I still follow the results and will watch when I have nothing else one, I did lose my love of league many years back, so wont be jumping on the bandwagon anytime soon, that said, I have watched more league this year already than I did the whole of last year, so I guess it kinda makes me a bandwagoner to an extent?
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@canefan yeah I saw a post on FB yesterday which was along the lines of 'what do other die hard fans think of all these bandwagoners'
TBH, while I still follow the results and will watch when I have nothing else one, I did lose my love of league many years back, so wont be jumping on the bandwagon anytime soon, that said, I have watched more league this year already than I did the whole of last year, so I guess it kinda makes me a bandwagoner to an extent?
@taniwharugby good on the fans who stayed. Frankly the warriors had been so poor for so long they chased many fans away
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A readymade bandwagon is crucial for all sporting teams should they stumble across a bit of success. They need to milk that shit for all its worth.
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I didnt see the game but I think this highlights package creates the story pretty well
I lost my warriors faith many years ago, since then there have been a few false dawns which have ensured I won't be jumping on a bandwagon just yet..but what is different about them this year to last? Watching that clip it seems mostly the same players though some of those defensive plays showed a hell of a lot of spine. Did Kearny just need a year to get things organised properly?
I guess my real question is, is this for real?
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I didnt see the game but I think this highlights package creates the story pretty well
I lost my warriors faith many years ago, since then there have been a few false dawns which have ensured I won't be jumping on a bandwagon just yet..but what is different about them this year to last? Watching that clip it seems mostly the same players though some of those defensive plays showed a hell of a lot of spine. Did Kearny just need a year to get things organised properly?
I guess my real question is, is this for real?
@rembrandt said in NRL 2018:
I didnt see the game but I think this highlights package creates the story pretty well
I lost my warriors faith many years ago, since then there have been a few false dawns which have ensured I won't be jumping on a bandwagon just yet..but what is different about them this year to last? Watching that clip it seems mostly the same players though some of those defensive plays showed a hell of a lot of spine. Did Kearny just need a year to get things organised properly?
I guess my real question is, is this for real?
Last years team was not Kearney's, he inherited it. Sneak will know the specifics but there seems to be many new players, Harris, Hiku, Pulu just to name a few. Guys like Matulino have been shipped out, allowing for the forging of a new team culture and the new trainer has got the boys fitter than ever
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@rembrandt said in NRL 2018:
I didnt see the game but I think this highlights package creates the story pretty well
I lost my warriors faith many years ago, since then there have been a few false dawns which have ensured I won't be jumping on a bandwagon just yet..but what is different about them this year to last? Watching that clip it seems mostly the same players though some of those defensive plays showed a hell of a lot of spine. Did Kearny just need a year to get things organised properly?
I guess my real question is, is this for real?
Last years team was not Kearney's, he inherited it. Sneak will know the specifics but there seems to be many new players, Harris, Hiku, Pulu just to name a few. Guys like Matulino have been shipped out, allowing for the forging of a new team culture and the new trainer has got the boys fitter than ever
@canefan I'm still not believing this to be real, I seriously thought the next two years would be about rebuilding, but bringing in new veterans and a new training regime seems to have been the correct fix.
I think (when we look back at his coaching tenure) the big moment for Kearney came when he was able to ship Manu Vatuvei off to the SuperLeague. Manu was the head honcho of a very laid back culture within the squad and once he went the rest got in line or went out the door.
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@canefan I'm still not believing this to be real, I seriously thought the next two years would be about rebuilding, but bringing in new veterans and a new training regime seems to have been the correct fix.
I think (when we look back at his coaching tenure) the big moment for Kearney came when he was able to ship Manu Vatuvei off to the SuperLeague. Manu was the head honcho of a very laid back culture within the squad and once he went the rest got in line or went out the door.
@sneakdefreak I forgot about the Beast! Maumolo is as big but boasts a bigger engine and safer hands
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I don't really get all the negativity about bandwagon/fair weather fans. It's just proof that lots of people want them to do well, but have got sick of their shit.
The interesting thing about Warriors bandwagoners is how self aware they are. They are often pretty happy to say they support the Warriors when they were winning.
Besides, it's so frustrating watching a team you care about playing like they don't care while hearing rumours about shortcuts at training, entitlement, etc. Fans will let a lot of poor results slide if they think the players are working hard. That was my experience anyway, as a Chiefs fan for the first 15 years or so.
