In Kiwis news, Mr "The Key is the We" has decided not to reapply for the head coach position. Good decision.
@sneakdefreak said in NRL 2018:
In Kiwis news, Mr "The Key is the We" has decided not to reapply for the head coach position. Good decision.
Not his fault that he was chosen despite not being up to it. Now some of our guys like playing for Tonga so much they will stay away. The board who appointed him should leave too
Shaun Johnson to return to the Warriors line up for the double-header clash at Mt Smart on Saturday night (Wests V Storm, Warriors V Cowboys). Also returning to the line up is Simon Mannering who will start from the bench (but I think that bench will change come kick off).
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 PETA HIKU
4 SOLOMONE KATA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 BLAKE GREEN
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 ISSAC LUKE
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 LEIVAHA PULU
12 TOHU HARRIS
13 ADAM BLAIR
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 SAM LISONE
16 SIMON MANNERING
17 ANTHONY GELLING
18 LIGI SAO
20 MASON LINO
21 CHRIS SATAE
22 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
It's strange seeing the Warriors near the front of the sports news on TV these days. For the last few years, they've been pushed right to the back, even behind some of the really small sports that barely anyone follows.
League in NZ really needed this by the Warriors after what went down last year. It seemed like the sport was on a long road to recovery not too long ago.
Good article.
I especially liked the bit about the player who was late to pre season training having to watch his team mates be put through a 2x tougher than normal training session as punishment.
@antipodean in an age where the players have the power, at least more so than they used to, it does come as a surprise that this type of thing still goes on in a professional sport. Happy that it does but I can see the Eels team all being seen to early grave having to account for the lack of effort Hayne was putting in preseason.
@antipodean said in NRL 2018:
@gunner I'm astonished that's note worthy. It was the first lesson I can remember joining the military; you fuck up, everyone else suffers. Small wonder the club was a laughing stock last year.
If anyone is wanting to join the bandwagon, move quick coz the wagon is filling fast.
Tonight’s double header at Mt Smart is going to be a sell out. Over 22,000 tickets sold already.
If anyone is wanting to join the bandwagon, move quick coz the wagon is filling fast.
Tonight’s double header at Mt Smart is going to be a sell out. Over 22,000 tickets sold already.
That's a bloody great result. I don't follow much league any more, but amazing how people come out of the woodwork when there is League success, and a shambles over at Eden Park. Good for teh Warriors, adn I hope they do well tonight
At the double header, great atmosphere. Benji and the Tigers edge the storm in a defensive dominated game in greasy conditions after a rainy pregame. Now for the Warriors!
For a mrs Hooroo first. She asked to see the warriors score and we haven’t turned back.
Amazing what a bit of momentum can do for support. Hope chiefs are winning.
5 on the trott, fucking outrageous. This is a very different Warriors side this year, they were still pumping in the final 10 there - a NQ comeback was never really on the cards. Good shit.
If there is a concern , fuck they are peaking early , finish line is a long way away, can they keep this going ?
@kiwiinmelb said in NRL 2018:
If there is a concern , fuck they are peaking early , finish line is a long way away, can they keep this going ?
Hopefully they have a good run during State of Origin.
@no-quarter said in NRL 2018:
5 on the trott, fucking outrageous. This is a very different Warriors side this year, they were still pumping in the final 10 there - a NQ comeback was never really on the cards. Good shit.
We never looked in danger, but old habits die hard so I was waiting for a warriors surrender that never came. In person our wingers are massive and run the ball up like forwards. We look super solid all over the park, now if we can reduce Adam Blair's errors and penalties we'll be even more dangerous. Great atmosphere at Mt Smart on a clear night as the crowd fed off the team, at times the din was amazing. 100x more raucous and fun than your average Eden Park crowd
@kiwiinmelb said in NRL 2018:
If there is a concern , fuck they are peaking early , finish line is a long way away, can they keep this going ?
Hopefully they have a good run during State of Origin.
Our typical S of O bounce could catapult us well clear at the top of the table. We have no players likely to be involved?
@no-quarter said in NRL 2018:
5 on the trott, fucking outrageous. This is a very different Warriors side this year, they were still pumping in the final 10 there - a NQ comeback was never really on the cards. Good shit.
We never looked in danger, but old habits die hard so I was waiting for a warriors surrender that never came. In person our wingers are massive and run the ball up like forwards.
Don't know who remembers 2007, but that was one of our best ever years, and was heavily built on Manu Vatuvei and Wade McKinnon running huge metres both on kick returns and generally to really take the heat off the forwards.
Solomome Kata deserves some props. Great step run and pass to set up the first try, did his job without fuss all game. Bunty Afoa is a terror with ball in hand. He, Lisone and all the young forwards are playing great
Five and Oh! to start the season. Is it me or is everyone so happy right now?
AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!
Return of (former) Captain Mannering: He came off the bench, played a bit at prop and then returned to his old slot in the secondrow. In his 60 minutes he never looked tired or rusty. Kearney wants him wearing the number 11 this season which means the edges will feature Tohu Harris and Simon Mannering. Very scary for opponents. Saw him after the game and have to say he looks really happy (after playing so many mediocre seasons this start must be a blessing).
If Mannering plays the rest of the regular season, his 300th match will be the final regular season game.
Getting all defensive: For much of the second half, the Warriors seemed fine with playing without the ball. Their defence has been the key factor in these five wins - it resembles something from the NFL. In that second half Jazz Tevaga was playing middle linebacker, Tohu Harris and Simon Mannering were the outside linebackers, while Adam Blair and Bunty Afoa were the defensive ends.
The real MVP(s): David Fusitua and Ken Maumalo were the best players tonight. Disarming every kick, returning it with vigour and making smart plays all night long. Teams are scared of Fusitua when he goes up to retrieve the high kick - twice the Cowboys illegally took him out of the play (and were penalised for it). He doesn't have the same speed as Fusitua but I see why Maumalo is in the team. He's useful on kick returns and can help the forwards out with several hit ups through out the night. He's the new Manu Vatuvei (except better under the high ball).
What about the other guys? Seeing the Cowboys team list it's surprising to see the team is 1-4. The Cowboys are 2017 Grand Finalists and STACKED with depth. But Thurston is playing with a bad shoulder and despite it being his last year, you have to guess the pressure will be on to replace him with Te Maire Martin and make Michael Morgan the chief playmaker again if this continues. Maybe Father Time has caught JT?
Sign of the times: A lot of Day Ones out there.
@sneakdefreak wonder if those ones that burnt thier Jersies last year are back on board?
Maumalo was a beast on kick return and hit ups, with better hands and higher workrate than Manu. JT looked same old out there, he's a shadow at the moment based on that game
@taniwharugby said in NRL 2018:
@sneakdefreak wonder if those ones that burnt thier Jersies last year are back on board?
Probably have already bought new ones. Lol.
@taniwharugby said in NRL 2018:
@sneakdefreak wonder if those ones that burnt thier Jersies last year are back on board?
Probably have already bought new ones. Lol.
Groveling on a supporters page that they're not dicks.
Should I survive the great Auckland storm of 2018 I'll be going to the Broncos game at Mt Smart on Saturday. Warriors name the same side although expect some positional changes (Mannering to start and probably Paasi or Pulu to the bench).
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 PETA HIKU
4 SOLOMONE KATA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 BLAKE GREEN
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 ISSAC LUKE
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 LEIVAHA PULU
12 TOHU HARRIS
13 ADAM BLAIR
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 SAM LISONE
16 SIMON MANNERING
17 ANTHONY GELLING
18 MASON LINO
20 CHRIS SATAE
21 ISAIAH PAPALI’I
22 SAM COOK
Papali'i has also made a quick recovery from his knee injury.
Warriors down 15-14 at half time.
Real mixed bag from the Warriors, have given away too many penalties, especially under their goal posts which cost them a couple of goals.
Very poor last 5 minutes after leveling the scores up, made a couple of mistakes in their own end giving Milford the opportunity to kick the 1 point.
I suppose 1 is better than the 6 they’d likely have conceded last year though.
Come on need a big effort in the 2nd half lads
14-21 early in the second half and the Warriors are under the pump big time.
Broncos making big metres, Warriors struggling to get out of their own 30.
Oh and more silly penalties.
Need someone to step up and do something special to halt this Brisbane momentum
No change in the score but things still not going well for the Warriors.
Had an opportunity or two but spilled the ball.
More dumb dumb dumb, did I say dumb penalties.
Positive thing is they’re hanging in there...
14 27
Can’t see the Warriors getting out of this one going on how the previous 63 minutes have gone.
Our forwards have been dominated today, simple as that.
What’s really fucking me off though is how long the Broncos are allowed to go on with the tackle after the ref calls held, in some cases even joining the tackle after the call.
Surely held is held and they have to let go and get the fuck out of it.