NRL 2025

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

On the Warriors

That was a stirring win that, despite the score, was in the balance for far too long (or maybe thats just our PTSD talking).
But you know what? There is the making of a decent side there.
I still maintain that to really improve it is time to move CNK and CHT out of the team. This game was tailor made for CNK, a winnable game where the biggest thing was emotion, he feeds off that shit (see Penrith last year). But he is still a very average fullback. Tuapiki is completely wasted on the wing. So is Roger to be fair.
CHT did absolutely fuck all on the weekend, Metcalfe was everything.
Niukore and Capewell are bog average and need upgrades.

But on the flip side Erin Clark made me a believer, he had a huge game, smashed in to everything, and if he can keep that up our starting middles are real good. Egan was back to his best, and Walker is so important off the bench for us. I think the young forwards need more time as well.

That was a good win, but it wasn't really built on antyhing sustainable. Manly got complacent when it looked like they would just continue of from Week 1, and then when the error counted mounted, they couldn't switch back on, and we took advantage of repeated opportunities, a loud crowd, and the emotion of the occasion.

Start with this first. Boyd and TMM fit in reserve grade and CHT plays 5/8. I really dont understand this. I suspect because they think he can defend better, its the only reason I can logically come up with.

Metcalf, I have to give it to this kid, smashed from pillar to post by fans and media and then delivers a performance like that, I have to love his enthusiasm too at the end, getting the fans. Still a 6 in a 7 shirt but there is effort.

I think the only reason we win this though, is that our forwards were much better this week, if they dont get us on the front foot, the Egan cant work his magic and I think his confidence and leadership helps Metcalf. I suspect the form of both will be linked this year and both need the forwards to win it up front.

So as much as I think the forwards did well, I cant help but agree with Mariner that Capewell is busted and Nuikore is off the mark. It doesnt amuse me to see two young forwards on the bench getting 15 minutes each that both could provide a larger impact if were asked.

CNK isnt the answer at fullback, just inst busy enough, nor a decent ball player. He is all effort but not showing any skills.

Still gutsy effort, can we repeat against the Roosters, before week 2 I thought we might, after week 2 I am not confident however I give us a chance, but again we need to win the forward battle. If we dont, we dont compete.

oh we have the Roosters? Marky Mark is going to tear our edge defense to pieces. Ouch.

As for the rest..Home advantage seems important early in the season.

Ricky has the Raiders fit and firing, they look very good.
St George havent won a game but look likely
Bulldogs lose 2 key players but will still win by 30 this week
Tigers show massive improvement but havent played a top team yet
Cowboys in real trouble, only the Eels arguably until Moses is back look worse
Manly like last year, hot at home, different team away
Storm didnt play this week, could Penrith lose 2 on the trot?
Titans wont win the comp but have points in them, against a team not so defensively strong, I suspect they tear a few upsets, even if Des cant manage his bench

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

oh we have the Roosters? Marky Mark is going to tear our edge defense to pieces. Ouch.

true, however I suspect we put all our attack down Toia's side. Could be a high scoring game with defence optional

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

Toia's side

he can play as well. Fucking Roosters lose Manu and Soialii and still have incredible attacking centres. Where to they find them?? And why can't we have some?
If the forwards aim up we can take their halves out of it, i mean one of them is the Chad FFS

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

Toia's side

he can play as well. Fucking Roosters lose Manu and Soialii and still have incredible attacking centres. Where to they find them?? And why can't we have some?
If the forwards aim up we can take their halves out of it, i mean one of them is the Chad FFS

Toia is a weapon on attack, but like a lot of young centres I think has one of the highest amount of missed tackles, just look at round one alone.

Fuck we whinge about CHT, but seriously the Chad, surely we can outplay him

Didn't realise Clark is son of Temepara George. So he's got solid genes

Watching busted Capewell play and then reading this, irks me

Jacob Laban was enormous in his 80-minute effort with a try assist, a linebreak, four tackle busts, 177 metres and 41 tackles, while Rocco Berry looked dangerous in the centres, finishing with a try assist, three linebreak assists, a linebreak and 103 metres.

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

Watching busted Capewell play and then reading this, irks me

Jacob Laban was enormous in his 80-minute effort with a try assist, a linebreak, four tackle busts, 177 metres and 41 tackles, while Rocco Berry looked dangerous in the centres, finishing with a try assist, three linebreak assists, a linebreak and 103 metres.

where is the downvote button FFS

Brandon Smith to Souths looks like a done deal.

massive shock...

Also Francis Molo got his release from the Dragons after he repaid and advance, and is off to the Dolphins

@mariner4life yeah, hard to know who to believe on this one, did the dolphins approach him earlier with a good offer, or did he really not like the way the coaches talked to him about the end of year drinks..

just weird and the whole thing seems dodgy

@African-Monkey said in NRL 2025:

Brandon Smith to Souths looks like a done deal.

unlikely to play this year though, apparently that part wasnt agreed to

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

just weird and the whole thing seems dodgy

bro, have your read Francis' history? oof

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

just weird and the whole thing seems dodgy

bro, have your read Francis' history? oof

well he wouldnt make the ABs great guy criteria, wasnt sure that was linked though, who knows maybe it is, maybe that's why he wants out

Oh dear, still he is innocent until proven guilty.

Interesting game tonight, Melbourne looked rampant giving the Eels and absolute bath in Rd 1.

And then Rd2 happened, and all the other hot winners from the first week got tipped over, and the Tigers proved smacking the Eels means fuck all.

And Penrith lost to the worst Roosters side in decades, so will be looking for an immediate bounce back. They've lost Dylan Edwards which is usually massive, but he's actually started the year pretty average anyway. Now his replacement Laurie is out as well. A chance Blaize Talagi makes his Panthers debut.

Expect the Storm, Broncos and Bulldogs to al win comfortably this weekend.

Eels and Cowboys look awful. I'd normally tip Penrith to bounce back but going to Melbourne to play the Storm is a difference kettle of fish.

Panthers struggling tonight and Nathan Cleary already ruled out for the rest of the match and next week also.

credit to Penrith, lose the chin early in the game and they fight back. great intensity for a wet weather match too, you would think Storm should come out on top, but both teams still right in this

funny game. At one point i thought Melbourne would score 50, but like a couple of teams last week, the "win big week 1, easy start the next game" trap opened up and Melbourne fell in it.

Penrith definitely adjusted defensively and started to shut down those Melbourne shapes. Throw in a greasy night and it got ugly. Melbourne did have their outsides impacted by injury which opened up the spots Penrith attacked.

One thing about Penrith is they are so well drilled. They are a "system" team (and i don't mean that as a negative) and when they run their plays, no matter who is involved, they are all at pace and in synch. Those two To'o tries last night were done to perfection, and look at the names handling the ball. They are not big name Penrith players. Great fucking squad, and Cleary is a way better coach now than he has ever shown before.

Yeah Penrith will be happy with that performance despite the loss. Cole funnily enough looks more comfortable as a 7 than 6, and they seem to suit a more running 6 like Talagi and Luai in years gone by. Jenkins was also impressive from the back apart from not contesting the high ball in the Coates try, and Alamoti had a huge night in the centres.

As mariner said, looked like 50 was on the cards, but credit to Penrith, they're elite for a reason.

CNK must go

So should CHT

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

So should CHT

You should put him down more often.

So we finally do a half decent kick on the 5th and contest the high ball and we score.

Who would’ve thunk it

Tedesco can't jump. Wahs might want to try that again.

That’s a poor miss on the extras.

WTF kind of conversion attempt is that?

Gee he hits the line hard.

Good to see the points come after a period of dominating field position.

14-6 to the good guys.

CNK would have gotten a red card for that in NH rugby.

@Nepia said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

So should CHT

You should put him down more often.

You have to laugh, as soon as you bag both, they both stand up

Big win in a grind, a lot of positives with our first win over those fluffybunnies since 2018

Gritty win from the Warriors.

Without sounding like a boring reporter, was a real arm wrestle, and a game that neeed to be won if we have thoughts of featuring in September

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

@Nepia said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

So should CHT

You should put him down more often.

Big win in a grind, a lot of positives with our first win over those fluffybunnies since 2018

Hard to believe we haven’t beaten the Sydney Sombrero’s in that long!!!

Its not like they’ve been at Panthers or Storm level!

@Gunner said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

@Nepia said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

So should CHT

You should put him down more often.

Big win in a grind, a lot of positives with our first win over those fluffybunnies since 2018

Hard to believe we haven’t beaten the Sydney Sombrero’s in that long!!!

Not hard for to believe me because I keep going to see them at the SFS.

Another win built on guts and the crowd and an opposition handing us opportunity.

If the Roosters were a competent team we would have got flogged.

CHT having an inspired 5 seconds does not erase the other 79.55 of utter shit.
CNK ran for 300m. With out threatening a decent linebreak or try scoring opportunity. Ambling after a chad fucking Townsend 40/20 was unforgivable.
Metcalf has a shit kicking game.
Our attack really does stink.

However
Leiataua is my new favourite warrior, and there is something there to work with.
Our middles are good.
Our best half comes off the bench as a forward.
Dick fingers Ford is having a good season.

We're 2-1!

I think the season will play out that we'll beat the average teams at home, lose nearly everything in Australia, and lose to any good team who actually shows up to Mt Smart, and finish like 12th.