First pre season matches start this weekend. Thankfully no mention of "fittest we've ever been", arguably "gruelling" is akin, but I will pretend it is not close.
EIther a Laban or Vaimauga (who the club has big hopes for) probably will be battling for a permanent edge spot over next couple of weeks, especially since showing Maiuu the door
ah the blissful serenity of entering the season with absolutely zero expectations. I can watch each game and just accept what happens happens. We win? holy shit how did we do that? we lose? well, our roster is dogshit.
We are paying $12 for the spoon which is massive overs. Somehow the Titans, Tigers, Knights, Dolphins (!) Raiders and Dragons are all below us.
@mariner4life It is nice not to have high expectations for sure, I just hope we dont end up in the spoon battle, however you never know lol
Dolphins only on that list with the Wayne leaving historical impact. Woolf a good coach though
Raiders and Dragons being top 2 in the market for the spoon does surprise me somewhat.
Surely even Ricky couldn't survive the Raiders being in the spoon fight? Coaching hot seats at the Titans, Knights, Tigers and Dragons as well. Benji will get the season, maybe Flanagan as well, but a poor start will see Des, AOB, and even yes maybe Ricky gone.
Ricky's young kids surely should actually be better, Dragons will go ok I think if their middles stand up (very light up front) and I wouldn't have them at spoon level yet. Titans will start poorly, but do get Fafita and Tino back through the season which will help.. Newcastle will potentially go backwards.
Can Ryles and Benji turn around their teams that much? Possibly but much will be based on confidence. A few losses and most of the squads heads will drop.
Perhaps the Warriors are in the spoon race..
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Perhaps the Warriors are in the spoon race..
balls deep in
no halves. Inadequate centres. Inadequate outsides (slow too). Lost our point scoring prop. Not much in the way of edge impact either.
@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:
in fact i am going to go and take the $12s
Solid early season jinx game 
@mariner4life I might wait until post round one, if we beat Canberra in Vegas, I might get $14
@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Perhaps the Warriors are in the spoon race..
balls deep in
no halves. Inadequate centres. Inadequate outsides (slow too). Lost our point scoring prop. Not much in the way of edge impact either.
I think I agree with all of this.
Add to that a coach who, on last year's evidence (and player recruitment), is wedded to a game plan that the other teams worked out last year.
TBF, as it's the Warriors I never have high expectations, not even with the over-hype train at the start of last year following on from 2023.
12 all draw with Sharks, doesn't sound all that bad.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/other/dwz-concern-as-metcalf-excels-in-warriors-sharks-trial/ar-AA1yAm5L?
ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=ce2d3185b7e24aa9eed9845a12f143c1&ei=15
Rusty for sure, but Metcalf can kick 40/20s and wasnt as bad as I thought he would be as a 7 even if a few 5th tackle options still not great. Like to see more from TMM though, thought when they combined last year they were one of our better combos. Tuapiki looked dangerous on occasions. I wouldn't be surprised if Healey is back up hooker by year end. Sifiakula (now Vaimauga) looked strong on the edge when on, otherwise edge forward work looked weak as predicted. As did our centres although I will give Pompey some credit for some of his cover defence when others missed their assignment.
Probably lucky sharks halves were poor. Sharks props will score more points this year than most forward packs combined.
Warriors did look unfit and any game played in the heat early in the season will see normal losses resume.
Not overly concerned DWZ injured but we bought one of the best NSW cup wingers last year (ex warrior) back from Penrith and we still play Kosi.
Still concerned Webby wont make any changes through the season if something doesnt work.
Refs looking to ping players for sloppy play the balls will cost us a bit this year, where we have always had some notorious offenders when it comes to the basics, this alone will see us concede too many unnecessary points and potentially lose games we looked in control of.
Anyway its a pre season hit out, but nothing really to get excited about
Stories indicating Joey Manu may exit his the Toyota Verblitz and return to the Rooster mid season.
@African-Monkey said in NRL 2025:
I thought he was an AB in waiting?
I suspect thats more media and fans speculating than him himself,
unless its something he really wants to achieve and hes prepared to lose a lot of money if it doesnt work out ,
if hes not prepared to roll that dice sticking with what hes already good at is probably a much safer bet , money is pretty much guaranteed
Te Whare seems to be going ok.
Huh, he was a rugby player who went to league so not really comparable to Manu.
Japanese rugby has managed to get his weight down which was something even Bennett couldn't do.
Anyway, this is all speculation from the Mole so who knows if it's even remotely close to the truth.
So the Maori All Stars team have looked at Websters small man bench tactic and said hold my fucking beer:
14. Keano Kini
15. Jazz Tevaga
17. Zach Dockar-Clay
19. Kurtis Morrin
Jazz is the giant of that bench.
CNK at 6?
I wonder if it's too late to get a refund.
If it was a normal match you would suggest bigger minutes for starting pack. However its more of a trial with more feeling. Cant say indigenous pack is huge either, but you're right Morrin and Jazz probably dont break 100kg and Zach and Keano are probably 100 between them lol.
I would say ZDC and KP are both better ball players than CNK, at least one starts
Well Webby won’t drop CNK from fullback but playing CHT at 6 and TMM at fullback with Metcalf at 7 looked really good against an admittedly well below strength Melbourne. Good confidence builder anyway
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Well Webby won’t drop CNK from fullback but playing CHT at 6 and TMM at fullback with Metcalf at 7 looked really good against an admittedly well below strength Melbourne. Good confidence builder anyway
The lengths he's going to not play RTS there is fucking strange.
They'll learn little from that, it was slightly opposed training run.
Fuck me, this Allstars game is turning into a clusterfuck. There's industrial action so direct trains to Parra aren't running so now we have to bloody drive.
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
@Nepia it’s funny I actually think our squad is relatively strong, but Webster doesn’t seem to take any learnings into account and will undoubtedly select a team that looks like it gets in each others way and under deliver again.
No big injuries and confidence probably only positives
I'm much less confidence in the strength of our squad this year than you.
Webster didn't adjust last year when the 2023 game plan was worked out so I agree with you final comment.
Right I’m calling my ranking early for this before pre season ends, needless to say a bit controversial at the bottom end. To be honest I think you could throw a blanket over the bottom seven.
Storm
Sharks
Panthers
Broncos
Sea eagles
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
Dolphins
Raiders
Cowboys
Dragons
Roosters
Tigers
Eels
Warriors
Titans
Knights
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Right I’m calling my ranking early for this before pre season ends, needless to say a bit controversial at the bottom end. To be honest I think you could throw a blanket over the bottom seven.
Storm
Sharks
Panthers
Broncos
Sea eagles
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
Dolphins
Raiders
Cowboys
Dragons
Roosters
Tigers
Eels
Warriors
Titans
Knights
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Right I’m calling my ranking early for this before pre season ends, needless to say a bit controversial at the bottom end. To be honest I think you could throw a blanket over the bottom seven.
Storm
Sharks
Panthers
Broncos
Sea eagles
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
Dolphins
Raiders
Cowboys
Dragons
Roosters
Tigers
Eels
Warriors
Titans
Knights
Hope you are right in regards to the Roosters.
So after the transport kerfuffle, made it out to Parra for the match - west connex does make for a quick, if expensive drive. Made the mistake of eating pizza nearby and then getting to the ground and there being way better food options, and reasonably priced too - they have franchise options like Ribs n Burgers, Roll'd etc.
Game was a mostly fun watch but a pretty low standard Baabaa type game but with weirdly not many points. Didn't click it was being playing in quarters so thought the first half went by really fast. I also didn't click that it was Ponga at 1 for the first half and not CNK. We got the result in the end though so that's what counts.
Possible GOM thread: a big problem with Commbank, the vaping is out of control and the security staff don't do anything about it. I will seriously rethink going to another match there due to it. I wear contacts and vaping is not great on the eyes.
@African-Monkey said in NRL 2025:
@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Right I’m calling my ranking early for this before pre season ends, needless to say a bit controversial at the bottom end. To be honest I think you could throw a blanket over the bottom seven.
Storm
Sharks
Panthers
Broncos
Sea eagles
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
Dolphins
Raiders
Cowboys
Dragons
Roosters
Tigers
Eels
Warriors
Titans
Knights@bayimports said in NRL 2025:
Right I’m calling my ranking early for this before pre season ends, needless to say a bit controversial at the bottom end. To be honest I think you could throw a blanket over the bottom seven.
Storm
Sharks
Panthers
Broncos
Sea eagles
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
Dolphins
Raiders
Cowboys
Dragons
Roosters
Tigers
Eels
Warriors
Titans
KnightsHope you are right in regards to the Roosters.
They are relying on Chad and a youngster in the halves with no Manu as back up. If there is ever a time they fall I think it is this year. Could be wrong but thats my bold prediction
