The Chopping Block monthly review
Like a Donald trump tweet that has more fiction than fact, it's that time again where the armchair critics take aim at the biggest…
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Part time park cricketer, retired Rugby & footballer (known as soccer to the uneducated). Full time antagonist who enjoys quality craft beer not of the FAT YAK variety! Live's by the mantra "IF IT DOESN'T HAVE MEAT...IT'S A SNACK!"
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Like a Donald trump tweet that has more fiction than fact, it's that time again where the armchair critics take aim at the biggest…
Time for the weekly reality check for some below-par performers from the season opener. Edrick Lee Poor old Edrick. New club, point to prove…
So we come to the pointy end of proceedings – who will make up the NRL's top four for season 2017? 4. Canberra Raiders…
Backyard BBQs have been upsized, man caves repositioned, and technology has been upgraded for the 2017 NRL season. So which sides will be in…
Let's take a look into the crystal ball and have a free throw at the stumps in predicting the NRL ladder, starting with the…
When New Zealand Warriors owner Eric Watson announced the capture of Jim Doyle as club CEO in June 2014, good judges stated it was…
News of the Warriors signing Tohu Harris resulted in a rival website which has the word 'sports' in its title, rolling out the 'chopping…
News of Manly selling out and re-naming Brookvale Oval to Lottoland caused flash flooding in and around Carlow and Miller Streets late yesterday afternoon.…
Long time between chats to all our fan/fans, and the news is rather good now we have decided to branch out into other sports…
Like that annoying wart or boil that never goes away, I'm back with my sidekick Ray for the weekly Chopping Block. We travelled with…
Teams in a slump, sides on the up and the merry go round of next coaches on the chopping block continues after the completion…
Now before you all get put off by the title, this is not a stripped-back version of Shannon Noll's all time classic 'Shine', or…
It was a welcome return to the bunker this weekend, pouring over the weekend's action with Ray Barnacle. The big highlight at our Boolaroo…
Ray and I took a short hiatus up to Lake Crackenbackensack and unfortunately a trip up Charlotte's Pass resulted in us being snowed in…
Round 16 had some great late comebacks from South Sydney and Wests Tigers, a thriller down at Caltex Field - Shark Park, Endeavour, Remondis,…
With Round 15 over plus Origin 2 going to script, let's attempt to come up with at least four players, officials or technology to…
From Toowoomba to Rabaul, Tenterfield via Palmerston North and Macksville, let's have a look at how State of Origin has accepted diversity in this…
With Round 14 done and dusted, let's take a partial view of the dud performances of the weekend's action. The highlight of Round 14…
Ray and I could not sleep last night after reading revelations about 32-year-old Ryan Hoffman being suggested as a bolter to replace Boyd Cordner…
What a week of rugby league, firstly State of Origin on Wednesday night was among the most dullest games in the competition's history. It…
You may want to expand your research and check NZ sites. AK has long been considered the starter, as shown on trial game, albeit only 2 shots at goal, his goal kicking kicking in general play has him well ahead of the other younger duo.
They have more depth than last season, Milne, Herbert and a few others will push the underwhelming starting centres from 2018, watch this space, they were written off last season, they will go good again. Afoa small, this kid is a beast!
NRL 2019 season preview: New Zealand Warriors
Take out the brothers T and the cupboard for class consistent performers is threadbare. Hasler magic, does it still even exist??
Best outside back last year apart from Tom was young Kelly, now at the Titans. He made the odd error but he was class. Shaun Lane was one your best performing forwards, says a lot about the depth.
Elgey is average and wouldn’t get a start at the Titans with Brimson in his way. Win the comp, take the maroon and white glasses off, sheesh!
NRL 2019 season preview: Parramatta Eels
Agree with your prediction though I do see Manly being close to their 1st ever spoon as well. Their squad and depth looks pretty bare.
Titans, Dogs and Tigers won’t be in the 8, Raiders seem to have lost some size in the forwards and I also dismiss their chances with Rapana having a similar impact on their go forward that the Eeels lost when the flying Fijian departed.
10 sides are all in with a red hot chance to make the 8 in any position. 1 more win, like last season could be the difference between running 8th or 3rd or 4th.
NRL 2019 season preview: Parramatta Eels
Dragons a huge chance of dipping out the 8 with the JDB drama, Widdop being home sick and the 2nd half of 2018.
Jury out on Warriors until time is given for new half to be introduced, remember SJ was in his first year of 1st grade last time they made the GF, young forwards like Afoa, Papall’i will improve alongside all pro’s like Tohu and Blair.
Storm lost Slater and Hoffman, experience aplenty. They may dip a fair bit too. Roosters look a lock to be favourites again, Panthers, who would know they could look like winners or go like busteds, Souths with Sam B issues, GI appearing to be unmotivated could also struggle.
Broncos have lost some experience, Friday night footy should see them limp into the 8. Sharks are a bit of a rabble but they usually embrace the siege mentality but with a new coach and a No.7 who has history of going MIA when his team needs him, may struggle to hold out the Knights.
Gotta love the NRL, clubs that missed the 8 look stronger aside from possibly Manly and the Eels. I fear the depth at those 2 clubs will make for a long season for their fans. We could have close to 11 sides finishing around the 30 point mark.
Which NRL teams will drop out of the top eight in 2019?
Good side though Michael Bolt had to be the rake…had to.
I’d even have Robbie McCormack ahead of Piggy.
Adrian Toole ever a chance Hosko??
The battlers hall of fame: Underdogs, hard nuts and mullets
How Bunty Afoa missed a start and 3 Knights players made your side is a mystery. SKD had a good 5 minute period ditto last season’s skipper. Surely one of the Raiders wingers had stronger games??
NRL team of the week Round 9
They never start a season this well. Keep bagging them on the past, but NEWSFLASH, this, today is the future. I love how all fans of clubs travelling like busted’s continually use the archives to justify their side will be peaking when the “pointy” end of the season arrives. No you don’t win a comp in months March-August, usually in late September or early October, but you can lay a platform by picking up the 2 points consistently in the early part of the season too.
They lost Shaun Johnson in Round 4 with a guy who came with a 0-9 record in the NRL. Until they make the 8 or even the top 4, they will continue to be ridiculed by those doubters but 5 from 5, they can’t do anymore than that can they. I do recall many a preseason expert saying, “the Warriors with their awful draw with long travel schedules to start the season could be 0 and 8 by the end of May and Kearney will be the 1st coach sacked.
The end of season are usually a result of Johnson or several others missing and a lack of conviction, experience, aggression or passion from the rest of the side. Time will tell but I highly doubt they will lose their final 4,5,6,7,8,9 or even 10 games to the end the season on 2018.
Top tip: Don't Warrior, be happy
They should of asked for a refund on the Hoff. The forward pack is a massive difference this season. Last year the younger blokes were copping a spray from The Hoff just after he dropped the pill or missed a one on one tackle, Mannering doesn’t like talking much and Lillyman braces for impact on hit-ups. Hardly anything for a young up and comer with talent, Papali’i, Afoa, Lisone (not so young) and Co to take inspiration from.
Fast forward less than 12 months on, they are driven by Blair, Tohu, the Gold Coast duo and a fit again Luke and I have seen the lesser lights games go to a new level, a level they were predicted they’d achieve when they first came on the scene. Even Mauamalo & Kata have improved out of sight. A good team us a sum of all it’s parts, a fifth of the way through the season, the Warriors look like a united team all on the same page.
Again Jeremy Round 5 and we’re only up to Round 6 but I suspect the Warriors will finish above the fading Storm who have a forward pack I’d rate not a great deal higher than the Eels or Dogs. You can’t keep losing players of the calibre of Cronk, Tohu, Proctor, McLean and co. and still be a force. That current back-row does nothing for me what so ever, particularly with the Hoff who was bang average during his 3 years in Auckland.
Maybe Brandy should of included him in his 12 months too long call he made last weekend.
Top tip: Don't Warrior, be happy
Jay, Kevin Proctor-ologist is definitely not at the Warriors, thank god.
They signed the good one in Tofu.
The NRL's top five coaches of 2018 (so far)
Tigers remind me of the 2003 RWC winning side led by Jonny Wilkinson!
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
Josh Hodgson and a better leader are the main 2 plus Ricky’s infatuation with NFL size forwards. If Billy Weepu and Mark Tookey were in their prime Sticky would be moving heaven and earth to sign the pair along with the Plowman brothers!
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
Geez Paul you’re a tough critic. They do look a little rusty but I’d rather be 2-1 than 0-3, no matter how ugly the wins.
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
Gee as in Andrew?? Roby as in James? Wonder if Sticky will tee off on official’s again if the Faders go 0-4? You’d have to say it would be a 99.99% chance!
Denver International? Is that still going ahead? I can see NRL clubs using the same local Medical Centre quack they appear to use when assessing players selected to play in the old City v Country clashes and are late scratching’s from the fixture.
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
You’d know Rosco
P.S. I set someone up for that one ☺
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
You lost me on the alleged dud calls rant. I like that the whistle blowers are using the bin this season and making some brave calls that will always alienate fans and the media alike. Shows like Talkin’ Sport have made an art in ref bashing for years.
Referee’s are human we have to accept to take the good with the bad, given a week to calm down. I mean things are not as bad as the Grasshopper Gomersall days, more like the Mogsheen Jadwat/Kelvin Jefffes era.
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
I thought BJ was one of the Faders best last weekend. The skipper doesn’t lead by example and that 1st Warriors try when they were down a man in the bin was another poor miss by Croker. Agree with the other pair though Fish.
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
Not every player can make the youtube highlights reel each week.
The chopping block 2018: Edition 1
Tigers by 14, c’mon Mastermind they haven’t scored that morning points across 3 rounds have they? Pretty sure the Eels haven’t either!
The Warriors did OK handling a big Faders pack last weekend and they are pretty mobile this season, should be an interesting match up and yes their travel schedule makes the 3 wins now look even more impressive. The usual Auckland – East Coast is what they are used to but throwing Perth in for Round 1 and the fact they have 1 home game in the opening month shows how certain clubs get preferential treatment year in year out.
Friday night Broncos spring to mind not to mention the Bondi boys hectic travel schedule to start the season of Homebush, Bondi, Paddington, Bondi, Paddington, Bondi, Paddington.
Will fans of the Faders prefer they be down by 30 with 20 to play this weekend instead of losing “AGAIN” at the death? They are doing a great impersonation of the North Sydney Bears who always managed to clutch defeat from the hands of victory or was it vice versa???
Panthers will struggle without Cleary, their 1st 2 wins were not all that impressive and individual brilliance got them out of jail. Saints won opening 6 last season so expect them to win again. Agree with most your selections M’mind except Tigers by 14. Highly doubt either side will break double digits and will once again tune into that game with less than 10 to play. Tigers games have been about as exciting as watching a 0-0 draw between Manchester United and Stoke City, though at least a result has been sorted at the death.
2018 NRL season: Round 4 preview
Newcastle is not on the Central Coast, never has been, never will be!!!
It’s like Novacastrian’s saying Lithgow is in Western Sydney,
From penalties to panic stations: NRL trends in 2018
First time in club’s history they have won in Perth, won after coming home from Perth and then won their opening 3 games of a season. You can only play what is in front of you and coming off a 9 game losing streak why wouldn’t Warrior fans be upbeat after most pundits wrote them off before a ball had been kicked.
Even most mutual fans have seen a massive change in attitude, fitness, resilience and belief. Words that have not been associated with this club for a long time. Competitions or semi final spots aren’t decide in March but they have a better shout of making the 8 than most sides currently sitting outside the 8.
I suggest you stay off the bandwagon and allow people like Jeremy to embrace an improvement in the Warriors fortunes. They have worked hard to re-build what was a soft underbelly and are showing signs of coming off life support, which they have been on since 2011.
The forwards they have bought in are showing more commitment individually each week than Hoffman, Thompson, Lillyman & Matulino showed combined. Leadership from Tohu, Blair and Green is rubbing off on the promising Lisone, Afoa and Co. Signs are good, albeit premature but they deserve the accolades after being a punching bag when things go to sh*t.
I read before a ball was kicked, the Warriors have the toughest start to the season and could be 0-8. Sure the next 5 games are tougher than the first 3 but winning builds confidence not the opposite. They win 2 or 3 of those next 5 games and they will be in a good position leading up to the Origin period. Good article Jeremy 😉
#LetsGoneWarriors
Warriors fans have reason to be cautiously excited
Tom I had the displeasure of attending for “free” I might add a Knights v Raiders match at Marathon close to a decade ago that the Raiders or Knights may have won 10-8. It was to this day the worst match I had ever witnessed. As conditions were perfect it still ranks higher than the Tigers v Broncos game. It was 10-8 at half time at that fixture I speak of.
I won’t watch West Tigers games except for the final 10 minutes. I have bet with a Tigers fans that Liverpool and Manchester City will score more points than his team this season. The 3 tries they have scored have all been from kicks and a falcon play on call. That last tackle “dogs” breakfast on Friday night summed up the sides attack in 2018 IMO.
The Eels definitely miss Semi, he always got their side on the front foot with a barnstorming run and quick play the ball. I’d have the Titans as clear favourites for the Wooden Spoon. They lack starch in defence and look 3 or 4 players short of a standard 1st grade roster.
From penalties to panic stations: NRL trends in 2018
The Warriors led 30-10 and Souths scored 2 late tries, the last a consolation. They only got a look in once Kata was binned.
They (Warriors) are the ones usually on the wrong side of the #refsfaultwewuzrobbed outbreak
It’s now or never for the bottom five
Fair assessment Mary, come Round 9 we’ll get a better gauge on this possible “New Dawn”. I think the experience and leadership of Tohu and Adam Blair has re-energized some of the potentially young forwards such as Lisone, Afoa and Co. They all look a lot fitter and way more energetic in seasons past. They are notoriously slow starters so it is a shock to see them match fit early on.
They have a decent bench with the likes of Pulu who I think is highly under rated and the other recently mentioned duo of Lisone and Afoa. James Gavet was outstanding last season and the major weakness was an underwhelming starting forward pack who just seemed to go through the motions week on week out. Hoffman and Thompson were extremely underwhelming last season, ditto Matulino and Lillyman.
Hiku is solid and along with Tohu is adding some real skill on the right edge, Kata and Maumalo are still some way off being consistent and reliable but showed improvement last weekend. Considering they returned from Perth and the other 3 sides who played the week before lost, it is a bit of a shock to see the Warriors show resilience, though early days.
The Brian Smith and Alex Corvo factor could also play a role in changing the culture, tactics and professionalism on and off the field. Last seasons forward pack showed bugger all in leadership and the new additions look to be the right mix the team needs. Years past guys like Michael Luck, Kev Campion, Ruben Wiki, Steve Price, Brent Tate and Co. have been decent imports.
Round 2 early days but I was gobsmacked many a pundit tipped them as Wooden Spooners. On paper they look a lot more solid in 2018. Foran was a dud, Hoffman was accident prone, Thompson was terrible, Liilyman turned his back on impact & never bent the line, Benny Mats looked like he didn’t want to be there, all the hallmarks of a side set up to fail.
First litmus test this next fortnight, cop back to back floggings and I have just wasted 10 minutes of my life responding ☺
Who is this team and what have they done with the Warriors?
Kevin Pietersen and Mitch Starc should of made the grade, surely?? Seems to be. A West Indies bias… Gus Logie better be in next weeks XI
A tall order: The all-time beanpole XI