May 10, 2025 • 7 mins
The Warriors are celebrating after a narrow victory over the Dragons, but feedback indicates there's room for improvement.
They hung on for a 15-14 victory - and their fourth straight win has put the Warriors second on the NRL ladder.
Assistant coach Stacey Jones joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Warriors have beaten the Dragons fifteen fourteen to secure
their fourth straight NROL win. Metcalf he is digging one
pointer and he's got it. It stays inside the right,
up right, they'd go early.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Metcalf takes the one.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
So the Warriors led fourteen nil and then fourteen four
at halftime before the Dragons leveled things up at fourteen all.
But that sixty ninth minute Luke Metcalf field goal proved
decisive and gave the Warriors the fifteen fourteen victory. Assistant
coach Stacy Jones is with us from the airport as
the team prepares to fly home. You fly home station
(00:50):
second place. Four straight wins, a tight one last night, though,
How do you reflect on it?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, look, obviously, you know, really happy with the first
half performance where you know, we're a pretty clinical start
of the game, and then that end of the first half,
you know we we probably lost a little bit of
a bit of momentum with probably not controlling the ruck
as much, and then you know we just the second half,
we come out and you know, some good patches there.
(01:17):
But obviously, you know, the Dragons are a very good
attacking team, so we probably gave them too much, no
freedom to play, and you know, we discipline probably let
us down at times and we come up to a
couple of erarors when we sort of got a bit
of momentum back. But yeah, it was a really really
tough as cool performance and you know, we losing Jackson
(01:40):
forward in the middle, we put a bit of pressure
on Mitch Barnett and thereon Clarkter played some decent.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Minutes as far as the clinical nature of the first
half hours concerned stays. You know, you sit there and
watch that. I mean, how pleased were you with the
with the first thirty minutes or so?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, look, you know it was a really good how
we want to play the game, you know, as far
as you know, what we expect from our players and
you know, getting to the end of our sets and
putting them in tough positions to bring the ball back.
You know, we won that battle the momentum and there
was a there's a period there were balls and play
for I think over seven minutes and you know, they
(02:18):
they cracked first. So that was very pleasing for us
that we were able to play a long period of
time and putting the pressure back on them.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
So they bring it back to fourteen. All, there's still
quite a bit of time to go twenty five minutes. Well,
so when do you start thinking about a drop goal
in a tight game like that?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, good question. You know he's going to get a
feel for it, and you know we're reflected on it.
And then I think it was Kurt Caple that when
it spoke to Luke about thinking about it soon. I
think it was Mark twelve thirty minutes to go when
when Luke did it, And I think Luke probably thought
it might have been a bit early, but you know,
he listened to the old head of of Kurt and
(03:02):
you know, it wasn't a lot of pressure on him,
and he nailed it. And then from there on was
you know, we we sort of had had our nose
in front as far as how the game was going,
and you know, we close it up pretty good.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You're a very good judge of blokes away the seven Jersey.
How have you assessed the growth and development of of
Luke Metcalf this year?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, Look, he's getting a lot of confidence what he's
doing with the team. In his combination with Chanel, it
has been really good. And you know, Wayed egan there,
so they've got a really good, good connection with how
they're doing things. And look, you know there's there's premier
can prove it and Luke and his game and obviously,
you know, but like we said, the start day was
(03:44):
it was very good for him, but there are times
where you know he knows that he can get better,
and you know, we probably could have put a bit
more pressure on them. But yeah, Luke's just I think
these games has gone to another level and taking on
the responsibility of being our main ball player has been
really good for him.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Staces, you've won four games this season now by four
points all less. I know it's probably not great for
the heart rate up in the coach's box, but last
year you lost half a dozen games by that sort
of margin. How have you developed the ability to close
out type games?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Yeah, I guess that's that's been a real pleasing part
of our performances where we have been able to win
these type ones. Obviously you needed luck to win some
games a bit more comfortable than what we had, but yeah,
I guess it's a beauty of it that we know
that there's a lot of improvement in this in this group,
and you know, winning these tough ones is only going
(04:39):
to make us a better team. So yeah, like I said,
it'd be nice to be a little bit more comfortable
and where we are at the moment of things.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And obviously before last night the d Dragons had lost
their last two, you'd won the previous three, so I
guess momentum is on your side. Do you think that
plays a part as well, when when games are really tough,
that you believe that you will get across the line.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I think you know this was anything Jason lo lot
wanting bridge confidence and none. Obviously when you're losing it
the sort of you know, you can knock your confidence.
So yeah, look, going going to you know, to Illawara
to play a game, and you know there are tough
teams to play down there. So that was a pleasing
thing about it, regardless of what happened to them previously
(05:26):
where they'd had a couple of losses, but they they
want a really good games this year. They beat Melbourne,
beat Manly away. You know they're a tough, tough unit
to beat you down and down in wildong. So yeah,
look for us, it's getting confidence with with what we're
doing and we know that you know, we can get better.
We need better by the way we need to get better.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, well, and and and as you as you said
on the planet and hopefully you get the chance to
watch movie or something. But as you analyze what happened
last night, where do you see the growth theory is
on the side.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I think you know, we spoke about the start, you know,
and it's not always going to go your way. But
similar to last you know, where we had a period
there of about ten to fifteen minutes where you know,
we let the cowboys that have dombinde us and you know,
I think, you know, it's just trying to help stop momentum,
and that's the game at the moment. Like nomentum is
(06:20):
a big thing. I've never seen how big teams can
swing things in the competition this year, you know, any
other time of how this competition has been going, where
you know, you can feel like you're comfortable, but as
soon as you slip up, teams are just too good
now to turn things. And you know, like I don't
know how many games you have anything this weekend where
(06:40):
teams have been in a position to win games comfortable,
but then all of a sudden, these other teams they
know how you know, they can get a bit of
confidence with what they do. And it's the tough thing
about it.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Last time you won four straight was the back end
of twenty twenty three, when you won seven on the trump.
We know what a great season twenty twenty three was.
Does this feel a bit like twenty twenty three to you?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Oh? Look, certainly, the the support that the team, the
club's getting at the moment, it feels a bit like that.
But you know, obviously we know this is a new
group of players. You know, I think they're you know,
they're getting some really good confidence what they're doing. But yeah,
there's a long long way to go, Jason, and you know,
(07:24):
you can lose a couple then you know you can
find yourself, you know, outside the top eight. But you know,
for us, it's just keeping knowing, you know, taking each
game as it comes. You know, Origin is coming up,
and I think we'll probably lose definitely much and made
h KP to there, So there'll be a couple of
losses for us, and that will be a testing period
to see where're at and when it comes comes around.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Have a relaxing flight home, Stace. Thanks as always for
the chat mate.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I appreciate Jason Norris, but thank.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You, no, thank you, Stacy. Stacy joints Assistant coach of
the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
There for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to news talksz'd be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Warriors have beaten the Dragons fifteen fourteen to secure
their fourth straight NROL win. Metcalf he is digging one
pointer and he's got it. It stays inside the right,
up right, they'd go early.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Metcalf takes the one.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
So the Warriors led fourteen nil and then fourteen four
at halftime before the Dragons leveled things up at fourteen all.
But that sixty ninth minute Luke Metcalf field goal proved
decisive and gave the Warriors the fifteen fourteen victory. Assistant
coach Stacy Jones is with us from the airport as
the team prepares to fly home. You fly home station
(00:50):
second place. Four straight wins, a tight one last night, though,
How do you reflect on it?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, look, obviously, you know, really happy with the first
half performance where you know, we're a pretty clinical start
of the game, and then that end of the first half,
you know we we probably lost a little bit of
a bit of momentum with probably not controlling the ruck
as much, and then you know we just the second half,
we come out and you know, some good patches there.
(01:17):
But obviously, you know, the Dragons are a very good
attacking team, so we probably gave them too much, no
freedom to play, and you know, we discipline probably let
us down at times and we come up to a
couple of erarors when we sort of got a bit
of momentum back. But yeah, it was a really really
tough as cool performance and you know, we losing Jackson
(01:40):
forward in the middle, we put a bit of pressure
on Mitch Barnett and thereon Clarkter played some decent.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Minutes as far as the clinical nature of the first
half hours concerned stays. You know, you sit there and
watch that. I mean, how pleased were you with the
with the first thirty minutes or so?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Yeah, look, you know it was a really good how
we want to play the game, you know, as far
as you know, what we expect from our players and
you know, getting to the end of our sets and
putting them in tough positions to bring the ball back.
You know, we won that battle the momentum and there
was a there's a period there were balls and play
for I think over seven minutes and you know, they
(02:18):
they cracked first. So that was very pleasing for us
that we were able to play a long period of
time and putting the pressure back on them.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
So they bring it back to fourteen. All, there's still
quite a bit of time to go twenty five minutes. Well,
so when do you start thinking about a drop goal
in a tight game like that?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, good question. You know he's going to get a
feel for it, and you know we're reflected on it.
And then I think it was Kurt Caple that when
it spoke to Luke about thinking about it soon. I
think it was Mark twelve thirty minutes to go when
when Luke did it, And I think Luke probably thought
it might have been a bit early, but you know,
he listened to the old head of of Kurt and
(03:02):
you know, it wasn't a lot of pressure on him,
and he nailed it. And then from there on was
you know, we we sort of had had our nose
in front as far as how the game was going,
and you know, we close it up pretty good.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You're a very good judge of blokes away the seven Jersey.
How have you assessed the growth and development of of
Luke Metcalf this year?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, Look, he's getting a lot of confidence what he's
doing with the team. In his combination with Chanel, it
has been really good. And you know, Wayed egan there,
so they've got a really good, good connection with how
they're doing things. And look, you know there's there's premier
can prove it and Luke and his game and obviously,
you know, but like we said, the start day was
(03:44):
it was very good for him, but there are times
where you know he knows that he can get better,
and you know, we probably could have put a bit
more pressure on them. But yeah, Luke's just I think
these games has gone to another level and taking on
the responsibility of being our main ball player has been
really good for him.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Staces, you've won four games this season now by four
points all less. I know it's probably not great for
the heart rate up in the coach's box, but last
year you lost half a dozen games by that sort
of margin. How have you developed the ability to close
out type games?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Yeah, I guess that's that's been a real pleasing part
of our performances where we have been able to win
these type ones. Obviously you needed luck to win some
games a bit more comfortable than what we had, but yeah,
I guess it's a beauty of it that we know
that there's a lot of improvement in this in this group,
and you know, winning these tough ones is only going
(04:39):
to make us a better team. So yeah, like I said,
it'd be nice to be a little bit more comfortable
and where we are at the moment of things.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And obviously before last night the d Dragons had lost
their last two, you'd won the previous three, so I
guess momentum is on your side. Do you think that
plays a part as well, when when games are really tough,
that you believe that you will get across the line.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I think you know this was anything Jason lo lot
wanting bridge confidence and none. Obviously when you're losing it
the sort of you know, you can knock your confidence.
So yeah, look, going going to you know, to Illawara
to play a game, and you know there are tough
teams to play down there. So that was a pleasing
thing about it, regardless of what happened to them previously
(05:26):
where they'd had a couple of losses, but they they
want a really good games this year. They beat Melbourne,
beat Manly away. You know they're a tough, tough unit
to beat you down and down in wildong. So yeah,
look for us, it's getting confidence with with what we're
doing and we know that you know, we can get better.
We need better by the way we need to get better.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, well, and and and as you as you said
on the planet and hopefully you get the chance to
watch movie or something. But as you analyze what happened
last night, where do you see the growth theory is
on the side.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I think you know, we spoke about the start, you know,
and it's not always going to go your way. But
similar to last you know, where we had a period
there of about ten to fifteen minutes where you know,
we let the cowboys that have dombinde us and you know,
I think, you know, it's just trying to help stop momentum,
and that's the game at the moment. Like nomentum is
(06:20):
a big thing. I've never seen how big teams can
swing things in the competition this year, you know, any
other time of how this competition has been going, where
you know, you can feel like you're comfortable, but as
soon as you slip up, teams are just too good
now to turn things. And you know, like I don't
know how many games you have anything this weekend where
(06:40):
teams have been in a position to win games comfortable,
but then all of a sudden, these other teams they
know how you know, they can get a bit of
confidence with what they do. And it's the tough thing
about it.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Last time you won four straight was the back end
of twenty twenty three, when you won seven on the trump.
We know what a great season twenty twenty three was.
Does this feel a bit like twenty twenty three to you?
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Oh? Look, certainly, the the support that the team, the
club's getting at the moment, it feels a bit like that.
But you know, obviously we know this is a new
group of players. You know, I think they're you know,
they're getting some really good confidence what they're doing. But yeah,
there's a long long way to go, Jason, and you know,
(07:24):
you can lose a couple then you know you can
find yourself, you know, outside the top eight. But you know,
for us, it's just keeping knowing, you know, taking each
game as it comes. You know, Origin is coming up,
and I think we'll probably lose definitely much and made
h KP to there, So there'll be a couple of
losses for us, and that will be a testing period
to see where're at and when it comes comes around.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Have a relaxing flight home, Stace. Thanks as always for
the chat mate.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I appreciate Jason Norris, but thank.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You, no, thank you, Stacy. Stacy joints Assistant coach of
the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
There for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to news talksz'd be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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