Lolohea happy on wing
TUIMOALA Lolohea still isn’t playing in the halves but at least he’ll lose that utility tag this season.
The 22-year-old will play on the wing in the Warriors’ season opener against the Knights today.
Previously he’s been used at centre and fullback as well as wing, with previous coach Andrew McFadden preferring other options to him as Shaun Johnson’s halves partner.
Chopping and changing at a young age hasn’t helped with Lolohea’s development and while he does see himself eventually playing in the halves, at least he goes into this season with some clarity, knowing he’s going to be used solely as a winger.
‘‘I’ve learning the role of a winger, the little things defencewise and that’s been my work-on through the whole of pre-season,’’ Lolohea said.
‘‘The season starts now and it’s time to put all of that practice into a game.’’
There was talk that Lolohea could leave the Warriors once they’d signed Kieran Foran.
That didn’t happen as there’s no way the club would give such a gifted player an early release from a contract.
Lolohea is now content to stay at the Warriors this season, especially as he’s just got one position to concentrate on.
‘‘I can focus on my job and learn from the mistakes I make at training,’’ he said.
‘‘That’s what every player wants, to stay in a position where you can learn from your mistakes and get better.
‘‘That’s been a positive for me and I’ve learnt a lot from the coaching staff and the players around me.’’
Lolohea has previously worked under Kearney with the Kiwis, making his debut for New Zealand on the 2015 tour to England, where he started in the first test in Leeds.
Lolohea wasn’t picked by Kearney for the rest of the tour but he says he’s glad to be work- ing for him again.
‘‘It’s good for him to come home and coach the team he used to play for when they started,’’ Lolohea said.
‘‘He’s been good here, he’s lifted the boys and added a lot to this team.
‘‘He’s such a passionate person about footy, he was passionate as a player and that’s his theme as a coach.
‘‘He lives by the values he’s set at the club and is just a good bloke in general.’’
There’s no doubting Lolohea’s attacking abilities, or indeed that of any of the team’s backs, but defence on the edges has been a constant issue at the Warriors over the past few seasons.
Kearney and McFadden are in charge of this part of the game this season and they looked to have made big improvements in the pre-season trial games. GETTY IMAGES
But the Knights are sure to test the Warriors out wide and put plenty of high bombs Lolohea’s way at Mt Smart Stadium and this will be the true test.
‘‘It has been a big work-on for us in pre-season,’’ Lolohea said.
‘‘Mooks (Kearney) has put a big emphasis on it and, as you could tell in the trials, we’ve worked hard on our defence and we need to keep that going throughout the year.’’