Back on rollercoaster ride with the Warriors
Before Saturday’s round one clash against South Sydney in Perth, league writers answer the five burning questions facing the Auckland outfit in 2018.
OF all the Warriors’ new signings, none polarise opinion like Adam Blair – what impact will he have on the team?
Marvin France: Positive. Blair’s critics will undoubtedly judge his performances on running metres but he brings more to the club than just stats. Never one to take a backwards step, the Kiwis skipper provides a hard edge that the Warriors pack has been lacking in recent years, which he is keen to instil in the younger forwards coming through. His work-rate and organisation on defence also lessens the demand on Simon Mannering in the middle, freeing him up to play on the edge which might even help prolong his career.
David Long: It will be a positive one without a doubt. Yes, there will be concerns about whether he’s going to sit out games through suspensions and there are plenty of conspiracy theories that the refs have it in for the Warriors anyway. He’s not the answer to all of the Warriors’ playing problems either, just look at what happened at the World Cup. But Blair is an inspirational guy and he’ll motivate the players around him. He’ll also give the team some mongrel again. No-one wants to mess with Adam Blair. Will the club’s fortunes again hinge on how Shaun Johnson performs?
MF: No, and quite frankly, it can’t if they want to break their finals drought. New five-eighth Blake Green has taken the responsibility of directing the team around the park, which is key. But now the club has locked up Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, they need to make better use of his attacking strengths, Issac Luke needs to rediscover his running game and, of course, so much depends on whether the forwards can generate momentum in the middle. Johnson needs to focus on playing consistent and while the team still needs his moments of magic, they will come if others around him are doing their job.
DL: Not really. He has his knockers, but the Warriors can’t win without him. That doesn’t mean they always win with him, but he remains the club’s key asset. What will be more relevant is how he fits in alongside Blake Green in the halves. The combination between Johnson and Kieran Foran never really lived up to the hype, not helped by injuries both players suffered. In the trial game against the Titans last weekend, the Johnson/ Green combination showed all the signs of being a good one. Green is that steadying influence and he gets Johnson into a position where he can create his magic. The club just re-signed Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – what should they do with Issac Luke?
MF: Wait and see. Even Luke himself would admit that his form over the past two years wouldn’t warrant an automatic extension. By all accounts he has had a strong pre-season and showed promising signs during the trial against the Titans. But he needs to carry that into the season and the club would be wise to wait until midway through the year before making a decision. Complicating matters is Nathaniel Roache’s injury history. The Warriors have a few hookers on their books but Roache, who is set to miss the entire season due to a back injury, shapes as the next best option. If his body can’t hold up it might be worth holding on to Luke.
DL: Re-sign him. Luke was an unfortunate scapegoat last year. When everyone else was playing badly, they kept their place in the team because there weren’t many other options, but at halfback there was Nathaniel Roache waiting in the wings. No denying Luke hasn’t been the player he was at the Rabbitohs while with the Warriors, but it’s never easy for a hooker to play in front of a weak forward pack. A more pertinent question would be whether Luke wants to stay beyond this year. He might prefer an easier life playing for a more successful Australian team. Will Stephen Kearney survive if the Warriors miss the finals again?
MF: If the team shows significant improvement right throughout the season – but ultimately fall just short of the top eight – then it makes sense to keep building with Kearney. Problem is, they have an extremely brutal start which could leave the coach feeling the heat by the end of round eight. The Warriors have to at least be competitive, or it won’t be long before the drums start beating for change once more.
DL: It depends on how close to the top eight they get and who’s owner of the club at that point in time, because he could get dumped regardless of how well they do, if the next owner wants to take the club in a different direction. If they’re in the bottom three at the end of the season and showing the same old traits that were there before Kearney arrived, then he might be on the way out. But if there are signs of progress PHOTOSPORT and they’re playing attractive footy again that brings back the fans, then he should survive. Top eight or wooden spoon – where will they finish in 2018?
MF: Compared to last year, this squad has a more solid look to it with greater depth in certain areas. Tohu Harris is a brilliant acquisition and a right-side attack consisting of the Kiwis backrower, Johnson, Peta Hiku and David Fusitu’a has exciting potential. Given the pedigree of their key signings and after a tough pre-season under renowned trainer Alex Corvo, expect a more resilient Warriors side but the level of improvement won’t be enough to end their wait for finals football. They still look a tad light upfront while many of their rivals have made significant steps forward, leaving the Warriors to finish around 10th place.
DL: At this point I can see them squeezing into the top eight. Just. Depth is a key factor for the club and it really is time for the likes of Sam Lisone and Albert Vete to stand and become top quality NRL front rowers. Having Gerard Beale and Peta Hiku in the team gives their attack more bite and hopefully there will be fewer of those jaw-droppingly bad handling errors with more experienced backs out there. This may not be a great season from the Warriors, but it should be a better one.