Variety proves scent of life
Harris-Tavita wants to play half but fills the gaps for now
Chanel Harris-Tavita is proving versatility is a virtue. The 20-year-old still wants to be the long-term halfback at the Warriors but the way he has adapted to a variety of positions the last two rounds might be the making of him.
Coming off the bench in the second half isn’t easy, and he has had time at centre and hooker, two positions foreign to him.
But he’s made an impact, impressive given he hadn’t been sighted in first grade since the first week of May.
He has shown, in Brisbane and Wellington, he is the kind of player who makes things happen, and will step in for Kodi Nikorima this week if the Kiwis half doesn’t recover from an ankle strain.
“It’s good to be back in the top side,” said Harris-Tavita. “I’ve learned quite a bit since my debut [in round four]. Even before that, I was learning a bit. I’ve been trying to do my job.”
Injuries to Karl Lawton and Nathaniel Roache thrust HarrisTavita into the frame as back-up hooker for the clash with the Broncos, but that plan went astray with Ken Maumalo’s injury midway through the second half.
“I’d never played hooker before until I came on in Brisbane,” said Harris-Tavita. “And then Ken got taken off and I’d never played centre or wing before. I’m just playing every position at the moment but it’s been real exciting, you don’t know what to expect. And I’m learning.”
Harris-Tavita adapted well in Brisbane and was almost an unlikely hero, dragged down a metre short of the line after backing up a Roger Tuivasa-Sheck break during golden point.
“As soon as I caught it, I got tackled, but I didn’t realise how close I was to the line,” said Harris-Tavita. “I was regretting how maybe I could have run a bit harder and rolled over but Payne Haas is a big boy, he just got me.”
He also showed smarts against the Sharks, knocking over the equalising penalty goal and being involved in some promising plays.
After being relegated to reserve grade following the arrival of Nikorima ahead of round nine, HarrisTavita could have dropped his head but didn’t.
“It would have been good to stay in NRL but that’s the business,” said Harris-Tavita. “I talked to Mooks [Warriors coach Stephen Kearney] after they signed Kodi and he wanted me to improve my game management and that’s what I’ve been trying to do recently.”
Harris-Tavita, signed until the end of next season, accepts he has to play second fiddle to Blake Green and Nikorima but will push hard in 2020.
“I’m focusing on week by week, covering a couple of positions, but long-term, I want to play half.”
The veteran Green has been impressed.
“He has done a great job,” he said. “It’s difficult because he can come on in any position and he might get 10 minutes, or he might get 40 minutes. It’s a tough role to play mentally but he is doing well. He went back [to reserve grade] and got to focus on his game and develop at his own pace, without any pressure week to week.”
Nikorima took no part in training yesterday, resting the ankle injury from Friday’s 19-18 win over the Sharks. Lawton was involved in most of the session, as was Maumalo, but David Fusitu’a trained by himself and won’t be considered this week.