Warriors put emphasis on skill
Stephen Kearney has turned to a recipe of skill and speed as the Warriors coach looks to overcome their lack of size upfront in 2020.
Contrary to the views of many Australian commentators, the Warriors do not possess a monster forward pack, particularly compared with the likes of the Broncos, Roosters and Storm, and it’s been that way for the last few years.
Leeson Ah Mau is a seasoned international, while fellow props Agnatius Paasi and Bunty Afoa provide plenty of aggression, but it’s likely they will have to wait until 2021 for any heavyweight reinforcements to join the club.
The Warriors rely heavily on their back-three of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu’a to get out of the back field and ease the pressure on the men in the middle.
But Kearney has spent the past few months implementing alternative ways to win the yardage battle – and it starts with ball movement.
‘‘Although a lot of people will say about the size of our team, we’re not a big footy team,’’ the coach said. ‘‘We’ve got a couple of big wingers but apart from that we’re not [that big] when you look around the competition in terms of big forward packs.
‘‘We’ve got to find our way upfield a little bit differently than just using power. To do that you’ve got to have a good fundamental skill base and that’s been a real focus for us during the preseason.’’
Kearney did not go as far to say the Warriors would return to the razzle dazzle they were once famous for, but he wants them to be known for their skill.
Asked if they would use a more expansive style this season, Kearney said: ‘‘[We’re] looking to play to our strengths and that’s a big part of our DNA. When we play our best footy we always play with a great deal of skill.’’
Chief playmaker Blake Green said there was a big contrast to the work of previous pre-seasons, which were dominated by running as they focused on ‘‘grinding away’’ against teams.
The players have still been racking up the miles – there is no getting away from that in the preseason – but the emphasis on ball movement and speed has been there from day one and is designed to compliment their roster.
‘‘We’ve obviously got some guys that are naturally dynamic athletes . . . so we need to play a style of footy that accommodates that,’’ Green said.
‘‘We had a big focus on going set-for-set and grinding away, which will still be an important element for us. But we need to play flat and fast over the ad-line, be dynamic and use our skill if we’re going to break some teams down.’’
Just who partners Green in the halves for the season-opener against the Knights on March 14 shapes as the biggest selection head for the Warriors, with Kodi Nikorima and Chanel HarrisTavita locked in a close battle.
The final decision is likely to come down to their performances in the trials, with the Warriors to meet the Storm in Palmerston North on February 22 followed by Wests Tigers in Rotorua a week later.