Good numbers for Harris, 0 for Warriors

Tohu Harris reckons he doesn’t pay a lot of attention to personal statistics, but the Kiwis second rower is continuing to put up impressive numbers, despite the Warriors’ topsy-turvy form.

The 28-year-old was the Warriors’ standout for a second successive week, emerging as one of the few players to escape criticism after a 26-0 defeat to the Panthers on Friday, after the high of an 18-0 near-perfect NRL performance victory over the Dragons. It was the second time this season that the Warriors had failed to score a point.

There were few crumbs of consolation for coach Stephen Kearney – apart from Harris’ herculean efforts.

Harris led the Warriors for most tackles (56) and most metres with the ball in hand (224m) from 23 runs, topping both categories, and was also the most effective in the post-contact metres category (87m).

This Warriors Life website ranked Harris eight out of 10 and said he was in ‘‘elite form at present’’. It pronounced him the ‘‘Warriors’ best for the second week in a row, trumping both of last week’s tallies’’.

Harris has now made 170 tackles in four NRL games in 2020 at a 91.7 per cent success rate. He has carried for 698 metres, at an average of 174.5m per match.

His 233m post-contact metres ranks him 14th overall in the NRL (Roger Tuivasa-sheck is ninth with 253m), on a list led by Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo, who has made 311m in three matches.

Harris said before the Panthers clash that he did not ‘‘look too much at the stats, I just go off whether I’m doing my job, really.

‘‘I don’t care if I have five runs in the game, it’s about whether I’m doing my job that’s required of me for the team.’’

Harris even led captain Tuivasa-sheck – traditionally the Warriors’ biggest metre-eater – with the ball in hand. Tuivasasheck made 178m in one of his quieter games at fullback for the club.

There were few other positives for the Warriors against Penrith, although TWL handed out a 7 rating to interchange prop Poasa Faamausili, in his first appearance since his four-week loan from the Roosters.

‘‘The most encouraging takeaway after another sublime Harris performance,’’ TWL wrote.