Nikorima offered lucrative contract

Kodi Nikorima has long been in the sights of the Warriors and with the departure of Shaun Johnson late last year, it freed up an opportunity to try to lure the young Kiwis half to the club.

Now, the Warriors are closing in on their man with Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold confirming a lucrative multi-year deal has offered to the 25-year-old, who could be in Warriors colours this week.

Nikorima is still young, but he’s been around the league for a while and experience has been an important factor in the Warriors’ search for a fulltime half to pair with Blake Green.

“We’ve had an interest in Kodi for a while — I’ve been working with him for a while about getting him here for 2020, where he has an option on his contract at the (Brisbane) Broncos,” Warriors coach Stephen Kearney told Radio Sport’s D’Arcy Waldegrave “Anything before then is in the hands of the Broncos and his agent.”

Kearney has always been an advocate for Nikorima. In 2015, he brought the halfback into the Kiwis squad for the Anzac test with just nine NRL games under his belt. He’s since played in 13 matches for the Kiwis, winning four, and has experience playing alongside a number of players in the Warriors usual firstgrade squad.

With a 52-34 NRL record in four and a bit seasons with the Broncos, Nikorima would bring winning experience to the club. But while he’s being labelled by some as a big upgrade from Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita, experience seems to be the only thing Nikorima has over the 20-year-old Harris-Tavita.

Nikorima has the worst tackling statistics after seven rounds of the competition. He’s missed a leaguehigh 31 tackles, failing to make 20 per cent of his attempts.

Expected to join the squad as a first-choice half, Nikorima is also not a goal kicker. Neither he nor Green have attempted a single goal in the NRL, leaving hooker Issac Luke — a career 70 per cent kicker — as the likely option.

Outside of Luke, who is not signed beyond the 2019 season, secondrower Tohu Harris (66 per cent on 12 attempts) or centre Peta Hiku (43 per cent on seven attempts) are other options.

Harris-Tavita is converting at 75 per cent from the tee, and is exceeding expectations defensively with a tackling success rate above 90 per cent.

Harris-Tavita and Nikorima have taken on roles as their team’s secondary

playmaker or last tackle option, but have shown an ability to create with ball in hand. Nikorima has assisted on four tries in seven appearances this year while Harris-Tavita has assisted on three in his four matches.

The club’s manager of football, Brian Smith, told Newstalk ZB’s Martin Devlin they wanted to give the likes of Harris-Tavita and fellow rookie half Adam Keighran a chance in firstgrade, with Tavita-Harris impressing so far. However, the concern around Harris-Tavita is his age and whether he’s ready for first-grade, and the Warriors continuing to pursue the signature of Nikorima shows the club don’t think he is.

● Kiwis utility Te Maire Martin is out of the game indefinitely with a “small bleed on the brain” but his club insists it is not career-threatening.

NRL.com reported Martin has been affected by ongoing migraines and headaches.

The 23-year-old will meet with specialists and neurologists for tests.

The Cowboys don’t believe Martin’s symptoms result from a concussion suffered in training or a game.

“It’s a small bleed, that’s a positive, it’s not career-threatening or anything like that. It’s a matter of finding out more about it,” North Queensland director of football Peter Parr said.

Martin made his NRL debut in 2016. He has played four tests for the Kiwis.