Warriors still on hunt for props but Packer not in picture
Speculation is proving greater than solutions for the Warriors as they try to solve their middle forward problems with their NRL clash against the Dragons just days away.
Recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan says rival NRL clubs are having trouble getting their heads around a player loan deal, even though it has benefits and no downsides for them.
He still predicted there would be better news for the Warriors this week, however.
But for now, three potential props have been discounted, while O’Sullivan said Canberra forward Jack Murchie — who has signed for the rest of the year — is more of an edge player.
Former Warriors and Kiwis prop Russell Packer won’t be joining his old club, not for now anyway. The 30-year-old has not played for 16 months because of a toe injury and would need at least three weeks of training to be match ready.
“He would be very underprepared . . . in a perfect world, Packer would be ideal, but we’ll look to the Tigers to get him ready, and if he’s still available in three or four weeks, we’ll look at it then,” O’Sullivan told Newstalk ZB’s Martin Devlin.
Ben Murdoch-Masila is only a remote late season prospect, even though the player himself would like to head back to his home town.
The 29-year-old Warrington and
Tongan forward has a three-year deal with the Warriors from next year. The European Super League is on hold because of Covid-19 but it appears Warrington will not allow an early release.
“It doesn’t look like they will get back on the field until August,” O’Sullivan said.
“It is a bit of wait and see. Each week that goes by makes it less and less attractive for us.
“He will have to come home, isolate, get enough time in the legs to prepare for an NRL game. Even if he got on the plane tomorrow, it would be the best part of six weeks before he could play.”
And the Paul Gallen story had more legs in it than the veteran may as a first grader. O’Sullivan said the Warriors were appreciative of the offer from the great Sharks forward to come out of retirement.
“He’s 39, and we’ve got young players who back themselves,” said O’Sullivan. “It was a good story and created a bit of a distraction as well.”
So the one newcomer for now is Murchie, who could play in the middle at a pinch.
O’Sullivan said that while loan players were a part of the European competition, NRL clubs at this stage were not putting their hands up.
There were no downsides for the parent club, who could recall the loan player at any stage. And with competitions below the NRL cancelled, the player would be getting valuable game time.
“It’s a no-brainer, to get their number five or six prop a bit of game time,” he said.
“I’ve got no doubt [the Warriors will get a player] in a matter of days rather than weeks. We’ve got some irons in the fire.”
O’Sullivan said he could not be prouder of the squad’s attitude, and they weren’t in Australia “to be the good guys”.
But the proof of the pudding would come on match days, starting this Saturday.
Meanwhile, coach Stephen Kearney has made a string of forced and unforced changes for their first game of the revised 2020 NRL competition against the Dragons in Gosford on Saturday.
The biggest talking point is Kodi Nikorima being chosen ahead of Chanel Harris-Tavita in the halves.
Harris-Tavita has been named on an extended bench.
Gerard Beale returns from a long injury layoff to start at centre in place of David Fusitu’a, who is in Australia but was never a chance to play in round three because of his late arrival due to personal reasons.
Gerard Beale takes the No 4 jersey, partnering Peta Hiku.