Wayde-ing in at deep end: Raking over hooker role
Among the many items on the Warriors’ to-do list, arguably the most pressing is solidifying their long-term options at hooker.
It’s one of the most important positions in the game, but finding permanent solutions has been an ongoing issue.
Over the last decade the Warriors have rarely had stability at dummy half, nor found someone with the allround skillset necessary.
Tackling machine Nathan Friend was the answer for a couple of seasons, backed up by Silivia Havili. Marquee signing Issac Luke was brilliant in 2018 — at times the most effective player on the field — but not at the same level in his other three seasons.
Jazz Tevaga, Erin Clark and Sam Cook had occasional game time, while the luckless Nathaniel Roache endured a wretched injury run.
Wayde Egan was signed ahead of last season, with recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan likening elements of his game to Cameron Smith.
But Egan slipped behind Karl Lawton in 2020, before Lawton’s Achilles injury last December led to his move to Manly.
Now Egan is the man, although he polarises opinions among fans.
Most admire his work ethic, and he was effective in the early rounds as the Warriors displayed the flat, fast attacking approach that was the cornerstone of their pre-season.
He’s generally tidy, reflected by only one error this season, despite touching the ball more than anyone else.
But some of Egan’s option-taking was poor against the Sea Eagles last Friday in Gosford and teammates have struggled to read his short kicking game.
Coach Nathan Brown says patience is required with the 24-year-old.
“People have probably forgotten that Wayde hasn’t played many 80-minute games,” Brown told Newstalk ZB. “With Karl rupturing his Achilles in the pre-season, it hasn’t allowed Wayde any sort of time off.
“Generally Wayde has been playing periods of games and having a spell and this year he’s been playing 80 minutes and it is tough in there.”
In 2018, Egan averaged 27 minutes a game as back up at Penrith, rising to 45 the following season. He was rotated with Lawton last year, and the difference in his workload is stark. Egan averaged just over 52 minutes and 28 tackles per game in 2020, compared with 74 minutes and 42 tackles this campaign.
The club intends to add depth at No 9 but have yet to identify the right candidate. “We have been looking around for another hooker to work with Wayde, but it’s not that easy to find a back-up hooker,” said Brown.
Egan, who has played 52 NRL games, admits their attacking approach has to change, after being ineffective against Manly, despite long spells in opposition territory.
“We had a big focus on defence going into the game and kind of shot ourselves in the foot,” said Egan. “We didn’t really get our attack on like we wanted to, we need to fix up a few things.
“We need to get the ball in our ball players’ hands more often and get Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck] involved more [at the other] end of the field.”
More variety in their yardage game was also crucial, given the absence of Addin Fonua-Blake.
“We just have to be smarter without Addin,” said Egan, “We can’t give one-out carries to guys like Jazz [Tevaga], just to get bashed up all game. We have to be smarter with the way we move the ball.”