Warriors’ depth hailed after big win over Souths
Andrew Webster hailed the Warriors’ growing player depth after Kiwis Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Te Maire Martin made instant impacts in the 30-point rout of the Rabbitohs.
Webster talked up man-of-the-match hooker Wayde Egan’s State of Origin credentials after the 34-4 win in Sydney on Saturday.
Two-try playmaker Shaun Johnson and skipper Tohu Harris were also standouts and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck scored a try in his 200th game as the Warriors collected their third consecutive win to move into the top-eight zone.
With five frontline players dispatched to a casualty ward rivalling Shortland Street’s, the Warriors scarcely skipped a beat as their replacements seamlessly filled the void.
Nicoll-Klokstad - playing his first game of the season after a longterm hamstring problem - and Martin caught their head coach’s eye.
Slotting straight back in at fullback, Nicoll-Klokstad ran for 263m and collected two try assists as he thirsted for work.
Webster noted the way he was always available “through the middle of the ruck’’ with Egan “dummying and throwing the ball to him every time.
“If they kicked behind Charnze, he’d clean it up. He’s just an effort guy. It’s his first game back too, it’s not like he’s had a pre-season, he’s been injured.”
Nicoll-Klokstad choked back his emotions in a post-match television interview as he thanked Webster for his faith in him.
Webster said the fullback’s rehab wasn’t straightforward. “There were setbacks along the way. We thought it was good, then it wasn’t. He just had to stick at it.”
He said Nicoll-Klokstad had to be “willing to be patient’’, which was made easier “because of the depth in our squad.”
Martin, too, took the pressure off Johnson in his first season start, grabbing his opportunity after Te Maire Martin’s broken leg. Webster noted his willingness to “front the ball’’ and the determination he showed in scoring a second-half try.
He said the team’s depth compared to a year ago was “unbelievable’’, which was “important. This is a marathon.”
The coaching staff decided to give young players like centre Rocco Berry “the opportunity to see what they could do. Now, they’ve taken that opportunity and are regular first graders.”
“When Wayde was out, Freddy Lussick was in, Taine [Tuaupiki came in at fullback], Dylan Walker was out and the next forward steps in.
“Everyone has a great attitude. If they are not in the [NRL] team, they want to play reserve grade. Not many clubs have that.”
Webster said dropped first grade players at some clubs were “a bit dirty on the world’’ and regarded themselves as too good for the second tier.
“Our boys generally want to press and work on their game. It’s not about the individual, it’s about the team.”
The depth, however, is set to be tested again with prop Bunty Afoa limping off with a hamstring injury which Webster admitted was “a concern’’.
But Marata Niukore, who missed the Rabbitohs clash with a foot problem, could be back for Saturday’s home match against the Manly Sea Eagles. The Kiwis forward has played just 25 minutes this year after separate foot injuries.
As for Egan, Webster dropped a broad hint to former Kiwis coach Michael Maguire who is now guiding New South Wales.
Before Webster could reply to a press conference question about Egan’s State of Origin selection chances, Warriors captain Tohu Harris quipped: “the Kiwis!”
“He’s not playing for the Kiwis,” Webster quipped. [State of Origin] is the next step for him for sure.
“I’ve said to Wayde, ‘you should be an Origin player, you could be, you’re that talented and that good.”
Webster said Egan was “exceptional’’ in all areas of his game and “I don’t think you get two better New South Wales nines that are the guys to ask so many questions of Queensland than Api [Koroisau] and Wayde.”