Nikorima non-committal on Warriors, out of Kiwis
Warriors five-eighth Kodi Nikorima is non-committal on his future with the NRL club beyond this season, following reports he hopes to remain in Australia after 2021.
The 27-year-old signed with the Warriors as a mid-season transfer in 2019, and recently took up a player option in his contract to see him in Warriors colours in 2022.
While Nikorima will line up in the halves for the Warriors against the Knights in Newcastle today at 5pm, he gave little away yesterday when addressing where his future lies.
“That’s news to myself,” Nikorima said of the reports. “I haven’t spoken to my manager yet, but if you look around the league so far, contracts don’t mean too much these days with all this player movement, so I’ll leave all that sort of stuff up to my manager. All I need to focus on is playing footy here at the Warriors.”
While Nikorima is focused on seeing out the 2021 campaign with the Warriors, who sit 11th on the NRL ladder after 14 rounds, he indicated he would not feature for the Kiwis during the Rugby League World Cup in Britain later this year as he wants to spend more time with his family.
“I have got a young one on the way and I want to spend as much time as I can with my family,” Nikorima said.
“They [the Kiwis] have some quality players there, so I will be looking at taking some time off at the end of the year and taking myself out of being in contention.”
For now, the Warriors five-eighth had his attention on the task at hand; trying to get the club’s season back on the right track after a demolition by the Melbourne Storm a week ago.
Despite winning just five of 13 games this season, the Warriors sit just outside the top eight on points differential, and a win away against Newcastle could be a turning point.
Newcastle remain without superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga for the match, but welcome back halfback Mitchell Pearce, whose return is a major boost for a struggling Knights side that has won just one of their past five matches.
Ponga’s ongoing groin problem means he is also out of contention for Queensland’s shot at redemption in Origin II and opens the door for Warriors rookie Reece Walsh to be a bolter in Brisbane.
Nikorima’s shock admissions come a day after the club signed Kiwis captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who will join immediately from the Bulldogs. His arrival couldn’t come at a better time for the Warriors, who parted ways with Ken Maumalo this week. Maumalo will play for the Wests Tigers tonight against the Storm on the Sunshine Coast.