New coach, new recruits, and Roger: 10 great talking points ahead of the Warriors’ 2021 season

OPINION: As the Warriors prepare to start a new era with coach Nathan Brown, Marvin France addresses the key questions and talking points surrounding your next campaign.

1. Will the Warriors miss Todd Payten?

All the attention has been on the new players who have joined, but the departure of the former interim coach to the Cowboys leaves some cause for concern.

First of all, the players deserve most of the credit for the way things turned during the second half of last season. But there is no doubt that Payten’s methods and messages struck a chord with the group that sparked the unlikely revival.

The pressure is firmly on Brown, who has had to navigate a disjointed preseason while implementing his own ideas, to pull off a similar purchase.

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2. Will Roger Tuivasa-Sheck be affected by his impending move to rugby?

With a full season before the codes change, this is sure to come up, particularly if the Kiwi team is left out of the final contest early. However, if there is one player you would support to maintain their professionalism, whatever the situation, it is ‘RTS’.

While the captain will continue to set the standard for the Warriors, the great hope is that more of his teammates will elevate their game to give him the send-off he deserves. The Blues, and the All Blacks for that matter (yes, he will make the team in 2022), I don’t know how lucky they are.

3. Will Mt Smart host the Warriors in 2021?

It is the most important question of the season. The team has extended their stay in Australia until at least June 21, but they are prepared to be there for the long haul. As CEO Cameron George said last week, it is one thing to have a trans-Tasman bubble, but the club and the NRL must rest assured that it will remain open.

The speed with which Australia closed its borders during the recent community outbreaks in Auckland does not bode well for their chances of playing at home this year.

4. Which recruit will have the greatest impact?

Aside from star mainstay Addin Fonua-Blake, whom everyone expects to have an instant impact early on, Ben Murdoch-Masila could turn out to be a canny player.

Murdoch-Masila, one of the unsung heroes of Tonga’s remarkable rise, showed glimpses in the trial against the Titans of the damaging force it could be. The prospect of him and his rowing partner Eliesa Katoa occupying opposite edges will have Warriors fans licking their lips.

The main question surrounding the 30-year-old is how quickly he can adapt to the pace of the NRL after spending the last five years in the UK Super League.

5. Has the front pack gotten too big for the new rules?

For years, Warriors fans have been calling for a return to the heavyweight packs of yesteryear, and the club has finally responded. But when you hear reports of test games being played at semi-final intensity and players saying they can’t breathe, you have to wonder if the Warriors have gotten too big for the new NRL rules meant to speed up the game.

Size will always be an important factor. Just look at Melbourne and the Roosters, monster-pack teams that were successful last year when the NRL began their plan to increase the fatigue factor.

The key difference with those sides is that they have a track record of sustained excellence, regardless of the rules. The Warriors not so much.

Time will tell if they have the mobility to complement their size.

6. It’s a great year for … Kodi Nikorima

Most Warriors fans expect Chanel Harris-Tavita to establish herself as the club’s long-term running back this season. Even with just 21 and only 26 NRL games under his belt, expectations need to be measured. You also need a lot of help from the fifth Kodi Nikorima.

It is an important season for the Kiwis international as he looks to establish his future in the NRL. As you enter your seventh year in competition, you really should be getting down to business as a playmaker, and the new rules need to be adapted to your wired racing game.

Brown liked what he saw from Nikorima in the offseason and the coach clearly needs him to find more consistency in the halves for the team to emerge as a final contender.

7. Will they be exposed in the prostitute?

The Warriors have improved their depth at various positions, but a severe Achilles tendon injury to Karl Lawton has left them light in one of the most important spots on the field.

Brown dodged a bullet this week when Wayde Egan shook off an elbow injury in time to be named to face the Titans. There are interim options in the form of Jazz Tevaga and Bayley Sironen. But if Egan is off for an extended period, the coach may have to turn to one of his development players or head to the market.

8. Will David Fusitu’a return to his best level?

Since he ended 2018 as the NRL’s top try scorer, all four points have dried up for the athletic winger.

Fusitu’a bagged just five meatloafs in 2019 and only crossed the line once in seven games last year before returning home early for family reasons. He plays an important role in the start of the sets. But, with his aerial prowess and corner diving feats, he should be one of the team’s most effective attack weapons.

It can be frustrating for wingers, who often have to rely on the players within them for chances. Fusitu’a hopes that her meeting with 2018 core partner Peta Hiku will be just as fruitful.

9. Rookies to watch

The Warriors were well served on this front last year, with Katoa and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown enjoying breakout seasons.

Paul Turner didn’t look out of depth in his only appearance in 2020 and, with his dazzling footwork and ability to play halves or fullback, he could still prove to be a practical bench option.

As for the players who have yet to debut, there is a lot of excitement surrounding former school rugby star Rocco Berry. And he could find himself on the bottom line at some point if the club wants to assess its life options after Tuivasa-Sheck. Former Junior Kiwis hooker Temple Kalepo is another to watch, especially if the Warriors have more injury problems at mid-dead.

10. Will they reach the final?

It will be extremely difficult. It’s easy for outsiders to take everything the Warriors are going through for granted just to participate in the competition. Yes, all the players have their families with them this time, but they could be in Australia for much longer, having left in January and the NRL returning to 25 rounds.

But if the Sharks can make the playoffs in 2020 without beating another team in the top eight, it is certainly within the Warriors’ reach. They have most of the pieces in place and the depth of the equipment is considerably better than last year.

If they can get the needed improvement from the halves and Egan proves to be a good 80 minute hooker, they should be good enough to sneak in.