With the 2020 season nearing and my season preview on hold until the NRL Nines and preseason matches are played, I thought I would offer my opinions on the five Warriors that I think are going to have a big season in Warriors colours. The rankings are in no particular order.
1. Wayde Egan
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Andrew Johns tagged the former Penrith Panthers NYC Captain as a future star of the NRL even going as far as comparing him to a young Cameron Smith.
Now I don't know if I would go that far, but from the limited amount of footage I have seen from Wayde, I believe he is an excellent addition to the Warriors roster.
He passes quickly out of the ruck and can snipe out of dummy half when the opportunity arises and more importantly has a solid kicking game which the Warriors sorely need.
The biggest concern would be the fact that his limited first-grade experience has come as an interchange player and the adjustment to becoming a starter has been an issue for players in the past. Another potential problem is that he has a bit of history with shoulder injuries, and the Warriors hookers tend to not have the best luck when it comes to injuries. Still, I have my fingers crossed that he can remain healthy for the entire season.
At the young age of 22, Wayde could be a key figure in the Warriors spine for years to come, and I expect him to feature heavily in my reviews this season.
2. Josh Curran
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Despite only playing 2 matches for the Warriors in 2019 I liked what I saw from Josh Curran.
Starting his career at the Sydney Roosters, he has learnt from some of the best in the NRL. Hopefully, the habits he picked up over there are rubbing off on the rest of the young pack.
His strongest attribute is his defence, which the Warriors sorely need after some poor defensive displays in 2019. Still, he has shown some glimpses at what he can offer with the ball in hand too and could be a key figure in getting the right edge attack back to where it was in 2018.
There is going to be a fight for the starting second-row positions and while Curran may not get the chance to start in round one I still see him in the gameday 17 and his chance to start will come sooner rather than later.
3. Chanel Harris-Tavita
2019 was not a great year for the Warriors, but one positive was the potential Chanel showed throughout the year.
Despite his age, he was able to slot right into the halves, and while his halves partner was not playing to the best of his ability, Chanel displayed a maturity I did not expect.
He can be flamboyant, but what surprised me was how he was able to become the "stable half" that led the side around the park and dominated the kicking duties. Chanel also displayed some excellent defence for a half and did not hesitate to put his body on the line, my hope is that he can keep showing this heart on defence but that he learns to pick his shots as I don't want to see him get injured trying to do a massive hit.
Surprisingly the news out of the club is that Chanel is not guaranteed a starting spot in Round One and is fighting with Kodi Nikorima to partner Blake Green in the halves, but I fully expect Chanel to win that battle.
There is going to be a fight for the starting second-row positions and while Curran may not get the chance to start in round one I still see him in the gameday 17 and his chance to start will come sooner rather than later.
3. Chanel Harris-Tavita
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Despite his age, he was able to slot right into the halves, and while his halves partner was not playing to the best of his ability, Chanel displayed a maturity I did not expect.
He can be flamboyant, but what surprised me was how he was able to become the "stable half" that led the side around the park and dominated the kicking duties. Chanel also displayed some excellent defence for a half and did not hesitate to put his body on the line, my hope is that he can keep showing this heart on defence but that he learns to pick his shots as I don't want to see him get injured trying to do a massive hit.
Surprisingly the news out of the club is that Chanel is not guaranteed a starting spot in Round One and is fighting with Kodi Nikorima to partner Blake Green in the halves, but I fully expect Chanel to win that battle.
4. Tohu Harris
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A fully fit Tohu immediately makes the Warriors a tougher team to face, his reintroduction to the side increases the Warriors attacking potential tenfold. I expect to see him on the left edge, partnering with Peta Hiku once again. This will be great news for Ken Maumalo who will be looking at building on his impressive 2019 season.
Tohu's return to the field will also benefit Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, RTS has been doing his best as the leader of this side, but I believe he has been let down by his leadership team at times throughout 2019.
With Tohu back, he now has a well-respected veteran in the forward pack that is willing to lead from the front and help guide the younger players in the squad.
Any pressure that can be taken off Roger's shoulder can only improve the Warriors chances of playoff football.
The only potential issue for would be the possibility of Tohu picking up another injury, it would be a cruel blow for the talented second rower, but I'm hopeful that luck will be on his side.
5. Kodi Nikorima
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Moving to the club after the 2019 season had already began put Kodi on the backfoot right from the start. So having a full preseason with the team under his belt is going to help him find his place within the squad.
His position is probably the most significant talking point, is he a starting half? Should he be Hooker? Or should he be on the bench as a utility?
If I was picking the Warriors gameday 17, I would put him in the halves, partnering with Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Expecting Kodi to take over the kicking duties last year was a mistake, however, with Chanel steering the ship, Kodi would be free to play his natural game, utilising his speed to target weaknesses in the oppositions defensive line.
Expecting Kodi to take over the kicking duties last year was a mistake, however, with Chanel steering the ship, Kodi would be free to play his natural game, utilising his speed to target weaknesses in the oppositions defensive line.
Of course, this will all depend on how Stephen Kearney decides to construct his team, He seems set to have Blake Green starting, but I think this move will be detrimental to the Warriors chances of success in 2020.
So those were my picks for the five Warriors players I think will have a breakout 2020, next week I will be offering my thoughts on the five players that I think need to improve in 2020 but until then let me know what you think on my choices and who you think will be having a big season this year.
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