NZ Warriors 2023 Season Preview: The Webster Era Begins

We are finally here, the NRL is back, and the first round is just days away.

This also means it's time for me to dust off the keyboard and get back into writing, so I will start the season with my prediction on how I see the Warriors going in 2023. As I did last year, I will break down my preview into sections outlining my views on the preseason and trial results, my key signing, the 2023 squad and my Gameday 17 before rounding it up with my 2023 ladder prediction.

As always, these are just my thoughts and opinions, and I'm interested in hearing your thoughts, too, so let me know what you think, and let's chat some footy.

Preseason News: We The Ones

The 2023 season brings plenty of changes.

First, the club finally gets to return to home soil full-time; they signed Andrew Webster as their Head Coach, made a host of changes to the roster, and last but not least, got a new name, the One New Zealand Warriors. 

Having the club back in New Zealand is fantastic; it means I get to go to regular live matches again, but aside from me being selfish, being based in NZ means the players can be more settled with a support network that has been lacking; this should hopefully lead to better performances. It also sees the return of the SG Ball and NSW Cup sides, which will only help the younger players develop and be ready for a first-grade call-up. The club also announced they plan to have Jersey Flegg and Harold Matthews Cup teams in 2024, with an NRLW side to join in 2025. This is fantastic news, as the Warriors need a pathway to ensure that they can keep the local talent on this side of the Tasman and create stars of the future.

I saw the signing of Andrew Webster as a risk when it was announced, but since he arrived, he has done nothing but win me over. In the countless interviews I have listened to from the new man in charge, he seems to know exactly what he needs to do to get this club heading in the right direction. It will be a tough road, but it certainly looks like he is the right man to do it, so I am hoping for the best.

The roster has changed plenty, but I will keep that for my 2023 squad section below.

This leads to the name change, It feels too wordy for me, but I get it due to the naming sponsors changing their name, and to be honest, I have and will always just refer to the side as the Warriors anyway.

2022 was a brutal year for the Warriors and fans alike; it felt like the side was regressing; stilted attack, woeful defence, and a constantly rotating lineup led to a team that never really found its feet, but the optimistic Warriors fan in me just sees this as an easy platform to improve on, but it will be a challenging journey.

Lastly, the Warriors had two preseason outings this season a 48-12 win over the Tigers at Mt Smart Stadium and a 24-6 loss to the Storm at Otrangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.

The first match against the Tigers was an exciting look at plenty of youngsters that will spend most of their time in reserve grade this season; Luke Metcalf, Marcelo Montoya and Tom Ale all had strong outings, it was hard to gauge how the team actually was due to the inexperienced Tigers outfit, but it was great to be back at Mt Smart and watching the side put some points on the board.

The final trial against the Storm saw the return of most of the regular first graders and gave us our first look at Mitchell Barnett, Marata Niukore, and Dylan Walker, as well as the return of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. It was a rusty showing, with both sides making plenty of errors; however, the Warriors held a 6-0 lead at halftime. With plenty of changes in the second half, the Warriors could not keep themselves in the fight, and the Storm took over. 

It wasnt the best way to end the trials; the Warriors looked clunky and were not at the level required for Round one. Shaun Johnson had a rough day with a poor kicking game that needs to be improved quickly; Brayden Wiliame had a quiet day after a solid first trial, and the forwards struggled to eat the metres. It wasnt all doom and gloom; the Warrior's defence has shown improvement, and the team's attack showed glimpses of what it can deliver when everyone pulls their weight. There is much work to do, but I think the roster and Andrew Webster have what it takes to address my concerns.

Key Signing: Mitchell Barnett

With so many new additions to the roster, I struggled to narrow them down to one, but I have gone with Mitchell Barnett. 

I may be way off the mark, but I see Barnett in a similar mold to Kevin Campion, a no-nonsense forward that will bring mental toughness and a much-needed defensive edge to the Warriors pack. He is a solid player with the ball in hand, averaging over 100 metres a game for the past three seasons, but his strength lies more in the defensive side of the game; he has good defensive line speed, and while he is prone to missing tackles, you won't see him let the side down when defending in the red zone. Spending the past seven years with Newcastle, Barnett featured heavily in their gameday 17, reaching double-digit matches for the past six seasons, used mainly as a second rower or Lock, scoring 20 tries and kicking 16 goals in his 115 appearances.

He has not had the greatest track record regarding his discipline, so that is my biggest concern with him, but if he can keep his aggression to just below the threshold, he should be a great addition to the Warriors roster.

2023 Squad

The 2023 squad has seen a lot of departures; gone are Reece Walsh, Euan Aitken, Eliesa Katoa, Aaron Pene, Jack Murchie and the recently released Ben Murdoch-Masila, Taniela Otukolo and Otukinekina Kepu. However, the Warriors signed just as many with Marata Niukore, Luke Metcalf, Dylan Walker, Mitchell Barnett, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Te Maire Martin, Jackson Ford and Brayden Wiliame. The club also announced the top 30 contract upgrades for Taine Tuaupiki and Demitric Sifakula.

The Warriors have a lot of depth in many positions, so finding room for all of them is challenging. This is an excellent problem to have, as competition for spots should lead to better individual performances. 

I still think they need some help in the front rower and centre departments, there are a few spots left on the roster, but I don't see any experienced players that can fill those spots popping up on the market before the season starts so the club will be relying on Tohu Harris and Addin Fonua-Blake staying injury free as if they go down the middle forwards lose plenty of impact.

The backs may lack X-Factor but have dependable players in Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Viliami Vailea continues to grow, and hopefully, Rocco Berry will follow in his footsteps. Lastly, Te Maire Martin could be the player Warriors fans have been waiting for to perfectly pair with Shaun Johnson in what could potentially be the veteran halfback's final season.

For my Round One 17, I have selected the same back three that we saw during the last trial in Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya. My centres are Viliami Valea and Brayden Wiliame, who I picked due to me not being the biggest fan of Adam Pompey in the centres. My halves are Shaun Johnson, and Te Maire Martin, who I think will pair up well, provided the forwards get the job done upfront.

The Forwards were hard to pick, and I have made some changes to what Andrew Webster has said he will do. My starting front row is Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and Tohu Harris; I know Webster wants to play Harris at lock, but he offers more to the front row in comparison to the other options. My second row is the new signings Marata Niukore and Mitchell Barnett; both are solid second rowers and will help strengthen the Warrior's edge defence. Then my lock is Josh Curran, who has played his best football with the number 13 on his back.

My bench has Dylan Walker as the utility who can cover multiple positions; Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale are my interchange props, with Jackson Ford earning the last spot on the bench after impressing me in the trials.

My 2023 Prediction

Continuing my season preview trend, I was wrong with my prediction last season when I said the Warriors would finish seventh.

Most of the NRL Pundits across the ditch have been predicting the Warriors as one of three teams, alongside the Dragons and Dolphins, to fight for the Wooden Spoon.

With some handy players joining the squad, a new coach and regular games at Mount Smart, I go into 2023 with realistic optimism. 

The Warriors have a tough start to their campaign facing seven 2022 top-eight sides in the first ten rounds (Roosters twice, Cowboys twice, Sharks, Storm and the reigning premier Panthers). This is the biggest hurdle for the Warrior's finals aspirations, but they are helped with a better run home with winnable matches against the Titan, Tigers, Dragons and Dolphins.

If they can get a handful of wins in the first ten weeks, stay injury free, and go on a winning streak through the origin period and back end of the season, they may return to finals football for the first time since 2018.

It is hard to predict, but I have had in my head for the past few months a tenth-place finish for the Warriors, so I am sticking with my gut here; I think the Warriors have what it takes to improve, but so have a lot of other clubs, and I don't see many of last years top eight sides sliding out of the finals. So tenth place is my prediction for 2023.

What I want to see out of this side is just improvement; if the team can go toe to toe with the heavy hitters of the NRL and take teams to the limit, then I will leave the season happy that the Warriors are on the right track. It may sound defeatist, but I am a realist, and I'm thinking long-term.

So let's ring on the new season; I can't wait for Round One. The Warriors get to start their campaign this Friday in Wellington, and I am making the trip down. It should be a great match and, hopefully, a win against the Knights.

Once again, I will be writing game reviews every week, releasing them every Monday throughout the season. I will also be looking at writing match previews which will come out either Tuesday night or Wednesday. So we get to discuss more footy than usual this season; I will also be going to all the Warriors games being played in New Zealand, so if you are at the game, come say hi.

I'm also continuing to host my show, The Stand-Off, on New Zealand Sport Radio with my good friend Richie every Wednesday night at 8pm NZ time, so come join us there as we discuss everything going on in League and answer your questions live. I will also still be joining several other podcasts that work on Warriors content throughout the year, so be sure to keep an eye or ear out for me on all platforms.

If you like what I do here, please share my blog with your friends and comment on how you think the season is going.

So that's my take on the Warriors' upcoming season, and I just can't wait for Round One. As usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Are you heading to Wellington for Round 1?
Which player do you think will be the standout performer?
Who would be in your gameday 17?
Where do you think the Warriors will finish in 2023?