Jacob Laban scores a try for Warriors Reserves. Photo: Photosport
NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster believes he has his line-up set for their season-opener against Canberra Raiders in Las Vegas - except for one position.
After two trial games against Cronulla Sharks and Melbourne Storm, the Auckland team will fly out to the 'City of Sin' on Saturday, intent on starting their campaign the right way, despite the distractions around them.
The unit that dispatched the Storm 36-10 last weekend was quite different to the one that scrambled a draw against the Sharks the previous week, due to injuries, healed injuries, rest and Māori All Stars duties, but the process has left Webster reasonably confident in the side he has pencilled in for Vegas.
"Starting line-up nailed… last bench spot struggling," he admitted. "We had a big debate about it this morning and we're still not there, but we don't need to pick that until next week.
"We'll have 22 on the plane, we know who will be on the plane, but do you have two hookers, do you have an outside back on the bench, do you go with another forward who can play multiple positions?
"Form... that guy's played absolutely amazing, but he can't cover this position. It's about making sure we have ourselves covered and we have the right balance.
"I don't have a crystal ball on that one."
To some extent, finding that balance is a game-by-game dilemma, depending on who else is available. Webster is fortunate to have several players who can cover other positions in his squad.
Second-rowers Kurt Capewell and Marata Niukore have both played representative football in the centres, while bench utility Dylan Walker has played much of his career in the halves and centres, before switching to the forwards.
Erin Clark, who seems to have the inside running on the lock position previously held by retired captain Tohu Harris, was previously a hooker. Any of the likely back three - Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Taine Tuaupiki - can play fullback, as can five-eighth Te Maire Martin, while Nicoll-Klokstad has been used in the halves before.
This versatility means Webster is probably spoilt for choice.
Erin Clark in pre-season action against Cronulla Sharks. Photo: NRL / www.photosport.nz
If he opts for a back-up specialist at dummy half, newcomer Sam Healey has probably put his nose in front of incumbent Freddy Lussick with strong pre-season performances that saw him emerge as the leading tackler over the two games with 56.
Another option would see specialist half Chanel Harris-Tavita included as a utility that covers dummy half and fullback.
Perhaps the most contentious starting spot will be on the wing, where Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will miss several weeks, after wrist surgery. Tuaupiki was a standout in that position in both trial games, while Ed Kosi has been first cab off the rank in past seasons.
"We've got to assess it on pre-season form, what Canberra will bring, what both those guys will bring," Webster said. "We've got confidence in both of them and both played really well on the weekend.
"During the trials, we got the opportunity to practice Taine there, which we didn't have before. We've seen Kos play that position for two-and-a-half seasons now."
Perhaps the biggest mover within the squad is second-rower Jacob Laban, who made his first-grade debut against South Sydney last season and logged six more appearances, including a start against Gold Coast Titans in their Anzac Day defeat at Go Media Stadium.
Laban was named 2024 Warriors Rookie of the Year and earned selection in the NSW Cup Team of the Year. He was named to start against Cronulla, but dropped to the bench in a late reshuffle, before scoring the matchwinning try for the Māori All Stars against Indigenous.
He will battle Niukore and Jackson Ford for the No. 11 jersey.
Neither Cronulla nor Melbourne fielded anything close to their best line-up for the trial games, so any euphoria over the results, their position atop the pre-season table and the $100,000 prizemoney on offer needs to be tempered.
"With due respect to the Storm, I know it wasn't their best team, but we wanted to be ruthless with whoever was in front of us, whether it was their best side or not," Webster said.
"They're all good players at the end of the day, we played what was in front of us and I thought that was a great mental challenge.
"I feel like we fixed what we wanted to fix from the week before, but we still got a lot of learnings.
"Not being perfect in trials really narrows your focus on what's important and that's been good."
