At the beginning of every NRL season there is so much hope for the New Zealand Warriors, and 2016 was no different, yet after three rounds they were 0-3 to be well behind the eight-ball.
But the Warriors typically pick up wins mid-season, and 2016 was no different, however their run into the finals was abysmal, going 0-4 over the final four rounds.
The club’s best win was a 36-18 hammering of the Broncos. Their worst? Too many to name, although a 42-0 trashing by the Melbourne Storm on Anzac Day comes to mind. That was a toothless showing.
The off-season
Rightly or wrongly, Kieran Foran will lace up the boots for the Warriors in 2017. Parramatta fans have a right to feel aggrieved, however this piece seeks to focus on the Warriors.
An experienced international player, Foran will hopefully be able to play football to his full potential, with the support and love of his family close by in New Zealand.
Foran is an upgrade on Thomas Leuluai at five-eighth and the return of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to fullback will only strengthen this team’s credentials in 2017.
Then there’s the fact former New Zealand international coach Stephen Kearney has been given the keys to the Warriors kingdom after the club chose to part ways with former coach Andrew McFadden. The writing was on the wall for McFadden throughout 2016, and I for one was surprised that he managed to maintain his position for the entirety of last season.
What to look for in 2017
When Foran returns in Round 3, the Warriors will possess one of the top three spines in the NRL. Tuivasa-Sheck, Foran, the mercurial Shaun Johnson and Issac Luke will pose enormous headaches for opposition teams. There are a lot of question marks about how this quartet will perform however.
Tuivasa-Sheck is coming off a lengthy injury break, Foran is returning from NRL exhile, and Luke had a patchy 2016, with injury and suspension halting his performance.
If these four can perform to their potential, the New Zealand team are a top eight certainty. However, that is a big if.
We often find ourselves discussing the Warriors’ potential and their failure to live up to our lofty expectations, will 2017 a case of history repeating?
The wing and centre options concern me. I certainly hope Manu Vatuvei doesn’t regularly receive a first-team jersey, because if last season was any indication, his best years are far behind. He probably will be in their first-team, but that is purely based on a lack of suitable youthful options at his position.
The Warriors’ front-row depth is also a worry, and they will look to be carried by the likes of Sam Lisone and Albert Vete.
2017 prediction
Can this patchy, inconsistent, never-meeting-our-expectations club be any different from years gone by? They have the potential to finish in the top four or the bottom four, depending on the mindset of its players and the fitness of their spine, as their best and worse are poles apart.
I’m hoping to see some semblance of consistency from them this season, and with Stephen Kearney at the helm the Warriors should be knocking on the door of the eight. They might even push right through it and cement themselves among the best teams in the league.
For now though, I have to trust in the history and until I’m proven wrong, I believe the Warriors’ season will resemble the same rollercoaster it has in seasons past and 2017 will be no exception.
2017 prediction: ninth
NRL 2016 record: 10-0-14 (24 points – 10th)
Ins: Kieran Foran (Parramatta)
Outs: Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Canterbury), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan), Shaun Lane (Manly), Jonathan Wright (Manly)
Sylvester
Guest
Foran should be the difference. Johnson tends to overplay his hand, which I'm sure is down to the pressure of having to set up all the attack himself. I watched the trial game against the Gold Coast and RTS was a real threat in a playmaking sense as well. A third attacking weapon would be a real advantage.
kk
Roar Pro
S/be March 10
Albo
Guest
The key to the Warriors success or just another failed year will surely come down to Keiran Foran's commitment to the game. If he is ready to play footy again, the Warriors could be anything this year. If he is not, they will once again be leaderless and inconsistent like the previous years. I don't think the coach matters, its the attitude on the field with some strong leadership there, that will determine their year.
eels47
Roar Rookie
Foran should provide the stability that has been lacking at the Warriors for a long time now. They have great attacking weapons in Johnson and RTS, and now they have Foran to run the ship and let them do their thing. This will be their best shot to date to make an impact, and if Foran decides to stay, then 2018 will be an even better opportunity. The great unknown here is Kearney. One of the reasons he struggled at Parra was that he was trying to turn a team of players who liked to offload and play off the cuff into a team that played structured footy, much like the Storm. If he tries to do the same here then they will struggle. What they need is a game plan that has some structure, but also allows them to play footy. With Foran running the show they should be able to do that.
kk
Roar Pro
Hi NN. Forget the new season hype. The Warriors are advantaged by the first two games at home. With their best on paddock they must win both convincingly to be taken seriously. Had Harris been a Warrior this year they were premiership material and it may be ironical that he is the difference and demonstrates that at Mt Smart on Friday, March 2, 2017. I would love to see the Warriors (and Titans) crack their maiden premierships. Reckon the Warriors will be a real big chance in 2018.