Word on the webs is that Aotearoa Warriors have added another large-enough body to their middle forward stocks as the appear to have snapped up Cronulla Sharks forward Toby Rudolf. The signing of Rudolf is nice by itself, although there is a compounding factor when it comes after signing Ben Murdoch-Masila from Warrington Wolves and even adding Jamayne Taunoa-Brown who was promoted to the full-time squad prior to the season starting.

Front Rower South Sydney Rabbitohs North Sydney Bears

Check out Ben Murdoch-Masila's top ten tries for the Wire.

Of course, Rudolf and Murdoch-Masila will join the Warriors for 2021 and beyond. Neither will help the Warriors when the 2020 season resumes and I try to dwell in the present moment, not forecasting too far ahead so I'm still pondering how the Warriors are going to rally on the Tamworth juices and be a factor this season. Allow my noggin' to wander for a moment...

As we all know, there can minimal discussion around the salary values of Murdoch-Masila and Rudolf. While that sillyness from the NRL robs us all of salary cap puzzles, I can speculate on some general value ideas and this is the where some Warriors recruitment trends continue. Murdoch-Masila is an Otahuhu Leopards junior and while he has earned his reputation as one of the more destructive forwards in the game, there is a slither of 'luring him back to Aotearoa' value to signing Murdoch-Masila that has me feeling like the Warriors paid fair, not crazy price.

Former Keebra Park High School comrade Agnatius Paasi is with the Warriors, as are numerous Tongan internationals who play alongside Murdoch-Masila in the international arena. This follows the Warriors trend of getting players who grew up in Aotearoa, back around their folks and then we have the Rudolf signing which follows the Warriors trend of snaring fringe-NRL players who are either hungry for an opportunity or eager to settle into a groove.

Rudolf had the opportunity with the Sharks, playing both games this season and so the stability and security of a multi-year deal in Auckland was likely to be the primary factor. It was the Sharks who plucked Rudolf from Queensland's Intrust Super Cup, where he he helped Redcliffe Dolphins win the 2018 championship - same forward pack as former Warriors junior James Taylor. Then, having signed with the Sharks, Rudolf went on to win back to back state titles, winning the 2019 Canterbury Cup with the Sharks reserve grade team Newtown Jets.

The Sharks grabbed Rudolf on a two-year deal and I view this as a combination of having decent money tied up in the likes of Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan, Shaun Johnson, Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita, Chad Townsend and Aarron Woods as well as a simmering crop of younger players with high values; Jesse Ramien, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Jack Williams, Briton Nikora, Bronson Xerri, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Blayke Brailey. The Sharks also have young #KiwiNRL forwards Kayleb Milne and Cruz Topai-Aveai coming off-contract this year, all of which leaves me feeling like the Sharks offered Rudolf the best they could, which wasn't on par with the Warriors.

The cases of Taunoa-Brown and Rudolf are rather similar, perhaps highlighting the value of Warrior recruitment dude Peter O'Sullivan and how his influence is being felt at Mt Smart. Remember though that this follows on from signing lads like Jackson Frei, Josh Curran and Wayde Egan who were all sniffing around NRL footy but for whatever reason weren't getting consistent opportunities.

None of those signings would have cost much dosh, making them low risk and reasonable reward if they can contribute to the NRL team. This also signals a pivot in the Warriors forward pack as there has been low key emphatic changes in the style of forwards and even just the players involved. The two games played so far this year saw Eliesa Katoa shine as a two-game MVP and Katoa is joined by these new recruits as being big and mobile.

Katoa: 193cm.

Taunoa-Brown: 194cm.

Murdoch-Masila: 186cm.

Rudolf: 190cm.

Murdoch-Masila is the only one of those forwards who is shorter than 190cm, yet his mobility and power is an asset. Without Katoa or Taunoa-Brown, Tohu Harris is the only notable forward who is listed as being taller than 190cm (195cm) while Lachlan Burr, Bunty Afoa and Adam Blair are all listed at 188cm, Paasi is 182cm, Isaiah Papali'i is 182cm and Leeson Ah Mau is 185cm.

I'm not here to say that forwards need to be this high, or that 2cm is the difference between a shitty Warriors forward and a block-buster. This is about body shapes and how having different body shapes ensures that every tackle is different, every tackle is a slightly different wrestling challenge and considering how lacklustre the Warriors forwards have been in recent times, any small shift will help. Having most of your forwards between 182-188cm offers zero variety and is also on the smaller side for NRL forwards, limiting their influence through the middle.

This is highlighted because it's a trend and the Warriors have quite clearly laid out a plan to re-jig their forward pack on the fly. While their performances in 2020 have been yucky, the fact that the Warriors aren't making minor moves to improve is somewhat impressive and I get a vibe that the Warriors are always scoping the scene under O'Sullivan's guidance - even when it feels like they aren't.

For 2020 though, the Warriors will be working with this same forward pack that struggles to roll down field and can't contain opposition forwards.

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