It's been quite funny this week to watch punters and experts alike focus their attention on the loss of Shaun Johnson and subsequently Tuimoala Lolohea. 

Is the Warriors season over?

Can Tuimoala Lolohea replace Shaun Johnson?

Will Sam Tomkins step up with greater responsibility?

Does Chad Townsend have it in him to control a footy team?

All valid questions, but these questions overlook the reason, or reasons as to why I'm so excited about this week's game against the Sharks.

With Shaun Johnson and without Shaun Johnson, the Warriors have been at their best when their backs take the first three to four hit ups when working their way off their try-line. This is a staple of their game and while people fall back on the 'those big Warriors forwards' cliche they ignore the fact that it's their outside backs which give this illusion of a big Warriors pack - the backs do a lot of the work.

Now, it just so happens that this week we get Manu Vatuvei, Konrad Hurrell and Ken Maumalo back in the team. 

For those who aren't aware - Vatuvei is basically another prop, Hurrell is a cannonball and Maumalo has shown signs that his Vatuvei 2.0. Solomone Kata is still there as well and he is also a cannonball.

Compare these four to what we saw last week with Jonathan Wright not offering much, Glen Fisiiahi get driven back every hit up he took while the other centre spot got filled by a forward when Johnson went off and Lolohea moved to the halves. 

This week we have four outside backs who can make a good kick from Jeff Robson, Jack Bird or Michael Ennis look average by making good metres early in the set.

Don't expect Sam Tomkins to take too many hit ups from kick returns as I expect to see him combine with either Vatuvei or Maumalo to get the set off to a good start. This will also allow Tomkins to do a little less work with those tough kick return carries which usually see him get smashed - we need him to be fresh and on point in attack as he'll have to do a lot of ball-playing.

While good kicks deep into Warriors territory won't be so effective because we have the power to get ourselves out of there pretty quickly, bad kicks that go dead will hopefully be punished. It's a low key great rule change how  you now start sets with a 'zero tackle' from a 20 metre restart and this will play right into the Warriors hands as the likes of Vatuvei, Kata, Hurrell and Maumalo will take those early carries and they could find themselves 30 metres out from the Sharks line on tackle three or four.

The other exciting selection is Ben Matulino on the edge, which could be seen as odd as he's been one of the best props in the NRL this season. I love it though and his size plus offloading ability will be tough to handle, especially in combination with Kata and Vatuvei assuming Matulino is on the left edge.

We also see Simon Mannering move out wider, which is interesting. Sebastine Ikahihifo has been out of favour for pretty much the whole season, yet here we are in round 21 and he's getting a start at lock. I like this as well with Ikahihifo one of the few Warriors forwards who brings a high level of energy and enthusiasm.

Albert Vete will start while Charlie Gubb and Sam Lisone get bench spots. All of a sudden I love this forward pack and the only notable absentee is Ryan Hoffman. 

I'm not sure if this was all part of Andrew McFadden's master plan, or if the stars have just aligned this way but this team gets me excited. I definitely think that the stars have aligned in terms of it all coming together this week as the Warriors will face a Sharks side who will bring the ruckus through the middle as that is what they have built their success on.

They don't have Andrew Fifita or Luke Lewis, but they do have a bunch of forwards who consistently rip in and who love to go set-for-set with their opposition. The extra dimension of having backs who are capable of carting the ball up like forwards, gives the Warriors a nice edge and it should help get the Sharks going backwards, making many tough tackles and limiting their impact with the ball in hand.

That's why I'm not too worried about the play-making spine as the Warriors should go forward. They should consistently be on the front foot, getting quick play the balls, making dents in the defensive line of the Sharks which will give Tomkins, Townsend and Tui a lot more space and time to work with.

Having Matulino, Mannering, Hurrell and Kata on the edges also gives the Warriors play-makers plenty of options, so there shouldn't be the need to try emulate what Johnson does. All Townsend and Lolohea have to do is get the right guys the ball at the right times, preferably one-on-one and opportunities will present themselves to score points.

People have raised the idea of Tomkins playing in the halves, but that's a very simple idea that doesn't look at the bigger picture. There's a reason why Billy Slater doesn't play in the halves but is a very good ball-playing fullback, it's the same with James Tedesco, Matt Moylan, Darius Boyd and Lachlan Coote. Tomkins would first of all be a liability in the defensive line and he's got the organisation aspect sorted as well - standing behind the defensive line telling players what he can see. More importantly, Tomkins will be able to float around and will pop up on either side of the field, freedom that only a fullback gets.

One sidenote to finish with - Townsend is now in a position where he needs to run the show. I would have loved to have seen Townsend run the show, allowing Johnson to not have that responsibility where he can run the footy and do all sorts of x-factor plays without having to do all the mundane stuff. 

I understand that that's what Johnson wants, which is cool and admirable but damn, if Townsend does a good job of controlling the game which frees up Lolohea (who will be playing a similar role to how I had hope Johnson might have at some stage this season) it will only serve to show us what might have been.