News that Kieran Foran will probably have to miss the start of the 2017 NRL season means that we need to update the Kieran Foran yarn. Last time we were here, Foran had arrived at Mt Smart to start training with the New Zealand Warriors and despite uncertainty about his future lingering in the air, everything seemed as though it was pointing towards Foran partnering Shaun Johnson in the halves for most of next season.

We're now caught in a tricky spot where the Warriors are rolling out all sorts of Foran propaganda - wholesome/lovely/exciting propaganda - yet we simply don't know what the NRL want or expect from Foran. Only a few non-NRL HQ folk really know what the NRL want and that crew is led by Foran himself and Warriors top-dawg Jim Doyle; we should assume that the Warriors are going to to their best to put Foran front and centre at training, team expeditions (like their recent trip to Kaitaia) to show everyone that Foran's on the right path.

But of course, it doesn't look as though Foran will be allowed to play in the early stages of the NRL season. This is the first warning sign from a wave of caution when the Warriors announced that they had signed Foran as there was always the possibility that this could just go on and on, aka an almighty distraction. The Warriors have enough on their plate that they don't need to bring on such distractions to themselves.

As it always tends to go, Shaun Johnson copped all sorts of the typical criticism he gets, after the Kiwis' Four Nations campaign. This is yet another example of the crazy expectations placed on Johnson as he's limited as a halfback and this year saw both the Warriors and Kiwis rely on Johnson to play the lead hand and do SJ7 things as well.

Foran's absence for the start of the season will mean that the best halves combo Johnson has ever been a part of, will have to wait to combine for the Warriors. I view that as wins going down the drain because the Warriors will be able to be a top-8 team with Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as their key men, with Foran though it's a far different situation.

The last Foran update had me exploring the Warriors options to cover Foran and with Ata Hingano and Tui Lolohea in the squad - they are well equipped to absorb the loss of Foran.

What gets my mind scrambling, is that if Foran is out for the first three-five weeks, the Warriors will give time to a young half to settle into some consistent NRL minutes as well as the combination with Johnson and Tuivasa-Sheck. Then Foran will more than likely be shipped straight into the Warriors starting line up, stunting any development of Hingano or Lolohea and re-setting a halves combination.

This would throw up two situations that we have seen recently and have plagued the Warriors as they progress forward; Lolohea being used every where and a halves combo that doesn't have the minutes together as the best halves combos do.

Given what happened last year with Lolohea, surely the worst-case scenario for him specifically would be that he is forced to stay at the Warriors, plays the first few rounds and Foran comes back to kick Lolohea back into utility oblivion.

Hingano would be ideal to step in for Foran as he would benefit from getting a few more NRL minutes. Once Foran returns, Hingano can slot into reserve grade where he should be able to dominate and implement his NRL experience.

Johnson desperately needs help in the halves. He's a fantastic player, but for the Warriors to win the NRL Premiership, you need more and the longer there is uncertainty or inconsistency in who partners Johnson in the halves, the longer we will wait for that Premiership. The return of Tuivasa-Sheck will help immensely, he can't be slept on as a play-maker and this will lessen the load on Johnson and Hingano/Lolohea.

The other little view that this Foran speed-bump offered was the long-term future of Foran. How would we all feel if this Foran saga isn't resolved until halfway through the season and then Foran doesn't stick around for the following season?

That's the risk from the Warriors, it's all a gamble on a bunch of little steps working in the Warriors favour. Sure, there's a massive reward if Foran can partner Johnson for most of the season but the first hurdle of Foran starting the season has been knocked over; gotta keep running though.

Right now, I feel the same as I did when the Warriors signed Foran. I don't think it's a gamble they needed to take because they have two young halves who, along with Tuivasa-Sheck and a settled hooking rotation (Issac Luke and Jazz Tevaga/Nathaniel Roache) will do a good job of easing the load off of Johnson. The key thing is consistency and minutes together, this situation and the uncertainty it brings doesn't leave much room for consistent combinations.