After exploring the landscape at centre for the Aotearoa Warriors, we now move into the murky waters of the forward pack, more specifically the make up of the bench. While I do view these waters as being an estuary of naturally brown tinge as the tides whip up the sloppy soil that mangroves grow in, there is crystal clear waters out where the estuary meets the ocean and that is where I shall begin.

Quality time well spent with the family exploring QT, creating special moments & memories as a family. Now time to head home and get ready for a big back end of the year. #YTBLAIRS#WHANAUAROHA#TEAMBlAIR

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We know Adam Blair plays a major role in the middle forwards and that he will start games (again assuming everyone is healthy and available). Although there is always a bit of uncertainty about starting and bench roles, I'm also of the view that Bunty Afoa and Agnatius Paasi have proven their worth in the first half of the season, sealing top-17 spots and while James Gavet hasn't quite been as dominant as the others, I also have him in my top-17.

With regards to Gavet, I reckon he is settling into the season and his role within the Warriors. In the four games since returning from injury in round 9, Gavet has steadily increased his minutes; 25mins, 23, 31, 40.

Compare that to Gavet in the first three games; 37mins, 50, 40.

Everything about Gavet's return has him building back up to how he started the season and the loss to the Rabbitohs featured a performance from Gavet that most-resembled his best work from the start of the season. Gavet had similar minutes vs Rabbitohs as he had in the first three rounds and also had similar post-contact metres, with 40pc-m vs Rabbitohs which is his 2nd best effort of the season (44pc-m vs Titans in round 2).

Overall, Gavet is average a very healthy 9.52m/run and if he can stay healthy, it'll be interesting to touch base with that again in a month and see if it increases.

Given how coach Stephen Kearney is handling the middle forwards, Gavet's size and aggression is important as he offers a point of difference. Afoa and Paasi are smaller and rely on their leg-speed/footwork to do their job, while Blair his a unique role in the middle with his ball-playing/offloading/mobility combo complimenting the work of Afoa, Paasi and Gavet. In that group of four, there is variety in not only how they go about their business, but also in their size and body shapes, which combines to make every tackle a different challenge for the opposition.

Then you sprinkle Jazz Tevaga into the mix.

Tevaga has predominantly played as a middle forward this season and while he's awfully similar to Blair in his style of play, Tevaga is quicker, more agile and thus offers his own unique package. I've harped on about how important Tevaga (and Blair) is to what the Warriors want to do with the footy so I won't go into detail about that here; Tevaga and Blair shift the footy, Tevaga's agility challenges middle defences his defensive effort ensures there's no drop off defensively.

Regardless of how you view Tevaga's role, I'm aligned with Kearney's opinion. Kearney clearly views Tevaga as being a key cog in this middle group and Tevaga's minutes reflect this; Tevaga averages 52.77mins/game, mainly as a middle forward.

Here are the average minutes of the middle forwards I have spoken about thus far...

Tevaga: 52.77mins.
Blair: 58.5mins.
Afoa: 41mins.
Paasi: 35.8mins.
Gavet: 35.28mins.

That's a fairly settled rotation and I ultimately like the balance of skill, mobility, size, defensive nous that these five offer. This leaves two bench spots up for grabs and although the usage of Simon Mannering has been a rather confusing, we have to assume that Mannering is and will be in the top-17.

Mannering's role though is a major conundrum that needs to be sussed out leading into the post-Origin period. This can basically be boiled down to Mannering starting and playing 80 minutes as an edge forward, or coming off the bench to play through the middle, or even more simply; edge vs middle.

As much as appreciate what Isaiah Papalii offers and his development, I can't convince myself that Papalii is a better edge option than Mannering. Even when considering the balance of the middle forward group, I'd prefer to have Mannering on one edge and Tohu Harris on the other edge.

In keeping with that way of thinking, there are two bench spots up for grabs and the following players have been used so far this season; Albert Vete, Chris Satae, Sam Lisone, Ligi Sao, Joe Vuna, Leivaha Pulu. If Mannering's playing on an edge, then we can also put Papalii into this group competing for two bench spots.

Of that group, Sao is the most interesting case. Sao started the season and did a decent job, I mean the bloke has won every game that he's played in this season and then got dropped, for no apparent reason. Despite playing just four games, Sao is 8th in offloads for the Warriors and his 2 offloads/game average is equal to that of Peta Hiku, making Sao and Hiku the best offloaders in the club.

Sao does give up a bit of oomph as he averages 8.05m/run, but having Sao on the bench where he can play 20 minutes and do a job in terms of defensive effort and sparking the attack with offloads would be great. It's kinda crazy that Sao hasn't been given more of an opportunity as he's exactly the type of forward that the Warriors would appear to need or want and the skill on offer with Sao, Blair, Tevaga, Mannering, Harris and Paasi in the forward pack would be super funky.

Pulu has been out injured and I consider him as a top-17 Warrior, who is best suited to being on the bench where he can be a middle option, while also covering edge if needed. In that sense, Pulu is like a bigger, better version of Papalii and this nudges Papalii out of the top-17.

I can also see the value in Satae as he's the biggest body of the group. Last summer I highlighted how Satae was a project for the Warriors and his rapid rise from Auckland club footy to the NRL clearly suggested great potential. This season has followed that narrative with Satae average 15mins/game off the bench, in three games and I still believe that Kearney is drip-feeding Satae NRL minutes to build him into more consistent contributions.

Satae's showing promise as well, averaging 9.26m/run and we need to consider the specific role that Satae, or that last remaining bench spot needs to play. All the skill and mobility needs to balanced out by having another big bopper in the team, with the simple instructions of run fuckin' hard and get quick play the balls. Satae can do that and he may be the best option for that role, considering the make up of the forward pack.

Before I get into how I view the best Warriors forward pack, it's important to note that an NRL season is not a perfect world and we've already seen how injuries and suspension impact team selection. I'm operating in a perfect world where everyone is available, but in the same fashion as the backline depth allows the Warriors to absorb ins and outs, the depth here in the forwards allows the Warriors to go with the flow.

Mannering, Papalii and Pulu can cover edge.

Sao can come in as an offloader if Blair, Tevaga or Mannering is unavailable.

Vete and Lisone have NRL experience and can step in to do a 20 minute job, without fuss.

If a battering ram is needed, more minutes for Satae.

If unavailabilities force changes, Kearney has options at his diposal and I also reckon Kearney has intentionally tinkered with the forward pack to give different blokes opportunities. This not only gives them a chance to impress, but also gives them a taste of NRL footy, so that if they are called upon, they are prepared. Even Joe Vuna has tasted NRL footy this season and it wasn't as though the Warriors were way down on troops for that game, now if Vuna needs to play, he's already made his debut and experienced the cauldron.

My strongest Warriors forward pack...

Starting middles: Blair, Paasi, Gavet.
Starting edges: Mannering, Harris.
Bench: Tevaga, Afoa, Pulu, Satae.

Papalii is the next up edge option and I would rank the depth in the middles in this order; Sao, Lisone, Vete. Vuna lurking as further depth.

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Peace and love 27.