Quick check: how engaged have you been with Aotearoa Warriors in recent weeks?

Given the Warriors news flashes firing back and forth, faster and more dynamic than any footy the team's rolled out, it seems that there is a lot of engagement with Warriors matters. This coach is keen, those coaches got endorsed by some joker down the road who knows another guy in the media, this player is going to be cut and that player apparently sucks more than the others and so the cycle rolls on.

Maybe you have heard about Adam Blair's lack of stat-pumping efforts?

No one's told you that this season is the first season in which Blair has averaged over 95 metres per game, the second of his 14 seasons in which he has averaged over 90m per game.

It's been a weird few weeks and I've fallen back because very little of what's happening now matters. Are we really going to come to any grand conclusions about a player (Blair or anyone else) in such an adverse scenario? All these players are going through the messiest season of their careers, perhaps even their lives and I don't want no part in assessing players during this.

The Warriors have to keep showing up, keep trying and battling. They've lost their starting wingers, a couple squad members also went back to Aotearoa and it would be foolish to think that loan players are automatic future signings. Many of these loan players may simply be boosting their stocks for their own clubs; Poasa Fa'amausili enjoyed four games in a row playing 30+ minutes to prepare him for plugging a hole in the Roosters forward pack.

All of which is fine, yet it makes tapping into the bigger picture and sussing out how the club re-builds into 2021 rather difficult. Six players were scratched via injury early on and Nathaniel Roache may return this season, while four more players (David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo, Agnatius Paasi, King Vuniyayawa) joined Leivaha Pulu in bouncing back to Aotearoa recently. That's roughly a third of the squad who aren't in action and that's a hefty slice of the pie, so what basis do we have for any forecasting judgements into 2021?

There's obviously a flow-on impact on the style of footy and I'm curious as to whether you enjoy watching the Warriors play? It's a bit of a slog to be honest and if I was pondering the lack of Warriors identity when Stephen Kearney was coach, there isn't much of a seed in the team's identity as far as playing style goes.

This isn't to shoot the Warriors down, just explaining my perspective. I'd love to see the Warriors lean into their young players, perhaps Paul Turner getting game time in the halves to feel through his first few NRL games or watch Hayze Perham given a consistent crack. Even that's countered by throwing these lads into a rather prickly scenario on the field.

To go further, the ideas around promoting young Warriors juniors is confusing to assess. There is logic in protecting them from regular losses, especially with no reserve grade footy but then many of these loan players are coming from no footy themselves. The Warriors are somewhat a development club, although there isn't much faith in their development processes if youngsters aren't promoted when possible.

Again, I'm just explaining the confusion in my noggin' and why I can't report on games in a vacuum, or assess performances. There doesn't appear to be much of a plan in how to attack the remainder of this season ... and that's fine because of how messy this all is. Deciding on a coach may help that, then again the coaching landscape is all over the show and the Warriors are not in the Bulldogs position where they have someone like Trent Barrett down the road ready for a gig.

The Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys need to roll through the process, they need to find the perfect fit. We endured a traumatic few years after the previous process in hunting out Kearney, which led us to this current juncture and I'd definitely like to see the Warriors take their time, do excessive due diligence to find a coach who can bring positivity to the club.

There hasn't been much positivity permeating from Mt Smart in a long time and it's kinda fucked up that for many, the Warriors put out negative vibes; performances, bad decisions, constantly being in the rumour news cycle. Take a moment to meditate on your Warriors experience over the past five years or so - you may end up wanting to be Shaun Johnson right now.

The best aspect of the Warriors are moves made in the lower ranks, even though that also comes with a hefty dose of confusion. I have appreciated the recruitment in the junior system, whether that's bringing Eliesa Katoa through or having some of the best dual-code talent in their system such as Ali Leiataua and Francis Manuleleua who are NZRL age-group representatives and play 1st 15 for Kings College. Or St Peter's College 1st 15's Jeremiah Asi who is also a rugby league Aotearoa junior rep; the Warriors definitely don't have 'first dibs' on any footy talent in Aotearoa but they are low key doing a good job in having some of the best junior league/union talent.

The SG Ball team was a lovely success in their first season, ever. They were third (of 18 teams) earlier this year, 4-2 in their six games and two of those wins were over in Australia. It's niggly to break down junior teams and forecast who is going to move on to NRL footy (kinda impossible) so I won't go down that route, just know that the Warriors SG Ball team has their share of Aotearoa's best talent.

What's messy is the level above SG Ball where there is little known about the Warriors connection to Redcliffe Dolphins and how their reserve grade system is going to work. The reserve grade level reflects the messiness of the NRL stuff and while everyone's clinging to headlines about a new coach, I'm just awaiting more information about the logistics and strategy or the Dolphins partnership.

Are the Warriors going to send their players who are too old for SG Ball, to the Dolphins?

What's if youngsters aren't ready to play at an Queensland Intrust Super Cup?

Do they play Fox Memorial Premiership in Auckland?

Will the Dolphins feed their best players to the Warriors?

Speaking of Fox Memorial Premiership footy, if you are in or around Auckland and want to suss out some Warriors talent, there are a bunch playing in Auckland every Saturday. Lads like Jyris Glamuzina, Temple Kalepo, Michael Lemafa, Setu Tu and Sione Moala (SG Ball half) lace up for Richmond, Taniela Otukolo (SG Ball hooker) plays for Otahuhu, Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard plays for Marist, while Phillip Makatoa was joined by Leivaha Pulu in the Pt Chevalier team last weekend.

The Warriors may be wise to keep an eye on Pt Chev half Kauri Aupouri-Puketapu who played round one for Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Intrust Super Cup earlier this year and returned to Aotearoa likely with the pandemic stuff. Cole Waaka was also siged by Souths Logan for 2020 and is now back with Northcote, along with former Warriors junior Raymond Tuiamalo-Vaega who was signed to Northern Pride for 2020 and came back to Marist.

Otherwise, now is the best time ever to get out and watch Fox Memorial footy with all the fringe-NRL talent in action.

There is a lot of sorting out that needs to happen with the Warriors and what they are up to. Clarity and information is required with regards to everything below the NRL level, they need a coach and need to start implementing his ideas when leading into the summer training and oh yeah; Gerard Beale, Lachlan Burr, Jackson Frei, Blake Green, Patrick Herbert, Peta Hiku, Adam Keighran, Taane Milne, Isaiah Papali'i, Leivaha Pulu and Nathaniel Roache are all off-contract.

Until such clarity arises and we are graced with more planning, instead of Warriors leadership being in the news for weird reasons, it's all good to tap out. Tap out on the Warriors, unless you're enjoying their footy and if that's you then kia kaha.

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Peace and love.