The 2021 NRL season gets underway for Aotearoa Warriors on Saturday evening against Gold Coast Titans and if anyone wanted an early test for the hyped up Warriors forward pack, well this is it. Let's keep it a full steak and cheese here as neither the Warriors nor Titans have the best forward pack in the NRL to start this season as there are winning forward packs still in tact from last season, although this is a nice gauge of where the Warriors pack is at.

First though, we have early action in the Warriors x Redcliffe Dolphins partnership. The Intrust Super Cup doesn't start for another week and that's the reserve grade competition, so anyone from the Warriors not playing NRL is likely to play for the Dolphins ISC team. The Mal Meninga Cup has started though and this is the Queensland Under 18 competition, where the Warriors have Eric Va'afusuaga and Sebastyan Jack playing.

Both played for NZ Warriors SG Ball last year in the New South Wales Under 18 competition. SG Ball is now Under 19 and Jersey Flegg got bumped up from Under 20s to Under 21 (allowing former Warriors juniors Kayal Iro and Tyler Slade to be named for Cronulla Sharks this week), which doesn't matter too much now because the Warriors ditched all their NSWRL action to link up with Redcliffe Dolphins.

While playing for Kings College 1st 15, Va'afusuaga played two games of SG Ball last year as an outside back and Jack played five games in the halves. They both played in the first game of the Mal Meninga Cup last week, with Va'afusuaga start in at centre and Jack starting at halfback in a 38-6 win. This week, they are named to start in those positions again.

Other notable players from that SG Ball team such as Ali Leiataua, Carlos Tarawhiti, Salesi Ataata, Zyon Maiu'u and Tony Tafa on the other hand are spread across the two Auckland teams in the NZRL Under 20s competition that is currently in operation. I view this as different strokes for different folks and the Warriors would have done their due diligence, working with the players to find the best situation for them.

The fact that a couple are over in Queensland playing Under 18s in at a higher level than Aotearoa and others of the same age are playing Under 20s here in Aotearoa is solid. There appears to be a clear focus on elevating the level of play for these juniors and given Phil Gould's role, the NRL's energy in helping grow rugby league and NZRL establishing numerous pipelines in Aotearoa; the rising tide will raise Aotearoa rugby league's junior ranks.

As for the NRL Warriors, everything in the backline is to be expected. Euan Aitken comes in to start at centre and while we have no idea who will play on what edge, I'm eager to see these edge combinations in action. The two dynamic runners in Aitken and Eliesa Katoa could be potent together, while the skillful combo of Peta Hiku and Bayley Sironen is equally as fun. Hiku and Katoa would be just as fun, same with Aitken and Sironen on the same edge.

Funky nugget: the Dragons sucked last year and Aitken had his best season in run-metres per game and tackling efficiency.

Standard business with the halves as we wait to see how coach Nathan Brown has Kodi Nikorima and Chanel Harris-Tavita working together. This will either be a case of Harris-Tavita pegged to the left edge and Nikorima on the right, or Harris-Tavita will play more first-receiver with Nikorima swinging either side.

Perhaps more important in that discussion are the ball-playing forwards. Tohu Harris is named to start in the middle after moving between edge and middle discreetly last season, which is lovely because on top of his consistent metres, quick play-the-balls, defensive effort and wrestling; Harris is low key one of the more skillful forwards in the NRL. Should Addin Fonua-Blake be given similar shapes to pass (on top of his tremendous last footwork), then we will see what kinda juice Fonua-Blake has with his hands.

Maybe Jazz Tevaga comes into this equation, although Wayde Egan's swift comeback from injury could mean that Tevaga spends time at hooker. Given what the Titans will serve up and the strengths of the Warriors players, I reckon the Warriors will move the Titans around, shift the footy and control the tempo. Under Stephen Kearney, there were limitations to this and as soon as the speed of the game increased, the Warriors were exposed.

Now there's coach Brown and the Warriors have also recruited players who can do their best work in a funkier style. Not only does this feel like the best path forward for this team, it's their best chance at shaking up a big, dynamic Titans forward pack.

Ben Murdoch-Masila starts off the bench, along with Leeson Ah Mau and Bunty Afoa. Regardless of the hype around Murdoch-Masila as an edge forward, I'm more excited to see Katoa and Sironen in those roles. This then opens up a clear style of play through the middle and with three middle forwards on the bench, plus Tevaga; the Warriors should have the rotations to deal with greater fatigue.

How can you not be enticed by Fonua-Blake starting, then Murdoch-Masila stepping in? Ah Mau isn't exactly swift or nimble, yet he does have footwork and balance is required in this forward pack. How Ah Mau adjusts to the faster tempo, considering he emerged at a time when the NRL was in the slow years (2010-2016ish), will be a fairly interesting narrative to tap into.

Afoa runs hard and that's always welcome.

More than anything - especially trying to predict what's going to happen - I just want to see how the Warriors play. They have a new coach, the best rugby league folk working in the background and they have some new players who compliment the players already there. This feels fresh. There is a vibe of letting go of that old baggage and embracing the new. A slither of hope for a new season.

Peace and love.