Anzac Day delivers the annual Aotearoa Warriors vs Melbourne Storm clash and in keeping with the Warriors vs Storm rivalry - who knows how this game will play out. Form is chucked out the window and the Warriors will either be really competitive sniffing around an upset, or they'll get torched by the slick Storm.

This is coach Nathan Brown's first Warriors game against the Storm and that could be the funky thing to tune into. Brown could go deep into embracing Warriors vibes to unleash razzle dazzle, or he could build on the high completion rate footy and test the Warriors in a set for set battle. Keep in mind that this is a Warriors team that is light on troops, while the Storm are in a different space with Harry Grant back in the mix and Dale Finucane returning.

Hayze Perham's Departure

During the week, Rotorua's Hayze Perham was granted a release from the Warriors and all signs point to him joining Marata Niukore, Dylan Brown, Isaiah Papalii, Nate Roache and Wiremu Greig at Parramatta Eels. Perham did play for the Eels reserve grade team a few weeks ago when there were some flu issues across borders (27mins off the bench) and after jacking up 21 games, then 19 games in reserve grade in 2018 and 2019 respectively, Perham probably feels like he's ready for steady NRL opportunities.

The Warriors aren't short on backline depth. Right now they have Rocco Berry offering depth as a centre/outside back, while Viliami Vailea went from Under 18 SG Ball last year to playing reserve grade in Queensland with Redcliffe Dolphins this year as a centre/wing. Two prospects right there, while Paul Turner has come into the NRL mix and covered centre (Perham, Berry and Vailea all played 1st 15 rugby). Perham's good and my Kiwi-NRL goggles have me fizzing to see this Aotearoa Eels group continue to develop.

From a Warriors perspective, they have other prospects in Perham's positions and probably need to promote from within for other positions.

NZ Warriors - Hayze Perham

Dummy Half Prospects

There is minimal cover for Wayde Egan at hooker. I like what Egan is doing and he has played 80mins in five consecutive games, although the only top-tier options to cover Egan are pulling Jazz Tevaga away from his best role in the middle or asking Turner to step in when healthy. Deeper in the system, the Warriors have two strong prospects in Taniela Otukolo and Temple Kalepo.

Otukolo's name has been a regular presence on the extended bench this season. Coach Brown must view Otukolo favourably and while Tevaga or Bayley Sironen can plug a hole at hooker mid-game, I suspect any issue with Egan would result in Otukolo coming into the top-17.

NRL.com lists the Warriors top-30 squad at 29 players, without Otukolo or Perham. Prior to round 11, players from outside that top-30 can't play and then after round 11 those fringe players can come into the mix. Reading through this situation, the Warriors probably thought they would need Otukolo as cover prior to round 11 and that out-weighed the positives of keeping Perham.

Different Angle To Departures

Just an idea here as I'm seeing many NZ Warriors players picked up by other clubs, across every level of NRL clubs. The big thing here is that the Warriors started an SG Ball team and then scratched it after 2020 due to obvious issues, while the three Redcliffe Dolphins teams connected to the Warriors haven't involved a full Warriors take over. The Warriors went from having their own SG Ball (Under 18 at the time) and NSW Cup (reserve grade), to providing a handful of players to various Dolphins teams.

This means that the Warriors simply couldn't offer what they did before and thus, other NRL clubs came knocking. Players from Warriors SG Ball now with Australian clubs:

Sione Moala (Raiders), Josaiah Karapani (Rabbitohs), TJ Devery (Burleigh/Titans), Vaka Sikahele (Burleigh/Titans), Tamehana Paruru, Jarney Proctor-Harwood, Tray Lolesio (all Wests Tigers).

Vaka Sikahele

Tyler Slade has been playing with Cronulla Sharks Jersey Flegg (U21), Israel Ogden has been playing with Wests Tigers Flegg as well, Phillip Makatoa has been a regular presence with NSW Cup Sea Eagles and all three were recently with the Warriors. Chuck in various NRL players who left the Warriors over the summer and as this is across the junior/NRL levels, maybe other NRL clubs like the players that come out of the Warriors system?

There's a bonkers amount of junior talent from Aotearoa in the Queensland and New South Wales junior competitions - an abundance. Now I'm seeing NRL clubs pick up players directly from the Warriors and as long as the Warriors stocks are full, one could view this as a sign of respect.

Reece Walsh

After watching Walsh play in Intrust Super Cup for Warriors Aihe in the halves, I'm fairly certain this kid is pretty freaking good. There were some weird similarities between Walsh and Kalyn Ponga starting with their general mannerisms; left-foot kicking, goal-kicking, headgear, headgear placed to the side when goal-kicking. Ponga was visibly ill in his clutch 'poo game' performance vs Cronulla Sharks and Walsh was also struggling for Redcliffe, hunched over trying to discreetly yack.

Walsh is a tough little mofo. In the halves his left-footed kicking game was nice. Walsh resembles Ponga and Tuivasa-Sheck via his running game, although as a player he feels more similar to Ponga - swag and footy. Don't be surprised to see Walsh play this year. Walsh went straight into the top-30 squad and ideally coach Brown will ease Walsh in as a livewire spark off the bench.

This was actually Walsh’s second reserve grade game and these are healthy stat-lines…

Round 1 (Norths Devils - fullback): 80mins, 2 tries, 1 linebreak, 5 tackle busts, 2 offloads.

Round 4 (Redcliffe Dolphins - halves): 80mins, 1 try, 1 linebreak, 6 tackle busts, 1 offload, 2 missed tackles.

Peace and love.