What's if we start the 2022 Aotearoa Warriors season with no expectations? That's how the Aotearoa Warriors Diary will operate and this is not an angle driven by anything footy related such as playing style, team named or serious analysis. This is merely the most rational way to deal with Warriors curse vibes and when it's time to tap into Warriors NRL mahi each year, I try to approach matters with freshness. This year, the freshness is a crisp dose of no expectations.

The season starts on Saturday evening against Dragons. This is a good match up for the Warriors to start their season, especially without Tohu Harris and Reece Walsh. Depth will be crucial this season as pandemic things will ensure that players miss games and how teams absorb these absences will help us learn about each club. I have no idea how Chanel Harris-Tavita will perform at fullback. Having him, Kodi Nikorima, Shaun Johnson and Ash Taylor as the quartet of halves depth feels good. Apparently, Harris-Tavita also provides fullback depth.

Australian media will focus on Walsh throughout the season as that is low hanging fruit. While Walsh is absent for game tahi, there is a similar vibe with Harris-Tavita at fullback as that will get plenty of attention but I keep coming back around to Johnson at halfback. Johnson returns to Aotearoa Warriors as a crafty play-maker who dabbles less in highlights and more in game management - putting blokes in the right positions.

Johnson's time at the Sharks was instrumental in his growth as an NRL half. Johnson had the most Try Assists of his career in 2020 (23), his Average Kicking Metres increased with every year as a Shark and the only other phase of his career when Johnson had 15+ Forced Drop Outs for three consecutive seasons was 2014-16.

Shaun Johnson chase down from 2020:https://t.co/lSfHzrni2Q
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) March 9, 2022

Johnson's try-scoring and offloads decreased with the Sharks. Without going too far into the nitty gritty, Johnson seems to have improved his individual defence as a Shark; Johnson missed 50+ tackles in seven of eight years as a Warrior, then under 50 in his first two years as a Shark. Last season Johnson only made 125 tackles while every other season was 200+ tackles, so he obviously missed fewer tackles last season.

Every other season had 200+ tackles, except his debut season. 172 tackles made, 59 missed (2.91 tackles per miss). Last season Johnson made 125 tackles with 25 missed (5 tackles per miss). I believe Johnson returns to the Warriors as half who is best equipped to lead a footy team. This is evident in defensive improvement, as well as leaning into a game management role with experience.

Sharks played Warriors twice last season. Johnson missed the second game which Warriors won, while the first game was an SJ7 showcase of solid halves play. Johnson had 80 touches and fellow half Braydon Trindall had 32. Johnson had 15 runs, Trindall had 4 runs. Johnson had 18 kicks, Trindall had 5 kicks. Johnson's 18 kicks featured 5 Forced Droppies and his 80 touches featured 58 passes.

Johnson will not be a razzle dazzle merchant. Johnson is likely to lead the game plan and dictate where the game is played. This fits well with Nikorima, who has had many different halves partners and has been previously asked to manage games. In the last two seasons, Nikorima has averaged over 140 kicking metres per game for the first time in his career while his average run metres drop from 85m/game in 2019 to 73m/game and 61m/game over the last two seasons.

Nikorima did have his two best seasons for Forced Droppies and Try Assists in the last two seasons though. Ideally Nikorima has freedom to play funky footy while Johnson organises matters, which when combined with Harris-Tavita provides Warriors with three different play-makers who all have kicking games. Harris-Tavita and Walsh both offer left-footed kicking.

Addin Fonua-Blake is one of the best forwards in the NRL. That's nice to have. My forward pack ideas are rather simple as this Warriors pack looks mobile, powerful and skillful. Last season the forward pack was also reckless, self-destructive and inconsistent. Stay tuned for how this looks vs Dragons.

Regardless of how you feel about Wayde Egan at hooker, progression is evident...

2018: 11 games, 0.66 kicking metres/game, 2 try assists, 14 run metres/game.

2019: 18 games, 8.27 kicking metres/game, 3 try assists, 18 run metres/game.

2020: 18 games, 10.57 kicking metres/game, 4 try assists, 29 run metres/game.

2021: 20 games, 19.86 kicking metres/game, 8 try assists, 39 run metres/game.

Celebrating Aotearoa Warriors pipelines is again required with Viliami Vailea and Rocco Berry rolled out as the starting centre combo. Both debuted last year and they lead the wave of young Warriors from Aotearoa who have been developed in Australia. Both were identified by Warriors, both came through the system in the niggliest of times and now they are the centre pair to start 2021. Fabulous.

Again, no expectations for what could happen this season or what might happen vs Dragons. Warriors footy is back and we are all here to, enjoy ourselves. Release expectations and have fun.

Junior Warriors Mahi

Taniela Otukolo is named on the NRL extended bench. Timely reminder that Otukolo did not play reserve grade last year, only dabbling in Under 21s and NRL. That's impressive and hopefully when reserve grade starts in a few weeks, Otukolo can stack up minutes.

No reserve grade or Under 21s yet in Queensland for Redcliffe Dolphins. Under 18s is underway with Warriors Juniors Tamakaimoana Whareaorere and Jacob Laban playing on the edges last week, named again for this week. Both moved from Aotearoa to Redcliffe over the summer, fresh out of 1st 15/junior league stuff.

Two Warriors juniors starting on either edge for Redcliffe Dolphins Under 18. Expand the Warriors lens out to a Kiwi-NRL lens and this is where Aotearoa's rugby league roots are low key evident. Various other Kiwi-NRL juniors have swiftly progressed through Aussie ranks, including Warriors juniors Vailea, Otukolo and the Kepu twins with Redcliffe. Whareaorere and Laban both have rugby league roots, while also excelling in 1st 15 rugby. This transition phase presets a specific learning opportunity about rugby league's presence in Aotearoa.

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Peace and love.