Aotearoa Warriors host Bulldogs at Mt Smart on Sunday in all three grades and this not only delivers another club day battle, Bulldogs provide a fabulous gauge of all Warriors matters. The connection to Bulldogs is led by the two head coaches Andrew Webster and Cameron Ciraldo, both of whom worked under Ivan Cleary at Panthers.

Warriors won the club day against Knights (2-1) and then lost to Roosters (1-2). This is the first time that all three grades will play at Mt Smart Stadium this season and across all three grades, these two clubs are evenly matched. In SG Ball, Warriors are 10th with a 3-3 record and they have a game to catch up while Bulldogs are 7th with a 4-3 record.

Warriors SG Ball have been in a tricky patch of results and hooker Etuate Fukofuka continues to score tries. The St Peter's College 1st 15 product is an intriguing dummy half prospect as he flexes his running game in these tries and he's got a nifty kicking game, which stems from the variety of kicks required in 1st 15 rugby. A powerful dummy half with a kicking game is an exciting profile for a young prospect.

Selu Halasima also scored a fabulous try in last week's loss to Panthers and he's been a consistent figure at lock for the Warriors SG Ball team. Fukofuka was an intriguing addition to the SG Ball team with his 1st 15 background and last week's Aotearoa Warriors Diary included notes about Warriors recruiting kiwi youngsters from Queensland. Halasima offers a different angle as he was in the Future Warriors squad named early in 2020 alongside current SG Ball players Ben Peni (Papatoetoe) and Salesi Piliu (Manurewa/Mt Albert), as well as NSW Cup lads Demitric Sifakula (Otahuhu) and Jacob Laban (Randwick)

Coming from Mangere East and Southern Cross Campus, Halasima played at centre in the NZRL Under 18 Clubs team last year. That mobility was on show for his try vs Panthers and he is one of many youngsters to track in the coming years as his power/mobility combination is in demand.

In NSW Cup, Warriors are 4th with a 2-1 record and Bulldogs are 1st with a 3-0 record. The return of James Gavet is a funky wrinkle for Warriors NSW Cup and this comes alongside the addition of Paterika Vaivai, giving Warriors low key leadership in a young reserve grade outfit.

NSW Cup funk revolves around the youngsters. Ali Leiataua is averaging 144m/game in his first season of reserve grade, Paul Roache is getting plenty of minutes at hooker, Kalani Going has played 80 minutes in all three games at edge forward, Sifakula is settling into a skillful middle forward and Zyon Maiu'u is cooking at prop...

• vs Knights: 44min, 12 runs - 124m @ 10.33m/run, 3 tackle busts, 19 tackles @ 86%

• vs Roosters: 57mins, 13 runs - 129m @ 9.92m/run, 2 tackle busts, 20 tackles @ 91%

• vs Bears: 63mins, 1 try, 14 runs - 152m @ 10.85m/run, 6 tackle busts, 40 tackles @ 80%

The consistency of Maiu'u's power commands attention and while he takes more runs in more minutes, Maiu'u isn't losing any efficiency. This looks rather similar to our secret weapon Tom Ale's mahi in the NRL team...

• vs Knights: 8mins, 4 runs - 52m @ 13m/run, 2 tackles @ 100%

• vs Roosters: 16mins, 3 runs - 24m @ 8m/run, 11 tackles @ 100%

• vs Cowboys: 22mins, 11 runs - 120m @ 10.9m/run, 10 tackles @ 100%

Warriors have Ale offering impact in the NRL and Maiu'u churning out efficiency in big minutes at the NSW Cup level. Sifakula has an intriguing skillset that could add to the Warriors NRL forward depth, while Laban has been bumped up from SG Ball to NSW Cup.

Rocco Berry also played NSW Cup last week and is named on the extended NRL bench along with Sifakula, Ronald Volkman, Taine Tuaupiki and Josh Curran. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad slides into his fullback slot and Jackson Ford is straight back into his edge forward role. Freddy Lussick replaces Wayde Egan at hooker.

How Warriors operate without Mitch Barnett will be interesting against Bulldogs. Whether playing through the middle or on an edge, Barnett provides a rugged-ruthless presence for Warriors. Under coach Webster, Warriors have played with consistent aggression and physicality in all three games and Barnett feels like the leader of this.

Ford was equally as physical and robust in his appearances this season, while Marata Niukore is just as dominant as Barnett in physical battles. It's Niukore who defends alongside Shaun Johnson on the Warriors right edge and they will come up against the Bulldogs left edge led by Viliame Kikau and Matt Burton. Warriors will be able to put a big body on Kikau with Niukore likely to embrace that battle, plus Warriors love to whack against slow easy-to-read shape; Ed Kosi and Adam Pompey could shake up Burton's play-making.

Kikau (12) and Burton (11) are both in the top-20 for missed tackles across the NRL. Jake Averillo has the most for Bulldogs with 13 missed tackles and is ranked 8th in the NRL, while defending on the Bulldogs right edge. Both Bulldogs edges have defenders missing tackles. While Bulldogs have four players in the top-20 for missed tackles, Warriors have none.

Warriors forwards are among the most skillful in the NRL and they can shuffle middle defenders around, while also using Nicoll-Klokstad and others as direct runners around the ruck. Power and passing in the middle, then Te Maire Martin controls numbers on the right edge and Shaun Johnson leads the left edge attack. Both are capable of picking on weak defenders with dynamic runners outside them.

Coach Ciraldo will have clear plans to challenge Warriors and this will help us learn about Warriors footy even more, especially as coach Webster has his own quiver of tricks. Coming up against a strong Bulldogs club in three grades will provide us with the best gauge of how the entire Warriors club is poised early this season.

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