NZ Warriors won't be playing this weekend as they enjoy a sunny bye break in Auckland after two comprehensive wins. This time last season, Warriors were 15th with a 4-11 record and after 15 rounds of footy this season, Warriors are 6th with a 8-6 record. Warriors had played 15 games at this stage last season with 248 points scored and 433 points conceded. After 14 games this season, Warriors have scored 292 points and conceded just 258 points.

Warriors have the same 4-3 record in Australia as they do in Aotearoa. All of which is extremely different to the pandemic era and yet some elements of Warriors footy under coach Andrew Webster have stayed similar. Many folks have racist stereotypes about how Warriors play rugby league (willy-nilly throw the footy around etc) but Warriors have maintained a somewhat conservative style of footy.

Last season Warriors were 8th for Completion Rate at 77%. This has increased slightly to 4th at 80%. Warriors were 16th for Offloads last season and are now 15th. Errors are fairly similar as well with Warriors ranked 13th last season and they are now 14th. What's another Warriors stereotype? They love a Missed Tackle. Last season Warriors were 6th in this category and they are now ranked 8th.

Warriors are delivering similar mahi this season with Completion Rate, Offloads, Errors and Missed Tackles compared to last season. The most signifcant differences are evident in Tackle Breaks, Post Contact Metres and Linbreaks...

Tackle Breaks

• 2022: 16th

• 2023: 7th

Post Contact Metres

• 2022: 16th

• 2023: 7th

Linebreaks

• 2022: 15th

• 2023: 5th

Warriors may be running harder. It could be that simple. Coach Webster has installed clarity with attacking shapes and roles though which create space for runners as well as play-makers. Players recruited to Warriors such as Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Te Maire Martin, Marata Niukore, Jackson Ford, Luke Metcalf and Mitchell Barnett are dynamic runners as well.

Winning Footy Notebook vs Dolphins

Winning Footy Notebook vs Raiders

These stylistic wrinkles were on display in the last two wins. The loss to Broncos in Napier saw Warriors struggle to find their groove against a slick Broncos team who had a clear plan to counter Warriors, as well as almightly depth to absorb the loss of some starters to State of Origin. Since then, Warriors have defeated Dolphins and Raiders in two different performances.

Both have been covered in depth with Winning Footy Notebooks. In the win over Dolphins, Wayde Egan had eight Dummy Half Runs for 75m and two Linebreak Assists. Shaun Johnson made two Linebreaks and had 12 runs for 127m as Warriors peppered the Dolphins middle through their running. Egan ran around the ruck, Johnson bounced around the challenge defenders and Tohu Harris had eight Dummy Passes with 23 Passes.

Against Raiders, Egan trimmed his running down to five DHR for 48m and Johnson had eight runs for 50m with three Try Assists. Add on Harris having half has many Dummy Passes from a similar amount of receipts. Warriors went from attacking the Dolphins middle with their running game, to attacking the Raiders middle by manipulating space; spreading Raiders and then attacking spaces in the middle with their passing.

Harris had more dummy to runs against Dolphins, then more straight up passing against Raiders. This is amplified by the overall Dummy vs Passing stats from each game as Warriors...

• vs Dolphins: 9.5 passes per dummy

• vs Raiders: 18.38 passes per dummy

More passing was evident in the tries scored through the middle for Warriors against Raiders, as well as Luke Metcalf's break and Nicoll-Klokstad's try. Warriors move the footy to space and it doesn't matter if that space is out wide or through the middle. The footy played vs Dolphins is important as well because there it shows attacking variety and how Warriors can bombard the middle if they see a weakness.

Warriors depth is crucial to their success. Halfway through the season, Warriors have at least one player offering depth in every position and most of these lads have played footy this year. Taine Tuaupiki covers fullback and after being one of the best fullbacks in Queensland Cup last year, Tuaupiki is one of the best fullbacks in NSW Cup this year.

Tuaupiki has three Tries and three Try Assists in eight games, while averaging 153m/game. With at least six Tackle Breaks in each of his last four games, Tuaupiki is averaging 5.6 TB per game.

Edward Kosi is the next in line winger and if he is unavailable for selection, Warriors can deploy Ali Leiataua on the wing or Viliami Vailea who has played a few games on the wing for NSW Cup. Moala Graham-Taufa and Sanele Aukusitino have NRL upside as wingers but there are more reliable options on offer to coach Webster in a push for finals footy.

Rocco Berry, Vailea and Brayden Wiliame are part of the centre depth. Te Maire Martin has been out of action for a few months and Warriors halves depth can be broken down to Martin/Metcalf, plus Johnson/Ronald Volkman. Like Berry and Leiataua, it will be interesting to see whether Metcalf can hold his spot when Martin returns as this will inform us about coach Webster's perspective.

Freddy Lussick sits behind Egan at hooker and Warriors have also deployed Bayley Sironen as mid-game cover for dummy half. Given that Sironen can play hooker, middle, edge and maybe centre, he is a fabulous bloke to have on the bench. Recent Warriors mahi has not featured Dylan Walker or Jazz Tevaga, who are certified top-17 lads as middle forwards.

Demitric Sifakula is also useful depth because he can play middle and edge. Sifakula is more of a robust runner, providing physicality and aggression which is aligned with the Addin Fonua-Blake, Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale style. Zyon Maiu'u is also this type of forward although he lacks Sifakula's versatility.

Maiu'u could earn a debut this season if Warriors are missing some of their runners, but with Sifakula in the mix and Tom Ale returning to form recently, a Maiu'u debut is unlikely. Sifakula's ability to play edge forward also makes it unlikely that Northland's Kalani Going and Wellington's Jacob Laban get a crack this season. There is plenty of depth here to cover all scenarios though.

NSW Cup Warriors wrap up their tour of Sydney/Canberra this weekend as the take on Newtown who are aligned with Sharks. Warriors had a loss vs Rabbitohs in Sydney, then a win in Canberra and now have their third game in a row in Australia against the Jets who are 2nd. Warriors are 5th and no NRL footy allows Warriors to roll out a strong reserve grade team.

• Zyon Maiu'u: 105m/game, 2 tries, 4 linebreaks, 4 offloads, 91% tackling

• Isaiah Vagana: 85m/game, 1 try, 3 offloads, 91.8%

Who knows how the team will actually line up, however youngsters Laban, Selumiela Halasima and Tanner Stowers-Smith are named as SG Ball lads now playing NSW Cup. When pondering Warriors forward pack depth and signing rumours, keep in mind that Warriors start most NSW Cup games with two young local lads at prop with Maiu'u joined by Isaiah Vagana. Solomon Vasuvulagi is also getting minutes off the bench as a typical big bopper. There are lots of talented youngsters who can be developed as cheaper NRL squad members to balance out the impressive recruitment moves Warriors have made.

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