New Zealand Warriors have returned to training at Mt Smart and along with a few Pacific Championship wrinkles, they popped up with the surprise signing of Tanah Boyd from Titans. The Boyd signing hits on a few trends of NZW recruitment during the two Andys era (Webster and McFadden) as they went about their mahi on the down low, bypassing all NRL news hounds to lure another young Aussie across the ditch.

Boyd is 24-years-old and he joins 25-year-old Luke Metcalf in the NZW halves department. 21-year-old Sam Healey has also joined NZW as a hooker, meaning that NZW have signed two Aussies under the age of 25yrs for their NRL mixer. This goes far deeper than the NRL mixer though as NZW have been stockpiling young Aussie halves since the start of last season.

Jett Cleary left Panthers for NZW after playing Under 19 SG Ball and Under 21 Jersey Flegg this year. Luke Hanson made that same move last summer to play Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup for NZW. Jesse Soric and Tallan Egan left Australia to play SGB and JF for NZW last season, with Soric finishing the year as the starting halfback for Serbia.

Add in Jack Thompson who moved from Knights to join NZW U17 Harold Matthews Cup and NZW have seven halves from Australia who either played in 2024 or are locked in for 2025...

• Luke Metcalf: Orara Valley

• Tanah Boyd: Runaway Bay

• Luke Hanson: St Marys

• Jett Cleary: Brothers Penrith

• Jesse Soric: Byron Bay

• Tallan Egan: Lithgow

• Jack Thompson: Cessnock

We need to wait for the junior squads to be announced to see if Thompson is still with NZW, along with any moves made in the murky waters of junior recruitment. NZW also have three dummy halves from Australia in Wayde Egan (27yrs), Freddy Lussick (24yrs) and Healey.

Young Aussies have no issues coming to NZW and while there are older Aussies in the forward pack, most of these lads are play-makers. Young Aussie play-makers are only coming to NZW if they believe that they will benefit from coach Webster’s system and development process, so these signings suggest that NZW are doing something right.

The main nugget about Boyd is that he provides much needed kicking for the NZW halves. Boyd has averaged far more kicking metres than the other three NRL halves for NZW over the last three seasons, going past 300 kicking metres per game in the last two while the other three haven't hit that mark...

(2022 | 2023 | 2024)

• Tanah Boyd: 104.72 | 436.33 | 386.63

• Chanel Harris-Tavita: 193.72 | 100.09 | 173.66

• Te Maire Martin: 11.32 | 63.67 | 161.38

• Luke Metcalf: 47.6 | 38.81 | 45.56

Each one of these halves offers a different style of halves mahi. Boyd is the a stereotypical halfback who is solid at everything. Martin has the best distribution. Metcalf has the best running game. Harris-Tavita is the only lefty and whacks the most in defence. All four have gathered plenty of experience as Martin has played 93 games, Harris-Tavita has played 71, Metcalf has played 26 games along with Boyd's 69 games.

NZW have four halves competing for two spots and that should bring the best out of them, which is aligned with the competitive depth in all positions for summer training. Tapping into the NRL's official list and the forces of Mt Smart, here is a quick depth chart...

Outside Backs

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Taine Tuaupiki, Ali Leiataua, Rocco Berry, Adam Pompey, Edward Kosi, Motu Pasikala, Sio Kali

Halves

Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Tanah Boyd, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Luke Hanson, Jett Cleary

Hookers

Wayde Egan, Freddy Lussick, Sam Healey, Makaia Tafua

Forwards

Tohu Harris, James Fisher-Harris, Mitchell Barnett, Dylan Walker, Kurt Capewell, Marata Niukore, Erin Clark, Tom Ale, Demitric Sifakula, Jacob Laban, Leka Halasima, Bunty Afoa, Zyon Maiu'u, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Kalani Going, Eddie Ieremia

Observations from Pacific Championships...

The Fisher-Harris mana carries. NZW made easy metres last year and went 9-14-1, plus they have plenty of powerful outside backs and eager runners, so NZW don't need a prop making 200m/game. NZW need a ruthless enforcer who drives their culture and Fisher-Harris has done this admirably in a young NZ Kiwis squad, which is going to be fabulous alongside Mitchell Barnett's emerging Aussie mana.

Nicoll-Klokstad may start the season at fullback, but his best spot is probably centre with Taine Tuaupiki at fullback. While he has performed admirably in the halves for NZ Kiwis, having one kicker and play-maker in the halves is limiting as NZW found out last season. Nicoll-Klokstad hasn't done any kicking for NZ Kiwis and has less than half the touches of his halves partner, but his defensive effort in the front line has been impressive.

Coach Webster isn't one to rush into changes, so folks should expect Nicoll-Klokstad to be the starting fullback. The last game vs Sharks showed what is possible for NZW as Nicoll-Klokstad played centre and Tuaupiki was at fullback...

• Taine Tuaupiki: 27 runs - 204m @ 7.5m/run, 2 try assists, 5 tackle breaks, 3 tackles @ 60%

• Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad: 1 try, 13 runs - 120m @ 9.2m/run, 2 linebreaks, 6 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 15 tackles @ 93.7%

Taine Tuaupiki's two seasons with NZW...

• 2023: 5 games @ 60% wins, 1 try assist, 132m/game, 66.6% tackling

• 2024: 6 games @ 50% wins, 1 try, 3 try assists, 2 linebreask, 152m/game, 76% tackling

Tuivasa-Sheck is always mentioned as a fullback for NZW but his best role will probably be on the wing where it's all about running the footy. This coincides with Marcelo Montoya being shuffled out of NZW and as he is one of the few players in the NRL who can play at a high level in all outside back positions (180m/game covering all outside back spots this season), Tuivasa-Sheck can still hit 200m as a winger and bust defensive lines open.

With 10+ try assist in just two of his 11 NRL seasons, Tuivasa-Sheck's passing is not a strength of his mahi. Tuivasa-Sheck had three try assists in 18 games during the 2020 season playing at fullback and he had two in 18 games this season covering centre, wing and fullback. That was amplified in two losses for Samoa with Tuivasa-Sheck churning out impeccable running mahi vs England without the play-making craft that many fullback have…

• Game tahi: 29 touches, 22 runs (205m), 7 passes

• Game rua: 30 touches, 26 runs (193m), 10 passes

Samoa scored less than 20 points in both losses and England scored 30+ points. For context, here is how England's fullback Jack Welsby split his mahi...

• Game tahi: 40 touches, 14 runs, (100m), 28 passes

• Game rua: 34 touches, 17 runs (102m), 27 passes

There are different ways to play fullback in rugby league and with so many dynamic runners including Tuivasa-Sheck, NZW need more craft at fullback. Nicoll-Klokstad has a bit of craft and a huge motor, consistently showing up for hard mahi. Tuaupiki has more speed and play-making, without the physicality of Nicoll-Klokstad or Tuivasa-Sheck. Given the options and moves made by NZW, here is a funky top-17 to ponder as we enter the festive period...

• Fullback: Taine Tuaupiki

• Wingers: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

• Centres: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Ali Leiataua

• Halves: Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf

• Middles: Tohu Harris, James Fisher-Harris, Mitchell Barnett

• Edges: Kurt Capewell, Marata Niukore

• Hooker: Wayde Egan

• Bench: Freddy Lussick, Dylan Walker, Erin Clark, Tom Ale

Enjoy our Rugby League coverage? Please consider supporting the Niche Cache through Patreon or with a paid Substack subscription.

Or you can make a donation through Buy Me A Coffee.

Our Monday/Friday newsletter always has Kiwi-NRL/NRLWahine notes too.

Peace and love.