NRL: Taine Tuaupiki emerges as solution to Warriors' wing woes

Taine Tuaupiki’s entire Warriors career has so far been built on being in the right place at the right time. And with two pre-season fixtures playing on the wing now in the bag, it looks like coach Andrew Webster might just have stumbled onto a winning formula.

Since Tuaupiki’s club debut in 2023, the 25-year-old has been forced to be patient playing in his preferred position at fullback, largely due to the excellence of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in the No 1 jersey.

But two separate injury reshuffles in pre-season have opened the door for Tuaupiki as wide as it’s ever been to cement himself as an NRL regular.

In a 12-12 draw with the Cronulla Sharks, a wrist injury to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak saw Tuaupiki slot in on the wing as cover and he scored the Warriors’ second try.

Then in Saturday’s 36-10 win against the Melbourne Storm, Tuaupiki was moved from fullback to the wing on game day and added another two scores – both acrobatic dives into the right corner – to further cement his credentials to wear No 2 when the Warriors’ season begins in Las Vegas.

Albeit against a Storm side bereft of most of its NRL stars, Tuaupiki ran for a game-high 151m, making two line breaks and was arguably the Warriors’ most impressive player.

“It’s another string to his bow,” said Webster. “That way it gives us more depth and another option.

“We’ve got a headache in the next two weeks to work out what we do there.

“Attacking-wise, he’s a great player. It’s just positionally for him, I reckon, he’d find it hard.

“That’s probably the second time he’s done it in his life. He’s gone from the halves to fullback when he was younger. Now he’s on the right wing for the Warriors in the NRL.

“Positionally, he learned a lot, he was in good spots and he’ll get even better for it.”

On top of Marcelo Montoya’s off-season return to the Bulldogs, Watene-Zelezniak’s injury will see the Warriors begin 2025 without either of the wingers who Webster’s game plan over the past two years was built on.

However, Tuaupiki’s presence would be a solution for all parties involved.

Standing at just over 1.76m (5′8″), Tuaupiki isn’t the most physically intimidating presence at the club, especially when Webster’s game plan has traditionally asked his back three to carry the ball out of their own half early in sets.

What’s more, places in the halves will also be hard to come by, given the depth of playmaking talent now on the books.

To his credit, Tuaupiki has never let the Warriors down when deputising, and famously scored the winner against the Penrith Panthers last year, in what should be remembered as one of the club’s greatest victories.

Last year, he re-signed with the Warriors until the end of 2026, at a time when he could have looked for regular gametime elsewhere.

Now, unless Webster opts for the bigger body of Ed Kosi on the wing to open the season against the Canberra Raiders, Tuaupiki could get those minutes as a Warrior.

Meanwhile, the other flank appears to have been settled in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s favour, after spending most of 2024 being shoehorned into the centres.

Against the Storm, Tuivasa-Sheck also managed a double, to go with 104 run metres, and four tackle breaks.

And given that Nicoll-Klokstad’s absence at fullback was filled by Te Maire Martin, by Webster’s own concession, Tuivasa-Sheck won’t be subject to the same positional speculation as he was last year.

Taine Tuaupiki, seen here in action against the Panthers last season when he famously scored the match-winning try, continues to shine, scoring two tries for the Warriors against the Storm in Saturday's impressive pre-season trial win. Photo / Photosport

“I thought he was awesome. Honestly, Roger’s been so clear and focused.

“Everyone would say ‘why didn’t you move him to fullback today?’ but Rog practised where he was needed all pre-season. He’s done so well.

“I think we’ve got an awesome back three, it doesn’t matter who wears the jersey.

“Roger’s best part was his finishing today. He just looks at home on the wing.”

Now, Webster’s biggest problem will be finalising just who travels to Las Vegas for the season-opener at Allegiant Stadium.

This pre-season has largely seen the Warriors impress in their post-Shaun Johnson, post-Tohu Harris era.

Webster has made it clear Luke Metcalf will take the No 7 jersey, while new recruit Erin Clark gave a good go of putting his hand up to replace the now-retired captain.

NRL regulations mean 22 players will travel, before that’s cut down to the match-day 17.

But given the sheer number of younger players who’ve put their hands up over the past two weeks, the Warriors coach has an unenviable task on his hands.

“What I learned from the first trial is it really narrowed our focus on what we needed to be better at,” he explained. “We really did that today in the first half.

“We can’t get carried away, trials are trials, but you’re allowed to practice what you want to do.

“Our whole squad, like our young forwards, stood up. They’ve made a headache for that last bench spot.

“I don’t know which way we’re going to go, that’s hard. I think 95% of our squad is picked – that’s what we got out of the two trials.”

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.