Hugh McGahan: Inu at centre of Warriors' weakest link

Jerome Ropati. Photo / Greg Bowker

Opinion

I didn't understand why Brian McClennan made the last-minute change to inject Ben Henry into last week's starting line-up against Manly.

It was puzzling given the announcement of Konrad Hurrell's elevation to first grade during the week and all the stories around him prior to kick-off. To then not start him . . . what was the point?

Why exchange one inexperienced player with another if you were looking to spring a surprise? Henry was exposed to a stronger, faster Steve Matai when he scored. Would Hurrell have prevented the try?

We'll never know, but what we can now say is that the Warriors are inexperienced in the centre position again this weekend. Yes, I hear you say that Krisnan Inu is an experienced player; but if he is good enough to nowbring in over Henry, why was he not there last week?

The centre position is a problem position and has been for a few years. Although Jerome Ropati is the best the club has, he showed he has been missing for a while and another injury has again curtailed the effectiveness of strong defence on the edges. The club cannot afford to go back to having back rowers playing there again. Although Simon Mannering and Lewis Brown have done exceptional jobs in the past, it's time to move on.

Sure, I think Hurrell will fill the void but it is going to take him time to get to the 50-plus games you need to be termed experienced in this position. It was suggested the left side defence against Manly was weak but it's the person who is weak, not the position. Of the three people who were there last week, one was having his first competition game back in 10 months; the other two were rookies. Where do they go from here?

This week one player is having his second NRL game and the other is best described as . . . casual? Inu is "an enigma" translated more easily as "a mystery". I don't knowif anyone knows what is going on inside his head.

He states to the public that he is committed and fired up, but we do not see that in his performances. He is freakish and has a talent some of us could only ever dream of possessing -but he lacks consistency and work ethic. His body language radiates "I can't be bothered". Hurrell exudes excitement and determination but he's early into his career.

Thankfully tonight both players are facing a pair of similarly inexperienced opponents. Esi Tonga and Ryan Morgan will not emulate a Lyons/Matai pairing or a Hodges/Reed pairing at the Broncos, but still the Warriors duo need to be safe in the tasks assigned to them, whether it be on the left or right side.

With Henry on the bench, do the Warriors have time to wait for their development ethos to bear fruit in this position? Can Bluey win the NRL Premiership, as trumpeted, in his first year without experience in the centres?