Kodi Nikorima is contracted with the Warriors until the end of the 2022 NRL season. Photo / Photosport
Kodi Nikorima is contracted with the Warriors until the end of the 2022 NRL season. Photo / Photosport
Warriors five-eighth Kodi Nikorima has taken a non-committal stance on his future with the club beyond this season, following reports that he hopes to remain in Australia after 2021.
The 27-year-old signed with the Warriors as a mid-season transfer in 2019, and recently took up a player option in his contract to see him in Warriors colours in 2022.
While Nikorima will line up in the halves for the Warriors against the Newcastle Knights in Newcastle on Saturday, he gave little away when addressing if his future may lie elsewhere in the NRL.
"That's news to myself," Nikorima said of the reports.
"I haven't spoken to my manager yet, but if you look around the league so far, contracts don't mean too much these days with all this player movement, so I'll leave all that sort of stuff up to my manager. All I need to focus on is playing footy and that's for my club here at the Warriors.
"Obviously, I've got a contract here and my main focus is playing good footy and that starts again on the weekend. We've got a tough challenge up against Newcastle this week, so my main focus is on this year and playing good footy."
While Nikorima said he was focused on seeing out the 2021 campaign with the Warriors, who sit 11th on the ladder after 14 rounds, he indicated he would not feature for the Kiwis during the Rugby league World Cup later in the year as he wishes to spend more time with his family.
Kodi Nikorima has played 15 tests for the Kiwis. Photo / Getty Images
"I have got a young one on the way and I haven't spoken to (Kiwis coach Michael Maguire) about it yet but obviously I want to spend as much time as I can with my family," Nikorima said.
"At the moment my partner has done it tough so far, being pregnant and pretty much raising our son by herself so I think for me it will just be stepping aside.
"(The Kiwis) have some quality players there so I will be looking at taking some time off at the end of the year and taking myself out of being in contention."
Nikorima and his partner Bree Tobler welcomed their first child in 2019 and are expecting their second to arrive at some point in the next couple of weeks. Although he did not give anything away on his future in the game, Nikorima said any decision he came to would be made with his family's best interests the priority.
"I'll always put my family first – my partner and my little one, and we've got another one on the way which is due in a couple of weeks' time. Whenever I do make decisions, they're at the forefront.
For now, the Warriors veteran five-eighth had his attention on the task at hand; trying to get the club's season back on the right track following a demolition at the hands of the Melbourne Storm a week ago.
Despite winning just five of 13 games this season, the Warriors only sit outside the top eight on points differential, and a win away against Newcastle on Saturday night could be a turning point in their season.
Newcastle remain without superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga for the match, but welcome back halfback Mitchell Pearce, whose return is a major boost for the struggling Knights side who have won just one of their past five matches.
Warriors: Reece Walsh, Marcelo Montoya, Euan Aitken, Adam Pompey, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kodi Nikorima, Sean O'Sullivan, Addin Fonua-Blake, Jazz Tevaga, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Bayley Sironen, Tohu Harris, Josh Curran.
Interchange: Eliesa Katoa, Leeson Ah Mau, Bunty Afoa, Kane Evans, Edward Kosi, Taniela Otukolo (two to be omitted).
