Rugby league: Warriors star Josh Curran reveals preseason weight loss goals

Josh Curran his continued to improve his game in 2022. Photo / Photosport

Since becoming a starter with the Warriors early in 2021, Josh Curran has looked for ways to better himself.

Last season, a heavy focus on his defensive game saw him cement a place in the run-on NRL side and his attacking ability and high work rate saw him quickly become one of the league's standout players.

After breaking out in 2021, the 22-year-old looked at areas to address in the preseason to further improve.

"Last year gave me a lot of confidence and, coming into this season, I just wanted to have a good preseason," Curran said. "I thought I had a good preseason — lost some weight — and every game I'm growing in confidence, which is good."

It was a passing comment, but when asked about his weight loss, the back rower said it was a goal to drop a few kilograms before the start of the new season.

"I probably had to lose heaps around my gut," Curran said with a grin, "but I've been trying to go hard in the gym and obviously the big days we're doing and living up here in Redcliffe — it's so hot so you're always constantly sweating.

"It was a plan. I was a bit overweight last year and I wanted to drop a couple of kgs. I think I dropped about 6kg over preseason and I feel like it has really helped me this year."

Putting in plenty of work in the preseason, Curran has picked up where he left off in 2021. Through the opening four rounds of the season, he is among the team leaders in offloads (first), post-contact metres (second), tackles made (second) and total runs (third), while his two chargedowns are the most in the NRL.

He has also been able to display some versatility, moving between lock and the second row in recent weeks as stocks have required.

Friday night against the North Queensland Cowboys, Curran will move back to lock and go head-to-head against one of the competition's finest players in Jason Taumalolo.

Having gone from a fringe player to one of the first names on the team sheet, Curran says it all comes down to putting the work in and not looking for shortcuts.

"I know each game I play I just want to leave everything I can out there in attack and defence," Curran explained. "Browny [coach Nathan Brown] doesn't really give me many instructions. He just says to 'go out and do you'.

"He gives me a lot of confidence and when I go out there, I just try to leave everything out there."