NRL: Friend feels heat going on

Nathan Friend says he needs to step up from his past two performances. Photo / Getty Images

Nathan Friend is into his third season with the Warriors but already he finds himself in an all-too-familiar place.

Not only have the Warriors made another poor start to a season, a feature of the club's history let alone Friend's short tenure, but the 33-year-old is once again staring at an uncertain future given he's off contract at the end of the season.

Friend went through a drawn-out process last year, when he was told by the club he could look elsewhere only to be offered an extension in August.

He's a hard-working hooker, and has averaged a tick over 47 tackles a game in his two years at Mt Smart (he made 57 last week), but doesn't threaten out of dummy-half as often as the top hookers and his service is tidy without being slick.

Few could question his commitment, and in 2012 he played 75 minutes with a broken jaw, but the Warriors need to make a decision on whether he fits into their plans for 2015. It's likely they will take their time to assess his form and also see what other holes need filling.

"I am very happy off the pitch," Friend said. "If I can get it going all right on the pitch, I'm more than happy to stay if the club will have me.

"All I can do is go out there and do my best. If it's liked by the hierarchy, I will stay here. If not, I may move on."

The club initiated discussions with him last year about a position off the field but Friend said nothing had been mentioned about that so far this year.

Friend is not alone in facing uncertainty and it's a common scenario for many players. The likes of Jacob Lillyman, Kevin Locke, Sione Lousi, Jerome Ropati and Carlos Tuimavave are also off contract and the club usually have about one-third of their players up for renewal each year.

Siliva Havili was once seen as Friend's replacement but appears to have been overtaken by Solomone Kata, who featured in the Auckland Nines, and Thomas Leuluai is another option, although he's needed more at five-eighth and could be available next weekend against the Wests Tigers.

Most expect them to go into next weekend's match still winless, given they have a tough game against the Cowboys tonight. The Warriors haven't won in Townsville since 2002 and will need to play with more aggression and intent if they are to compete.

"I didn't see it coming," Friend said of their start to the season. "As promising as our off-season felt and the hurdles I thought we had overcome, we certainly went backwards in the first two games. The heat is really on us [as players]. We need to perform. It's as simple as that.

"I probably need to take more of an onus out there than I have in the last two weeks. I have probably been more head down trying to play the structures rather than what I see."

He ran for only 38m against the Dragons and 21m the previous week against the Eels. Last year, he was at his best when mixing things up and he even produced a handful of clever grubber kicks.