NRL: How the Warriors are planning for the future - while still trying to win now

The Warriors might be giving some of their young players trials by fire this season, but the club doesn't want people thinking they're not trying to win now.

Since the arrival of gun 18-year-old fullback Reece Walsh midway through the season from the Brisbane Broncos, there has been plenty of focus on how best to guide the youthful stars in the squad with no reserve grade competition to blood them in.

It hasn't just been Walsh the Warriors have been working to introduce to the top level this season. Winger Ed Kosi has had a taste of first grade, as has centre Rocco Berry who will start for the club against the Cronulla Sharks this week.

"The decision is right to get them in, but we can't lose sight of the fact we need to win now," assistant coach Justin Morgan said of the club's balancing act.

"It's important to have a view for the future, but we also need to view the short term – and that's win games now, play semifinals now, all those types of things. We haven't lost sight of that – I don't want people to think that we're making decisions solely around the future.

"I'm confident that some of the bruises we're wearing now will benefit us in the future. But as I said, the main message now is we're not just planning for the future; we're planning to win the game this weekend and the weekend after and have a winning season. That's the number one priority."

Reece Walsh has made a strong start to his career as a Warrior. Photo / Photosport

Walsh returns to the squad this week after missing the golden-point loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons last time out due to an injury sustained in camp with the Queensland State of Origin team.

While there has been plenty of attention on Walsh since he arrived on the NRL scene in impressive fashion, Morgan said it's the activity that goes on behind the scenes the confirm to the club that their approach with throwing their young talent in the deep end is paying dividends already.

"Reece is still learning his trade; he's going to have some blunders over the next little while," Morgan conceded. "It's a really difficult position that he's playing. He's working really hard with coach Brown on his positional play defensively and I know Craig Hodges is working exceptionally hard with his offense.

"It takes some time to master that role. Even players as good as [Melbourne Storm great] Billy Slater ... they didn't just walk into the role and master it after six or seven weeks. We are seeing enough signs, and we're seeing the application from the players, which is the most important thing – to learn in the video room, go out and practice on the field, review the game, learn from it, write those messages down. Consistent preparation is really important. We're starting to see that."