NRL: Marquee prop Addin Fonua-Blake set for improvement in second Warriors season

Addin Fonua-Blake. Photo / Photosport

A streamlined Addin Fonua-Blake is ready to take on even more responsibility this season, which is good news for the Warriors.

Fonua-Blake will lead the team for the first few months of this campaign – with Tohu Harris recovering from injury.

It's a significant role, considering he is also the team's most important forward, charged with building the platform for attacking momentum.

But Fonua-Blake has been a leader since he arrived last year, and regularly takes an active role in coaching and mentoring the other middle forwards in specialist sessions.

He is one of the best recruits in recent memory, given his on-field impact and the way he has shaped the culture off it.

"I didn't come here to try and be a leader," said Fonua-Blake. "I just came here to be myself and add what I can to the team. Last year we had a really young team so I felt like I had to step up a bit more than I would have at my previous club, but I've loved every minute of it."

It isn't easy to lead from prop but Fonua-Blake is relaxed about the captaincy obligations, pointing to lieutenants around him like Shaun Johnson, Marcelo Montoya and Wayde Egan.

"I feel pretty comfortable," said Fonua-Blake. "It's not like I'm trying to do that job by myself. There's a good core of players around me that are leaders. This pre-season a lot of the boys have been working on finding their voice, so it's a lot easier for me to do that role."

The 26-year-old has also been energised after dropping a few kilos in the off-season. He hopes to sharpen his mobility and increase his minutes.

"I feel a lot better than I have ever before," said Fonua-Blake. "Not carting around an extra five kilos round the field. It's a lot easier for me, especially the way that the game is gone these days. The smaller blokes are lasting a lot longer, so you have to try and change the body."

Fonua-Blake arrived as one of the Warriors' biggest forward signings and delivered on the hype. He only managed 15 games – sidelined for two months with a knee injury – but still made a considerable impact.

He averaged 140 running metres and his powerful charges were key to many of the Warriors' better performances. Fonua-Blake also contributed 24 tackles a match along with only one error every three games.

"Injuries are part of the game - you can't control that but what I can control now is how I show up in round one and how I show up for the rest of the comp," said Fonua-Blake. "I'm really looking forward to it. I feel like I am the lightest I have been for a while and I can't wait to get out there."

While Shaun Johnson will add vital tactical acumen, Fonua-Blake says the entire squad has learn hard lessons from the series of close defeats last year and will be better for it, starting with the round one clash with the Dragons on Saturday.

"When people are hungry for spots, it gives the coaches headaches which is good; you don't want a team [where] the top 17 is solidified for the whole year.

"I've definitely felt the pickup in intensity in competition at training [compared to] last year and our club is only going to be better for it."