After a tough 2024 NRL season, Warriors fans are hoping for a change of fortunes in the New Year.
Expectations were high after reaching the final four in 2023, but like life, things didn’t pan out that way.
The bulk of the squad remains the same, although there are two big names missing in Addin Fonua-Blake, who has signed with the Sharks, and Shaun Johnson who has hung up his boots.
The club welcome Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris who will bring premiership-winning experience to the club.
As Andrew Webster attempts to lead the club to another finals campaign, Ben Francis looks at five things he’d love to see this year.
Safe to say the Warriors – Storm rivalry has been one-way traffic in recent memory.
It’s been 10 years and 16 NRL matches (17 if you include a 2023 pre-season fixture) since the Warriors last tasted victory over Melbourne and boy there have been some brutal defeats in that time.
Seven of those have been by more than 20 points, including the 70-10 massacre on Anzac Day, 2022, while there have also been some close heartbreaks including 2019 when Graham Annesley admitted a wrong call cost the Warriors a potential game-winning penalty goal.
The Warriors have one shot to beat the Storm this year on April 13 in Melbourne to end probably one of the NRL’s longest losing streaks ever.
Can you remember the last time the Warriors beat the Storm? Some guy called Sam Tomkins was at fullback and Nathan Friend produced a backflip pass to set up a Tui Lolohea try.
Only one Warriors player remains active in the NRL ... Siliva Havili.
Bet that makes you feel old.
Sorry Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck must be the Warriors starting fullback in 2025.
While Nicoll-Klokstad didn’t do much wrong last season, the move is more about how to get the best out of Tuivasa-Sheck and that involves putting him in his natural position.
It was obvious early on that centre isn’t Tuivasa-Sheck’s position. I do applaud Webster for sticking to his guns all last season and resisting the urge to switch the two. Webster was defiant but that, stubbornness likely backfired to the point where he couldn’t make the move if he wanted to.
Following the departure of Marcelo Montoya, you could move Tuivasa-Sheck, where he won a competition early in the NRL career, but it’s fullback where he would likely have the most impact.
Nicoll-Klokstad has covered the centres at international level, while he also played on the wing back in 2017 for the Warriors.
If the Warriors are to have success in 2025, Tuivasa-Sheck, has to be at his best and the only way to do that is in the No 1 jersey.
For the record, this is nothing against Tohu Harris, who I think is a great captain, but this is more about allowing him to focus on himself.
Last year, Harris struggled with injuries and now he’s heading into the final year of his contract and what could be his last in the NRL.
If that’s the case, Harris needs to focus on going out with a bang and without the pressure of being a captain.
What makes the choice easier is the fact that Mitch Barnett did an admirable job filling the void last year and thrived with the extra responsibility.
You also have former captain Tuivasa-Sheck back on the books, plus the addition of Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris.
Safe to say, the Warriors are not short of captaincy options, and there is no harm in making the move now.
We can delve into the reasons why the Warriors failed to make the eight last year and the list is long.
Injuries were a huge reason, and we can pinpoint matches like against the Bulldogs in Sydney where they lost all three outside backs, while eight defeats were less than a converted try.
Next season has the recipe for success after being handed a draw for the ages which involves just one clash against the top six sides from last year, making the eight is simply a must.
They get two of those clashes out of the way early with the Roosters at home in round three and the Storm away in round six.
Their round 16 clash against the Panthers is the final time they will face a top four team from last season, while their run home after their final bye in round 18 consists of just three games against top eight sides from 2024 in the Knights, Bulldogs and Sea Eagles.
Their toughest stretch will likely come during the Origin period between rounds 13-17 where they face the Rabbitohs, Sharks, Panthers and Broncos.
Anything less than top six should be viewed as a disappointment.
If I were to pick my starting Warriors 17 to face the Canberra Raiders in Las Vegas, Tanah Boyd is starting in the halves alongside Luke Metcalf.
While it’s more likely Te Maire Martin and Metcalf will be the halves, Boyd’s utility value means he must be in the 17 with the ability to cover hooker, which is a plus considering Wayde Egan’s track record with head knocks.
Admittedly, he’s no Shaun Johnson, but I believe he’s a handy pickup, and will probably go down as a top buy.
His signing was met with some criticism, but so were the additions of Mitch Barnett and Dylan Walker and look how they’ve turned out.
In his career, he’s played 69 NRL games, scoring nine tries, 108 goals and three field goals, including one against the Warriors in their final match of the 2022 season.
With that experience already behind him, safe to say he’s yet to hit his peak which hopefully he achieves with the Warriors.