Warriors on right track with Ayshford signing

New Warriors signing Blake Ayshford in action for the Sharks. Photo/Getty.

The Warriors recruitment of Blake Ayshford has failed to excite some fans but the former Cronulla and Wests Tigers centre is the right kind of player needed to help the club improve in 2016.

Ayshford may not possess the physicality or attacking spark of Konrad Hurrell or outstanding rookie Solomone Kata, and while he can be considered a solid defender you wouldn't include him in a list of the NRL's best tacklers.

But what he does bring is 124 games of NRL experience and a degree of composure that was sorely missed throughout the Warriors backline in 2015.

Similar to how the reliable but unspectacular Jonathan Wright can be counted on to slot in and do the simple tasks well, coach Andrew McFadden will be seeking accuracy rather than flamboyance from his new signing.

On attack this means providing a safe pair of hands and having the smarts to fit in and work off the brilliance of the Warriors' chief playmakers.

Defensively he will need a strong voice and the nous to read situations and prevent half-chances from becoming scoring plays.

With Issac Luke and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck strengthening the creative options alongside halfback Shaun Johnson, the Warriors require reliable finishers rather than more individual game-breakers.

Like Wright, Ayshford is no certainty to start every game, but his presence alone will increase competition for spots and provide McFadden with a confident alternative to the plethora of promising youngsters still finding their way in the NRL.

Importantly, Ayshford hasn't always had it his own way and he will arrive at the Warriors hungry for another opportunity and with a thorough understanding of what it takes to succeed in the NRL.

After debuting for Wests Tigers in 2009 he looked destined for bigger things, but after playing 104 games he departed for Cronulla in 2014 where his career has since stalled.

He was a leading performer for the Sharks in this year's Nines and was included in the Team of the Tournament, but ended up spending most of the season languishing in NSW Cup.

Several of the Warriors' rising stars could benefit from hearing about his struggles and McFadden will hope he helps lead the way for them in how he prepares, trains and plays.

Plenty of intrigue surrounds the possible formation of the outside-backs for next season, but as this year's injury ravaged campaign showed, there is likely to be numerous tweaks and changes over 26 rounds.

Hurrell and Kata have the potential to form a devastating combination but as we witnessed in recent months, both players are still to reach a level of consistency across all 26 rounds of the regular season.

The versatile Tui Lolohea is another exciting midfield contender, but Ayshford's steady rather than sparkling talent would complement any of that trio's skills and bring balance to the backline.

The Warriors have made it clear they are still searching for a couple more signings, with another outside-back or half and a front-rower high on their shopping list.

They might not be top tier players but in the interests of improving depth and adding experience, they are on to good thing by chasing the likes of Ayshford.