So far, there is no evidence of second-season issues for Leka Halasima – or the other young tyros – and more to come from the excellent Erin Clark. Halfback Tanah Boyd has been the biggest improver, after being thrown in the deep end late last season, and he will only get more confident with each week, while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has shown signs of escaping his 2025 funk.
Tanah Boyd had another strong performance in the Warriors jersey. Photo / Photosport
And what about Taine Tuaupiki? The replacement fullback was one of the outstanding figures against Canberra, with his pace, purpose and penetration paired with some courageous defence. Friday was only his 26th NRL appearance and he could be anything.
There are many more individual examples but the best sign comes from the collective; they are a cohesive, connected unit, who dealt well with adversity on Friday night, such as multiple personnel shuffles after the losses of Kurt Capewell (calf) and Chanel Harris-Tavita (concussion). And it can’t be forgotten that their two outstanding figures from last season, Mitch Barnett and Luke Metcalf, are waiting in the wings.
Like any season, they will need to evolve across the year, as what wins games in March won’t be nearly good enough in August. But the foundation is there, even if they are only a 12th of the way through the marathon NRL schedule.
Their 2-0 start, which is only the second time since 2009 the Auckland club have won their first two matches, has also served to release the pressure of expectation that always comes at the start of every Warriors’ season.
Perhaps the most telling takeaway from Friday night was the reaction to the win. It felt like a landmark moment, given Ricky Stuart’s team have been such difficult opponents in recent seasons and points were often hard to come by against the big guns last year.
But Webster, while satisfied and content, was hardly doing cartwheels. He labelled the performance a “whole club effort”, pointing out the reserve grade team had given their NRL counterparts ideal preparation at training during the week. Webster was pleased with the step forward from round one but knows there is so much more to come.
That was also the message from the players, as they mixed with family and friends after the match. There was a definite sense of “job done, move on”, which is the only way to approach such a campaign.
It’s also the reality of the NRL. They’ll be favoured against the Knights next weekend but it won’t be easy, especially as they will likely have a makeshift halves combination, with no obvious replacement for Harris-Tavita, while Newcastle is one of the more difficult places to get a result.
But the Warriors are on their way. All the trepidation about the tough schedule to start this season has gone and there are plenty of good times to come.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.