{"id":594898,"date":"2026-09-09T11:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T11:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/594898\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T11:10:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T11:10:15","slug":"warriors-v-dolphins-the-interchange-trio-who-help-try-to-change-the-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/594898\/","title":{"rendered":"Warriors v Dolphins: The interchange trio who help try to change the game"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vaimauga, 22, is the most experienced, bringing up his 50th NRL appearance in the Warriors\u2019 win over the Newcastle Knights<\/a> \u2013 with all those appearances off the interchange.<\/p>\n

Ford\u2019s absence left Vaimauga as the Warriors\u2019 most experienced interchange forward, but he does not see himself as the group\u2019s leader. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I look at it, we\u2019re all equals on the bench, especially in the team as well,\u201d Vaimauga told the Herald. <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve got to try and lead off my actions. If that means taking that big back-fence carry or rushing out of the line, I want to be the one to take that first step. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe minutes that I\u2019m producing at the moment are high quality, and I feel like that\u2019s probably my massive jump from last year to this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vaimauga\u2019s increasing influence has been one of the features of the Warriors\u2019 season, with the young forward regularly providing aggression and energy after replacing Clark.<\/p>\n

\"DemitricDemitric Vaimauga (from left) and Erin Clark. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sets a really good platform for me to play my game,\u201d Vaimauga said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like when I do go in with that aggressive mindset, being the link between the middles and the halves, running hard opens up the pass. That balance has been real good this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stowers-Smith, who recently re-signed until the end of the 2030 season, has experienced a similarly rapid rise.<\/p>\n

After making his NRL debut last year as a raw prospect, Stowers-Smith has taken on an increased role in 2026, with his leg drive and ability to generate quick play-the-balls becoming key features of his game.<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old told the Herald he is proud of his progression over the past year and the interchange group\u2019s responsibility extends beyond providing fresh legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we get on, we want to make an immediate impact and change the game,\u201d Stowers-Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe energy can get a bit low here and there, and that\u2019s our job \u2013 to get on the field and create that damage and leg speed through the middle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working closely together, me and Demitric, and also Eddie now, who\u2019s been killing it too. It\u2019s pretty cool to be able to go on together and change the game immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TannerTanner Stowers-Smith. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n

That cohesion has become an important part of the Warriors\u2019 rotation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also try to play a tough brand of footy, which is what our middles do,\u201d Stowers-Smith said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we want to implement as well, but definitely that impact and that speed of the game. Once the energy does drop, it\u2019s our responsibility to pick it back up and get our team on the front foot.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Vaimauga generally replaces Clark and Stowers-Smith spells Fisher-Harris or Barnett, Ieremia-Toeava has emerged as a Mr Fix-It.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old has covered positions through the middle and on the edge, while also filling in at centre. <\/p>\n

Ieremia-Toeava credits Webster and the Warriors\u2019 senior leadership group with creating an environment in which young players are encouraged to back themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like Webby has opened up that space for us young boys to be who we are and just be ourselves,\u201d Ieremia-Toeava said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t shy away from the challenge. I feel like he\u2019s installed that into us, especially the next-man-up mentality. He\u2019s given us that confidence to play free and just have fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t hesitate at all. I just put my hand up. But as they say, pressure\u2019s a privilege. When I do get my chance to play any position, I try to play 100% and it\u2019s not often that you get to get pulled in that position.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"EddieEddie Ieremia-Toeava. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n

That confidence will be tested again on Saturday.<\/p>\n

While the Dolphins are better known for their backline, their forward pack is immensely strong, while they have developed one of the competition\u2019s most effective interchange rotations, with their bench capable of changing match momentum in a different way.<\/p>\n

Kurt Donoghoe and Ray Stone bring aggression and energy, while Francis Molo and Connelly Lemuelu provide size, power and a strong defensive presence.<\/p>\n

While the clash between the two benches could prove decisive, Stowers-Smith is relishing the challenge, rather than viewing it as a head-to-head battle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve enjoyed the challenge and it shows where I am as a footy player,\u201d Stowers-Smith said.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of backing down to those challenges, I want to go out there and dominate those opponents.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been a big pillar for me this year \u2013 not stepping back, but stepping to the challenge and proving myself as a first grader against these top-tier players.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve got a really good bench as well and a starting pack too. They\u2019re almost like us, the way we play, especially through the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

The impact of the Warriors\u2019 bench has been noticed by senior players, including Egan, who says their growth over the past 12 months has been immense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t really see them as young guys now,\u201d Egan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re experienced because of how well they\u2019re playing and how mature those guys are. The guys coming off the bench are doing an excellent job and they\u2019re playing at a great level.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like we don\u2019t dip at all when Fish, Barney and Erin head off. They bring a little bit of something different, those bench guys, but I think they\u2019re doing an excellent job and they\u2019re one of the best benches in the comp at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Warriors will need their rotation at the top of its game to beat the Dolphins, with the last six NRL meetings all decided by four points or fewer.<\/p>\n

Both meetings this season were decided by two points. <\/p>\n

In round eight, the Warriors overcame a 12-point deficit to claim a 20-18 win on Anzac Day<\/a> in Wellington.<\/p>\n

Then in round 17 in Brisbane, the Warriors thought they had snatched victory with a late Healey try before a Selwyn Cobbo try in the final two minutes saw the Dolphins win 26-24<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The winner will advance directly to the preliminary finals, while the loser will play a sudden-death elimination semi-final against South Sydney Rabbitohs or Knights.<\/p>\n

Ben Francis<\/a> is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Vaimauga, 22, is the most experienced, bringing up his 50th NRL appearance in the Warriors\u2019 win over the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":594899,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[6726,4057,31867,50960,12974,46326,33224,64649,5269,5838,60020,41722,130,111,139,69,13180,15400,6926,5257,213,6182,3502,223,8229,1961,61,13082,46599,3006,1299,4741],"class_list":["post-594898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-become","tag-behind","tag-bench","tag-brigade","tag-change","tag-clubs","tag-dolphins","tag-emergence","tag-game","tag-help","tag-interchange","tag-maiden","tag-more","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-premiership","tag-push","tag-season","tag-significant","tag-sports","tag-stories","tag-success","tag-the","tag-they","tag-this","tag-to","tag-trio","tag-try","tag-warriors","tag-who","tag-young"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=594898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594898\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/594899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=594898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=594898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=594898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}