NRL: Confident start for Slaimankhel

Omar Slaimankhel has been thrust into the NRL spotlight in recent weeks and has responded confidently, keeping his starting spot in a winning Warriors team. Photo / Getty Images.

Rookie Warriors' winger Omar Slaimankhel has been thrust into the NRL spotlight in recent weeks and has responded confidently, keeping his starting spot in a winning team.

Following a spate of injuries to the Warriors backline, Slaimankhel was called up on short notice from the Toyota Cup and will this week make his third consecutive start for the Warriors when they take on the Titans on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Slaimankhel was brought in as a late replacement for the injured Manu Vatuvei against the Sharks and then for Glenn Fisiiahi against the Cowboys. This week he has earned himself the famous number five jersey from the get go.

The 20-year-old former Auckland Grammar Student had his first full week of training with the Warriors since pre-season this week and said it was great to finally see what the first-graders get up to.

"It was great to get back with the boys and train with the likes of Simon (Mannering)," Slaimankhel said. "I've played with a lot of the guys before and am really comfortable with everyone."

Slaimakhel was team-mates with Shaun Johnson, Ben Henry and Elijah Taylor at the Junior Warriors when they won the 2010 Grand Final and said that there is a noticeable step up to the NRL.

"The intensity is a lot higher. It is always 100 percent throughout the whole 80 minutes and that can be really tough to get used to.

"But everyone comes and gives me tips, I've had great advice from Manu and Fish (Fisiiahi) and everybody that has played my position has helped me out."

Warriors' coach Brian McClennan described Slaimankhel as a confident kid who believes in himself and has the ability to come up with something a little bit special.

"I tried being nervous back in my school days and it didn't help me. I think going through every day just being relaxed has helped a lot. Being confident helps me way more than being nervous."

Slaimankhel comes off contract at the end of the year, and while there are reports that a number of NRL sides are interested in him he refused to speculate on where his future may lie.

"I haven't sorted anything out. I just want to take it week by week. The last three weeks I have played NRL and that's awesome and is all that's important right now.

The pacey Slaimankhel was a product of the Auckland Grammar first XV and said that he didn't find the switch from rugby to league difficult and that he loves running footy, no matter the code.

"I watched a lot of league growing up and it was always a running game where teams had the ball instead of kicking it back and forth. But to be honest rugby is looking pretty good at the moment too, I was watching the All Blacks and they love running it back."

Asked whether a return to rugby would interest him, Slaimankhel showed the composure that we are getting used to seeing on the field.

"I'm really happy with where I'm at for the moment but we will see what happens in the future."

Whatever direction that future takes, Slaimankhel's future looks like a bright one.