Rugby League: Next year's Warriors

A look at who's who for the 2000 season:

Matthew Ridge: Turns 31 on Friday, at 82kg the lightest man at the club, 1.84m. One season to go and Ridgey wants it to be a good one - a playoffs position to end his career. The fiercest competitor at the club, seems to be benefiting by not carrying the weight of captaincy. With injury and three suspensions limiting him to nine games this year he knows he hasn't been popular and is out to make amends. Don't believe the talk that says he'll walk.

Odell Manuel: 21, 99kg, 1.85m. One of only three players (Stacey Jones and Logan Swann) to play all 22 games this season after 1998 in reserve grade. The Warriors' Lomu, big and fast and always requiring multiple tacklers, but better than Lomu in his ball handling skills. Able to cover 40m from a start in six seconds. Other sides used to target him - they don't anymore.

Peter Lewis: 20, 98kg, 1.8m. Earned a contract after good performances against the Warriors for the resident's XIII in pre-season then blotted his copybook with ill-discipline. A warning shook him awake. Big, strong and probably a future forward, needs to work on his defence and positional play.

Nigel Vagana: 24, 86kg, 1.8m. An early Warrior, cut by John Monie and became top try-scorer in the Super League for Warrington before returning under Frank Endacott. Vagana has always been a brilliant finisher, 10 tries this season to add to the 23 he had from 1996/98. He's worked hard on what used to be brittle defence and has turned himself from a wing into a centre.

Lee Oudenryn: 29, 90kg, 1.84m. 15 games this season to add to the 24 he had in 1997/98, has a knack for taking kicks to score. Has overcome trouble with shin splints to remain the fastest at the Warriors. Still to be signed for next season but recent form has him a good prospect.

John Simon: 27, 90kg, 1.77m. Arrived after the Warriors played his former club Parramatta in round 13, immediately turning around the game plan. Can drop a punt on a pinhead, an inspirational runner with the ball and brings the professional attitude that losing by two isn't good enough. With Jones, will rival Lam/Fittler or the Dragons' Mundine/Barrett as a halves combo, as they proved by outplaying Newcastle's Johns brothers. Signed for two more seasons.

Stacey Jones: 23, 83kg and 1.87m. 101 games for Auckland coming up on Saturday, leading try-scorer for '99 with 12, everyone's favourite Warrior and deservedly so. Jones is a maestro of the football field, not that keen on tackling but a tough nut and an absolute genius on attack. It meant everything to the club when he signed on for three more years. The one concern with Jones is what we'd do without him.

Joe Vagana: 23, 114kg, 1.88m. One of the most feared props, Big Joe came out with stunning performances that guaranteed a 10 metre gain every hit-up, often carrying multiple defenders. Graham reckons there's 40 per cent improvement in Vagana. With 16 games this year taking him to 59 he's still a learner by NRL standards and undoubtedly the best is to come. His signing on again for four years also boosted the club.

Robert Mears: 24, 85kg, 1.76m. Bought from Central Coast outfit Ourimbah after he was stupidly cut by Canterbury, Mears made the rake role his. His combination with Jason Death in dummy-half runs has produced the quick metres and play-the-balls that have opened space for the backs. Mears should win a State of Origin jersey next season on this form. Two seasons to go.

Terry Hermansson: 32, 110kg, 1.81m. Earned the nickname "The Rock" for his work in the hard yards department. Hermansson came from the culled Adelaide club with shot knees, takes the field each week with gel injections to ease bone-on-bone and pain killers for the inflammation, and frequently can't do the skills drills and contact work at trainings early in the week because he's so sore. Come Saturday and he's carting it up again, always in the top hit-ups register. A total of 19 games this year make 131 all-up for Souths, Easts and Auckland.

Logan Swann: 24, 100kg, 192cm. Shifted from lock to second row, where many believe he was always best suited because of his ball-playing ability, when Death went to lock. Is the club's big improver this season, stepping up as a senior player to earn seven tries and stick near the top of the NRLs all-up off-loads ladder. A new combo has developed with Nigel Vagana down the left flank. With 58 NRL games and 11 tests, he has huge experience for his age and looks a long-term, high performance achiever and has two more years at Ericsson.

Tony Tuimavave: 30, 96kg, 182cm. 50 games for the Warriors since 1995 but none as good as he's played this season, "The Chief" has earned respect everywhere. Other sides name he and Bronco Peter Ryan as the game's hardest hitters but Tuimavave has added attack this season.

Jason Death: 28, 93kg, 1.78m. Has played 15 games and would have gone 22 if Rodney Howe hadn't smashed his jaw with an illegal high shot, sending him sideline for five weeks. A solid tackler with a good eye for a break, Graham shifted him to lock because his work rate meant he couldn't be left out. A fan favourite for his good humour, a club favourite for that workload and the good image he presents off-field, "Doc" is here for two more years.

Interchange Cliff Beverley: 22, 83kg, 1.84m. Beverley came from Glenora as a fullback replacement for Ridge and has been tried at stand-off. A lazy-looking lope belying the speed and skill with which he can move the ball. Will likely go to the development squad if not in the top squad.

Ali Lauitiiti: 20, 106kg, 1.88m. Has the skills to make Stephen Kearney look ordinary and will be a superstar if he applies himself. No one can leave tacklers grasping at air like this guy, but needs some work to sharpen his own defence.

Jerry Seu Seu: 25, 112kg, 1.88m. All this size means the Warriors lose little when their frontline props Vagana and Hermansson need a rest. Seu Seu has improved out of sight this season, hard work in the hit-ups and smashing defence.

Tony Tatupu: 30, 98kg, 1.9m. Hot and cold form, some great line-breaks and off-loads mixed with lost balls. He has six starts and 13 in interchange this season to add to the 25/40 record accumulated since 1995. One year to go on his contract, the club still determining whether it wants to hold him.

Awen Guttenbeil: 23, 98kg, 1.92m. The most-injured man at the club, Guttenbeil has been marked down by Graham as one of his cornerstones. A bad break in his left leg in the first home game against North Sydney robbed him of the rest of the season. He's since signed on for two more years.

Already cut

Internationals Gene Ngamu and Sean Hoppe, club record try-scorer with 44. Ngamu was unable to cement the standoff berth and Hoppe became a victim of poor backline play, loss of speed (19 tries in 1995, two this season) as well as Odell Manuel's consistency. Ngamu has gone to Euro Super League cellar-dwellers Huddersfield and Hoppe is fielding interest from the Western Tigers and St Helens in England.

Syd Eru's departure was quiet, like the man, and unfortunate after a bad wrist break meant he lost too much mobility to be in form at dummy-half. He's shifted to Perth but the former Kiwi says he wanted to play again.

Shane Endacott: Turns 28 on the 30th September, 92kg, 1.82m standoff turned utility. Who'd want to be the coach's son? And who'd want to be the son left behind to get on with the man who replaced the coach? Endacott has had eight starts and eight bench spots this year to add to figures of 22/20 since he joined in 1997. He's retiring from the pro ranks, not the game, to use a uni degree to best advantage in business.

May be cut

Brady Malam: Age 26, 102kg, 1.85cm. The Glenora prop started with the club in 1996 and has been a regular starter and interchange player, just over 50 games to his name. He started this season strongly, keeping Joe Vagana out, but has suffered repeat injuries that meant he had five games early then missed several, coming back through the Queensland Cup then coming off the bench last week against Newcastle. Off contract next week, the club has refused him permission to negotiate elsewhere so must have some interest.

Bryan Henare: 25, 104kg, 192cm second rower. One start and six appearances from the bench in a season where Graham has at times been short on forward power mean things probably don't look good. Henare has a club bench-press record and the size to do damage but hasn't made the most of his opportunities.

Whatever happened to?

Carl "Snowball" Doherty: Came from the Auckland second grade with Mt Albert after only six games of league when skipper and fullback Matthew Ridge was suspended. Still scoring prolifically for the Mount. No longer paid by the Warriors.

Clinton Toopi: Age 20, 88kg, 1.85m. The Otahuhu centre/lock made one mid-season interchange appearance, also while Ridge was out, and impressed sufficiently to earn a scholarship contract. He's played with distinction in the Queensland Cup via the arrangement with Brisbane Souths and Wynnum Manly. Is seen as a solid developer and will stay on with the development squad next season.

Wairangi Koopu: Age 20, 100kg, 1.83m second rower. Came from Huntly via NZRL age group development and was picked up when Awen Guttenbeil was injured and Tony Tuimavave suspended. Made three starts and came from the bench three times. Big, strong and next year needing to improve his work rate if kept on in the development squad.

Boycie Nelson: Age 24, 94kg, 1.83m centre. Played a half-season in England and when the pay didn't work out returned to Auckland, shifting from Mt Albert to Glenora. Had five games in the troublesome centre position mid-season and played solidly, some deft touches on attack and usually good defence. Likely to be signed to the development squad.

Francis Meli: Age 20, 94kg, 1.84m wing. Speedster picked up from the Marist club. Two starts and an 80m intercept try this season, his play sufficient to convince coach Graham that Meli is a good prospect. Positional play and defence need improvement. Signed for 2000.

Monty Betham: Age 21, 94kg, 1.81m standoff. Impressed in the pre-season and had three interchange appearances before tearing his knee Michael Jones-style. Has just returned to training and wouldn't have if Graham didn't think there was hope. Signed for 2000.

Joe Galuvao: Age 21, 96kg, 1.8m fullback/centre. Also filled in for Ridge as well as playing in the centres, nine starts and one interchange appearance stopped by repeat leg injuries. Is a hard runner in the Ruben Wiki style. Needs to work on defence but is a good prospect as Graham's "super-sub," able to play anywhere except half-standoff. Signed two years.

Talite Liava'a: Tongan international who came from Balmain with a bad knee, had two starts when Graham was desperate for some forward power, and re-turned the knee. Future in the balance and will depend on which Aussies the club signs, and that knee.

Scholarship players

(All being retained for 2000)

Henry Perenara, 19, standoff/lock/second row, (Glenora), achieved selection for the Maori tour to PNG; Jamie Cook, 21, (Northcote) continues to score tries in Super 12 and is on the books as halfback back-up; Henry Fa'afili, 18, (Manurewa), a wing speedster; Shontayne Hape, 18, (Te Atatu), chosen as a second row/lock but now in the centres (Te Atatu); Vae Kololo, 25, (Richmond/Central Sharks) is a propping stand-out in Super 12.