League: Jazz singing different tune as club finds voice

Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga has improved his attitude and style of play in the winning start to the 2018 NRL season. Photo / Getty Images

Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga admits a poor attitude cost him his spot last year and says trust issues plagued the side, before their remarkable transformation over the off-season.

The improvements in Tevaga's game through the early rounds are representative of the dramatic changes in the player's attitudes and the Warriors performances as they search for their sixth straight win in today's clash against Brisbane at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

The 22-year-old hooker or back-rower played 11 games in his 2016 rookie year, but fell into cruise mode last season before getting his act together to feature in four matches at the tail end of their dismal campaign.

"I just didn't have the right attitude," Tevaga said. "I was just going through the motions at training and it showed in my performances, until the back of the year when I sat down and set some goals and got my ass into gear."

A big pre-season saw him take on more responsibility at training and he has been a strong contributor off the bench while playing close to an hour in each of the last three wins over the Raiders, Roosters and Cowboys.

Tevaga detailed how a lack of dedication to training last year meant some players were lacking in fitness, while others were doing their best each week and looking to raise standards within the club.

It's a far cry from the new atmosphere of accountability surrounding the side, with the player's improved commitment driving them to their best season start in the club's history.

Tevaga credits the arrival of experienced forwards Adam Blair and Tohu Harris and five-eighth Blake Green for helping the players realise what was once acceptable was no longer good enough.

"There were a lot of trust issues last year and now that we've cleared that up and everyone's on the same page and buying in, obviously we're getting results," he said.

"There were a lot of professionals that took things seriously, but I don't think everyone was on the same page.

"It was across the board. There were trust issues on the field, sometimes you couldn't trust that your mate would be there, and there were trust issues between players and staff, but now we've got the right people in we're all on the same page and it's working."

Standing 1.78m and weighing 92kg, Tevaga has punched above his size and is relishing the chance to run and use the ball more in the lock forward role.

He has shown a knack for twisting out of tackles and slipping a late offload and believes his small stature makes him difficult for opposition forwards to contain.

"It's hard for a big forward, they want big guys to run straight at them and that's what they're good at, smashing them, but you get a little guy who's nippy around the ruck and they get frustrated."

Meanwhile, the Broncos have lost two of their stars to injury with halfback Kodi Nikorima ruled out of the side yesterday (corked thigh), while Australian test back-rower Matt Gillett will miss up to three months with a fractured neck.

Five-eighth Anthony Milford is expected to move to halfback with Jack Bird switching from centre to cover the No6 role, while back-rower Jaydn Su'A will replace Gillett.

Tom Opacic will start at left-centre, with Cronulla recruit Sam Tagataese coming on to the bench along with Korbin Sims, Sam Thaiday and Joe Ofahengaue.

"This is a good opportunity for Jack. He is getting better each week, but I hope he grabs this chance and shows us what he has got," coach Wayne Bennett said.