NRL: New breed rising - the young Warriors step up

Lewis Brown. Photo / Getty Images

Three years ago the Warriors decided to become a development club. Today, the fruits of that decision are there for all to see.

In a season when star after star has been struck down by injury, players from the lesser ranks have filled the gaps. Most have performed more than adequately. Some, such as Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino and Isaac John, have been outstanding.

Of the squad that has scrapped its way to a four-match winning streak, more than half have come from the development ranks. Nine have played fewer than 50 NRL games. Seven have debuted in the past two seasons.

The new breed has stood up. Instead of lamenting another season lost, the Warriors are eyeing a play-off push.

"It's really pleasing," says Tony Iro. As the inaugural NYC coach, he has been in the thick of fine-tuning the club's development systems. The tandem pathways of the Under-20s and Vulcans teams have been crucial.

"We've been able to identify and mature these boys a lot easier than in previous years. When we had the Bartercard as our secondary comp, we still had to take a risk introducing players to the NRL without knowing what they are capable of. Now we have got a pretty good template."

It's not like the Warriors have simply been hand-picking gems. Hooker Aaron Heremaia travelled the world without cracking the big time, Brown started out as an overweight halfback, while Ukuma Ta'ai was working in a meat processing plant before being picked up by the club. "They have all got their different stories," says Iro.

The best of them is probably Heremaia, who had given up the game but was handed one last chance to play his way into the NRL through the Vulcans.

"If we didn't have that side there, he would probably still be cooking somewhere in Thames," Iro says. "A lot of guys just need a little bit of opportunity. There are plenty of talented guys out there, they just need to be in the right environment.

"There are plenty of players who won't get an opportunity. We will miss a lot and so will every other club. But some might just be in the right place at the right time."

Iro rates young back rower Sione Lousi as the biggest surprise of the emerging crop, and reserves special praise for Isaac John, whom he rates as the hardest-working player at the club.

Yet there is still plenty of criticism, with the decisions to release top prospects such as Siuatonga Likiliki, Steve Rapira and Leeson Ah Mau disappointing fans.

"If we had our way and there weren't any rules we'd be trying to keep all of them," said Iro. "But it is not possible so we have been pretty happy with the decisions we've made about which ones we've kept. And we think we've got a few more coming behind them."

1. LEWIS BROWN

* Age: 23
* Debut: Round 8, 2009 v Dragons
* Matches: 30
* Tries: 6
* Key contributions: The offensive sparkplug in a side that has put last year's attacking woes behind it, the converted halfback/hooker
ranks sixth in linebreaks (6), fourth in try assists (4) and second equal in linebreak assists (3) at the club for 2010. Brown is also no slouch on the defensive front, ranking seventh in tackles made. Notable moments include shrugging aside Scott Dureau to set up the winner against the Knights.

2. BEN MATULINO

* Age: 21
* Debut: Round 14, 2008 v Sharks
* Matches: 49
* Tries: 2
* Key contributions: The big Hutt Valley second rower ranks sixth in tackles made with 314, but would certainly top the list if there was a stat on big hits. If opposing forwards don't want to have their cage rattled then the main player they need to keep an eye out for is Matulino. The defensive specialist makes his 50th NRL appearance against the Storm tomorrow night.

3. AARON HEREMAIA

* Age: 27
* Debut: Round 12, 2009 v Tigers
* Matches: 27
* Tries: 2
* Key contributions: After blasting into 2010 with some scintillating early displays, the 27-year-old has settled into an effective job-share arrangement with Ian Henderson. Busy and usually error-free, Heremaia provides a calm presence at dummy half. He has compiled four try assists and 33 tackle breaks and makes 26.5 tackles a match despite limited playing time.

4. KEVIN LOCKE

* Age: 21
* Debut: Round 12, 2009 v Tigers
* Matches: 24
* Tries: 10
* Key contributions: The Next Big Thing has taken a while to live up to his billing, but his heroic hat-trick against the Roosters suggests there might be substance to the hype. Dropped earlier in the season, Locke bounced back with the match-winning display many have been waiting for. The club's third top try-scorer with six, he also ranks second on kick return metres.

5. RUSSELL PACKER

* Age: 20
* Debut: Round 10, 2008 v Raiders
* Matches: 40
* Tries: 5
* Key contributions: Having been handed the unenviable task of leading the club's go-forward game when Sam Rapira went down injured, the Foxton terrier has responded superbly. He averages 99.3m a game and is also a tireless defender. Only workhorse backrower Michael Luck has made more tackles this season than Packer's 440.

6. UKUMA TA'AI

* Age: 23
* Debut: Round 2, 2009 v Sea Eagles
* Matches: 21
* Tries: 6
* Key contributions: The joker in coach Ivan Cleary's pack, the raw Tongan has barrelled his way over for five tries in just 11 matches this year to be the club's most prolific try-scoring forward. Tacklers have had a tough time trying to halt this colossus, who has busted 27 attempts despite spending more time on the bench than on the field.

7. ISAAC JOHN

* Age: 21
* Debut: Round 19, 2009 v Roosters
* Matches: 8
* Tries: 1
* Key contributions: He hid in Stacey Jones' shadow in a brief trial last season, but this year the real John stood up, providing a strong voice and much-needed direction in Brett Seymour's absence. Steady without being spectacular, the halfback scored one nice supporting try and laid on three try assists before his season was sadly ended by a serious knee injury.

8. SIONE LOUSI

* Age: 20
* Debut: Round 1, 2010 v Titans
* Matches: 5
* Tries: 0
* Key contributions: After a nervous and admittedly injury-affected start to his NRL career it was hard to see quite what - other than a big frame - the coaching staff saw in Lousi.

But in recent weeks he improved steadily. We've only seen glimpses of his talent, but when Lousi finally feels he belongs he could be a genuine talent. The sort of player the Warriors should produce at least one of every year.