NRL: The Warriors’ new plan to keep young stars at home

Warriors development boss Andrew McFadden used to coach the team. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The Warriors have outlined their plans to keep more young stars at home, as the NRL club begins their fightback after the Covid-related problems.

The club’s lengthy player development struggles weren’t helped by the pandemic travel restrictions which meant they couldn’t field reserve grade or under-19 sides in the Australian competitions.

Some players turned out for the Redcliffe club in Queensland but most outside the first grade squad have been denied competitive games in Australia for three years.

The Warriors have a proud history at NRL junior level, dominating the youth competition from 2010 to 2014 and producing tremendous players like Shaun Johnson in the process.

And they are looking to that history as the reboot begins.

Former first-grade coach Andrew McFadden, who has returned as the development boss, said the task had become more difficult.

“When I first got here the under-20s were booming and largely there wasn’t a huge presence from other NRL clubs,” he told NRL.com.

“We had so much talent back then that it may have bred some complacency because there seemed to just be talent coming from everywhere.

“Now I think it’s a bit more challenging because obviously everyone knows about it.

“A lot of NRL clubs have a strong presence over here. We can’t do a lot about that other than get our own backyard right and make sure there is an opportunity here for kids in New Zealand to develop just like at any other NRL club. They can do it at home.”

Shaun Johnson is one of many players to emerge from the Warriors' junior system. Photo / Photosport

The Warriors return to the SG Ball Cup (NSW under-19) this season and the reserve graders will return to the NSW Cup for the first time since 2020.

New head coach Andrew Webster is perfectly placed to know how great development can work, coming from the brilliant Penrith Panthers system.

Webster said: “It’s huge. To get that continuity where your players go back to [a junior team] or NSW Cup and it’s your own.

“They are the same play calls, the same defensive structures, the same attacking structures.”

The Warriors even put sides into rugby union’s world schools sevens tournament late last year as it looked at innovative ways to rebuild.

The post-Covid era includes a partnership with the Pasifika Aotearoa initiative overseeing the game in this region.

“Every other club wants to take the kids out of New Zealand,” chief executive Cameron George said.

“We want to grow the game and grow good people within the sport. In doing so the connection with our footy club becomes generational, and we want to be their first choice.

“With that, naturally we will get some fantastic kids coming through.”