Lewi Brown playing for the Kiwis (left); Luke Metcalf with the Warriors. Photos / Photosport
Lewi Brown playing for the Kiwis (left); Luke Metcalf with the Warriors. Photos / Photosport
If there was one person who knew Luke Metcalf was destined for big things before arriving at the Warriors, it was Lewi Brown.
The pair were teammates at the Manly Sea Eagles in 2018, and Brown remembers playing alongside Metcalf in his New South Wales Cup debut for the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, where he scored a runaway try.
At the time, Brown was in his final season of professional rugby league, while Metcalf was 19, and primarily featured in the revamped Jersey Flegg competition.
“He came in a footy nerd, and he’s still a footy nerd, and that’s exactly what you want from your halfback. He’s a great person to have around the team environment – always laughing, always smiling.
“He’s recognising his talent, surrounding himself with the right people, and that’s when you start seeing something special. He’s got the mindset, and when you pair that with the right support, sky’s the limit.
Luke Metcalf in action against the Dolphins.
Photo / NRL Photos
“We’re seeing a young kid growing into a superstar. To witness that unfold in Auckland to see a great halfback emerging is special.”
Metcalf’s journey to the top hasn’t been easy, but he’s making the most of his opportunities.
He tore his ACL in 2019 and then the Covid pandemic limited him to a training role, which eventually saw him return to the Cronulla Sharks, where he’d make his NRL debut before the Warriors came knocking on the back of a recommendation by Shaun Johnson.
Metcalf endured more setbacks in 2023 with two hamstring injuries, before breaking his leg last year.
Now he has found his stride, leading the Warriors to an 8-2 record to sit second on the ladder, while also the frontrunners in the Dally M medal race.
“I’m just really proud of him,” said Brown.
Lewis Brown during the 2011 NRL grand final. Photo / Photosport
“The kid has been through some tough times, but he’s come out the other side by learning about his body and improving his professionalism and now we’re seeing him succeed.”
Brown feels there are lots of similarities between this side and the one he played in that reached the 2011 grand final.
They extend to more than the first-grade side, though. In 2011 the Warriors U20s won the grand final, while the reserve side lost in the New South Wales Cup decider.
This year there is a similar trend, with the Warriors reserves top of the table, while their under-17s have gone back-to-back in the Harold Matthews Cup.
He credits coach Andrew Webster for the resurgence, highlighting his similar qualities to Ivan Cleary, who was at the helm in 2011.
Warriors head coach Andrew Webster in the Newstalk ZB studio with Jason Pine. Photo / Alyse Wright
“I see a lot of similarities in the coach, the environment, the culture within the four walls,” said Brown. “Everyone’s on the same page and heading in the same direction.
“The style of footy they’re playing, they’re giving themselves opportunities to get into the game. A lot of people don’t like kick-chase footy, but at the end of the day, that’s what wins games.
“The way they’re playing sets the platform and allows our X-factor players to get involved. Every game this season, we’ve laid a platform and played smart, mature footy off the back of it.”
The Warriors are in their third season under Webster, who was an assistant at the club in 2015-16 before linking up with the Wests Tigers and Panthers, spending time with Cleary at both clubs.
In Webster’s first season with the Warriors in 2023, the Warriors got within a game of the grand final, before injuries and continual setbacks brought them back down to reality last season.
Expectations were low heading into 2025, but the Warriors have defied all the odds to produce their best start to a season since 2002, when they also made the grand final.
The club have sold out Mt Smart for Sunday’s match against the Canberra Raiders, which will be a special moment for Brown.
Since hanging up the boots, Brown has forged a career in the fashion industry, launching his own clothing line, Earls Collection.
He was asked to design a jersey that the team will wear against the Raiders, called Dear Warrior, a tribute to the paths taken by players, staff, members and fans who find their way to the Warriors whānau.
Brown says getting the opportunity to design a jersey was like getting the chance to make his debut again.
The 38-year-old admitted that since retiring he’s struggled with impostor syndrome, which saw him fall out of love with league, but the chance to reconnect with the Warriors 12 years after leaving the club was like a dream come true.
He said the design was based off receiving a letter from the Warriors in 1994.
“It’s easily one of the most special things I’ve ever done in my life,” said Brown.
“As a kid, getting that envelope with the Warriors emblem and my name on it –that was huge. It created a connection. That’s when the dream of becoming a Warrior started.
“I think it’s a reflection of how far I’ve grown on this journey – not just Lewi Brown the rugby league player, but Lewi Brown the person without rugby league as well. To reconnect with the club and the game – it’s something I’ll always cherish."
The jersey was such a hit that it became the fastest-selling jersey in Warriors history.
Brown said the players also love it, with co-captain James Fisher Harris asking if they will wear it again, as he is suspended for this weekend’s clash.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
