BY CURTIS WOODWARD

New Zealand Warriors
Coach: Stephen Kearney
Pre-season: Auckland Nines February 4th and 5th, v Melbourne February 11th, v Titans February 19th

 
What they’ll get right: They must, must, must, absolutely must make Mount Smart Stadium an impossible place for visiting teams to play. If they can get going at home, they’ll eventually begin winning consistently away. It all starts with belief and they must make Auckland a fortress.

What they’ll get wrong: The Warriors boast arguably the best spine of superstar players anywhere in the competition. If they get firing, they will need everyone else to go with them. Their “big four” can’t be asked to win matches every week. They have to do it as a team.

It’s a big year for: There’s pressure on everyone from the new coach to Issac Luke to the halves pairing of Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran. But let’s not leave Roger Tuivasa-Sheck out of this conversation. It’s time RTS gave back after the Warriors invested so heavily in him when he signed from the Sydney Roosters.

 
Most improved: Bunty Afoa
MVP: Shaun Johnson
Most consistent: Ben Matulino

Prediction – 5th
This club is fast running out of ways to disappoint their fans each season. An awesome list of backs with experienced and classy forwards. They’ll win the majority of their home games and jag some away to claim a top 8 spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU8IADPK64Q

Possible team:
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2 David Fusitu’a
3 Solomone Kata
4 Tui Lolohea
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Kieran Foran
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Ben Matulino
9 Issac Luke
10 Jacob Lillyman
11 Ryan Hoffman
12 Simon Mannering
13 Bodene Thompson

14 Bunty Afoa
15 Albert Vete
16 Charlie Gubb
17 Nathaniel Roache
@woodward_curtis