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Thursday, 18 February 2010 00:00 | Written by Sneakdefreak
Using wanky middle-management talk it is time to "move forward" in 2010. So after doing an inquiry, holding a summit and finalizing a report here is the 2010 NRL preview for those mighty Warriors.
 The team is still looking to add a player(s) with the club at least $200,000 under the salary cap. Parramatta Eel Krisnan Inu seems the main target with the Eels having major salary cap woes.
 But that is all talk right now so "moving forward" here is the 2010 squad and my pick for the best 17 guys for the job.
 
 Note: The Warriors won their first pre-season matchup against the Chooks in Rotorua. But Elijah Taylor has been lost for 5 months with an injury which he got in training. Bugger.
 
 Fullback:
 It will be an interesting battle for this position with three contenders- not including possible recruit Krisnan Inu- fighting for the right to be number one.
 Wade McKinnon will go in again as the incumbent but needs to show his 2007 speed if he is to seriously hold on to the number one jumper for 2010 and beyond. Will need to score more than the four tries he had in 2009.
 Young star Kevin Locke was one of the bright spots for the club last season scoring 60 points in 12 games from the wing. He is projected by many- including myself- to be the guy who pushes Wade out the door by claiming the fullback spot as his own. With scintillating speed, the main negative on Locke is his small stature.
 Mr Fix-it has been ignored by many but it should be noted that the Warriors 2008 playoff run and the Kiwis World Cup were done with Lance Hohaia at the back. The veteran has become a key part of the side and despite the tag of an 'impact player' off the bench, the more he is out on the field the better.
 
 Wings:
 The club is searching for another star winger after Denan Kemp turned out to be a major bust. Rather odd when there is top young talent in their U20s squad who could step into the NRL lineup. So it furthers the belief of theorists that Locke will be permanently moving to fullback this season.
 Manu Vatuvei is the franchise player now as Steve Price winds down his career. Always powerful and always class, big Manu will need his traditional centre partner Jerome Ropati to be on song so the two can do damage to their NRL opposition.
 Patrick Ah Van is really the only other specialist winger in the main squad and that will send shivers down the spines of many faithful fans. A solid player who sometimes suffers the same jitterbugs that All Black Isaia Toeava has been known to suffer.
 In the U20 squad there are many talented prospects including Patty's younger brother Thomas Ah Van and big Bill Tupou. Top rated centre (and one NRL game veteran) Siuatonga Likiliki could earn his stripes out on the wing if it is obvious he is ready for the big-time.
 
 Centres:
 Many can point to the collapse of last season being in sync with the collapse of Brent Tate's knee against Brisbane.
 Tate has taken the whole year off and is an important piece for the Warriors 2010 chances. Much like AB centre Conrad Smith, Tate anchors the back line and brings confidence to those around him.
 Jerome Ropati was crap last year. Really crap. Maybe it was due to playing NRL playoffs and a World Cup but Ropati needs to rediscover his magic or else it will be time to move on to the Super League.
 Joel Moon is a player many debate about. Regarded as not being the brightest cookie in the world (nicknamed 'Spaceman' by team-mates), Moon was signed to be a standoff but has shown better skills as a centre, which was obvious in a game against the Panthers where he scored four tries.
 He could be playing in the outside backs again this season depending on Tate's health and Ropati's form.
 Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino and Sione Lousi can provide cover for this position.
 
 Halves:
 In 2008 Nathan Fien and Michael Witt led the Warriors within one game of the big dance. In 2009 both were released in favour of old man Stacey Jones and young man Joel Moon. In 2010 the only certainty is former bad-boy Brett Seymour will be playing in the halves, whether that means halfback or standoff he doesn't know.
 Seymour has always shown the talent of a top-flight halves player at the Broncos and Sharks but his actions off the field have seen him booted for touch twice. Now at a new club in a new country this is Seymour's last chance in the NRL.
 He is seen as the new Benji Marshall. Former touch rugby star Shaun Johnson has been given dap by league great Andrew Johns and many see him as the person who should ride shotgun next to Seymour. But while he has the offensive skills, he needs to work on his defence.
 Former Storm player James Maloney is a journeyman in the lower grades but is being highly touted by the Warriors. One question rarely asked is : if Maloney is such a good standoff why did the Storm not play him when the team was desperate for one at the start of the 2009 season?
 Isaac John got some game-time near the end of last season and showed promise. Many see him as a solid yet unspectacular player who could offer safety if the others show insecurity.
 Hohaia, Moon and Aaron Heremaia are also options for coach Cleary.
 
 Back-rowers:
 Captain Mannering will lead and with a decent break over the off-season he is expected to be what the club needs- an all-rounder when it comes to attack and defence.
 Michael Luck is the best defender in the game. The guy just keeps on tackling. But it seems that Lucky, in a contract year, might be on the way out and the club has a history of sitting guys who won't be with them the following year.
 Ben Matulino struggled with a sophomore slump in 2009 and will want to get back to his hard-hitting, ball-playing style in 2010. He has the potential but the coaches need to make him up the ante.
 Lewis Brown was a revelation last year. A guy who had to convince the club to sign him over a cup of coffee excelled as a second-rower with his aggression and brute strength. More impressive since his usual position was hooker. But the question on Brown is: was last season the discovery of a diamond in the rough or a guy doing well on a bad team?
 If you have seen the video footage of Ukuma Ta'ai playing for Mt Albert you will know what this big fella is capable of. The Tongan titan has been seen as someone who can play the Ali Lautiti role for the Warriors- something that excites fans very much. Last season he was still getting use to the game as he played rugby union in previous years. Here is hoping for the future as Ta'ai looks a great front/second rower option. Like Willie Mason but younger, fitter and not a knob.
 Sione Lousi is another young prospect from the U20 team. A tall forward similar to Matulino, Lousi could be another promising Warrior for years to come.
 
 Front-rowers:
 This is the weak area for the Warriors. After Steve Price and Sam Rapira the talent starts to drop off. Youngster Russell Packer and new signing Jeremy Latimore will have to jump to a new level for the team to see no drop-off up front.
 He may be grumpy about losing the captaincy but Price is still one of the most important guys in the lineup in terms of leadership and performance. Injury will hinter his start but it is how he finishes in his final season that will determine how well the Warriors go.
 Sam Rapira is the most valuable guy up front. After years of tutelage under Price and Wiki, Rapira needs to lead his props when Price isn't there.
 Russell Packer already has the size and skill to be a star which is amazing considering he is only 20 years old. Just like Rapira did Packer needs to start eating up the metres on a consistent basis.
 Jeremy Latimore is one of the new guys and hopefully one of the better signings after the 2008 recruits failed. A big bopper who hopefully is another of the Warriors 'finds'.
 Jacob Lillyman was one of those failed 2008 signings who it seems has moved from the second-row to the front. A workhorse, it is hoped he can provide some tireless effort as a prop or else he will be off to the knacker's yard.
 Jesse Royal is a journeyman who didn't play well last season. But again who did apart from Brown and Locke? It didn't help his son had a fight with cancer either. Royal could be a good veteran presence (and off-loader) if he gets into form.
 Mataupu Poching looks like a caveman. That is all I have on him.
 
 Hooker:
 Ian Henderson is the incumbent but needs to show some mongrel again to keep his job. A better player if he plays the full 80 minutes. But it doesn't help that Hendo doesn't have much of a kicking game.
 Aaron Heremaia does have a kicking game and could be an option if it is clear that a kicker is needed up front.
 Alehana Mara is seen as the future for this position and could see game time from the bench.
 And of course there is Lance Hohaia. If a young player like Shaun Johnson ends up in the halves, don't be surprised to see Hohaia at hooker acting as a second halfback.
 
 Sneak's favourite line-up: 1. Locke 2. Moon 3. Tate 4. Ropati 5. Vatuvei 6. Seymour 7. Hohaia 8. Rapira 9. Henderson 10. Price 11. Mannering 12. Matulino 13. Luck
 Bench: 14. Lillyman 15. Packer 16. Ta'ai 17. Brown 18th man: Johnson.
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