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NZ Warriors rebuild: The key questions fans should be asking of their club
Sam Hewat • February 6th, 2025 9:57 am
Photo: Photosport
Oh, how easy it is to get caught up in the 'moment' when postulating a new season ahead for the One NZ Warriors.
The waves of expectation swell and crash with each passing season, often churning up a seabed of hopes and fears.
Those expectations fluctuate wildly, often driven by recent results rather than long-term planning. A strong season raises hopes for a title push, while a disappointing stretch triggers fears of irrelevance. But to understand where this club is headed, we need to step back and look at the bigger picture.
From Rock Bottom To A Sudden Surge
Rewind to 2022.
The Warriors finished 15th in the NRL, one of their worst seasons in history. The club was in turmoil – coaches were sacked, key players left, and the team still reeled from COVID disruptions that kept them away from home for years.
Mark Robinson and Cameron George recognised the need for a complete rebuild, and the vision was clear: start from ground zero.
The plan? Reinstate their development pathways, overhaul the junior systems, and create an environment where homegrown talent could thrive alongside experienced veterans. It’s a long-term blueprint, modelled after Penrith’s success, architected by Phil Gould, but is such a cliché nowadays who really knows where it started or if it even works anywhere else.
Regardless, this five to ten-year plan is a process, not an overnight fix.
But then came 2023, and something unexpected happened.
An Unanticipated Acceleration
A perfect concoction of career-best form, stability under head coach Andrew Webster, and a surge of belief propelled the Warriors into the NRL’s elite. Shaun Johnson rediscovered his magic, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak became a try-scoring mecca, and the likes of Rocco Berry, Jackson Ford, and Mitch Barnett exceeded expectations.
The result? A top-four finish, multiple Team of the Year selections, and a Coach of the Year award for Webster.
What was supposed to be a patient, methodical rebuild suddenly looked like a golden opportunity. With Johnson and Tohu Harris nearing the end of their careers, the club pushed hard to capitalise on their window of contention.
The Warriors doubled down, making strategic roster moves while still trying to maintain their long-term developmental framework.
Then, reality struck in 2024.
Photo: Photosport
Snapback To Reality
Breakout players regressed to their averages, injuries hit key veterans, and some predictable but equally frustrating officiating decisions in tight games saw the Warriors slip down the ladder.
Just as quickly as that window opened, it appeared to slam shut.
By season’s end, Johnson, Harris, Montoya, and Fonua-Blake were gone, leaving many wondering what was next for the club.
Now, in 2025, the debate rages: should the Warriors be expected to make the top eight, or are they in danger of falling back to the bottom four?
Both are rather inconsequential when zooming out from the current picture.
Where The Warriors Actually Stand
Despite the turbulence, the Warriors remain firmly in the early stages of their five-to-ten-year plan.
The key questions fans should be asking aren’t about the immediate win-loss column, but rather about the club’s long-term trajectory:
1. Is the development system stable and producing talent?
Yes. The Warriors now have teams in nearly every age-group competition, fostering a strong junior pipeline with hundreds of prospects in the system.
2. Are there exciting young players emerging?
Absolutely. The debuts of Ali Leiataua, Leka Halasima, Demitric Vaimauga, and Jacob Laban indicate a bright future.
3. Is there veteran leadership to guide the next generation?
Yes. Mitchell Barnett (State of Origin), James Fisher-Harris (Premiership winner), and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Dally M winner) are all leaders that will set standards for young players.
4. Is the coaching staff still the right fit?
Yes. Andrew Webster has already proven himself as a top-tier coach. He still has much to prove, but he’s laid a strong foundation for success.
All these factors point to a club committed to long-term growth, not short-term patches. There will be player turnover. There will be growing pains. But the Warriors are positioning themselves for sustained success rather than a fleeting peak.
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Looking Ahead
Will 2025 be the year everything clicks again? Maybe not. But does that mean the season is a failure? Not at all.
Watching the next generation of Warriors emerge, seeing the mana of James Fisher-Harris in the blue, red, and green colours, and enjoying the highs and lows of an evolving team should be just as exciting as a deep finals run.
And when the Warriors do finally break through and win their first NRL Premiership - whether it’s in three, five, or seven years - every frustrating season, every tough loss, and every moment of patience will have been worth it.
The journey continues.
See you in Vegas.
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