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Where to now for Warriors on the wing after costly Watene-Zelezniak injury?
Stephen Foote • February 12th, 2025 2:35 pm
Photo: Photosport
The new NRL campaign is yet to kick-off for the NZ Warriors and they've already been dealt a significant injury blow, with the loss of one of their key strike weapons in wing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
Watene-Zelezniak will undergo surgery for a dislocated wrist suffered during the team's pre-season opener against the Cronulla Sharks on Friday.
While a recovery timeline is yet to be confirmed, Andrew Webster will likely be without last year's leading try scorer for at least the first month of their 2025 schedule.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, the wing position is one era where they're particularly thin on the ground, meaning options for Watene-Zelezniak's replacement are few and far between.
Edward Kosi has been named to start in the second pre-season match against the Melbourne Storm in Hamilton on Saturday, and with Marcelo Montoya having also moved on, he appears to be the only option.
"Just like that, in the blink of an eye, we are struggling on the wing," said co-host Anthony Gelling on Sport Nation's Running It Straight podcast.
"We are looking around for who could possibly play wing.
"Marcelo Montoya left us last season. Not many people talked about it. It was quite understated with Shaun Johnson leaving and the news of Tohu Harris departing.
"But with Marcelo gone and now Dallin's injured, that wrist is going to need surgery, it's all of a sudden got us scratching our heads."
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After a lacklustre 2024, Kosi's struggles continued during his stint against the Sharks in Sydney last weekend.
But there are precious few other candidates to partner with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - at least, ones with first-grade minutes under their belts.
As Gelling points out, there are some promising contenders rising through the club's ranks, but whether they're ready for the NRL spotlight is a different question altogether.
"Setu Tu plays a bit of wing, bit of centre. He goes really well. He's a little bit more experienced than some of these other guys.
"There are some guns coming through but they haven't had the experience yet.
Taine Tuaupiki I Photo: Photosport
"Sio Kali, he's pretty much out of high school. He's one to watch for sure. We saw a little bit of him in that first trial against the Sharks. He's going to be dangerous, he's really good.
"But I just don't know if he's ready to chuck in there starting games and playing big minutes just yet."
Taine Tuaupiki is another capable of slotting on to the wing, although former Warrior Gelling insists that's a move Webster should avoid.
The Warriors need Tuaupiki's pace through the middle of the park, he explains, comparing the 25-year-old to one of the club's greatest ever utility players.
"As good as he is, I'd hate to see Taine playing on the wing," said Gelling. "I want him at fullback or I want him at half.
"I draw a lot of comparisons to him and Lance Hohaia. The more I see of him, the more it reminds me of Lance. Lance used to come off the bench. He'd play fullback. He'd play half, even No. 9 if he needed to. But he was in the middle.
"He's so fast. We need speed out there."
The dimensions at FMG Stadium will be trimmed this weekend to replicate the smaller field at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, helping prepare the Warriors for their pre-season opener against the Canberra Raiders on March 1.
The NRL has approved the modification of the two grounds from 100m to 94.5m in length and 68m to 63.1m in width.
Listen to the full episode of Running It Straight with Sam Hewat and Anthony Gelling below:
