Warriors New Kicker Keen To Get
Started

The New Zealand Warriors big off season buy , Tony Martin , sports a goalkicking success rate hovering around the 80 per cent mark but will be no certainty to start for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL) next year.

The stocky centre has recently started training with his new teammates after joining the club from the London Broncos.

Martin, formerly with the Melbourne Storm, was looking for an NRL club to join after three seasons in England. His ultimate aim is making the Queensland State of Origin side.

"I wouldn't have come back to just any club though," he said.

"Mel (wife Melanie) and I were very happy in London. There was only a handful of clubs I would have come to and I'd always liked the look of the Warriors, even when I was with the Storm and we played them, it was a style of football I liked.

"I'd heard good things about the coach (Daniel Anderson) and I want to improve my football.

"And obviously the club is doing things right, the way they've been going the past few seasons."

Martin, 25, who took part in Melbourne's grand final win in 1999, will impose quite some pressure in the Warriors centres.

With Kiwis pairing Clinton Toopi and Vinnie Anderson ahead of him and Vince Mellars also pushing for a place, there will be heated competition for a start in the 13 as well as a place on the bench.

That is also going to be the case in the halves where Stacey Jones, Lance Hohaia, Thomas Leuluai and newcomers Marcus Perenara and Jerome Ropati will compete.

Likewise in the second row where, presuming Monty Betham goes back to lock when PJ Marsh returns from injury, there will be Ali Lauiti'iti, Awen Guttenbeil, Sione Faumuina, Wairangi Koopu and highly-rated newcomer Danny Sullivan from Parramatta pushing for a jersey.

Martin likes the challenge.

"It'll be good for my football and for the team."

He said the English Super League game was based on attack. Less time was spent training in defence drills and tackle technique.

He has enjoyed that but is keen for the tackling test, too.

"I've always thought that was a good part of my game."