2023 Preview: Warriors

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Warriors return to New Zealand as finals drought grows longer.

2022 was a disaster for the Warriors. Playing the majority of their season out of Redcliffe, the Warriors fell to 15th - their lowest season-end result since 1998. Head coach Nathan Brown quit mid-season, seemingly choosing to end his coaching career rather than relocate to New Zealand.

In 2023, it will be Andrew Webster at the helm for the Warriors. Moving from an assistant role at the back-to-back premiers in Penrith, Webster will take on his first full time role as an NRL-level head coach. He first spent time at the Warriors in 2015 as an assistant coach, and will return to Auckland with the big task of lifting this side back into finals football.

They started their pre-season with a bang, smashing a weak Tigers outfit 48-12 in Auckland. A week later, they travelled to Christchurch to face Melbourne in front of a strong crowd of 12,000 in one of the cities vying for the 18th NRL franchise. Despite being defeated by the Storm, New Zealand can take plenty of positives from the Pre-Season Challenge into the season proper. The Warriors will begin their NRL campaign against Newcastle at the home of the A-League's Phoenix - Wellington's Sky Stadium. It will be their tenth NRL match played in Wellington.

Why They'll Win It

After spending the better part of three years stuck in Australia, in 2023 the New Zealand Warriors make their return home for a full season. Not just Auckland-based fans will have the chance to watch their side, but with the Warriors taking games to Napier and Wellington this season, they'll feel right at home with plenty of support in the stands.

Despite being an away game, the Warriors will also take to the field in Hamilton thanks to the Wests Tigers taking their home game across the ditch.

Why They Won't

Their spine has plenty of question marks around it, and depth is another issue for the Warriors. Combine this uncertainty with a new and largely untested head coach in Andrew Webster, and it's hard to see the Warriors performing with any level of consistency in 2023.

Key Player

Now entering his third year with the Warriors, Addin Fonua-Blake has proved to be a consistent front row option for the New Zealand side. He made four World Cup appearances for Tonga at the back-end of last year, in a campaign that took his side to a quarter-final.

Now 27, Fonua-Blake is one of the more experienced heads in the Warriors team. He has seven years of NRL experience under his belt, but has only played finals in two of those seasons. The Warriors will be looking to use his recent World Cup experience to help get themselves back into the top eight.

Rookie to Watch

20 year old Ronald Volkman will be wanting to build on his recent NRL debut last season. The half is contracted with the Warriors until the end of 2025, showing that the club see plenty of potential in him, and perhaps see him as their long-term five-eighth.

Volkman joined the Warriors reserve grade set-up from the North Sydney Bears in mid-2022, and after playing just two games for Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup, he was rewarded with his NRL debut - partnering Shaun Johnson in the halves in a heavy loss to Penrith.

A shoulder injury prematurely ended his season, but following successful surgery Volkman will be confident of getting some more NRL games under his belt throughout the Warriors' 2023 campaign.

2023 Warriors squad

Player Movement

Gains: Marata Niukore (Parramatta), Luke Metcalf (Cronulla), Dylan Walker (Manly), Mitchell Barnett (Newcastle), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Canberra), Te Maire Martin (Brisbane), Jackson Ford (St George Illawarra), Brayden Wiliame (Perpignan)

Losses: Kodi Nikorima (South Sydney, during 2022), Matt Lodge (Sydney, during 2022), Jesse Arthars (loan - return to Brisbane), Euan Aitken (Dolphins), Reece Walsh (Brisbane), Eliesa Katoa, Aaron Pene (Melbourne), Daejarn Asi, Jack Murchie (Parramatta), Ben Murdoch-Masila (St George Illawarra), Dunamis Lui (Redcliffe), Iliesa Ratuva, Pride Petterson-Robati (released), Ash Taylor, Chanel Harris-Tavita (retired)

Predicted 17

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Marcelo Montoya
3. Rocco Berry
4. Adam Pompey
5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Wayde Egan
10. Bunty Afoa
11. Tohu Harris
12. Mitch Barnett
13. Jazz Tevaga

14. Dylan Walker
15. Jackson Ford
16. Marata Niukore
17. Josh Curran

2023 Warriors fixtures

Some statistics courtesy RLP.