Squad casualties force creativity from Warriors

An unforgiving combination of COVID, sickness and injury has hit the Warriors this week, leaving their depleted coaching staff to prepare an unorthodox plan for Friday night’s match against the Eels.

The team has spent the week without head coach Stacey Jones after he tested positive for COVID, while veteran wing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (COVID), rookie playmaker Ronald Volkman (virus) and forward Bayley Sironen (fractured eye socket) are also out.

Assistant coach Justin Morgan said while they will play, fullback Reece Walsh is still getting back to fitness after contracting COVID at the end of last month and lock Jazz Tevaga is feeling the effects of the same virus which hit Volkman.

Walsh is unlikely to get through 80 minutes at fullback, while others in the middle may have to pick up extra minutes from Tevaga.

The Walsh situation is further complicated by his usual back-up, Chanel Harris-Tavita, being required in the halves, and along with the absence of the Watene-Zelezniak it could mean second-rower Euan Aitken and bench hooker Freddy Lussick have to spend time in the backline.

“We have got a couple of little contingency plans around interchange and trying to [help] if players need a rest somewhere during the game, without having to use an interchange,” Morgan said.

“We will just have to play it by ear.

“There was a bit of debate around ‘do we need to give [Reece] another week?’, but we don’t have that sort of luxury at the moment.

“There could have been the possibility with Dallin, if he was going to play, to swap with Reece for a little bit, but obviously that plan has been thrown into the bin.

“Throw into the mix that Jazz has been a bit ropey as well and you don’t want to put too much pressure on your middles to have to play big minutes.

It wouldn’t be a Warriors week if there wasn’t some kind of curve-ball somewhere in there.

Justin Morgan Warriors assistant coach

Morgan confirmed that while Volkman could have played in Round 18, a lack of preparation time coupled with his inexperience at NRL level meant coaching staff weren’t comfortable putting him on the field against Parramatta.

The personnel changes add to what has been a busy fortnight for the club, who on Tuesday confirmed Panthers assistant Andrew Webster as their new head coach for 2023.

They have also had to deal with the wave of media attention which followed the decision to grant Walsh an early release from his contract, and his subsequent signing with the Broncos.

That move could also have flow-on effects for the future of Warriors centre Jesse Arthars, who is due to return to Brisbane next year when his one-year loan at the Warriors concludes.

“I don’t know how that’ll play out… I’m not really too sure and I’m not even focussed about that yet,” Arthars said.

“I would say it [the discussion with the Broncos] will probably pop up soon.

“I have really enjoyed my time here at the club… we will see what happens.”