The New Zealand Warriors have hit the ground running in 2026, recording a three and zero start, one of their best starts in the club's history.
Meanwhile, they were hit with plenty of obstacles in the offseason, including the rehab of skipper Mitch Barnett and Luke Metcalf from ACL injuries, while Rocco Berry, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Marata Nuikore, and Chanel Harris-Tevita have all had disrupted preseasons.
It was no excuse for coach Andrew Webster, setting an expectation on the other squad members for a 'next man in' mentality, and the players did an excellent job.
Tanah Boyd is playing career-best footy, having his fingerprints on all the points across the Warriors' start to the season and controlling his side around the park nicely.
Although the real strike of the Warriors' side comes from their elite middles, and despite not being widely recognised amongst Australian media outlets, they boast the strongest forward pack in the NRL.
Zero Tackle ranked all 17 NRL teams' forward packs in the off-season, with the Warriors taking out the number one spot.
They have since proved why this was the case, playing with energy and enthusiasm, which sees them placed first on the ladder after three rounds.
Engine room
The enforcers of James Fisher-Harris and Demitric Vaimauga really set the tone of aggression up front.
With Fisher-Harris starting and Vaimauga coming off the bench, they never lose the mongrel and aggression during the match as they come on and off their stints.
Fisher-Harris is all go, competing in everything as you expect the multi-premiership winner would, and was shown when he backed up a linebreak like a fullback would for his try.
Throw in Jackson Ford into the mix, who, in his 100th NRL game, ran for a whopping 238 metres, playing the full game in the middle of the field on Saturday.
The Gerringong Lion junior is seriously having a year to remember, and has been rightfully thrown into NSW Blues squad conversations for his electric start for the Warriors.
After Round 3, Ford currently sits on top of the Dally M ladder and has a 92.4 per cent tackle efficiency in the first three weeks of the competition.
X-factor in the second-row
The edge second rowers for the Warriors are all class, Leka Halasima proving to be one of the game's elite young talents.
Halasima has all the trademarks you'd want in the modern-day second rower.
He's got strength, agility, can compete in the air, and is a nightmare to get to the ground as a defender.
He scored four tries in three appearances this year and will most certainly give Webster a selection headache when experienced back rower Kurt Capewell returns from a calf injury.
Marata Nuikore also made a successful return from a preseason calf injury off the bench for the Warriors.
The six-time New Zealand Kiwi player is as versatile as it gets.
Like Halasima, Nuikore can fill into the centre position if needed and won't look out of place if he finds his way into the middle.
Nuikore is a great interchange utility, running for 95 metres in his stint on return, and provides plenty of value for the Warriors, having a player of his calibre in the side.
Middle men and leadership
Erin Clark is proving time and time again how significant he is to this side.
The link between the forwards and the halves, Clark's impressive ball-playing and defensive grit got him the honours of Dally M Lock of the Year last season.
Clark is a defensive juggernaut for the Warriors.
He is currently one of the best defenders in the NRL, having only missed 2 tackles this year at a 97.1 per cent tackle efficiency.
Alongside him, they have the club skipper Barnett, who returned from a long-awaited ACL injury off the bench last weekend against his former club, the Newcastle Knights.
The NSW Blues representative solidifies the middle alongside Clark and came extremely sought after by many NRL clubs when he announced he would be leaving the Warriors to return to Australia next year.
Barnett is their on-field leader who will do wonders for the younger forwards such as Halasima and Vaimauga this year, improving their game to take over the mantle when he departs.
Barring injuries, expect the Warriors to go deep into the finals campaign this year, and with the return of halfback Luke Metcalf in a matter of weeks, it's an exciting time for Warriors fans.
