Warriors hooker Karl Lawton is set to mis the next 5-8 months after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery, per Stuff.nz.
Lawton is understood to have sustained the injury to his left leg during pre-season training with New Zealand in New South Wales.
Karl Lawton suffered an achilles injury at Warriors training that required surgery. Facing a usual recovery time of 5-8 months, won’t be fit til mid-late season at best. The 4th achilles rupture in the NRL for 2020, only 2 occurred from 2017-2019. Wish him the best with recovery pic.twitter.com/XhM5fOyGkl
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) December 20, 2020
The Warriors will now put their faith in the hands of sole No.9 Wade Egan, with coach Nathan Brown lacking in the dummy-half depths ahead of next season.
The Auckland-based club have been linked to New Zealand international and Melbourne star Brandon Smith, with Brown since backing in Lawton and Egan earlier this month instead of a move for the Storm hooker.
If Brown is to look further in-house, Kodi Nikorima could be the man to take on the No.9 role given his past with the Broncos.
Jazz Tevaga would be another viable option for Brown, who could also dip into his youthful stocks with inexperienced duo Temple Kalepo and Taniela Otukolo having promising campaigns in SG Ball.
good one Warriors say you’re not interested in one of the games best hookers who is a local kid, won a championship with the storm and just about to hit his prime and why? Cause you had faith in Egan a below-average hooker, and Lawton one of the most injury-prone players in the comp and someone who is average himself.
Warriors should absolutely sign Brandon Smith.
Id have it
1. RTS
2. Fusitua
3. Aiken
4. Hiku
5. Maumalo
6. CHT
7. Nikorima
8. Fonua-Blake
9. Smith
10. Tanou-Brown
11. Katoa
12. Harris
13. Tevaga
14. Turner
15. Ah Mau
16. Murchie
17. Murdoch-Masila
With two big front-rowers we should be able to gain momentum and have strong sets and then with Smith and Tevaga also in the middle we should have the mobility for defence. Play Paul Turner off the bench able to cover the backs and halves with Nikorima able to move into hooker if Smith needs a rest. Off the bench have the size and experience of Ah Mau and BMM coming into the middle
Strong forward pack swa9.
Centres are still pretty ordinary.
Halves . One may be good , but not much experience & the other is so, so.
Hooker is a weakness, as you say.