Player Kodi Nikorima

Kodi Nikorima

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Broncos rocked by Warriors poaching raid of playmaker Kodi Nikorima
Peter Badel - The Courier-Mail
April 28, 2019 9:09am

The Warriors are targeting Kodi Nikorima to solve their playmaking crisis in a move that could end the Brisbane halfback’s career at the Broncos within weeks.

The Courier-Mail understands the Warriors will table a formal offer in the next 48 hours in a bombshell development for Nikorima as he prepares for Thursday night’s Broncos-Souths grudge match.

The clash at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium against his former coach Wayne Bennett could be Nikorima’s 87th and final game for the Broncos with Brisbane considering an immediate release to the Warriors.

Kodi Nikorima could be on the way out of Red Hill. Picture: Annette Dew

The 25-year-old was first linked with a move to the Warriors last December.

Nikorima has been made aware of the Warriors’ poaching bid and would be devastated at the thought of leaving a Broncos club that has groomed him for the NRL since his teen years in Brisbane’s under-20s ranks.

The veteran of 13 Tests for New Zealand has consistently maintained he can succeed at halfback but the Broncos’ sluggish 2-5 start this season has not helped his prospects of being Brisbane’s long-term No.7.

Nikorima has had a tough start to 2019. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is developing young halfbacks Sean O’Sullivan, Tom Dearden, Cory Paix and Tanah Boyd, raising the possibility Brisbane could send Nikorima back to the bench as a No.14 super-sub next season.

But Nikorima may not last that long at Red Hill if the injury-ravaged Warriors can get their man as soon as possible.

The Kiwi outfit have had their scrumbase decimated with Shaun Johnson’s off-season move to Cronulla compounded by a groin injury to his one-time halves partner Blake Green.

Such is their plight, the Warriors were forced to use back-rower Tohu Harris in the halves alongside four-game rookie Chanel Harris-Tavita in their Anzac Day clash against Melbourne last Thursday night.

Nikorima is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2020 but the Warriors are keen to tempt him with a lucrative offer, potentially spanning three seasons beyond this year.

Warriors coach Steve Kearney worked with Nikorima as a former assistant at the Broncos and the pair share the same manager, the NRL’s most powerful agent Isaac Moses.

The Broncos were hoping the Milford-Nikorima alliance would work but the pint-sized pair have never really clicked since joining forces last season following Ben Hunt’s departure to the Dragons.

In the wake of Brisbane’s 29-6 defeat of Cronulla on Saturday night, Broncos prop Matt Lodge praised Nikorima, saying he is an NRL-quality halfback.

“All our forwards have trust in ‘Milf’ (Milford) to get the job done and Kodi is just as dangerous,” he said.

“I’d hate to be tackling him because he’s short and explosive.

“He can just break games open when we need points. Kodi is a threat. He’s just got to run the ball.”

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[AlexM]

This post is 12 months old now. Wondering if people have a more positive view of Kodi now? I feel he’s still underrated by the fan base.

I think If channel Can develop a great long kicking game he covers most of kOdis deficiencies pretty well and vice versa.
I rate the guy after watching him get mom in England.
I'm fine with our halves tbh.
It's good to hear in an earlier interview ChT has been watching footage of DCE and Cleary, guys he needs to model his game on.

 

[BeastMode]

I still question his durability as the #1 option in the halves

CHT and Kodi maybe useful for a handful of games but a full nrl season? Doubtful

We still need a dominant half

 

[Noitall]

I still question his durability as the #1 option in the halves

CHT and Kodi maybe useful for a handful of games but a full nrl season? Doubtful

We still need a dominant half

I see on the Warriors site squad for next year he’s listed at halfback along with CHT and Sean O’Sullivan and the five eighths are Paul Turner and Hayze Perham. Does that put Jayden Nikorima as the third five eighth in the squad. Really light on halves depth, huge amount of props and only two hookers with one spot to be filled with Montoya signing and Paasi leaving

 

[Panther]

I still question his durability as the #1 option in the halves

CHT and Kodi maybe useful for a handful of games but a full nrl season? Doubtful

We still need a dominant half

I think the only time he has been asked to play the dominant half role was in the Bulldogs game when Turner played. The game manager role was played by either Green or CHT. With Green he was primarily used on the left, outside Green or at first receiver if the play ran down a narrow left side. When CHT came in the only change was he shifted to the right but still primarily played outside the 7. He isn't a dominant half but given the career stage of Green and CHT it would have been great to see him at first receiver more consistently in attacking plays. As we saw with the change in style following SK's departure it seems more to be team structure than the decision of the individual.

For all the comments about his pay packet, he isn't paid the salary of a dominant half.

 

[Defence]

Kodie ranked 7th best 5/8 in the nrl in a slightly strange list..

NRL 2020 Power Rankings: Five-eighths 16-1

NRL 2020 Power Rankings: Five-eighths 16-1

www.sportingnews.com

For those that can’t be bothered opening it...
10 brown
9 mann
8 Marshall
7 nikorima
6 Munster (Seems low?)
5 sj
4 Luai
3 Wighton
2 walker
1 kearey

 

[Blain]

That is an odd list. Swap Luai and Muster, Brown down to 7, Nikorima to 8 IMO.

The hard thing about 6 is some are genuine playmaking halves playing 6, where as some are just running/support players.

 

[Mr Brownstone]

Kodie ranked 7th best 5/8 in the nrl in a slightly strange list..

NRL 2020 Power Rankings: Five-eighths 16-1

NRL 2020 Power Rankings: Five-eighths 16-1

www.sportingnews.com

For those that can’t be bothered opening it...
10 brown
9 mann
8 Marshall
7 nikorima
6 Munster (Seems low?)
5 sj
4 Luai
3 Wighton
2 walker
1 kearey

Keary has to be one of the most overrated players in the comp. Put him in an average side and he wouldn’t stand out. As I’ve said before, not a big fan of Wighton either relative to the superlatives directed his way. My order would be Munster 1st, SJ 2nd, Walker 3rd, Luai 4th, Wighton 5th.

 

[Worried2Death]

Keary has to be one of the most overrated players in the comp. Put him in an average side and he wouldn’t stand out. As I’ve said before, not a big fan of Wighton either relative to the superlatives directed his way. My order would be Munster 1st, SJ 2nd, Walker 3rd, Luai 4th, Wighton 5th.

Wighton's got the edge on the others for physical strength and brute force at the line, seen him bash through forwards to score unlikely halves tries, gives Ricky another card up his sleeve, not a bad centre either.

 

[wizards rage]

Keary has to be one of the most overrated players in the comp. Put him in an average side and he wouldn’t stand out. As I’ve said before, not a big fan of Wighton either relative to the superlatives directed his way. My order would be Munster 1st, SJ 2nd, Walker 3rd, Luai 4th, Wighton 5th.

More accurate, I would have had Benji in the top 5 this year as well based on form

 

[Mr Brownstone]

Wighton's got the edge on the others for physical strength and brute force at the line, seen him bash through forwards to score unlikely halves tries, gives Ricky another card up his sleeve, not a bad centre either.

Yeah agreed that’s a relative strength, however I’m far from convinced he’s got many others. His defence at centre has been ordinary in the first two origin games. Not as overrated as Keary, who benefited a lot from playing alongside Mitchell & Teddy in 2018/19, however still not close to what the media try to suggest.

 

[Worried2Death]

Yeah agreed that’s a relative strength, however I’m far from convinced he’s got many others. His defence at centre has been ordinary in the first two origin games. Not as overrated as Keary, who benefited a lot from playing alongside Mitchell & Teddy in 2018/19, however still not close to what the media try to suggest.

I've probably watched him run through our forwards too many times, for some reason everyone suddenly turns into an immortal when they play us.

 

[Panther]

16 Cust ????
15 Milford ($1mill)
14 Norman ($800k)
13 Drinkwater ????
12 Foran ($1.2mill)
11 Taylor ($1mill)
10 brown ($700k)
9 mann ????
8 Marshall ???
7 Nikorima ($500-600k?)
6 Munster ($800K)
5 SJ ($1mill)
4 Luai ???
3 Wighton ($750k)
2 walker ($650k)
1 Keary ($1mill)

Doesn't mean much other than:
1. you are better off not wasting your cap on average halves just because they play in the spine.
2. the Warriors relatively have invested little in the 6 and 7 jerseys.

 

[Mr Frank White]

16 Cust ????
15 Milford ($1mill)
14 Norman ($800k)
13 Drinkwater ????
12 Foran ($1.2mill)
11 Taylor ($1mill)
10 brown ($700k)
9 mann ????
8 Marshall ???
7 Nikorima ($500-600k?)
6 Munster ($800K)
5 SJ ($1mill)
4 Luai ???
3 Wighton ($750k)
2 walker ($650k)
1 Keary ($1mill)

Doesn't mean much other than:
1. you are better off not wasting your cap on average halves just because they play in the spine.
2. the Warriors relatively have invested little in the 6 and 7 jerseys.

Looks like $700-$800k is the sweet spot for value vs output.
A lot of other factors at play though. Is SJ worth 200k more than Munster? I guess with the players around you maybe...

 

[Dixpat]

Kodi has exercised his option for 2022

 

[bruce]

Wighton's got the edge on the others for physical strength

The guy is a typical aggro western NSW bogun. Sticky knows how to handle those guys.

 

[bruce]

Kodi has exercised his option for 2022

I don't get the hate for Kodi. he is no SJ, but is far more reliable and probably a better kicking game.

 

[Barty]

I don't get the hate for Kodi. he is no SJ, but is far more reliable and probably a better kicking game.

My dead grandmother has a better chance of 'consistently' defending in a system than he does!

 

[bruce]

My dead grandmother has a better chance of 'consistently' defending in a system than he does!

As you claim she is dead, you are talking absolute shite.

 

[Aman]

His defence is meh and he goes missing like everyone else from time to time but he's our best option right now for stability. He just looks like he's in second gear, wish he would develope a little bit more agro.

 

[bruce]

His defence is meh and he goes missing like everyone else from time to time but he's our best option right now for stability. He just looks like he's in second gear, wish he would develope a little bit more agro.

Yes, and how much is he costing? Just look at the teams that went overboard on a fancy half e.g. Manly with DCE.