User Blog Riverina Pub - Five Keys to Warriors winning the Premiership in 2026

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What's this talk about winning the Premiership??????
Well we finished in the Top 8 this year and gave Panthers a decent run for their money in our playoff round which makes me think we are not far off the mark of winning it all if a few key factors occur. Firstly though some disclaimers. Please don't read this article at all if you think rugby league is complex and there are 1000 different things that can happen in a season and most of them need to go right not just five factors. I personally like to distill matches down to a few key turning point moments, and the success of seasons down to a few key factors and I realise that approach simply doesn't work for some of you and if you are one of those people with that view point then this article is not for you.
Please also don't read this article if you think we have zero chance of winning. Webster will believe we can win it and will be drawing plans right now to lift the trophy in 2026.

Right - still with me? Still reading? Here are the factors to us achieving glory.

Factor One: Luke Metcalf needs to be healthy and needs to win the Dally M half back of the year award. This is not impossible since he was leading the voting early doors last season. I think the reasons why this factor is critical are self explanatory and we simply won't win the trophy unless he leads us from an offensive perspective.

Factor Two: Something needs to break in our favour at fullback. Either CNK finds vintage form. Or Taine recovers quickly from a broken leg and is a revelation during pre-season and forces the coaches into making a change. Or Kalyn Ponga actually does come here in 2026.

Factor Three: We need to discover a 4th option at centre who is not a second rower. I have no faith in Rocco Berry and Ali Leiataua playing a large number of games and it is proving to disruptive to our pack to play Capewell there. Even if the option is, for games where we are caught short, for CNK to play Centre and Taine to play fullback. Or even TMM if we train him there in pre-season.

Factor Four: Assuming we don't acquire a depth prop then TSS needs to have a strong off season and learn better defence. His tackle stats were poor last year.

Factor Five: Rub our rabbits feet and stay relatively injury free as a team next year. I read an article some years ago that said the winning teams are ones which had a good run with injuries. Teams who have a star go down injured talk a big game about next man up, but it usually spells, with some exceptions, the end of the season.

We were not far off beating Panthers in the finals and had Barnett and Metcalf played then we likely would have advanced to the second round in my humble opinion. I am not saying next year is the Warriors year, I am saying if those 5 things go right I can see us holding the trophy. We finished 6th this year and were in amongst it. No reason not to aim up this year.

What say you? What are the 5 factors in your opinion?

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

View attachment 15050

What's this talk about winning the Premiership??????
Well we finished in the Top 8 this year and gave Panthers a decent run for their money in our playoff round which makes me think we are not far off the mark of winning it all if a few key factors occur. Firstly though some disclaimers. Please don't read this article at all if you think rugby league is complex and there are 1000 different things that can happen in a season and most of them need to go right not just five factors. I personally like to distill matches down to a few key turning point moments, and the success of seasons down to a few key factors and I realise that approach simply doesn't work for some of you and if you are one of those people with that view point then this article is not for you.
Please also don't read this article if you think we have zero chance of winning. Webster will believe we can win it and will be drawing plans right now to lift the trophy in 2026.

Right - still with me? Still reading? Here are the factors to us achieving glory.

Factor One: Luke Metcalf needs to be healthy and needs to win the Dally M half back of the year award. This is not impossible since he was leading the voting early doors last season. I think the reasons why this factor is critical are self explanatory and we simply won't win the trophy unless he leads us from an offensive perspective.

Factor Two: Something needs to break in our favour at fullback. Either CNK finds vintage form. Or Taine recovers quickly from a broken leg and is a revelation during pre-season and forces the coaches into making a change. Or Kalyn Ponga actually does come here in 2026.

Factor Three: We need to discover a 4th option at centre who is not a second rower. I have no faith in Rocco Berry and Ali Leiataua playing a large number of games and it is proving to disruptive to our pack to play Capewell there. Even if the option is, for games where we are caught short, for CNK to play Centre and Taine to play fullback. Or even TMM if we train him there in pre-season.

Factor Four: Assuming we don't acquire a depth prop then TSS needs to have a strong off season and learn better defence. His tackle stats were poor last year.

Factor Five: Rub our rabbits feet and stay relatively injury free as a team next year. I read an article some years ago that said the winning teams are ones which had a good run with injuries. Teams who have a star go down injured talk a big game about next man up, but it usually spells, with some exceptions, the end of the season.

We were not far off beating Panthers in the finals and had Barnett and Metcalf played then we likely would have advanced to the second round in my humble opinion. I am not saying next year is the Warriors year, I am saying if those 5 things go right I can see us holding the trophy. We finished 6th this year and were in amongst it. No reason not to aim up this year.

What say you? What are the 5 factors in your opinion?

Lots of conversation pieces in there, so I’m going to propose some different stuff

1 - Leka needs to become a dominant force. More minutes, maintain form across the season and most importantly, build attacking structures around him. This could mean a try a game extra.

2 - with R360 done, RTS is locked in on one wing and he needs to maintain player of the year standards with no drop off. On the other wing AKP needs to take the position and develop his defence. Strong well rounded wings solidify the team.

3 - our forward pack is the key to dominating possession and setting up the platform for success. We talk about injuries, our ‘golden triangle’ has to play the majority of the season - Clarke, Barnett and Fish. Platform laid.

4 - Metcalf doesn’t need to win Daly M. But Metcalf AND CHT need to be the dominant halves pairing in the NRL and going next level by unlocking attacking threats with planned moves (Leka, RTS, AKP, Vaimauga, etc).

5 - our strength is our depth and we need continuous improvement in the squad, when they inevitably come on. TSS needs to put on another 8kgs Laban needs to learn some mongrel, Gannon needs to get up to the speed of the NRL fast, etc. I’m picking Vaimaunga to go beast mode this year!

 

[Muddogz]

1) Luck with injuries, injuries to key players played a big part to derailing our season, to win the comp we’ll need close to a full strength side most games.

2) AKP was the joint fastest player to fifty tries in NRL history. His speed is badly needed and will provide opportunities for the players around him. Question marks over his attitude and especially his defence and decision making. Webby needs to get the best out of him if we are to have a chance this year.

3) Make Mt Smart a fortress. We won two of our last eight games at home. Needs to be a place where teams expect to lose.

4) We have a great core of young forwards, but they need to take another step this season. Halasima and Vaimauga have the potential to be the best in their position in the NRL, while Laban, EIT, TSS and Fatialofa all show promise and hopefully will all put pressure on for spots in the 17.

5) The right choice at fullback, CNK, Tuapiki and RTS all have their own strength and weaknesses. Webby will need to choose well as it’s a position we aren’t as talented in as others.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Make the finals and win all the finals games.

 

[sup42]

1) We maintain what is good, we hold onto the essence that is there from 2023 and 2025.

It gets on my tits that people ignore that the Warriors will never get anywhere until they make defence their first priority. It does my head in because I have seen this movie so many times.

Let me remind you, we get a good bland tacklebot team, lead by Simon Mannering, the club starts to be more consistent under Ivan Cleary's boring style....but we are also over reliant on a Rocks and Diamonds shit defender Prop sized Winger that loses us a bunch of games too and is the wrong type of player if you want to win a GF.

RInse and repeat with Konrad Hurrell....Greatest attacking Center in the NRL...worst defender...laziest player....

We hope we are not about to see a rinse and repeat with AKP.....

We all know we need more strike...but let me promise you...if we get it wrong....we will become one of these teams that wins one week by forty....loses the next week by fifty.....that is the Warriors disease right there.

So...FORGET all you plans and changes if they end up seeing us lose our consistency we have built over three years of hard work under one coach.

2. Find players that can improve the ball movement of the Warriors. Ours is shit, we look nothing like the slick Raiders, Storm, Panthers, Broncos....because our players cannot pass a ball.

This is why you need guys like Gannon to work out, him and Linane, because I am sorry to say this, but CHT, TMM, CNK, RTS, are just not good enough with ball distribution.

3. Linked to step two, Speed. Faster players with faster ball movement.
That would see Linane crack it at Fullback, we know he is fast, we know he has half skills, we know would be infinitely better at ball play than our incumbent fullbacks.

The rest of a five point list is nice to haves not essentials.

Injury is outside your control.

Although if I was to make a fourth step it would be Depth.

We need back up Props for the two good starters and we need depth for those troubling back positions.

But hey, if Barnett and JFH stayed fit all season prop depth is a non issue, does not make the list of need to haves, because it is a nice to have.

The end.

 

[Milking!]

1. Attack!!! Our defence got us into finals, but we only scored more points than five train-wreck teams. Can the threat and effectiveness of AKP, Metcalf, Leka make it easy for us to score off structured attack …
2. … which ties into the injury bug. Barney, Metcalf most obviously - but also Laban, Ali and Berry - each of those caused a waterfall of changes to the backline attack and the bench in general. Put those five back in, and that’s a scary times 17.
3. Hooker rotation - Egan is probably our all-time best hooker, and behind our full-strength pack is a weapon. Buuuut the season is too long for his style and body to hold up for 27 games and finals - can Webby trust Healey to consistently give 20-30mins a game to a: preserve Egan, b: give Healey some FG reps to increase his skills and confidence and c: give us a legit change up.
4. Charge of the youth brigade: Leka needs to consistently start, Vaimaunga needs more minutes, AKP, Ali, Laban and Berry need to put heat on the incumbents and Webby gives them the keys and opportunities - even if it hurts a few egos
5. The back three mix - DWZ, RTS and CNK are all kinda the same - we need some variety that ideally has creativity on the attack and isn’t disastrous on defence. RTS is bolted on at wing, but between CNK and DWZ - you’d hope Webby has thrown out the challenge to them and the new guard at the start of the season - here are jerseys up for grabs, come grab one if you’re good enough. If we don’t, I fear another anemic attacking season lies ahead

 

[Dannevegas]

New Fullback
Healey at 9
Metcalf to fire
Young, Speedy Arrogont backs lol
Max out Testosterone

 

[Theking267]

New Fullback
Healey at 9
Metcalf to fire
Young, Speedy Arrogont backs lol
Max out Testosterone

Khan-Pereira should be in for a big season. Particularly with our playmakers & how well the left side contributed in terms of tries

 

[Kav1]

DWZ to fullback
Need another centre with good all round ability
Halves same
Forwards same but Egan given same time as Healy
TMM on the bench