You just know what RTS will bring to what may be one of the most exciting and intense off seasons for the Warriors. We are reinserting one of the most hardest trainers on the park into a system which has already strived under
Andrew Webster in 2023. RTS will bring more energy and work ethic which is just awesome.
How strong is fullback promised to
CNK? Or is it a loose arrangement until off season kicks off. No doubt
CNK should remain fullback, but i think we also have to be realistic about what each player possesses in the position of Centre and Fullback before making the final call.
Lets just consider some of the key stats from both players in their time with the Warriors at a similar age of around 27, and then factor in their best possible positions for the Warriors in 2024 despite what might be the obvious as we have heard from Webster.
CNK - 28 Years of age
Running Meters - averaged 159m with the Raiders and 169m with Warriors which includes 2017 and 2023 (188m) seasons.
Try Assists - 8 total for Warriors and 9 total for Raiders
Line Break Assists - 12 total for Warriors and 18 total for raiders
Defence - lets call it 85% efficiency
RTS - 30 years of age
Running Meters - just focusing on the past 3 years 2019 - 2021 - 200+ average meters and a total average of 195m across total Warriors career.
Try Assists - 38 total for Warriors
Line Break Assists - 64 total for Warriors
Defence - lets call it 69% efficiency
Based on the above, you would think that you are likely to extract more potency from RTS in a fullback position then you would in at Centre. Defensively you trust
CNK so can he emulate that in the Centre position as his game is more built of effort and consistency.
If age is a factor then I think you totally squash that because James Tedesco is also 30 and rediscovered his form for the Roosters at the back end of this season.
The way our forwards and attack worked through the middle this year made me think about the amount of opportunities which RTS would have had with his footwork and speed (not that he is that quick mind you).
This off season is sure to be interesting because I don't think that we will see a straight forward plan for the fullback and Centre role.