NRL: The man behind NZ Warriors' 'next man up' philosophy

RNZ News

16 hours ago

Warriors hooker Sam Healey is the latest to stake his claim on more first-grade minutes.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Only a few hours out from kickoff, NZ Warriors hooker Wayde Egan succumbs to a niggly hip injury and his understudy is thrust into the starting line-up to face Cronulla Sharks.
This is where David Tangata-Toa earns his salary.
Halfway through a season when the Auckland club hovers near the top of the NRL table, igniting hopes that this may finally be that elusive championship year, the secret to its success lies far beyond its star-studded premier team.
"One of the best things is the boys made a pact themselves that
they wanted to be a squad this year
," coach Andrew Webster said last month, as he surveyed a roster depleted by injuries.
"It's going to be a squad that wins this, not just 17 players that play Round 1. We're certainly finding that out."
With Egan gone,
newcomer Sam Healey received the call-up
from reserve grade and a chance to show his junior club, where dad Mitch played more than 200 games in the 1990s, just what it let slip through its fingers.
In 47 minutes, he ran for 71 metres - all but four from dummy half - and made 27 tackles, as the Warriors
produced their most complete performance so far for a 40-10 win over Cronulla
.
Healey's seamless inclusion epitomised the 'next man up' mentality that has served the programme so well and, as 'transition coach', Tangata-Toa has been one of the drivers of that philosophy.
Earlier in the day, he guided his reserve side to victory over Newtown Jets, avenging their only defeat so far this season and maintaining their five-point advantage atop the NSW Cup competition.
"We all want to be successful and, at the end of the day, coaches get judged on results," Tangata-Toa said. "Where I get my satisfaction from is seeing guys debuting, and then going up and doing a really good job.
"On the weekend, Sam Healey was such a great story, playing against his old club, where he couldn't quite get an opportunity and relocated to New Zealand - he jumps in and does a really good job.
"I've only coached Sam this year and have played hardly any role in that, but just to see a kid step up like that… it's great to see these kids realise their dreams and, if you can be around that, it's pretty cool."
In his second NRL game, Healey was not the only one of Tangata-Toa's proteges on display against the Sharks. With co-captain
Mitch Barnett sidelined by ruptured knee ligaments
for the rest of the season, forward Tanner Stowers-Smith also made his second appearance off the bench, after debuting against the Dolphins last month.
He'll likely build on that opportunity, as the campaign progresses.
Through 14 rounds, others like Taine Tuaupiki, Ed Kosi, Ali Leiataua, Rocco Berry, Bunty Afoa and Te Maire Martin have played for both premiers and reserves, where they wait in the wings for their next chance to step into the spotlight.
Whenever they are promoted, their replacements in reserve grade are often drawn from the Jersey Flegg (U21) programme.
Tangata-Toa's role is threefold - he's hired to win games and prepare his players to perform at first grade when required, while helping develop the 'next' next wave of teenagers for the future, but not necessarily in that order.
David Tangata-Toa is at the forefront of the Warriors' 'next man up' mentality.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"Reserve grade I see as a development team," he said. "My role is to develop these players and get them ready for first grade, when they're called upon by Webby.
"Obviously, if you can win some games along the way, that's development as well, because you have to teach the young kids how to win, so when they do get to first grade, there's that expectation of winning games.
"The development side of it is super important around that 'next man up' mentality, so when they're called upon, they can do a job in the top grade."
Tangata-Toa held similar development roles at Penrith Panthers, North Queensland Cowboys and Canterbury Bulldogs, but was summoned to Auckland, when Webster became head coach at the Warriors.
The pair had crossed paths at Hull Kingston Rovers 15 years earlier, when Webster was an assistant and academy coach, and Tangata-Toa was ending his playing career.
"Webby was actually my coach at Hull KR, but he was a year younger than me," he said. "We became friends there, and always coached against each other and kept in touch.
"There was a position open up here so he rang me, as I was coming off contract at the Bulldogs, to see if I would relocate. We nutted it out and moved the family over here - it's been a good move."
The Warriors reserves have reached the NSW Cup semis over the previous two years, but have been depleted when injuries to the top side pull players from the next level down.
Last season, only Barnett and Jackson Ford played through the first 14 rounds.
Halfway through this year's schedule, the Warriors have had eight players turn out in every one of their 13 first-grade games - centre Adam Pompey, halves Chanel Harris-Tavita and Luke Metcalf, second-rower Kurt Capewell, and forwards Marata Niukore, Demitric Vaimauga and Leka Halasima.
That continuity has helped both teams maintain standards and build combinations, without dipping too deeply into the depth chart.
"We've been really lucky this year," Tangata-Toa said. "Compared to last year, first-grade haven't had a whole lot of injuries, so we've been pretty lucky in reserve grade to keep the majority of our squad together.
"There are a few changes every week, but last year, we were changing up to six players a week through injury and performance."
During its three-year Covid-enforced exile across the Tasman, the club had to abandon its supplementary teams - including the NRLW side - as it focused on core business without the benefit of revenue from home games.
Since returning home, the Warriors have fielded teams in the major New South Wales competitions, taking back-to-back Harold Matthews Cup (U17) at their first two attempts.
"This is only the second year we've had all the junior pathway teams in the NSW competitions," Tangata-Toa said.
"NSW Cup [reserves] have been in for three years now and the club's done a really good job around that. The first year back, they made the semis, last year they made the semis and this year, halfway through the season, they're sitting on top.
"The club invests quite heavily in trying to keep those Kiwi kids at home, so we're starting to see some rewards around that."
With former first-grade coach Andrew McFadden guiding the club's pathways, homegrown players can now see a route from school and club footy into NRL, without having to leave New Zealand.
"The transition, you're starting to see it in the reserve grade competition," Tangata-Toa said.
Tanner Stowers-Smith will have more opportunities in first grade, with the season-ending injury to Mitch Barnett.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"Only four years ago, the age of the reserve competition, you'd see a lot of 26-27-year-olds still playing and they would make up the majority of reserve grade teams, whereas now, you're probably only seeing one or two of those players in the competition, and the rest are 20-21-year-olds."
The Warriors reserves are still well served by veterans with considerable first-grade experience.
Half Tanah Boyd, 24, crossed the ditch this year from Gold Coast Titans, where he logged 68 NRL games, while centre/winger Morgan Harper, 26, has made 64 appearances at Canterbury Bulldogs, Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels. Both are still awaiting their Warriors debuts.
Since arriving in 2022. hooker Freddy Lussick, 24, has played 40 games for the club, but has tumbled down the pecking order to the point where he sometimes has to wear the unfamiliar No.10 jersey to start in reserve grade this season.
Front-rower Afoa, 28, is the club's longest-serving player, after making his NRL debut in 2016, and has since amassed 145 games, including seven this season.
He's become a fan favourite for returning kickoffs from the back fence and is still more than capable of stepping into top grade when required. Afoa probably has several years left in his playing career, but his most important role now may be as mentor to the young forwards trying to supplant him.
That creates a delicate balancing act for Tangata-Toa, who must keep these journeymen motivated, while younger prospects are promoted around them.
"It's potentially a tricky one, but it probably comes down to the individual and their attitude around it," he said. "As a coach, you've got to keep an eye out for that, but I've been really impressed with the guys.
"There's a real connection, not just with the NRL and reserve grade, but the club in general, and that comes from Webby up top.
"There's never been once this year where I've had to question a bloke's attitude, because they were a bit filthy they weren't getting called upon - they were just really happy for their teammates.
"That's a rap on Webby as a head coach, that he's able to create this environment where everyone's in it for the right reasons."
Bunty Afoa is the Warriors' longest-serving player and an example to the new generation.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The reserves train alongside - and often against - the premiers each week, measuring themselves against those they are trying to replace. When one limps to the sideline, another instantly fills their spot.
"It's good to see these young boys coming through and getting the opportunity," lock Erin Clark said. "You never know when it comes and, when it does come, they're definitely ready, so that's good for us as a club.
"From the lower grades up, we all train the same system, so we definitely know the man that steps up is ready."
Last time the Warriors made the NRL Grand Final in 2011, club affiliate Auckland Vulcans also reached the NSW Cup final, while their U20 side won the National Youth Competition in extra time.
They seemed on the verge of a dynasty then, but while the juniors won again in 2014 - Afoa was part of that team - the reserves and premiers have never returned to the finals since.
Harold Matthews success may be an omen that reign may not be far off.
The Warriors have suffered a variety of body blows this season - they've lost Addin Fonua-Blake, Marcelo Montoya, Jazz Tevaga and Dylan Walker across the Tasman, captain Tohu Harris and superstar Shaun Johnson to retirement, and now skipper Barnett to injury - but so far, they've found a way to keep moving forward.
Much of that comes down to the job Tangata-Toa has done to prepare their replacements to answer the call.
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