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Scoreline secondary as Webster buoyed by young Warriors' rise
Sport Nation • February 19th, 2026 3:18 pm
Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi | Photo: Photosport
Coach Andrew Webster isn't letting the scoreline in the Warriors' pre-season defeat to Manly last weekend detract from what he believes was a hugely encouraging display from some of the squad's emerging talent.
Despite the 33-18 defeat, Webster said he had plenty of reasons to smile in Napier - the undeniable highlight being the brilliant individual try scored by hooker Makaia Tafua.
"Those young kids had the opportunity to chase down that score and I thought they were going about it in the right manner," said Webster.
"I don't think I've ever been so excited when young Maka scored that try from dummy half or jacked through that ball out of the top.
"It was a trial match and I was getting probably a bit carried away with how happy I was that we were trying to win the game and kept going."
Tafua's wizardry was part of an impressive late shift by some of the extended bench, with Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi also among the tryscorers.
Overall, Webster was impressed by the way his wider squad seized their chance.
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"I said to them before the game boys, I said 'look, this is an opportunity for every single person in the room to elevate their career'.
Either cement a spot round one, be closer to round one or for the young guy just saying, 'well geez, he's got something'. Even just to learn in that environment.
"There was a good crowd there, a lot of support. Just sitting on the bench for a long period of time and then thinking 'how am I going to go on and do my job?'.
"I thought they learned a lot and I just loved the way they went about it."
The team now turn their attention to the Dolphins, who they'll face in their final preseason fixture at Leichardt Oval on Friday night.
They'll do with some seriously depleted halves stocks, after Te Maire Martin's broken leg in Sunday's All Stars game, while Chanel Harris-Tavita is nursing a minor calf injury.
Webster said they'd be leaning heavily on both Tanah Boyd and new recruit Luke Hanson, whose jib his coach is liking the cut of.
Jett Cleary is also on the mend from a groin injury and is easing back to a full workload with an eye to availability for round one.
"We've got options there. People will stand up and fall on their own.
"I've got faith in those guys. Luke Hanson's had a great pre-season. He just keeps doing his job every day, puts himself in his place."
