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Despite the guarantee of another finals fixture to come, Warriors captain Tohu Harris said there was no chance of him sitting out this weekend’s game to nurse his troublesome back, in what is the most fun NRL season of his career.
The talismanic loose forward returns to the lineup for Saturday evening’s qualifying final against the Penrith Panthers in Sydney, sure that adrenaline will kick in to help his cause once he gets on the paddock at BlueBet Stadium.
Harris was one of several frontliners rested from last Saturday’s final-round defeat to the Dolphins in Brisbane, though his was closer to an enforced absence given the tightness that had built in his back over the past couple of weeks, and the threat of a plane ride making it even worse.
But, given the Warriors again face a trans-Tasman trip this week, and they know they have a home playoff (semifinal next weekend if they lose, preliminary final the weekend following if they win) already in the bank, too, was giving the back another week to heal a consideration?
“No chance,” Harris declared at Wednesday’s media session at Mt Smart Stadium.
“My back’s good.
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Tohu Harris was never considering sitting out another week to rest up his back problem.
“The staff did a good job of pulling me out of different contact sessions, and then obviously missing the game and not having to travel on an aeroplane, that’s massive.
“So just having that extra week for it has been great. And once we get out to the field the adrenaline will take care of the rest. It’s not going to be a problem at all.”
And while prop Addin Fonua-Blake admitted he would have liked to have played the Dolphins last weekend, but had to bow to coach Andrew Webster’s call to give him a breather, this week is a different ball-game, with Webster adamant there were no thoughts of holding anyone back if they didn’t have to.
“No, we’re here to win, we’re not putting anyone on ice,” he said.
“If people don’t play that’ll be because they can’t deliver their best, and Tohu can deliver his best. He’s our captain, he’s tough, he’s played in big games, so he’s perfect. I’m glad to have him.”
While the first-year, wonder-working coach said there was no plan to manage his skipper’s workload in the clash against the minor premiers, he did, however, hint that the 31-year-old’s minutes could potentially be tweaked.
“I have a plan on how our minutes have to look against this team with what we need, so Tohu could be in for a long night, or he could be in for a short, but sharp, night,” Webster teased. “But I’ll wait until game day until anyone sees that.”
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Tohu Harris says Warriors coach Andrew Webster has been a big factor in making this the most fun NRL season of his career.
In the 20 games Harris has played this year, he has gone 80 minutes in eight of them – including the Warriors’ only regular season meeting with the Panthers, which was an 18-6 defeat in Brisbane in Magic Round – and 70-plus minutes in five others.
The 217-gamer, who retained the captaincy for a second-straight season despite the coaching change at the club, is leader in not just name, but also nature, including topping the side’s tackle count (770) this year.
But it’s not been all work and no play for the hard-nosed middle man, who reckons that this, his 11th season in first grade, has been the most enjoyable of his career. That’s despite two grand-final-making years with the powerhouse Melbourne Storm, including a premiership in his final season there in 2017.
“It probably is,” he said, when asked if this was the most fun he has had in this tough grind of a competition, quipping that Webster is a big part of that and “laughs a bit more” than master Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy.
“I’ve been fortunate to have some really successful years, and be a part of some sides that have done some great things in the competition,” Harris continued. “But I think being younger back then, I was probably a bit more stressed at getting my role done and keeping my spot in the side and all that sort of stuff – the external pressures that come with playing footy.
“This year I’m a lot more relaxed and enjoying those moments, instead of worrying. All that’s left now is to have that success that I’ve had with those other teams.”
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