Warriors not content with just making top four claims Addin Fonua-Blake

Addin Fonua-Blake is adamant the Warriors can beat the Panthers or Broncos in the NRL finals.

The Warriors prop had another outstanding game in the 18-6 win over the Dragons on Friday night, which cemented the team’s place in the top four.

Fonua-Blake ran the ball for 216 metres and scored a late try to clinch the game, the Warriors’ seventh win in a row.

The Warriors don’t know yet if they’ll play the Broncos or Panthers in week one of the finals, but Fonua-Blake is confident that whoever it is, they can come out on top.

“Definitely. I don’t think any team has really blown us away this year. We’ve played against them both and it was two tight games,” Fonua-Blake said, referring to the Warriors’ 18-6 loss to the Panthers and 26-22 defeat to the Broncos.

“Whichever team we come up against we’re not going to take a step backwards.”

Ask any Warriors fan before the season began what the team would need to do before it could be considered a success and they’d probably say a top-eight finish.

Having exceeded that, Fonau-Blake says the target is to go all the way.

“When you come into the season you set goals and the top four was one of them,” he said.

“Not many people backed us to make the top four, or the top eight.

“But our message now is let’s not be happy just making the top four, we don’t want to be there to make up the numbers.

“Obviously, there are two teams ahead of us who are heavy favourites, but we believe we can mix it with them.

“Whoever we get in the first week of the finals, we’ll come out and put our best foot forward.”

But before the Warriors take on either the Panthers or Broncos in a qualifying final there’s Saturday’s game against the Dolphins to get through.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster said he and his assistant will work out a plan for that game and it could be that a number of key players are rested, which was something he experienced the past couple of years when working under Ivan Cleary at the Panthers.

Given the workload Fonua-Blake has in games, he could be one of those players who gets a break, but he said his preference would be to play.

“It’s up to the coach. I’m happy to play,” he said.

“I like playing and I feel like having weeks off makes me a bit sluggish, after the byes. I don’t want to feel that way heading into the finals.

“Whatever team we come up against, I want to take the opportunity to go up against them with both hands.

“I’m happy to play, but if coach reckons it’s time to rest, then he makes those calls, he’s the boss.”

This is Fonua-Blake’s third season at the Warriors and by far his best. The former Sea Eagle believes he’s playing his best ever footy this year.

“It’s off the back of all the boys wanting to work hard,” he said.

“Everyone’s working hard and we’re getting things in the grind.

“We’re making them turn over the ball or make mistakes and stuff like that and I’m getting lucky off the back of it.

“Last year, with the way we were going towards the back end of the year, it was easy to put the cue in the rack when you know you’re out of touch for the finals.

“But this year we’ve been working hard, making our own luck and coming away with the two points more often than not.

“We know in the back of our heads that the more you work hard, the more the game is going to go in your favour.”

Ask Dallin Watene-Zelezniak why he’s having a great season and he’ll tell you it’s because he and his family feel settled, they’re relaxed and enjoying life living in Auckland. Fonua-Blake says it’s the same for him.

“Moving around a lot the last couple of years, I’m not using it as an excuse, but it was a distraction,” he said.

“They (his kids) went to four different schools in one year and that was hard for them.

“When everything is disrupted off the field, sometimes that carried over to on it too.

“There are reasons why I haven’t played too well in the past, but definitely being home and having the stability to go home to the same place for the whole year is making the boys happy.”