Pre season training for 2019.

[Rich102]

Several new faces are among the players on deck for the Vodafone Warriors' NRL preseason training programme.

General manager football Brian Smith has confirmed contract formalities have now been completed for former Penrith halfback Adam Keighran, who joins the club's 2019 NRL squad.

Keighran has appeared 26 times at Intrust Super Premiership level for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (2017) and the Penrith Panthers (2018).

A left-footed goal kicker, he scored 202 points in 23 games for Penrith this year (10 tries, 81 goals).

Fiji Bati centre Taane Milne, who played 18 NRL games for St George Illawarra in 2016-2017, has been signed on a trial contract as has another back Adam Pompey. He made 40 under-20 appearances for the Sydney Roosters in 2017 and 2018 and also debuted in the ISP for the Wyong Roos this year.

Signed on a development contract is prop Jackson Frei, another ex-Sydney Roosters under-20 and Wyong Roos ISP player.

Others confirmed on development contracts are:
• Paul Turner, a Northland rugby league product, who has been promoted from the Vodafone Warriors' Jersey Flegg squad.
• Eliesa Katoa, a much sought-after, athletic rugby union No 8 from the Tamaki College First XV.
• Selestino Ravutaumada, who starred for both the Rotorua Boys' High School First XV and First XIII; he also played for the New Zealand Secondary Schools (rugby league) in 2017.

Another player signed from a rugby union background is highly-touted back rower Neyla Masima, who starred for St Patrick's College, Silverstream, which again won Wellington's First XV title this year. He will join the club's Jersey Flegg under-20s squad for 2019.

Warriors site

 

[Rich102]

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Is Lachlan Burr a decent signing?

 

[BLN2]

He has some things going for him;

Some FG experience
He's a second rower, which we're light in
Was ISP player of the year for the premier winners
Point to prove (make or break)
Cheap

Was not able to play FG this year due to the Dogs cap troubles, so could have possibly had some games if he was able too.

Negatives, in his first couple of seasons had bad hands and missed plenty of tackles.

I'd say he'd be OK in ISP and injury cover.

 

[Rich102]

The Warriors recruited well ahead of this past season, with the likes of Tohu Harris, Blake Green, Peta Hiku and Gerard Beale all living up to the lofty expectations that flew over with them.

But ultimately the team came up short, so more is needed and the latest class of Warriors have reported for pre-season training, hoping their impact can put the side over the edge.

While they don't come with quite the same level of experience, they will certainly add depth at positions where the club was stretched a bit thin, and push for a spot in the starting 17.

Here is all you need to know about the newest group of New Zealand Warriors.

PHOTOSPORT
Lachlan Burr was the Bulldogs reserve grade player of the year last season.
Lachlan Burr, 26.


Previous club(s): Bulldogs, Titans.

Position: Second-row

He announced his arrival to the Warriors last week in typical millennial fashion - via Instagram.

Burr was the Bulldog's reserve grade player of the year last season and, since debuting in 2013, has made 24 NRL appearances.

He also managed 25 appearances in the English Championship for Leigh Centurions - England's second tier rugby league competition before returning to Australia last year.

The back-rower is an edge running specialist, best suited to the left-hand side of the paddock, though big enough to play in the middle third comfortably.

He adds much-needed depth in the pack also, with the departures of James Gavet (Knights), Simon Mannering (retirement) and Joe Vuna (mission).




Taane Milne, 23.

Previous club: Dragons

Position: Centre

Any time a club can pick up an international player in the off-season, it's a plus and Milne is no different.

The Auckland-born Fijian centre played 18 NRL games for the Dragons in 2016-17 before singing with the Wests Tigers last year.

Milne was unceremoniously sacked by the joint venture, however, after a failed drugs test. He never played a game for the Tigers.

Milne wrote a letter to Warriors coach Stephen Kearney asking for a second chance, saying he was no drugs cheat, and that he was ready to contribute.

Reports are that skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who played with Milne at the Roosters, offered support and the big outside back was signed on a trial contract.

While Solomone Kata looks to have his spot at left centre locked up, Milne could be a chance to push for a spot on the right edge, with Kearney alternating between both Hiku and Beale last season.

PHOTOSPORT
Taane Milne has been thrown a life-line by the Warriors after he was sacked by the Tigers.
Leeson Ah Mau, 28

Previous club: Warriors, Cowboys, Dragons

Position: Prop

It happened so long a go it doesn't exactly feel like a new signing, but Ah Mau returns to the Warriors this coming season as the most high-profile signing.

He comes back to the club he made his debut with in 2009 off the back of his best season at the Dragons, where he played in 25 matches and averaged more than 110m.

With Gavet's departure, Ah Mau looms as a likely replacement in the starting prop rotation for Kearney.

PHOTOSPORT
Adam Keighran adds much needed depth the Warriors' halfback stocks.
Adam Keighran , 21.

Previous club: Panthers

Position: Halfback

An Australian Schoolboys star, Keighran has been signed by the Warriors on a two-year deal and was among the first players to report to pre-season training last week.

After coming through the grades at the Bulldogs, Keighran moved west to Penrith where he starred for the club's Intrust Premiership side.

He's a big body at the halfback/five eighth position, at 185cm tall and about 94kg, and is also a gifted goal-kicker.

With the departure of Mason Lino to the Knights, the halves were an area the club needed to add depth and Keighran could be one injury away from a first grade debut at Mt Smart.

www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/108543958/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-newest-crop-of-warriors