Tohu Harris, the experienced captain of the One New Zealand Warriors, has been navigating a significant change in his role on the team. After a decade of playing as a starting player, Harris has recently been utilized as an interchange player, a role he has rarely experienced in his long career.
**Key Points from Harris’s Recent Experience:**
– **Role Change:** For the majority of his career, Harris has been a fixture in the starting lineup, with only two previous instances of starting on the bench—once with Melbourne in 2017 and once with the Warriors in 2022. However, in recent weeks, head coach Andrew Webster has opted to start Dylan Walker in the #13 jersey, with Harris coming off the interchange bench.
– **Performance as an Interchange Player:** Despite this adjustment, Harris has made significant contributions off the bench. In his recent games against the Cowboys and the Storm, he demonstrated his effectiveness by playing 49 and 44 minutes, respectively. He recorded impressive stats, including 14 carries for 144 meters and 26 tackles against the Cowboys, and 14 carries for 103 meters with 32 tackles against the Storm.
– **Impact and Adjustment:** Harris has expressed mixed feelings about the change. While he enjoys the opportunity to contribute in a different role and appreciates the slower pace of the game when coming on as an interchange, he admits to feeling nervous watching the games from the bench.
– **Coach’s Perspective:** Coach Andrew Webster’s decision to use Harris in this new role was strategic. Webster wanted to manage Harris’s return carefully, considering potential injuries and the need for fresh legs. Harris’s flexibility and performance off the bench have been valuable, and Webster believes Harris will integrate back into the starting role when the time is right.
– **Season Stats:** Harris has continued to perform strongly this season, averaging 143 meters per game and 38 tackles per game, with only 21 missed tackles in 12 appearances.
Harris’s adaptability and performance, even in a less familiar role, highlight his importance to the team and his ability to contribute significantly wherever he is placed on the field.
Leave a Reply