Warriors: The pros and cons as battle to start on wing heats up – Ben Francis
THE FACTS
As the NRL season fast approaches, the make-up of the New Zealand Warriors side set to run out for their season-opener against the Sydney Roosters on March 6 appears largely settled, but two positions remain very much up for debate: halfback and wing.
Whoever starts in the No 7 jersey will know it is only a temporary solution, with Luke Metcalf expected to slot straight back in once he recovers from his ACL injury.
His return-to-play window is currently projected at between rounds seven and 10 – welcome news for fans, though there will be little appetite to rush Metcalf back, particularly after he re-signed on a two-year deal in November.
On the wings, reigning Warriors Player of the Year Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is likely to retain his spot on the left, but who lines up on the right remains one of the biggest talking points of the pre-season.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has been the incumbent, yet he faces fresh competition following the arrivals of Alofiana Khan-Pereira – widely regarded as one of the fastest players in the NRL – and Haizyn Mellars, a young, athletic prospect with significant upside.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster was predictably tight-lipped when he fronted the media for the first time in 2026, but admitted the new faces had already made an impression.
“It’s up to them [the incumbents] to not let them in the door,” Webster said. “We’ve got some good depth on the wing and we’ve got some competition there.
“Roger was our player of the year and we’ve got Dallin, who’s been an international. So it’s not going to be easy for Lofi [Khan-Pereira] or Haizyn, but they’re making it hard for the other two right now.”
So how do the Warriors’ wing options stack up?
The incumbents
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
NRL games: 232
NRL tries: 75
Pros: In his second season back at the Warriors, Tuivasa-Sheck appeared to rediscover much of the form that once made him one of the elite players in the competition. He was a consistent metre-eater last season, averaging 216m per game last season, while finishing with 12 tries. Add in his leadership and experience, and his value to the side is clear.
Cons: At 32, Tuivasa-Sheck is off contract at the end of the season and, should he depart, the Warriors may want to blood a long-term replacement. That said, it is understood the Warriors are keen to offer him an extension. He has also been patchy under the high ball and no longer possesses the top-end speed that is increasingly critical for modern elite wingers.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
NRL games: 228
NRL tries: 108
Pros: A proven try-scorer, with half of his career tries coming during his four-and-a-half seasons at the Warriors. A former Kiwis captain, Watene-Zelezniak brings experience and professionalism to a relatively young backline.
Cons: Injuries over the past two seasons have disrupted his rhythm and, at times, his confidence. He can be prone to lapses in concentration and has been exposed defensively – though sometimes through no fault of his own, with the constant changes with his centre pairing last season not helping.
The new faces
Alofiana Khan-Pereira
NRL games: 54
NRL tries: 53
Pros: Speed – something the Warriors sorely lacked after Metcalf went down last season. Khan-Pereira is among the fastest players in the competition, clocking 4.2s over 40m. His strike rate speaks for itself: he equalled Semi Radradra as the fastest player in NRL history to reach 50 career tries.
Cons: Defence remains the biggest question mark. Khan-Pereira can often be caught in no-man’s-land and has struggled to contest high kicks under pressure. After observing some highlights from his 2025 season, it was worrisome. While wingers are not expected to be tackling machines, his 64.6% tackle efficiency last season – with 42 tackles made and 23 missed – is a concern.
What he said: Khan-Pereira has identified consistency and defence as his key focus during the off-season.
“I can only put my best foot forward and give it my all,” Khan-Pereira said. “You’ve got Dallin and Rog there – two great and experienced wingers in my eyes.
“I’ll definitely be trying to push my way up there, but it’s going to be a tough journey. I’ve really been nailing my focus on defence, especially with combinations and decision-making.
“That’s been a big focus for me going into pre-season and it’s something I really want to work on.”
Haizyn Mellars
NRL games: 0
NRL tries: 0
Pros: Standing at 1.93m, Mellars is the tallest player in the Warriors squad and would offer a genuine aerial threat – a tactic that proved effective with Leka Halasima in 2025. He scored eight tries in 10 appearances for South Sydney’s struggling New South Wales Cup side last season.
Cons: Yet to play first grade, and the jump to NRL level is significant. The 21-year-old is likely to begin the season in reserve grade as he adjusts to the demands of the top tier.
What he said: Mellars is eager to follow in the footsteps of his father Vince Mellars, a former Warriors player. His mother, Charmian Mellars (née Purcell), is also an accomplished athlete, having represented the Tall Ferns at the 2008 Olympics.
“Being home was a big factor for me,” Mellars said. “Growing up, the Warriors were one of my favourite teams, so coming back here is awesome.
“Webby [Webster] was a big factor. My Dad always said ‘go to a place where you want to play for the coach’.
“To play for the Warriors would mean more to me than a lot of things in my life. If I get that chance, I’ll rip in and give it a crack.”
The verdict
Based on how Webster has operated over the past three seasons, loyalty matters – so don’t be surprised if he sticks with the tried and tested combination of Tuivasa-Sheck and Watene-Zelezniak in round one.
Last year, fullback Taine Tuaupiki and Ed Kosi served as depth options on the wing. The arrival of two genuine specialists adds much-needed X-factor and gives the Warriors four players who each offer something different.
Tuivasa-Sheck appears a near certainty to start, turning the battle into a shootout between Watene-Zelezniak and Khan-Pereira. For now, it remains Watene-Zelezniak’s spot to lose, and Webster is unlikely to make a final call until after the trials.
Defence is the concern for both. Last season, the Warriors’ right edge conceded 54 of their 90 tries, compared to 23 on the left.
Warriors fans became quite frustrated with Watene-Zelezniak’s defence last season, but sometimes he was getting the blame despite not being at fault.
His decision-making is often the result of what his inside defenders have done and he’s trying to remedy the error by jamming in.
However, there are countless examples of him rushing up high and early with frequent brain explosions, creating overlaps and forcing inside defenders to overwork and creating space where none should exist.
While Khan-Pereira’s defensive shortcomings are also well documented – admittedly coming from the competition’s worst defensive side – his attacking flair is hard to ignore.
If he forces his way into the team, it will be intriguing to see how Webster manages the edges, given Watene-Zelezniak’s preference for the right and Khan-Pereira’s experience on the left.
One thing is certain, Khan-Pereira did not move countries on a three-year deal to sit in reserve grade.
There is a possibility Webster could fit all three men in the starting side, by shifting Tuivasa-Sheck to the centres, with Rocco Berry to miss the start of the season recovering from shoulder surgery, but that experiment hasn’t been successful in the past. If there is a change at centre, it would likely be Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad shifting, allowing Tuaupiki to start at fullback.
And ultimately, genuine competition for spots can only benefit the Warriors in the long run.
Predicted round-one side: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Ali Leiataua, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Mitch Barnett, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Erin Clark.
Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Jackson Ford, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Marata Niukore.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.