Warriors Coach Unveils Star's New Role; Captaincy Uncertainty Persists

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Warriors coach Andrew Webster says he’s yet to settle on a new captain for the 2025 season, but he has told fans that they can expect Luke Metcalf to not play a “generic style” at halfback when he replaces club legend Shaun Johnson.

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Metcalf has played 19 games for the Warriors at five-eighth but he’ll have the No.7 on his back this season with the recently retired Johnson no longer there to steer the ship.

A change in number won’t necessarily mean a change in style, with Webster encouraging his halfback to continue to run the ball at will, with halves partner Te Maire Martin expected to do his fair share of playmaking.

Webster has named a very strong squad for the trial against Cronulla on Friday, but he’s warned his starters that “nothing is guaranteed” and that good performances off the bench can lead to changes to the team in Las Vegas next month.

But one thing is certain – Metcalf will be the halfback after a serious leg injury sidelined him for a large chunk of 2024.

Luke Metcalf will replace Shaun Johnson at halfback, but don’t expect him to play like a traditional No.7. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“We definitely are (looking for him to play halfback) but we’re happy for him to play either,” Webster told Mornings with Matt White on SEN.

“Our style is going to be a little bit different. We’re not going to play that generic style of halfback who is always on the ball.

“They might turn up and share the role of seven and six because both of them are very good at being both.

“We’re happy for Luke, particularly with his kicking game, to have the keys. If you’re going to be a good kicker, then you want to own the keys to the castle.

“We’re giving Luke a bit of responsibility at seven and we’ll see how he goes.”

Warriors Coach Unveils Star's New Role; Captaincy Uncertainty Persists

While he’s settled on his spine for round 1, Webster is yet to decide who will lead the team this season following Tohu Harris’s retirement last month.

Representative forward Mitchell Barnett will lead the Warriors against Cronulla, while new recruit James Fisher-Harris is another option given he captained the Kiwis when he won the Golden Boot Award.

Webster hasn’t ruled out naming co-captains having seen it work at Penrith where Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo have shared the responsibility.

“We’ve got lots of good candidates, and Mitch Barnett is going to lead us out (on Friday),” he said.

“We’re pretty happy to go through the process throughout the trials. We’ve narrowed it down, but we just want to see where it all goes during the trial process.

“Leading the team from Monday to game day when you’ve actually got a game that week is different to just leading in pre-season.”