Angry coach lashes out as Samoan players revolt NRL stars branded disrespectful after penning hard-hitting letter to Samoan PM in bid to oust coach Matt Parish
Rugby League by Dean Ritchie
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Subscriber only Samoan stars including Anthony Milford, Joey Leilua, Jarome Luai and Josh Papalii have taken the extraordinary step of writing to the Samoan Prime Minister seeking his intervention in having national coach Matt Parish and his coaching staff sacked. Parish fired back on Tuesday night, claiming players were coerced into signing the letter. This is an agenda being driven by people no longer involved because they re not trustworthy, the former NSW Origin assistant said.
The Warriors have assembled the NRL s biggest roster in a big-bodied, back-to-the future plan to emulate the most successful campaigns of the Kiwi club s history.
Nathan Brown s 2021 squad has been bolstered by 342 kilos of prime-rib props in the form of Addin Fonua-Blake (118kg), Ben Murdoch-Masila (114kg) and Kane Evans (110kg), along with the return of towering wingers David Fusitu a and Ken Maumalo.
Flying in the face of predictions the NRL s latest rule changes and six-again shake-up would lead to smaller players being prioritised, the Warriors will have nine players tipping the scales at more than 110 kilos this season.
It will be the most of any club by some margin, with Manly (seven), Wests Tigers and Cowboys (six), Melbourne, Brisbane and Parramatta (five) following next in the big man stocks.
Tohu Harris is one of nine Warriors players weighing 110kg or more.
The Warriors will field the heaviest roster in the NRL with a club official saying they had beefed up to become more Warrior-like . Coach Nathan Brown will have nine players weighing110kg or more - two more than Manly and three more than Wests Tigers and the Cowboys, according to a
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Addin Fonua-Blake (C), pictured playing for Manly, tips the scales at 118kg, making him the heaviest player on the Warriors 2021 roster. The beefy brigade is led by new front row recruit Addin Fonua-Blake (118kg) and Super League signee Ben Murdoch-Masila and second-year prop Jamayne Taunoa-Brown at 114kg, followed by second rower Tohu Harris (112kg), wing Ken Maumalo and props Bunty Afoa and Leeson Ah Mau (110kg) and Kane Evans - the tallest Warrior at 1.99m and last year s rookie sensation Eliesa Katoa on 110kg.