Source: Radio New Zealand
Wayde Egan in action for the Warriors against Canberra Raiders. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
After two games of the 2026 NRL season, NZ Warriors hooker Wayde Egan feels great – and you’d expect nothing less.
With a chance to recharge his batteries over the summer, the veteran is suitably bright-eyed and bushy tailed, contributing mightily to a winning start that has caught even the club’s most fervent fans by surprise.
In the space of seven days, they have piled 40 points on two highly-rated opponents and have their faithful believing this may be the year they break their championship drought.
“Very pleased, but it’s a long season,” Egan acknowledged. “We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves.
“We’ve obviously started very well and we’re very pleased, but we can’t rest on that. We’ve got to look forward to the Knights this week, who will be a really tough test.
“[I’m] feeling good, but it’s a long season and we have a long way to go.”
Maybe no-one on the Warriors roster can personally attest to exactly how long a season can become.
Twelve months ago, he led the competition in dummy-half runs, partly due to the fact he was playing every minute of every game in one of the most demanding positions on the field.
In fact, he logged the full 80 minutes for the first five games of their schedule and had many predicting a State of Origin call-up, such was his form.
By the end of the season, Egan, 28, was noticeably drained.
After darting an average of eight times for 73 metres across those first five fixtures, he didn’t run at all in his final regular-season outing against Parramatta Eels, then sat out the following week in a bid to freshen up.
He ran four times for 46 metres, but none in the first half, as the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs by Penrith Panthers.
The 2026 campaign has started out very differently for Egan, with coach Andrew Webster introducing understudy Sam Healey with about half an hour to go against Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders.
“Obviously, if you can have a little break every now and then, that’s not a bad thing,” he said. “Having Sammy there and some great depth to the club is awesome – it’s been nice to have a little break the first couple of weeks.
“I haven’t spent too much time [on the sideline], but it’s obviously a different perspective. Whatever the coaching staff want, I’ll do it.
Wayde Egan and Sam Healey have become an effective one-two punch for the Warriors. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
“If that means playing big minutes or if it doesn’t, I’m happy to do that.”
If the plan was to have Egan put his feet up until the final whistle, circumstances haven’t quite panned out that way.
Against the Roosters, he had to return for the final few minutes, when Healey left early for a concussion check, which he duly passed.
Against the Raiders, Egan was summoned back onto the field to play five-eighth, when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was also required for a head injury assessment, which he failed.
Halfback Tannah Boyd seemed somewhat bemused to see the hooker join him in unfamiliar territory.
“I definitely wasn’t going to give him space, because he’s a bit slower, the big fella,” Boyd chuckled.
“Nah, he’s fine – he’s that type of player. He’s so smart, Waydo, and knows the game so well, so he can fill in anywhere.”
Egan actually has previous experience in the Warriors No.6 jersey. During their disastrous 2022 campaign, he was forced to step in for Chanel Harris-Tavita less than half an hour into a home game against Melbourne Storm and was retained in the starting position eight days later against South Sydney.
Both games were lost.
He may yet find himself filling that role again this week, with both Harris-Tavita and Nicoll-Klokstad ruled out by concussion.
First-choice fullback Nicoll-Klokstad has been the team’s Swiss army knife, capable of covering any position in the backline, and without him, Webster’s options will be limited in the event of injury.
The only specialist back cover on the interchange is winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, so Roger Tuivasa-Sheck may be asked to play fullback or centre as required, but he has never played half.
Egan at least has that in his resume.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
