The five that I have chosen have been picked for different reasons - some will be crucial to results, some need to improve on their 2019 showings, while others will be playing for a new contract and some will be taking up new on-field roles.
Gareth Widdop
A fairly obvious pick, the signing of Gareth Widdop has been proclaimed as the biggest in Warrington's history. The scrum-half will be forming a mouthwatering partnership in the halves with Blake Austin, which coach Steve Price has described as 'the best in the world'. The idea is that the arrival of Widdop will transform the team's style of play, and bring the creativity and invention in the halves that Warrington were so short of for much of last year.
Widdop will be the man that Wire look to to open up defences, play a splitting pass or put the opposition under pressure with a pinpoint kick. Last season, nearly all of the creative impetus was on Austin and Daryl Clark, though Widdop should ease that burden. This is an NRL captain coming - an incredibly high standard of player.
We know that the Englishman will miss the opening few games of the season, but if he can stay fit for the rest of the year, the prospect could be very exciting. Widdop is one of only two signings for the first-team, so there is plenty resting on his shoulders. Hopes of an improvement on 2019 rely so much on this man.
Ben Currie
Ben Currie returned in March 2019 from a second horror injury and barely missed a game between then and the end of the season. Despite this, there were plenty of criticisms of his performance, in particular his defensive work. Too many times Wire found themselves conceding down the left edge. Surprisingly, he didn't get too many tries either, scoring just six times in 2019.
The theory is that with a full pre-season behind him, and a free post-season having not been involved in the Great Britain tour, he will have fully recovered from his injuries and be starting 2020 at 100% fitness. If we can get the best out of this guy, we won't go far wrong this year. Don't forget his 2016 - the last time he had a near-full season - in which he scored 21 tries as a second rower and had NRL clubs all over him. Currie could find gaps in any defence and was a very successful route to the tryline. For a team that spent 2019 desperately low on creativity and variety in attack, the return of Ben Currie at his best could provide a whole new dimension to Wire's attack.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see Currie tried in a few different roles this season - he has kept shirt number 11 which suggests he will start in the second row, but if he continues to struggle with the defensive work like he did last year, there's a good chance he could end up in the centres, or even at loose forward. As well as this, it is important to note that Currie is about to enter the final year of his contract. He needs a good year to secure his future at the Halliwell Jones - a sentence that would've sounded preposterous only a few years ago.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see Currie tried in a few different roles this season - he has kept shirt number 11 which suggests he will start in the second row, but if he continues to struggle with the defensive work like he did last year, there's a good chance he could end up in the centres, or even at loose forward. As well as this, it is important to note that Currie is about to enter the final year of his contract. He needs a good year to secure his future at the Halliwell Jones - a sentence that would've sounded preposterous only a few years ago.
Luther Burrell
There was plenty of excitement when Warrington confirmed the mid-season signing of Luther Burrell, an England international centre for rugby union side Northampton Saints. While he won't count on the salary cap until the 2021 season, there was a fair price involved in his signature, and Wire need him to live up to that billing this season.
Burrell made only three appearances last season, though he wasn't eligible until July. From the brief snapshots that we got, Burrell looked to be struggling for fitness and lacked understanding of his position, while making some basic errors at play-the-balls and tackles, showing his inexperence in this code of rugby. Steve Price has said that the plan for this year is for Burrell to begin the season playing in the newly-reformed reserves team, with a view to him being a first-team regular at some point in 2020. Is this good enough for the money that Burrell has cost?
Last season, our centres were good in front of the tryline - Bryson Goodwin and Toby King scored 19 tries between them, but neither were great ball-playing centres and rarely produced quality service for their wingers, Tom Lineham and Josh Charnley. Goodwin has left, and his replacement is Anthony Gelling from Widnes - a solid, if unspectacular centre, but again, not a ball-player. It looks certain that Gelling and King will start the season together at 3 and 4, but Burrell should be looking to compete for one of those two spots and fill a gaping hole in the squad.
Last season, our centres were good in front of the tryline - Bryson Goodwin and Toby King scored 19 tries between them, but neither were great ball-playing centres and rarely produced quality service for their wingers, Tom Lineham and Josh Charnley. Goodwin has left, and his replacement is Anthony Gelling from Widnes - a solid, if unspectacular centre, but again, not a ball-player. It looks certain that Gelling and King will start the season together at 3 and 4, but Burrell should be looking to compete for one of those two spots and fill a gaping hole in the squad.
Ben Murdoch-Masila
We'd all agree that we didn't get the best out of Ben Murdoch-Masila last season. He struggled with fitness for much of the campaign, but there were many other comments thrown his way from the crowd, suggestions that he wasn't interested in the games, didn't give his all unless it was in front of the tryline and even that he has a tendency to hide out on the edges when the game is taking place through the middle.
For me, a lot of the issues around Murdoch-Masila last season were due to uncertainty over his best position. If I asked you what his best position is, what would you say? Second row? Loose forward? Interchange bench and coming on as a prop? It can be useful to have utility men in your team who can play in different roles - Jake Mamo, Stefan Ratchford, Jack Hughes. However, Murdoch-Masila is the type of player who needs a defined position and role in order to get the best out of him. He has kept the squad number 13, which would suggest that he may see some gametime starting as a loose forward this season, which for me, is where he should be playing. He has played plenty of good stuff in the second row, but unless Hughes or Currie are moved out of there or get injured, he is unlikely to start games there.
I can't get behind the idea that he is a bench player. He should not be on the interchange bench. You simply don't get the best out of him there. He showed in the Challenge Cup final and in the post-season internationals that he is more than capable of doing big minutes. He is a skilful and quick player, not a battering ram, as we have incorrectly used him. It is often forgotten that he got into the dream team in 2017 for Salford, as a second rower. At his best, a fit Ben Murdoch-Masila can be one of the best forwards in Super League. We need to see that in 2020 - the final year of his current contract.
Jason Clark
Jason Clark was touted as just as big a signing as Blake Austin last season, but the former South Sydney forward had a relatively low-key first season in the primrose and blue. Despite arriving on a very considerable wage packet, Clark made little noticeable impact and it wasn't until the second half of the season that he was actually trusted to start games. This year, we need so much more from this talented player.
When Clark eventually did get the opportunity to start games, it was in the loose forward role. This year, he has kept the 14 shirt, so maybe he is going to be used as an impact sub with Murdoch-Masila starting as the loose forward. This would be fine, if he could show some of his NRL quality in his stints. There is no doubting his effort, work-rate and commitment, but the general opinion was that for the money he is on, we could do with greater output and influence on games.
One of Warrington's big issues in 2019 was the forward pack. Chris Hill and Mike Cooper are still very good props, but both are well over 30 now and are getting to the stage of their careers where they can't do as big stints as before, but in order for them to get the rest they need, there needs to be quality from the bench. Joe Philbin was a star last year, but Clark didn't provide enough impact from the bench to afford Hill and Cooper the respite they needed. If we can get a top-class forward out of Jason Clark, that could be the answer to our issues with a lack of firepower through the middle for 80 minutes. Oh, and he's out of contract at the end of 2020 too.
Let me know your thoughts on this piece - which players do you think most need a good 2020?
When Clark eventually did get the opportunity to start games, it was in the loose forward role. This year, he has kept the 14 shirt, so maybe he is going to be used as an impact sub with Murdoch-Masila starting as the loose forward. This would be fine, if he could show some of his NRL quality in his stints. There is no doubting his effort, work-rate and commitment, but the general opinion was that for the money he is on, we could do with greater output and influence on games.
One of Warrington's big issues in 2019 was the forward pack. Chris Hill and Mike Cooper are still very good props, but both are well over 30 now and are getting to the stage of their careers where they can't do as big stints as before, but in order for them to get the rest they need, there needs to be quality from the bench. Joe Philbin was a star last year, but Clark didn't provide enough impact from the bench to afford Hill and Cooper the respite they needed. If we can get a top-class forward out of Jason Clark, that could be the answer to our issues with a lack of firepower through the middle for 80 minutes. Oh, and he's out of contract at the end of 2020 too.
Let me know your thoughts on this piece - which players do you think most need a good 2020?
Daniel (@aloosewire)
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