Warriors fullback ready to fire

[Future Star]

Thursday, January 11, 2007 - 4:18 PM

Former Parramatta fullback Wade McKinnon isn?t concerned he may feel strange running out on Mt. Smart stadium with his new Warriors team mates for Round one of the NRL as there?ll be plenty of familiar faces.

McKinnon joined the Warriors this season after 2 seasons at Parramatta and as luck would have it the Eels are the first team he?ll play in the competition this season!

Any preconceived fears or anxieties the 25-year-old may have had were gone on his first day across the ditch.

?I?m fitting in great! It?s been really easy they?ve made me feel right at home. From the moment I got off the plane all the boys have made all the new players feel welcome and it feels like I?ve been here for years.?

McKinnon didn?t worry too much about what differences there would be not only changing clubs but moving to a new country too but he says the players and head coach Ivan Cleary have impressed him with they way they approach their football.

?It?s a really close club, everyone knows what?s going on and Ivan has been great, he?s really easy to get along with so everything?s going well.

?It?s better than I expected weather wise too.?

McKinnon isn?t the only new, young, Aussie making the switch Michael Crockett and Aidan Kirk are also looking to make the most of any opportunities at the Warriors and the fullback says there?s lots of banter with the Kiwis.

?Yeah it?s sweet. They?ve made us feel really welcome and we get along really well. All the boys are awesome actually.?

The club, with major support from the NRL, will launch a blitz on Auckland as part of the Community Carnival in February visiting schools, shopping centres and hosting a big fan day before having an intra club trial.

The Warriors then have trials against the Cowboys and the Bulldogs before opening the season at home to Parramatta and McKinnon says the excitement is building at training.

?It?s the full squad now there were a few who returned before we broke up but everyone?s here now and it?s full steam ahead.?

McKinnon already has round one circled in his calendar on March 17 and says he?s expecting to hear plenty from his former Eels team mates in the lead up.

?Yeah, yeah, definitely looking forward to that one! There?ll probably be a bit of a text message war that week with a few of them, but we?ll have to wait and see how it goes.?

The Warriors started behind the eight ball last year docked 4 points for salary cap breaches and the new fullback says with an uninterrupted preparation this time they have set their sights on the finals.

?If you include the points that got taken away on that?s a top 8 finish, so a good start this year and we should be up there.

?It?s a really exciting challenge actually, a new club, new country, so I?m just looking forward to getting out there and playing with these boys.?

Source: NRL

[Go_The_Doggies]

Pfft nothing will beat Webby.

I miss Webby. Leeds jerseys are ugly imo.

[Pale Ale Panther]

i like McKinnon, he was a good pick up for the Warriors, Webb was great but Wade will fit in well, i've tipped the Warriors to make the 8 this year.

[Meh]

I think mckinnon will fit in well with the warriors style of play, an equal if not better replacement IMO, though webb really did find his form in his last year at the warriors.

[Capital_Shark]

I like McKinnon as a player and the Warriors did well to pick him up. Insane of Parra to let him go in my opinion, but thats Parramatta ey.

I think its going to be another VERY tight comp this year, but I reckon the Warriors can squeeze into the 8. If not, they won't be very far behind at all.

[Go_The_Doggies]

Yeah I do quite like McKinnon. I'm just still ****ty Webby is gone

[~lee~]

I really enjoyed watching Wade play for Parra, he was one of my favourite players and gave his all every game. He makes so many supporting runs and if NZ continue to offload then he will surely get his trys into double figures this season. Great pick up for the Warriors and more than enough to fill Webbs shoes.

[Pale Ale Panther]

is Mckinnon a goalkicker ? :hi:

[Poida]

Yeah I do quite like McKinnon. I'm just still ****ty Webby is gone

What happened to Brent?