2026 Selection table: Fullback

Rock-solid Charnze or firecracker Taine? It shapes as one of the Warriors' most important positional calls this season.

It’s the positional battle that prompted season-long debate among Warriors fans – and certainly on the TWL podcast – in 2025: industrious, safe-as-houses Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad or ball-playing livewire Taine Tuaupiki in the No.1 jersey?

Coach Andrew Webster apparently hinted at a change in the final round of 2024, with Tuaupiki lining up at fullback and Nicoll-Klokstad shuffling to centre. Both had blinders as the also-ran Warriors rallied from 18 points down to beat Cronulla on the bell at Sharks Stadium. Earlier in the season, Tuaupiki was the late-try-and-sideline-conversion hero of the Warriors’ unforgettable Magic Round upset of Penrith, with Nicoll-Klokstad playing a strong hand at five-eighth.

Will and Brad plumped for a permanent switch; Fonzie preferred CNK at the back…and inevitably ‘Webby’ went the way of TWL’s resident oracle. Charnze was restored to the No.1 jumper, with Taine a surprise pick to plug the wing gap left by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s injury hiatus for the opening 10 rounds – and proving an excellent fill-in.