Shakira Baker leads the Warriors women in tackles so far this NRLW season. Photo: David Neilson/Photosport
Former Black Fern Shakira Baker has hit the first obstacle in her transition to rugby league, forced out of the NZ Warriors line-up this week against Gold Coast Titans at Auckland's Go Media Stadium.
Baker - who has been transformed into a second-rower by Warriors coach Ron Griffiths, despite playing union as a midfielder - has started all three games so far, as the club returns to NRLW competition after a five-year hiatus.
She currently leads the team in tackles (75), but faces a period on the sidelines, nursing a pec (chest/shoulder) injury back to full fitness.
"Out this week and we'll reassess what that looks like for the weeks to come," she said. "Frustrating and annoying, but I've had my fair share of injuries, so I'll just go back to the drawingboard, get amongst the medical team and see how I can get back out on the field as soon as possible.
"I had a bit of chest soreness after the Eels game and there was a moment in the Knights game when I felt it."
After facing a steep learning curve over her opening appearances, Baker, 33, must now consolidate her league education from a safe distance, with flatmate Maarire Puketapu promoted from the bench into her starting role.
"Vision becomes really important, and being able to do what I can through analysis and watching."
With only 10 of their 25-player roster boasting previous NRLW experience, the Warriors have had to rely heavily on their crosscode converts in the opening rounds and they have responded in fine fashion, scoring all their 40 points to date.
While Baker shows the way defensively, sevens star Michaela Brake leads the competition in tacklebreaks (26) and, on the other wing, former Hurricanes Poua and Bay of Plenty Volcanix flyer Payton Takimoana tops the tryscoring, courtesy of her hattrick against Newcastle Knights last weekend.
Her treble was the first in the history of the Warriors wahine, dating back to 2018.
"The first game, defensively, there were some hairy moments," coach Ron Griffiths admitted of Takimoana's debut against Sydney Roosters. "On the weekend, we probably saw one where she came out of the system, but the rest of the time, she was connected and composed."
Payton Takimoana became the first Warriors wahine to score a hattrick of tries against Newcastle. Photo: David Neilson/Photosport
Another former Black Fern, Patricia Maliepo, scored the opening try of the campaign against the Roosters and has proved herself an accurate goalkicker, slotting a pair of sideline conversions and hitting the crossbar with another against the Knights.
Playing at five-eighth, Maliepo's progress has been especially impressive, as she has had to master league's tactical requirements quickly.
"I can't speak highly enough of all the rugby players and how they've adapted," coach Ron Griffiths said. "Patricia is in a position where she has to own part of the game for us.
"As a measure of her development, after her third game of rugby league, we had her deliver our attacking review from the weekend last night. For her to do that in such a short window shows how much she's grown and how much she's really enjoying the experience."
The oldest player in the squad, Baker, 33, made 13 test appearances for New Zealand, captured Olympic silver and Commonwealth Games gold in sevens, and has had to adapt, not just between codes, but also between positions.
"I'm definitely getting used to it," she said. "The first game I was just finding my feet, but I'm just progressing and trying to make slightly amendments as the weeks go by.
Patricia Maliepo has shown herself to be an accurate goalkicker in rugby league. Photo: Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
"The major difference is the physicality… time on the ground and trying to hold people down in league, rather than getting straight up in union.
"Usually, in the union space, I was most focused on attack, so trying to change to a defensive mindset has been challenging, but I am enjoying it."
That physicality has taken its toll on Baker, but Griffiths has been impressed with her progress.
"She said to me on the weekend, because they had so much possession, that was one of the hardest periods she had been through as an athlete, but she got through it and she's going from strength to strength each week.
"I actually think, defensively, her movements are like she's played NRLW for a long period of time. She's taken to that position like a duck to water - she's been fantastic."
While many of squad have toiled at their craft at various levels of rugby league, the rugby converts have certainly captured most of the attention in the opening exchanges, but Griffiths is adamant any division between the two camps has been bridged.
"For us, internally, they're not rugby players anymore," he said. "We understand they come from a rugby background and people keep asking how the rugby players are going, but while they're playing league, that's what they are to us."
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