Machibet777 CricketDylan Walker, Jazz Tevaga, Warriors, NRL 2023

Author: Corey Rosser NRL Reporter
Timestamp: Sat 25 Mar 2023, 06:01 AM

With their matching shaved heads and similar energetic impact off the bench, Jazz Tevaga and Dylan Walker are on a fast track to becoming a cult-hero pairing at the Warriors after starring in the club's Round 3 win against the Cowboys.

Even coach Andrew Webster admitted he struggled to tell them apart last Saturday in Townsville, as the bald-headed pair came on and terrorised the North Queensland defence, which included Walker sending Tevaga over for a try that gave the Warriors the lead six minutes from the break.

Together they also combined for 59 tackles and ran for a touch under 300 metres.

This week Walker revealed he had vowed to shave his hair when Tevaga made his return from injury in 2023, in a show of support for his teammate's efforts to raise money in support of his friend's cancer battle.

"I told Jazz in the pre-season that as soon as he comes back I will shave my head," Walker said when quizzed about the chrome dome.

Tevaga puts the Warriors in front

"But from that perspective what he’s doing for his mate can’t be talked about enough. He paid I think $966 in the past week [in fundraising pledges linked to stats], so he might have to calm down on the tries."

The pair led what was an all-round impressive performance from the Warriors' bench in the 26-12 win, with Walker believing it's a prerequisite to success in the modern NRL.

You have got to have impact coming off the bench. It’s probably just as important as your starting pack, because the game speeds up so quick these days.
Dylan Walker

"I try to make a conscious effort to try and make the ruck a bit faster, get in behind the play the balls and just play fast really.

"It comes naturally for me being an ex centre and five-eighth. I enjoy that part of the game now, being in the middle, making a few tackles and trying to speed up the play for our halves and fullback."

The interchange make up looks set to remain for the foreseeable future too, with coach Webster pushing back on suggestions that he is fielding an unconventionally small bench with two utility players.

"Everyone thinks ‘why would you play two utilities?’, but I don’t see Jazz as that anymore," Webster said.

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"When Dyl is in the team Jazz doesn’t need to worry about playing nine and back row and lock. When Dylan is in the team he can just focus on playing a middle forward role.

"I’m not saying he won’t have to do it [be a utility] one day, but not at the moment."

Webster also confirmed Josh Curran's current absence from the NRL line-up is due to performance, not concerns about the hip injury he suffered in Round 2.

"We wanted to put him back to reserve grade and give him some more time and more minutes," Webster said.

"Josh's form is not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, just there are a couple of things we want him to work on.

"He knows that, he's comfortable with it."