How to deal with a Bellamy spray: The biggest lessons Warbrick learned from sensational sophomore NRL season

Resolving the complex emotions that come with losing an NRL Grand Final typically requires a fair bit of time. The wounds don't heal easily, as Storm wing and newly minted NZ Kiwi Will Warbrick confesses.

Speaking to SENZ, the 26-year-old from Kawerau admits he's still trying to come to terms with such an anti-climactic finish to his outstanding sophomore season.
"I'm still probably processing that match and I think in the next week or so, I'll probably reflect on the season as a whole and that day itself," he told SENZ Mornings.

"There's plenty to be proud of as a group. But it's a pretty tough pill to swallow, you know, just tripping up at the last hurdle there."

Making that bitter pill slightly easier to swallow the following week was Warbrick's inclusion as one of eight debutants in Stacey Jones' New Zealand squad for the upcoming Pacific Championships.

All but certain to lock up one of the starting wing spots, Warbrick will likely be lining up on the other side of the field from Storm teammates Harry Grant and Xavier Coates.

And the pre-match smack talk is already well underway.

"As soon as they named the squad we had our Storm awards, and it was all on that night between me and Xavier (Coates) and Harry (Grant)," he laughs.

"I was giving it to Harry, telling him, if I get the chance to play, I'm going straight at him.

It's a weird feeling spending a whole season playing alongside those boys and now potentially coming up against them. But that's pretty exciting. If I have the opportunity to play against Australia, man - that will be the pinnacle of rugby league taking them on."

The selection puts him in line to achieve the rare feat of becoming a triple international, having represented his country with the All Blacks Sevens - highlighted by an Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020 - as well as Australian Rules with the NZ Falcons.

It's yet another milestone for Warbrick since his seamless transition to the 13-man code, another prime example of mastermind Craig Bellamy's nouse for identifying talent.

Alongside Warriors discard Eliesa Katoa, Warbrick has thrived under Bellamy's tutelage, where part of the package deal is enduring one of the legendary coach's trademark sprays.

His words of advice around how to deal with them suggest he's already been on the receiving end of a few.

"First things first, you have to make sure you're out of range," he joked. "If you're close, you might cop a bit of saliva on your face.

"It's pretty intense. It's a rocket. I guess sometimes you cop that many, you get used to them.

"Another side to him that you probably don't see much of is that caring side of him. So I usually handle it."

In each of his two seasons with the Storm he's been named the heavyweight club's back of the year, all part of what Warbrick describes as a slightly surreal ascent to the competition's elite class of players.

He led the Storm in both tries (15) and running metres (3,481), operating as the lead strike weapon in their dominant run to the minor premiership, earning him a nomination for NRL winger of the year along the way.

Reflecting on his improvement, Warbrick identified one key lesson from a debut season that saw him named among the nominees for the Dally M Rookie of the Year award.

"I reckon my biggest learning out of last year after having one season under my belt is how important it is to really look after your body," he noted.

"You've got to build a bit of resilience, especially mentally, to play some games not 100 percent.

"Everyone's carrying a niggle, an injury, and you learn how to manage that and adapt to carrying an injury or niggle and just being able to perform. It's a tough season."

But with the NRL season (almost) behind him, Warbrick's attention now shifts to the Test arena, where he'll have a chance to live out another boyhood dream - playing alongside Shaun Johnson.

"I'm buzzing, man," he beamed. "It will be pretty cool to rub shoulders alongside him and just pick his brain.

"I'm guilty - I used to have his highlights on my phone too at high school, him playing touch and just stepping everyone.

"I'm a fan man, and I'm just looking forward to just getting in the squad and being alongside him and the rest of the boys there.

Having whet his appetite for international league as part of the New Zealand A side that played Tonga, Warbrick says he set his sights on taking the next step up entering his second campaign with the Storm and now he's eager to repay the selectors faith by helping defend the Kiwis' Pacific Championships crown.

"It's pretty special," he admitted.

"The start of the season after having a taste of the Kiwis environment, I made a go to try to push for a spot in the squad and I'm just grateful that Stacey has given me the opportunity there."

The Kiwis begin their Pacific Championships title defence against Australia in Christchurch on October 27.

Listen to the full interview below: