With seven matches to go in the regular season, Jackson Ford is the only player who has appeared in every game for the One New Zealand Warriors so far in 2024.
The 26-year-old is set to make his 18th consecutive appearance when the Warriors face the Raiders in Friday night’s round 20 clash at GIO Stadium in Canberra (8.00pm kick-off local time, 10.00pm NZT).
Three of his teammates – Addin Fonua-Blake, Mitchell Barnett and Marcelo Montoya – have missed just one match.
It’s an illustration of the impact injuries have had this season that no fewer than six players figured in each of the One New Zealand Warriors’ first 17 games last year - Fonua-Blake, Montoya, Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Shaun Johnson and Adam Pompey.
Not only has Ford been ever-present, he has averaged 71 minutes a game in a season which has recently seen him shifted to prop from the second row.
While averaging 104 metres a game, he is one of the competition’s busiest defenders ranking fifth for most tackles with 640, an average of 38 a game.
With 18-year-old Leka Halasima making his NRL debut in the 12-13 extra time loss to the Bulldogs in round 18, the Warriors have used 30 players this season (28 at the same point last year).
