NZ Warriors 2026 Season Review: A Great Regular Season, A Frustrating Finish

With the NRL season now over for the Warriors, it is time to look back at what has been a fascinating 2026 campaign. Coming into the year, I thought sixth place was a realistic expectation. The Warriors showed plenty of promise in 2025, but questions remained around the squad, the halves, and whether they could find the consistency needed to compete near the top of the ladder.

Well, I was very wrong.

Instead of fighting for a place in the bottom half of the top eight, the Warriors spent almost the entire season near the top of the ladder, eventually finishing second and earning two home finals. The regular season was a huge step forward, and for long periods this looked like a team that could genuinely challenge for the premiership. Unfortunately, the way the season finished left a pretty sour taste.

If you haven't read one of my season reviews before, I break it down into what happened this season, followed by my positives and negatives of 2026. I then highlight my top three Warriors and the three players I felt needed to improve most, before wrapping it up and looking ahead to what comes next.

So, let's stop the rambling and get into the review.

What Went Down in 2026

I came into the 2026 season cautiously optimistic. I predicted sixth place because I thought the Warriors had enough talent to make the finals, but still had plenty of questions to answer. The biggest one was probably the halves, with Luke Metcalf unavailable early in the season and Tanah Boyd coming into the year with plenty to prove. Instead, Boyd grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

The Warriors started the season strongly, and while there were a few bumps along the way, it quickly became clear this was a different side to the one we watched in 2025. The attack was more dangerous, the forwards laid a huge platform, and the Warriors did a much better job of turning possession into points. There were still warning signs. The loss to the Tigers was a reality check; the Sharks exposed some defensive problems, and the halves combination took a while to settle. But the Warriors generally responded well to those setbacks, rather than letting one bad performance turn into a run of losses.

By mid-season, they were sitting second with nine wins from twelve games. They were also leading the competition for fewest errors and had one of the best completion rates in the NRL.

Seven of their first nine wins had come by 13 points or more, showing this wasn't simply a team scraping through close games. When opportunities presented themselves, the Warriors were becoming much more ruthless.

Then came the injuries.

Tanah Boyd's season-ending ACL injury was a massive blow after the start he had made. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck also suffered a season-ending ACL injury in what was meant to be his final year with the Warriors.

Plenty of other injuries and disruptions hit the team, but one of the biggest positives was how well the squad handled them. Players stepped into new roles, young players got opportunities, and the Warriors kept finding ways to win. 

The second half of the season wasn't perfect. The loss to the Bulldogs was particularly disappointing, with the Warriors struggling to find answers and looking second best for much of the night. But once again, they responded well. 

Then came Round 23. The Panthers came to Go Media Stadium and the Warriors produced one of their best performances of the season. They didn't simply scrape past Penrith; they controlled large parts of the match and showed they could go toe-to-toe with one of the competition's benchmark teams.

That win changed how I saw this side.

It wasn't just about making the finals anymore. The Warriors had shown they could compete with the best. From there, they kept building. Wins over the Broncos, Rabbitohs and Knights were followed by a crazy final-round game against Manly, where the Warriors eventually secured a 31-30 victory and locked up a top-two finish.

At the start of the year, I was hoping for sixth. Now the Warriors had two home finals and a genuine chance to make a run at the premiership. That is a massive achievement.

Unfortunately, the finals didn't go the way anyone connected with the club would have wanted.

The Dolphins came to Go Media Stadium in Week One, and the Warriors had their chances. They led 16-8 at one stage but couldn't maintain control, and the attack struggled to find the spark needed when the game was there to be won. The Dolphins eventually came away with the victory, leaving the Warriors with a do-or-die clash against Newcastle.

The Knights game was another frustrating night. The Warriors defended with plenty of commitment and kept themselves in the contest, but the attack never really clicked. Leka Halasima, despite carrying a hamstring injury, was once again one of the biggest attacking threats, while other opportunities went begging. Several late-game Bunker decisions also went against the Warriors and hurt their momentum. However, it would be too easy to blame the officials for the result. The Warriors had chances of their own and needed to make those moments count.

Instead, the season ended in straight sets, and that is what makes 2026 such a strange season to judge.

The Warriors finished second, won 18 games, spent most of the year near the top of the ladder, developed a group of young players and proved they could compete with the best teams in the competition. But they also had two home finals and couldn't make the most of the opportunity. The regular season was a huge step forward. The finals were a missed opportunity. Both things can be true at the same time.

My Positives for 2026

There were plenty of positives this year, so narrowing this down wasn't easy. Ultimately, these three stood out the most to me.

Consistency / Regular-Season Performance

After making inconsistency one of my biggest negatives in 2025, it feels pretty good to be able to put this one in the positives column.

The Warriors were consistently good throughout 2026. There were obviously poor performances and the occasional frustrating loss, but they never went through the sort of prolonged slump that had become a problem in previous seasons. When they lost, they generally responded, and when they got on a roll, they kept the momentum going.

The biggest difference was that the Warriors seemed to have a much higher floor. Even when they weren't playing their best football, they were usually competitive and gave themselves a chance of winning. Fewer games saw the performance completely fall away, which made the team much more reliable across the regular season.

Finishing second is proof of that. This wasn't a team that scraped into the top four or relied on a late-season run to get there. They were right in the mix for the top two for much of the second half of the season and eventually secured that position with a round to spare.

After the inconsistency of 2025, that was a pretty significant step forward.

The Forward Pack

The Warriors' forward pack was one of the biggest reasons behind their success this year.

James Fisher-Harris, Jackson Ford, Erin Clark, Mitch Barnett, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Demitric Vaimauga and the rest of the pack consistently gave the team a strong platform.

When the forwards were winning the middle, the Warriors looked incredibly dangerous. The backs had room to move, the halves had time to make decisions, and the team could control field position.

What stood out to me was how consistently the forwards did their job. There were plenty of games where the attack wasn't necessarily firing on all cylinders, but the forwards kept turning up and giving the team a chance to stay in the contest.

They made the hard metres, got the team out of trouble and created the platform for the more attacking players to do their thing.

Fisher-Harris brought plenty of experience, aggression and consistency to the middle, while Jackson Ford was having a breakout season before injury cut it short. His work rate and ability to keep pushing through the middle had become a really important part of the Warriors' game.

It wasn't just the established forwards either. One of the things I enjoyed most was seeing the younger players step up and contribute when opportunities came their way. They weren't simply filling a spot on the team; they showed genuine depth and development in this squad. The Warriors have built a really strong group through the middle, and that gives them something to build around for the future.

Finding Ways to Win

The Warriors in 2026 showed an ability to find ways to win games, even when things weren't going perfectly. There were plenty of matches where they weren't at their best, but instead of letting those games slip away, they stayed composed and found a way through.

That was especially noticeable in the second half of the season.

Whether it was coming from behind against the Knights, surviving the late pressure from Manly or grinding out wins when the attack wasn't quite clicking, this team developed a belief that it could get the job done.

The Manly game was probably the perfect example. It was far from a comfortable afternoon, and there were plenty of moments where it looked like the Warriors might let the game slip away. But they kept hanging in there and eventually found a way to get the win, securing a top-two finish in the process.

It wasn't always pretty, and a few games had me on the edge of my seat, but there was a different level of belief in this team when games got tight.

After making resilience one of my biggest positives in 2025, this felt like the next step. The Warriors weren't just surviving close games anymore. They were starting to expect to win them.

My Negatives for 2026

As good as the regular season was, some things still frustrated me throughout the year. Unfortunately, a few of those issues became much more obvious once the Finals arrived.

The Finals Attack

This is the obvious and most frustrating one.

The Warriors' regular-season attack improved a lot over 2025. They scored more freely, had more variety and looked capable of hurting teams in several different ways.

The attack was much better balanced, with the Warriors creating opportunities through the middle, shifting the ball wide, and using their back three more effectively.

For large parts of the regular season, it felt like the Warriors had finally found some attacking consistency. They weren't completely reliant on one or two players to create something, and there was a genuine sense that the team had enough options to trouble the better sides.

Unfortunately, that became much harder to see once the finals arrived.

Against the Dolphins, the attack struggled once the game started to turn. The Warriors had opportunities but couldn't maintain the same attacking pressure they had shown during the regular season.

Against the Knights, it never really clicked at all.

At times, the attack became predictable, with too much pressure on Leka Halasima to create something. Leka was outstanding considering the hamstring injury he was carrying, but you simply can't expect one player to be the answer every time, especially in a finals game.

The Warriors also missed other opportunities. A better pass, better option or a little more patience could have created something, but too often the final play wasn't there.

That's what made it so frustrating.

The opportunities weren't completely non-existent. The Warriors had enough attacking talent and had shown enough during the regular season to suggest they could have gone much further.

Instead, when the pressure went up, the attacking solutions disappeared. That's probably the biggest what-if of the season.

Edge Defence

The Warriors' defensive system was generally strong throughout the season, but some worrying issues remained on the edges. Teams sometimes found space through second-phase play, quick shifts, and broken defensive structures. When the Warriors lost their shape, they could be exposed pretty quickly.

The Round 26 game against Newcastle was probably the biggest warning sign. The Knights were able to find holes in the Warriors' defence despite spending a large chunk of the match with 12 players.

The Warriors still managed to win, but the defensive issues were obvious and raised concerns heading into the finals.

That was particularly frustrating because the Warriors had shown plenty of times during the season that they could defend extremely well.

When the structure was right, and everyone was communicating, they were difficult to break down. The problem was maintaining that discipline when things became messy, or the opposition started throwing more at them.

This isn't really a question of whether the Warriors can defend. They clearly can. It's about making sure defensive discipline and communication hold up for the full 80 minutes, especially when the pressure goes up.

Injuries

Injuries were still a frustrating part of the Warriors' 2026 season, even though the team handled them much better than it had in 2025.

Tanah Boyd's ACL injury was probably the biggest blow. He had made such a strong start to the season. He was becoming an increasingly important part of the team's attack, particularly with his goal-kicking and ability to create opportunities.

Jackson Ford's injury was another huge loss, particularly because of the season he was having before it happened. Ford had become one of the Warriors' most consistent forwards and was even sitting at the top of the Dally M tally before his injury.

RTS' season-ending ACL injury was another major setback. His experience, leadership and ability to create something out of nothing were difficult to replace.

Then there was Te Maire Martin's hamstring injury, which came at a frustrating time after he had finally established some consistency in the halves.

The good thing was that the Warriors were much better equipped to handle injuries than they were the year before. The squad had more depth, younger players stepped up, and the team generally found ways to cover the players they were missing.

But that doesn't mean the injuries didn't matter. Losing so many important pieces meant the Warriors were constantly adjusting combinations, and you can't help but wonder what might have been with a little more luck on the injury front.

My Top Four Warriors for the Season

In my reviews this season, I selected my Warrior of the Match, but behind the scenes I gave my own version of the Dally M 3, 2, 1 points to track the players who shone in my view. Twenty players earned points throughout the season, but I will only cover the top four here.

Taine Tuaupiki - 21 points

Taine Tuaupiki is my Warrior of the Year for 2026.

That probably isn't something I would have predicted at the start of the season. To be honest, it was a bit of a surprise when I looked back at my ratings and realised how strongly Taine had finished the year.

He went into the season as a talented young fullback trying to establish himself, but by the end of it, he had become one of the most important players in the Warriors' backline. His confidence grew as the season went on, and he became more dangerous with the ball and increasingly comfortable taking control of games from the back.

The numbers back that up: Taine finished with 7 tries, 5 try assists, 17 line breaks and 124 tackle breaks, while averaging 172 running metres per game.

His late-season performances were probably the biggest reason he won my award. He started racking up the points in my ratings, putting together a run of strong performances when the Warriors needed him most. His hat-trick against Manly in Round 27 was the perfect example. With the Warriors missing some experienced players, Taine stepped up and produced the moments the team needed.

He still has areas to work on, particularly defensively, but considering where he started the season and where he finished it, his improvement has been huge.

He went from a young player trying to establish himself to someone the Warriors could rely on, and by the end of the year, he looked like a player the Warriors can build around.

James Fisher-Harris - 17 points

James Fisher-Harris was exactly what the Warriors needed when he joined the club in 2025.

He brought experience, toughness and consistency to the forward pack, and in his second season at the club, he remained one of the team's most reliable players.

Week after week, JFH helped set the tone through the middle, taking the hard carries, making his tackles and doing the work that doesn't always get the biggest headlines.

He averaged 140 metres a game, made 699 tackles and finished with 1,198 post-contact metres. He also had 34 tackle breaks, showing there was still plenty of aggression in his carries.

His leadership has also been important. With several younger forwards coming through, having someone with Fish's experience and standards around the group has been invaluable.

He didn't need to do anything flashy. He simply kept turning up and doing his job, and that reliability is a massive reason why he finished second in my points tally.

Erin Clark & Jacob Laban - 14 points 

I couldn't separate these two, so they both take third place.

Jacob Laban has been one of the most exciting young players to emerge from the Warriors this season.

His confidence grew as the year went on, and by the second half of the season he looked increasingly comfortable at NRL level. He scored 8 tries and made 10 line breaks while averaging 79 running metres a game. What impressed me most was how willing he was to back himself. 

Whether it was taking on the defence, chasing down a loose ball or getting involved in the attack, Laban started to look like a player who could make things happen rather than simply trying to fit into the team.

He also made 735 tackles, showing he was contributing plenty defensively as well.

He still has areas to clean up, but this was a huge step forward for Laban. He went from being a promising young player to someone who looks capable of having a much bigger role for the Warriors in the years ahead.

Erin Clark was once again one of the Warriors' most dependable players.

He averaged 134 metres a game, made 693 tackles and finished with 1,272 post-contact metres. He also had 44 tackle breaks. Like Fish, Clark was one of those players you could rely on to turn up each week and do the tough jobs and is a vital piece to this side being successful, especially with the exit of Mitch Barnett.

The fact these two finished level on 14 points shows how highly I rated both of them throughout the year. Laban's emergence and Clark's consistency were very different contributions, but both played an important part in the Warriors' 2026 season.

My Three Warriors Who Need to Improve

Unlike the Warriors of the Year section, I picked only one player to improve each week.

I selected the three players who appeared most often in my Warriors to Improve segment. Twelve players were picked at least once in this section in 2026, with only one player getting picked more than twice. There was also a little bit of an oddity in the numbers, with “None Selected” appearing eight times when I didn't feel a Warrior needed to be singled out after a match.

Adam Pompey - 4 Selections

Adam Pompey finished with four selections as my Warrior to Improve, making him the clear leader in this category. That doesn't mean Pompey had a terrible season. He finished with 5 tries and 5 line breaks, continued to bring plenty of effort, and his goal-kicking became particularly valuable when the Warriors were dealing with injuries and inconsistent options elsewhere.

The problem was that the errors and defensive lapses became too frequent.

Pompey finished with 14 errors, 39 missed tackles and 7 ruck infringements. There were games where he did some good things with the ball but then gave away an opportunity through a mistake, or struggled defensively on the edge. At times, it felt like the reliability that had been one of his biggest strengths was starting to disappear.

The Warriors still needed what he brought to the team, but there were enough inconsistent performances for me to keep coming back to him in this section.

Hopefully 2027 gives Pompey a chance to rediscover that consistency and remind everyone what he can bring to a side when he gets his game right, whatever team he ends up going to (The Storm are the big rumour currently).

Leka Halasima - 2 selections

Halasima was another player who featured multiple times as my Warrior to Improve, with most of those selections coming early in the season when he was still trying to find his feet at NRL level.

Early on, there were some inconsistent performances and moments where he looked like a young player still adjusting to first-grade football after an amazing 2025 season.

That all changed as the season went on.

His move into the centres seemed to bring out the best in him, and his form really went through the roof. Six of his 10 tries for the season came after moving into the centres, and he started looking far more confident and dangerous with the ball in hand. By the end of the season, it was almost the complete opposite of where he had been when I was selecting him as my Warrior to Improve.

He became one of the Warriors' most exciting attacking players and showed just how much potential he has. His improvement throughout the year was probably one of the biggest positives of the Warriors' season.

Ali Leiataua - 2 selections

Leiataua was another player I picked twice as a Warrior to Improve, but those selections came more from areas he still needs to develop than from a poor overall season.

After barely getting a chance to string games together in his first three seasons, Ali finally got some regular NRL football in 2026 and played 22 games.

He scored 6 tries, had 7 try assists and made 8 line breaks, showing that he could contribute when given a consistent opportunity.

The biggest positive for me was simply seeing what Ali could do with a proper run in the team.

He still has areas to work on. He finished with 55 missed tackles, and towards the end of the season, particularly in the finals, there were times when he struggled to get his winger into the game and make the most of opportunities out wide. Those are areas that should improve with more experience.

Overall, 2026 was a really important season for him. After spending his first few years struggling to get regular game time, he finally got his opportunity and showed enough to suggest he can be a long-term part of the Warriors' outside backs.

2026 In Summary

So that's another season in the books. The straight-set exit in the finals hurts, but when I step back and look at the entire season rather than just the final two games, it is hard not to be pleased with the progress this team made.

Coming into the year, I predicted sixth. Instead, the Warriors finished second, won 18 games, spent most of the season near the top of the ladder and gave themselves two home finals.

They also developed a number of young players who now look capable of playing important roles for years to come.

For most of the regular season, I really enjoyed watching this team. They were consistent, dangerous with the ball, the forwards were laying a huge platform, and the young players were stepping up.

The win over Penrith was probably the biggest statement of the season, while the late wins over Newcastle and Manly showed the Warriors could find a way to win even when things weren't going perfectly.

Then came the finals.

Losing to the Dolphins was disappointing, but there was still a second chance. Finishing second had given the Warriors exactly the opportunity they had worked towards over 27 rounds.

Unfortunately, they couldn't make the most of it.

The Knights game was particularly frustrating because the Warriors had chances, defended with plenty of effort and were still in the contest right until the end. Some calls also went against them, but ultimately the Warriors needed to make their own moments count, and they didn't.

That's the part that will probably stick with me over the offseason.

This team was good enough to finish second. It was good enough to beat Penrith. It was good enough to put together one of the best regular seasons I have seen from the Warriors in a long time, but when it mattered most, they couldn't find the extra gear.

However, while the finals exit is disappointing, I don't want it to completely overshadow what this team achieved during the regular season; 2026 was a huge step forward.

The Warriors have shown they can compete at the top of the NRL; they have a strong forward pack, plenty of young talent coming through and another year of experience playing under pressure.

The next challenge is obvious: they need to turn regular-season success into finals success.

Looking Ahead to 2027

There will obviously be plenty of changes heading into 2027.

Some valuable and experienced players have played their final game for the Warriors, while Tanah Boyd's season-ending injury meant he didn't get the chance to finish what had been a breakout campaign.

There will also be questions around the halves, the outside backs and how Andrew Webster balances the experienced players with the younger talent coming through, but for perhaps the first time in a while, I don't look at the Warriors and think they need to completely rebuild, as there is a strong foundation here.

Fisher-Harris, Ford, Clark and the rest of the forward pack give the team plenty of experience and power through the middle. Tuaupiki, Laban, Halasima and the other young players have shown there is plenty of talent coming through.

Now it is about putting all those pieces together; the Warriors have already shown they can win plenty of regular-season games. The next step is finding a way to win the games that matter most.

With the season over, we also bid farewell to Mitch Barnett, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Adam Pompey, Luke Hanson, Jett Cleary, Morgan Gannon and Kayliss Fatialofa.

2027 will see some new faces with Grant Anderson, Sam McIntyre, Will Warbrick and Bailey Biondi-Odo all signing on.

There will be plenty to work out over the offseason, but this isn't a Warriors team starting from scratch.

There is something here; now it is up to the club to build on it.

Thank You

Away from the footy field, 2026 has once again been a massive year for Warriors content.

The Stand-Off has continued to grow, and I've really enjoyed talking Warriors and NRL with everyone throughout the season.

I've also loved writing these reviews every week. It takes a fair bit of time to put them together, particularly when you're trying to remember everything that happened during an 80-minute game. Still, the feedback, comments and conversations make it worthwhile.

One of the best things about being a Warriors fan is seeing how many people are now creating content around the club. Between podcasts, blogs, YouTube, social media and everything else, there is a huge community of people who simply love talking about this team.

As someone who has been doing this for a while now, I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to read my reviews, comment, share them or simply chat about the Warriors.

Thank you.

I am still determining what 2027 will bring for me. I will still be writing my reviews and hosting The Stand-Off. I had initially planned to dip a toe into creating videos this year, where I could chat more in-depth about the Warriors and invite people on to chat footy, but I simply couldn't find the time.

So I'll go back to the drawing board this offseason and maybe do that in 2027.

Let me know if you'd like to see videos on Warriors news, rumours and interviews from me. I also have a few ideas for offseason topics, so stay tuned.

While the writing will have a little break over the next month or so, The Stand-Off will still continue for a while before Season Seven ends as we cover the World Cup.

You can catch us at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. I also load the episodes onto my Facebook page, but the show streams live on the New Zealand Sport Radio YouTube channel.

New Zealand Sport Radio

Thank you again for reading my reviews this year; it means a great deal to me, and I look forward to chatting with you all again soon.

That was my take on a surprising 2026 season, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Did the 2026 season hit your expectations?

Who was your player of the year?

Which player do you think needs to improve the most?

What realistic changes would you make for next Season?

How do you see the 2027 season going?

NZ Warriors 2026 Finals Week 2 Review: A Frustrating End at Eden Park

After their disappointing loss to the Dolphins in week 1 of the finals, the Warriors remained at home, moving to Eden Park to host the Knights, who defeated the Rabbitohs 20-10 last week.

The Warriors led 6-0 early and fought back to within two points after Leka Halasima's second try, but they couldn't find the score they needed in the closing stages. In a tense and error-filled game at Eden Park, the Knights held on for a 12-10 win to end the Warriors' finals campaign, seeing them exit the Finals in straight sets.

Now, apologies in advance if I mix a few things up; it was a 6pm Sunday night game I went to live, and I didn't get back until late and couldn't stomach watching a full replay, so my thoughts are a bit hazy.

What Went Down

In a tense and error-filled finals battle, the Warriors struck first in the 12th minute. Leka Halasima, who had already appeared to be carrying a hamstring issue, showed plenty of determination to run around Dominic Young and power through Phoenix Crossland to score. Taine Tuaupiki added the extras to give the Warriors an early 6-0 lead.

The Knights thought they had hit back shortly after, but Fletcher Sharpe's try was ruled out after the Bunker found Francis Manuleleua had got a hand to the ball first and knocked it on.

Newcastle eventually got their try in the 28th minute. Bradman Best broke through and got past Jacob Laban before finding Sharpe, who went over under the posts. Sandon Smith converted to level things up at 6-6, and that was how it stayed at half-time. The Warriors had 54 per cent of possession and completed 80 per cent of their sets in the first half, but the Knights had the better of the penalty count, leading 3-0.

Newcastle came out strongly after the break and took the lead in the 44th minute. Young raced down the right side, beating Chanel Harris-Tavita to score in the corner. Smith added the conversion to make it 12-6. Things got worse for the Warriors shortly after, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad leaving the field for a head injury assessment after being hurt in a tackle. He later failed the assessment.

The Warriors thought they had found a way back into the game when Ali Leiataua appeared to score in the 61st minute, but referee Ashley Klein ruled there had been obstruction involving Sharpe, and the Bunker agreed.

Both sides continued to create chances, with Kurt Capewell making a linebreak for the Warriors while Greg Marzhew and Kalyn Ponga threatened for Newcastle. But handling errors continued to hurt both teams and stop promising attacking opportunities from turning into points. By the 65th minute, the Knights had made 15 errors to the Warriors' 11.

The game turned again in the 69th minute when Halasima crossed for his second try of the night. The young forward was left in pain after appearing to be shoved by Young as he went over, but the try was awarded. Tuaupiki's conversion attempt missed, leaving Newcastle clinging to a 12-10 lead. Tuaupiki then left the field for his own head injury assessment, while Ponga would also leave for an assessment in the 74th minute.

The final stages became a real scramble, with reviews and challenges adding even more drama. The Warriors lost a challenge over a Marzhew strip after the Bunker ruled Te Maire Martin's fingers had changed into a stripping motion. With less than two minutes remaining, the Warriors had a decision to make. They needed a try to win the game, or they could settle for a two-point field goal or a penalty to force golden point. Then came the final big moment. With just 52 seconds left on the clock, Tyson Frizell appeared to take out Halasima in the kick chase. The clock stopped while officials reviewed the incident, but Klein and the Bunker found no penalty.

The Warriors felt they had been hard done by, but there was no time left to change it. They couldn't find a way through the Knights' defence, and Newcastle held on for a 12-10 win in a frantic and frustrating finals contest.

My Thoughts

Well, I honestly don't know what to make of that one. Coming into the game, I was confident the Warriors could get the job done, but I was also really nervous because I knew how important it was. After the disappointment of losing to the Dolphins, this was their chance to put that right and keep the season alive. For large parts of the game, I genuinely thought they were good enough to do it.

When Halasima scored his second try to make it 12-10, I thought the Warriors might be about to pull off one of those wins where they somehow find a way. But it just never quite happened. There was always another mistake, another missed opportunity or another moment where they couldn't turn pressure into points. Those final few minutes were incredibly frustrating because the game was there for the taking.

I also have to talk about the Bunker because I thought they got a few of those decisions completely wrong. It really soured the experience for me, especially at a stadium I don't particularly enjoy going to. Those calls could have changed the outcome; there's no doubt about that. But at the same time, there were plenty of other moments where the Warriors had the opportunity to take control of the contest and didn't.

I want the officiating to be better, like everyone else, but as they say in boxing, if you leave it to the judges, you only have yourself to blame. The Warriors had plenty of chances to make their moments count in front of that massive crowd, and unfortunately they didn't. That's what makes this loss so frustrating. They weren't completely outplayed, and they had enough opportunities to win the game, but they just couldn't make those moments count.

It's tough to process because the regular season was so good. Finishing second and earning two home finals put the Warriors in a fantastic position, and I genuinely believed this team could make a serious run at the premiership. Instead, the season ended after two finals losses, and I can't help but feel there was a much bigger opportunity for them.

I'm disappointed; there's no doubt about that, but I'm also proud of what the Warriors achieved this year. They gave their fans plenty of great moments and showed a level of consistency that hasn't always been there in recent years. It's a real shame the season ended before we could see how far this team could have gone. Now the team and coaching staff need to look at what went right, what needs to improve, and hopefully find another level in 2027.

 

There wasn't much to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

One thing I can't fault the Warriors for was their defensive effort. For the past month, so much of the talk around the Warriors has been about their edges leaking far too many points, so to see them concede only two tries in such an important game was a real positive, even in such a disappointing loss. They held the Knights to just 12 points and, even when Newcastle got opportunities off Warriors errors, the defence often scrambled and recovered. There were some really good defensive sets throughout the game, particularly when Newcastle were putting pressure on their line. When the attack wasn't clicking, the defence kept them in the contest and gave them a genuine chance of winning. In the end, conceding only 12 points in a sudden-death final should normally give you a very good chance, and the Warriors' defence certainly did its job.

Losing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to a failed HIA disrupted the Warriors' backline, especially in such a tight finals game. Then, with the Knights already holding a 12-10 lead, Taine Tuaupiki also left the field for a head injury assessment, creating another late change when the Warriors were trying to find a way back into the game. Despite those setbacks, the Warriors kept competing and didn't let the disruption completely derail them. They kept working hard, created chances and fought their way back into the contest. In the end, they just needed to ice some of the opportunities they created, and they could have found themselves on the right side of a very tight game. Instead, they couldn't quite find that finishing touch, but they still gave themselves a chance right until the final siren.

The Warriors gave themselves a chance until the end, which matters in a game decided by just two points. They stayed within striking distance in the final minutes and had chances to turn the game around, rather than being comfortably beaten. After Newcastle went 12-6 ahead, the Warriors kept fighting and found a way back to within two points. They also had a few Bunker calls go against them that could have helped swing the momentum back their way, particularly the disallowed try and the late incidents that went against them. While you can't blame the officials for the result, those calls certainly didn't help the Warriors build pressure when they needed it most. They couldn't quite find the play they needed to ice their opportunities, but they were still in the contest right until the final siren. In a game this tight, one good attacking set, a better last-tackle option or one call going their way could have completely changed the result.

However, I did have concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the game.

Match Negatives

The attack never really clicked for the Warriors, and they struggled to turn possession and field position into sustained pressure. They got into attacking territory, but too often came away without really putting Newcastle under pressure. Their last-tackle options were also a real concern, with some poor kicks and decisions letting the Knights off the hook. At times, it felt like the Warriors' only attacking option was to get the ball to an injured Leka Halasima and hope he could create something. While Halasima showed plenty of determination, you can't keep relying on one player, especially when he's clearly struggling physically. The Warriors created opportunities but couldn't consistently turn them into pressure or points, and in a tight finals game, that lack of attacking execution ultimately came back to bite them.

The Warriors left too many opportunities out there, and this was a big reason they couldn't get themselves over the line. They had chances to score throughout the game but couldn't turn enough of them into points, whether it was the final pass, the last play, or simply making the right decision at the right time. Two moments that stand out involved Kurt Capewell, who made two big breaks but couldn't turn either into points. On the first, he probably should have passed to his outside; on the second, he broke through but had no support around him. Against a desperate Knights side, those small moments became costly. In a game decided by two points, making the most of just one or two more chances could have changed the result.

The Warriors went out in straight sets, and after such a strong regular season and securing a top-two finish, that's a really disappointing way to end the year. There was so much talk from the media, and even from me, about how big an advantage it was to have two home finals in New Zealand. The Warriors put themselves in a position to play both games in front of their home fans, but it feels like they've squandered that opportunity. They earned themselves a second chance after losing to the Dolphins in Week 1, but couldn't take it against the Knights. For all the positives of the regular season, the Warriors ultimately finished 2026 without winning a finals match. They never got the chance to play the preliminary final they had worked towards. After putting themselves in such a strong position, that's a tough way to finish the year.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Leka Halasima.

He was called into the side at the last minute despite still clearly being hampered by his hamstring injury, but even at less than 100%, he caused the Knights plenty of headaches all night. He scored both of the Warriors' tries and was one of the few players who consistently looked capable of breaking the game open. He finished with 189 metres, three line breaks and nine tackle breaks, while also making 16 tackles without missing one. Those numbers are even more impressive considering he was carrying an injury and had only been brought into the team late. He did have three errors, but given the circumstances, I thought his effort and impact deserved recognition.

His fitness is one of the biggest what-ifs coming out of this game. If this is what he can do while clearly hampered, how much more dangerous could he have been at 100%? And you can't help but wonder whether, if he hadn't picked up that hamstring issue in the warm-up last week, he could have been the difference the Warriors needed against the Dolphins and perhaps avoided having to play this second-week finals game.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to Improve goes to Chanel Harris-Tavita.

He's been really good for the Warriors this season, but I thought both of his finals performances were well below the level I had come to expect. He did have a try assist and made 22 tackles, but he also led the Warriors with 10 missed tackles, made an error and gave away a penalty.

His last-tackle options were also a real concern and played a big part in the Warriors struggling to get their attack into gear. Too often the sets ended without putting Newcastle under enough pressure, and CHT is one of the players I look to when it comes to making those decisions. This doesn't take away from what has been a very good season for him, but when the big games came around, I expected more from CHT and, unfortunately, he didn't quite deliver.

Seasons done; What's Next for me?

So that’s a wrap on the 2026 season, and what a year it’s been for the Warriors. I came into the season with plenty of hope after what was a pretty inconsistent 2025, but I don’t think many of us expected the Warriors to put together the regular season they did. A top-two finish, plenty of big wins and some really impressive performances showed just how much this team had improved, although there were still some frustrating moments and plenty of what-ifs along the way. The finals campaign didn’t go the way we would have hoped, but that shouldn’t take away from what was a really strong regular season and a year that has given Warriors fans plenty to be excited about. Before we turn our attention fully to 2027, I’ll be back with my 2026 season review, where I’ll unpack the entire year, look at some of the key players and moments, and discuss what comes next for this team.

Then I will take a little break, maybe writing a few articles about the Warriors if the inspiration hits me, and maybe some stuff around the World Cup. I did have an offseason idea last year to compile my favourite players from each season since 1995 and discuss what I liked about them and how they performed in the year they earned the honour of being my favourite player, but I didn't get round to it. However, my partner will be expecting me to give her a bit more attention, with the Warriors not consuming my day-to-day for a few months.

Last but not least, my show, The Stand-Off, will continue to stream live on YouTube and delayed on Facebook every Wednesday at 8pm NZ time; we haven't decided on a season finale time yet, as we will be covering the rest of the NRL season and the World Cup, so come join us there as we discuss the footy.

So, that was a heartbreaking Finals Week 2, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes does Andrew Webster need to make with this team to take it to the next level in 2027?

Does exiting the Finals in straight sets dampen your feelings about the Warriors' 2026 season?

Who has been your biggest surprise from the squad?

Who do you think is going to win the 2026 premiership?

NZ Warriors 2026 Finals Week 1 Review: Warriors' Attack Comes Up Short Against Dolphins

After a stressful win over the Sea Eagles in Round 27, the Warriors remained at home to host the Dolphins in the first week of finals.

The Warriors looked in control after building a 16-8 lead early in the second half, but the Dolphins fought their way back and took an 18-16 lead with 14 minutes remaining. The Warriors couldn't find a response, scoring just one try as the Dolphins ran away with a 26-16 win.

What Went Down

The Warriors started the stronger side, with Taine Tuaupiki opening the scoring with a penalty goal in the 8th minute. The Dolphins hit back just four minutes later through Jamayne Isaako, who levelled things up at 2-2. The Warriors regained the lead in the 15th minute when Tuaupiki finished off a break of his own, before adding the extras to make it 8-2. Another Tuaupiki penalty in the 20th minute stretched the lead to 10-2, but the Dolphins hit back five minutes later when Selwyn Cobbo crossed out wide after some good work from Herbie Farnworth. Isaako's conversion made it 10-8.

The game then got a bit heated. Adam Pompey was sin-binned in the 28th minute, before Kurt Capewell and Cobbo were both sent to the sin bin five minutes later after a heated melee.

Despite the disruption, the Warriors kept finding points through the boot. Tuaupiki kicked another penalty in the 40th minute to give the Warriors a 12-8 lead at halftime.

The ill-discipline continued after the break, with Tuaupiki converting penalties in the 50th and 52nd minutes to push the Warriors out to a 16-8 lead. For a while, it looked like the Warriors might be able to grind their way to the win. But the Dolphins started to find their rhythm as the half went on. Farnworth broke through to score in the 60th minute, and Isaako's conversion brought the visitors back to within two points at 16-14. Then came the turning point. A slick backline move in the 66th minute put Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow over, giving the Dolphins the lead for the first time at 18-16.

The Warriors couldn't respond, and the Dolphins put the game beyond doubt in the 74th minute. A strip on Chanel Harris-Tavita after a Alofiana Khan-Pereira mistimed catch off a kick by Jack Bostock, who forced his way over after a lengthy bunker review confirmed the grounding. Isaako added the extras to seal a 26-16 win for the Dolphins.

My Thoughts

Well, that wasn't how I expected the Warriors' finals campaign to start.

I came into this match feeling confident in the team, but I was also very nervous. The Dolphins are a dangerous attacking side and can rip teams to shreds if you give them the chance. After the season the Warriors have had and the position they put themselves in, there was a real feeling that this could finally be the year they made a serious run deep into September. Instead, they now find themselves having to fight their way through the finals after letting an opportunity slip.

What makes this one hurt is that I don't think the Warriors were completely outplayed. There were periods when they looked like the better side and had the game they wanted, but something just seemed missing. They never really looked like the team we've watched for most of 2026, and when the game started to swing, they couldn't find that response we've become so used to seeing from them.

I think that's probably what disappointed me most. This team has spent the entire season building a reputation for being hard to beat, finding different ways to win and handling whatever gets thrown at them. We've seen them come from behind, defend leads, win tight games and put teams away when they get on top. But when they needed that bit of composure and belief in the final stages, it just wasn't there.

At the same time, I'm not going to suddenly write this team off because of one bad finals performance. This has still been an outstanding regular season from the Warriors, and they earned their place in the top two. They've given themselves another chance, and now it's about what they do with it.

The Knights are a completely different challenge, but the Warriors have already beaten them this season. I also think there is something to be said for the fact that this team has now experienced the disappointment of a finals loss. Nobody in that dressing room can pretend they don't know what the pressure feels like anymore. Hopefully they take that feeling into the next game and use it rather than letting it hang over them.

Finals footy is about responding, and now we get to see what this Warriors team is really made of. I'm still confident they can make a run at this. Maybe that's the optimist in me, but I don't think one poor night should erase everything they've done over the past six months. They have earned another opportunity; they just need to make the most of it.

But make no mistake, the margin for error is gone now. Lose this one and the season is over. Win it, and suddenly we're talking about a preliminary final and another chance to keep this incredible season alive. That's what makes next week so exciting, and a little nerve-racking at the same time.

The regular season gave us plenty of reasons to believe this Warriors side could do something special. Now they have to show they can handle the other side of finals footy too. The first chance didn't go their way, but they've got one more shot.

Let's see what they can do with it.

One thing I do want to mention before moving on is the atmosphere. Getting tickets for this game was frustrating, and I know plenty of members missed out. Watching from the top of the South Stand was a new experience for me, but the crowd were absolutely up for this one all night. You could feel how much everyone wanted this team to make a run in September. The Warriors are going to need that and even more this week when they move to Eden Park, because this season is now on the line.

 

There wasn't much to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

The forward effort was solid, and once again it was the platform that gave the Warriors a chance to win. In fact, the work of this forward pack is a big reason the Warriors have made it to the finals in the first place, so it was good to see them continue to do their job when the pressure was on. The Warriors ran for 1,598 metres and made 561 post-contact metres, both better than the Dolphins, who finished with 1,561 metres and 506 post-contact metres. James Fisher-Harris led the way with 168 metres, followed by Mitch Barnett with 136 and Erin Clark with 105, while the team continued to make good ground and keep the Dolphins honest through the middle defensively. They gave the Warriors a solid platform to build from and, for large parts of the game, the forwards were winning their battle. Unfortunately, the Warriors just couldn't turn that hard work into enough attacking pressure or tries when it mattered most.

The Warriors did a good job of handling the Dolphins' attack for long periods, which is no easy task considering how dangerous they can be with the ball in hand. Keeping them to just eight points in the first half was a really positive part of the performance, and the Warriors did a good job limiting their attacking opportunities for large chunks of the game. That was even more impressive when they found themselves down a man, with the defensive line having to work harder and cover more ground. For all the talk about how the game got away from the Warriors in the second half, their defence did a pretty good job for much of the night and gave the team every chance to get the result.

As disappointing as the loss was, the Warriors do still have a second chance in these finals. Obviously, having the week off and fast-tracking their way into a preliminary final would have been the preferred option, but finishing in the top two means this loss hasn't ended their season, and they can go again in another home match. Instead, they now have to take the longer road to a grand final, which isn't ideal, but it does give them another life. Hopefully, this loss serves as the wake-up call they need to refocus, fix what went wrong, and make sure they don't waste their second chance. They are still in the hunt, and that's the important thing.

However, I did have concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the game.

Match Negatives

The attack never really showed up in this game. Even when the Warriors were leading 16-8, they weren't exactly carving the Dolphins up and creating a heap of genuine try-scoring opportunities. The 83% completion rate looks good on paper, but they put too much emphasis on completing sets rather than asking questions of the Dolphins' defence. The game plan wasn't really working, yet the Warriors didn't do enough to change it up. They continued kicking to the Dolphins' back three without enough pressure from the chase, which regularly left the Warriors starting their defensive sets on the back foot. Once the Dolphins started to build momentum, the Warriors needed to find something different and put them under real pressure, but they kept using much the same approach. You can't expect to win a finals game by simply completing your sets and hoping something eventually opens up, and scoring just one try was a pretty clear indication that the attack wasn't good enough. They need to fix this quickly if they don't want to go out in straight sets in this finals series.

The Warriors also struggled to contain the Dolphins when they kept the ball alive and, more importantly, when they put up attacking kicks. The Dolphins created extra opportunities through second-phase play when the Warriors really needed to shut the game down, and those little moments started to build pressure. The attacking kicks were particularly damaging in the final 15 minutes, with almost every one putting the Warriors under pressure and allowing the Dolphins to keep the Warriors starting their own sets deep in their own half. The Warriors needed to handle those situations better and take some of that pressure away, but the Dolphins kept finding ways to turn their kicks into attacking opportunities. In a tight finals game, those little moments can be the difference, and in the end they helped the Dolphins put the game beyond doubt.

The Warriors led 16-8 early in the second half and put themselves in a position to control the game, but they couldn't close it out. With 10 minutes to go, they weren't protecting a lead they had built themselves. They were chasing the game after allowing the Dolphins to turn the momentum around. They had enough possession, field position and opportunities throughout the night to win this game, but when it came down to the big moments, they couldn't find a way to wrestle control back. This is the sort of game where a team with genuine finals aspirations needs to find a way to get the job done, and the Warriors simply couldn't do it. It's a tough lesson, but hopefully one they learn from quickly because they won't get many more chances like this in the finals.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Taine Tuaupiki.

Tuaupiki stood above the rest of his team in this match, and considering he scored all 16 of their points, you could argue he couldn't have done much more for the cause. He finished with a team-high 227 metres, along with two line breaks and nine tackle breaks, while constantly trying to involve himself in attack. He was also good under pressure at the back, making some nice defusals and coming up clutch with some last-line defensive plays. His kicking kept the scoreboard ticking over and gave the Warriors their 16-8 lead, and while the team ultimately couldn't hold on, Tuaupiki certainly wasn't the reason they came up short.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to Improve goes to pretty much everyone else.

Apart from a select handful, with Taine Tuaupiki, James Fisher-Harris and Mitch Barnett probably the obvious standouts, the rest of the team simply didn't deliver at the level we've come to expect from them this season. There were too many little things that added up, from some silly errors from Wayde Egan to the brain snaps that saw Kurt Capewell and Adam Pompey spend time in the sin bin. Both centres also had moments where they seemed to forget their wingers were outside them and opted to go it alone, while Alofiana Khan-Pereira was repeatedly caught out of position defending kicks into his corner. Then there were the halves, who couldn't make enough use of the momentum and field position the forwards were giving them, with some pretty pedestrian last-tackle options when the Warriors needed to be asking more questions. Individually, a few players did their jobs, but as a team the performance was well below the standard we've come to expect, and it needs to change quickly if they are going to make a serious run through these finals.

Finals Week 2 Thoughts and Prediction

In the Second week of finals, the Warriors remain at home, moving to Eden Park to host the Knights, who defeated the Rabbitohs 20-10 this week.

As for the team I'd pick, Leka Halasima going down in the warm-up wasn't ideal, but if he's fit to return, he comes straight back in for Adam Pompey. With Jackson Ford looking likely to miss the rest of the season, Eddie Ieremia-Toeva also gets his spot back in the team. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is expected to return for the finals, and this could be his final chance to get back into the side, so I'd bring him in as well. I'd either replace Alofiana Khan-Pereira or Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, as neither really impressed me this week. If Halasima isn't fit to return, then DWZ comes in, and CNK moves into the centres.

The Newcastle Knights showed in their 20-10 win over South Sydney that they are going to be a tough side to deal with. They are a physical team through the middle, have plenty of attacking strike out wide and are more than happy to play an up-tempo style when they get some momentum. They have plenty of speed and attacking talent across the park, with players capable of creating something from nothing, while their forwards can lay a good platform for that attack. Defensively, they also showed plenty of commitment against the Rabbitohs and did a good job of limiting their opportunities for long periods. They aren't unbeatable, though, and their willingness to play an expansive style can sometimes lead them to force things or give teams opportunities. The Warriors have already beaten them this season, so there is certainly a familiarity between the two sides heading into this one.

For the Warriors to get the win here, this game has to be about getting back to the basics and playing the footy that got them into the top two in the first place. They need to win the battle through the middle, build pressure and give their halves better opportunities to attack off the back of that work. The biggest thing, though, is they simply have to be more dangerous with the ball. Against the Dolphins, they completed well enough but didn't ask enough questions, and they can't afford to do the same again. They also need to be smarter with their kicking game and make sure they aren't handing the Knights easy field position. Defensively, they need to stay connected and be ready for the Knights' attacking threats out wide, because any missed tackles or poor reads could be punished. Their record at Eden Park isn't exactly great either, but if the Warriors fans turn up in big numbers and get behind the team, that home support could give them the boost they need to get across the line. Most importantly, they need to show more composure when they get into a winning position and find a way to close it out. I think the Warriors will bounce back from last week's disappointment and get their season back on track, winning by 8.

So, that was a frustrating Finals Week 1, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Would you make any changes to the 17?

Do you think playing at Eden Park will make it harder for the Warriors?

Can you still see the Warriors going all the way this season?

What is your score prediction against the Knights?