NZ Warriors Round 14 Review: Warriors survive wounded Titans late charge

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After a disappointing showing in round 13, the Warriors made the journey across the ditch to face a Gold Coast Titans team buoyed by their victory over the Brisbane Broncos.
With their season hanging by a thread and Adam Blair celebrating his 300th first grade match the Warriors had all the motivation needed to perform.
It wasn't pretty, but the Warriors did enough to defeat a wounded Titans 24-20.

The Warriors needed a result here, and they got it, yes it was against a team lower than them on the table that lost two of their key players during the match, but you have to play what's in front of you and get the job done, and I think the Warriors did that.
That past month has highlighted how out of sync this team has been and it has affected their attack, but we saw glimpses of the old attack coming back, there's still a long way to go, but they are at least heading in the right direction.

The Warriors are still miles away from even being considered a top-eight side, but if they can continue to get wins and the teams around them struggle like they have been, they may still be able to sneak in.
They were able to exhort a ton of pressure on the tiring Titans which allowed the Warriors to get themselves back in the match after almost letting the game slip out if their hands which leads me to my positives from the game.

Much like last week, the Warriors were able to insert themselves into the match quickly, scoring minutes into the contest via Karl Lawton. If the Warriors want to string some wins together then bolting out of the gate will get them some of the way there.
They struggled in that 30-50 minute window again but rather than get bogged down by their errors they were able to work together and get back into the contest.

Working together is another positive, watching the match last week you could see the team wasn't gelling, they were getting down on each other when mistakes or misreads happened and that just lead to more going wrong.
This week you could see an attitude shift, and when things went against the Warriors, they worked harder and backed each other up.

The goal-line defence was good again (apart from a moment I will mention below), the Titans had so many repeat sets but could not convert them into points.
The Warriors defence stayed strong when it counted, the last few minutes of the match had the Titans camped on the Warriors line desperate to score and get the win, but the Warriors refused to give in.
Yes, Adam Blair got a sin-binned in that final minute, but u think it worked in the Warriors favour slightly, the Titans got the penalty, but the Warriors got that time to reset the line and focus which was all that was needed to hold onto that lead.

There were still issues, which leads me to my negatives.

Although the goal line defence was solid for the most part, the Titans first try was due to a massive hole between Blake Green and Tohu Harris.
Im not sure what happened there but I could see the hole as soon as the Titans looked that direction and knew the Warriors were in trouble.
I know Tohu is carrying injuries so maybe that hindered him in some way at that moment, the Warriors need to communicate better to ensure that they plug up any holes in their line.
In their defence, that was the earlier on in the match, and they improved as the game went on.

Unforced errors, man errors seem to be the mainstay in my reviews every week.
At times it seemed like the Warriors were just trying to force passes and offloads instead of little the plays develop.
In some aspects, it is good to see the Warriors desperate to get the result, but they have to pick their spots, you do not need to score off every tackle or even every set.
The experienced spine needs to talk to their team and just settle things down, play smart, and points will come.

Lastly is the interchange, the past few weeks I have been happy with the bench selection and rotation, but this week one thing bothered me.
Bunty Afoa did not get used until the second half, Bunty's hard runs when he gets his boarding pass at around the 20-30 minute mark really help the Warriors keep the pressure on.
To only put Bunty on 45 minutes into the match and to only use him for 16 minutes is criminal and cannot happen again, with the Titans down to a two-man bench I would have utilised some quick interchanges with the front rowers to quickly build momentum.
I don't think I will ever understand Kearney's interchange mindset but would love to hear him explain it one day.

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My Warrior of the game goes to Ken Maumalo once again.
Ken's double takes his season tally up to 10 which is double the amount he scored last year, he continues to be the backbone of this side leading the metre count almost every week and being a constant threat to break the oppositions line.
His reliability under the high ball and his defensive positioning is improving every week, and he is genuinely making that left wing his own.

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I don't have a Warrior to improve this week, but I want to highlight Karl Lawton.
I like Lawton and the spark he offers this side, and the rumours of the Warriors trying to flick him off to superleague teams has me worried.
I don't see Luke sticking around another season, and while Roache is a talented player, his track record has me doubtful that he can stay healthy for an entire season so I would be signing Lawton for a few more years and having a Roache/Lawton tandem.
Lawton has denied the reports, and I have my fingers crossed that he be here in 2020.

With the international window upon us, there is no NRL this week.
The Warriors that are not involved will be able to have a week off to get rid of the niggles that come at this point of the competition, and the ones that are playing will hopefully return to the Warriors camp full of enthusiasm after playing for their respective countries.
I will be writing the match review and match report for the Kiwis vs Tonga clash for Nothingbutleague.com, and it should be an exciting match to watch, and I can't wait.

After the internationals are done, the Warriors return to Mount Smart to face a Penrith Panthers that has improved since their embarrassing showing in round 10 and will test the Warriors.
Winning here keeps the top eight aspirations (no matter how slim) alive, and I think the Warriors can get the job done here, so I'm picking them to win by 14.

So that was an improved round 14, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Are you looking forward to this week's internationals?

Do you have a player that needs to improve

Would you keep Karl Lawton for 2020?

What is your score prediction for Round 15?

NZ Warriors Round 13 Review: Natural disaster as Storm rip up Mount Smart

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After a much-needed bye week, a well-rested Warriors side were at home once again, this time hosting the Melbourne Storm.
After their one-point defeat on Anzac Day, the Warriors came into the match confident that they could bring the fight to the competition leaders, but it wasn't to be as they were sounded defeated 32-10.

This was a soul breaking performance, after predicting the Warriors would lose this match by 16 points they got my hopes up with a strong first 30 minutes and were leading the Storm 10-2 but the seeds of doubt were planted in my head as the Storm scored an easy try to end the half only 2 points behind.
Then, putting it bluntly, the Storm returned to the field after the break and the Warriors stayed in the sheds.
It was a sight we have seen countless times this year, the Warriors started a match with promise, and then the wheels fell off. I don't know how or even if the team can do anything to turn this around, the team is struggling to play as a unit, and this showed in how disorganised when attacking.
I'm not sure what has been happening in the sheds at halftime this year, but whatever it is the Warriors need to steer clear of it for the remainder of the season.

There isn't much to praise this week, but I do have one highlight which leads me to my one positive of the match.

It was good to have Agnatius Paasi back this round, and he provided some strong runs up the middle, if Paasi and Bunty Afoa can get some assistance from the rest of the pack then hopefully the halves can get it together and start getting the backline into attack mode.

That is all I can pick as a positive, which brings me to my negatives.

The team playing as individuals is a huge concern, no one was on the same page, and you could see the frustration in the body language, specifically Tuivasa-Sheck, as things started to fall apart.
When playing the Storm, you need to bring your A-game, anything less sends you home with a loss and if your A-game needs to include all 17 players, not just individuals running around blind hoping for the Storm's line to just open up.

Blake Green and Kodi Nikorima still don't appear to be on the same page, and it is affecting the Warriors last tackle options.
Kodi has an eye for opportunities and displayed that when he ran on the last for Maumalos try, and Blake showed vision with his grubber early in the tackle count for Kodi to score, but after that, both players seemed to disappear.
With the losses mounting, perhaps it's time to think of 2020 and bring Chanel Harris-Tavita in to start his partnership with Kodi, it would at least increase the Warriors attacking threat.

Lastly, the Warriors execution and discipline is hurting them week in and week out.
32 missed tackles, 10 unforced errors and 9 penalties against the top calibre team like Melbourne all but guarantees a loss.
With their attack failing to fire the last thing the Warriors should be doing is handing their opposition easy possession and piggybacks out of their own half.
They need to find respect, not only for the ball but for themselves.

I don't have a Warrior of the game this round, Tuivasa-Sheck and Maumalo were trying their best out there, but I just couldn't select a "best performer" after that performance so I will leave it at that.

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My Warrior to improve could have gone to quite a few players, but I have selected Gerard Beale.
Beale was a late call up after Patrick Herbert was ruled out the day before the match and despite typically being a handy fill in he appeared to be out of sorts in this match.
At times he held onto the ball when he should have given it to Fusitu'a, and other times he forced a pass the found nothing but touchline.
There were about three blown opportunities from Beale, and hopefully, when given a chance for redemption, he will take it with both hands.
I have my fingers crossed the Hebert returns in the next round as his defence and goal kicking was sorely missed.

Round 14 sees the Warriors travel to the Gold Coast to face the Titans.
The Titans have been weak this year but looked sharp in their round 13 upset over the Brisbane Broncos, so they will not be easy beats bu any stretch.
The Warriors have plenty to work on this week and will be looking at fighting their way out their current funk.
If the Warriors can work on their combinations and find their second phase football again, they should be able to leave the GC with the two points.
I think it is going to be tough but im backing the Warriors to bounce back and im picking them to win by 8 here.

So that was my take on a disappointing Round 13, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you have a Warrior of the round?
Who was your Warrior to improve?
What would you do to fix the Warriors attack?
What is your score prediction for Round 14 against the Titans?

NZ Warriors Mid-Season Review: The good, the bad and the ugly

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With the Warriors enjoying a bye in Round 12, I have no match review to write, so like last season, I thought it was the best time to write my midseason review.

It's fair to say that the first 11 rounds have not been fantastic for the Warriors and Warriors fans alike and how they make their return from the bye round could make or break their season.

The Warriors have 10 points and currently sit 12th on the ladder with a 4-7 record and a -20 points differential.
With the NRL once again being a tight competition the Warriors are 2 points outside of the top eight and 4 points outside of the top four (Although they are 10 points behind the Storm and the Rabbitohs.
After having one of the best away records in 2018, the Warriors now share one of the worst with a 1-4 away record (not including their "home" win in the Brisbane Magic Round).
Coming into the season, I had predicted a 6-5 record at this point, so I wasn't too far off, but I was hoping for a few more wins.

Keeping in the theme I started last year, I'm going to break my wrap up into good, bad and ugly so to get it started, let's go with the good.

The Good

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The Warriors fitness continues to shine in 2019 after the recruitment of Alex Corvo last year, the Warriors have shown at times this season that they can go the distance with some of the best in the NRL and their conditioning kept them in the fight (more on what has let them down below).

The Warriors have shown glimpses of how dangerous on attack they can be, even though they are 15th in running metres with only 16,794 metres this year they are near the top in line breaks (tied 2nd with 47) and 5th in Offloads with 131. If the Warriors can work on fine-tuning their 5th tackle options, they should be able to get themselves into a potential playoff spot.

The youngsters have stepped up in 2019, Adam Keighran and Chanel Harris-Tavita both showed promise in the limited time they have been given.
Both players have the potential to grow into a decent half for the club and will need to make the most of their time sitting in the wings, learning from Blake Green and new signing Kodi Nikorima.

The last young recruit I want to highlight is Patrick Herbert, it looked like Herbert was destined to be trapped in reserve grade forever with Kearney hesitant to drop either Kata or Hiku, but when he was finally given a chance, he took it in both hands and has not let go.
He has tightened up the right edge, stopping it from being the Warriors biggest weakness and has been quite accurate with his goal-kicking responsibilities.

My game of the year so far is the Warriors magic round defeat of the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium.
The Warriors have always struggled against the Dragons, but this was their third win in a row against St George and showed how dangerous the Warriors can be.
The forwards gained the upper hand, allowing the backs to wreak havoc on a shellshocked Dragons side. New recruit Nikorima showed what he will bring to the club in his debut, his pace adding a much-needed dimension to the Warriors attack. They defended in numbers, wrapping up the ball carrier to restrict the second phase, the Warriors need to get back to this game's intensity as they head into the business end of the season.

Lastly, I wanted to highlight my Warrior of the season, Ken Maumalo.
2018 saw Big Ken start to live up to his potential and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
After playing second fiddle to Fusitu'a last season, Ken now leads the Warriors in running metres and tries scored, Hiku's switch to the left edge has funnelled the Warriors attacking plays down that way, and Maumalo is reaping the rewards.

2019 hasn't given Warriors fans a lot of chances to smile so far which leads me to the bad.

The Bad

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The Warriors season to date could have looked different if they hadn't lost three games that they had put themselves in a position to win, they should have defeated the Rabbitohs, Cowboys and Storm in rounds 5,6 and 7 but due to the following issues, they didn't get the job done.

Too often the Warriors have been found lacking up front this season, and the lack of depth in front rowers leaves a lot to be desired.
Bunty Afoa and Agnatius Paasi have been the front runners. While Leeson Ah Mau has not been as strong as I had expected, he is still vital in the prop rotation, but the quality of props drops off the cliff after those three, Lisone and Sao have had strong outings when given a chance but haven't been able to hold onto a spot in the 17.
The Warriors have money left in the piggy bank and need to look at bringing some fresh blood into their front row either immediately or for next season.

The Warriors may have the ability to break the oppositions line this season, but once they get themselves into scoring opportunities, they have struggled.
With the exit of their primary playmaker for the past 8 seasons, the Warriors were always going to have some wobbly wheels as they adjust.
Keighran and Harris-Tavita did well for youngsters but were let down at times, but their pack and Blake Green has been plagued with injuries this season and has not delivered the crisp kicking plays he brought to the side last season mainly I think due to often being the sole kicking on the field.
Nikorima's spark is excellent for the side, but the Warriors need to find a way to help take some of the load off Green.

Lastly, for the bad, I want to mention missed tackles.
The Warriors are by no means the worst in this category, sitting 8th with 350 missed tackles and I still can't get my head around how a side can be so strong with their goal line defence but exposed defensively everywhere else on the field.
Herbert's addition to the side has improved the defence, but there is still a lot of work to do.
I'm not sure if the Warriors need to change their technique or if it's merely an attitude or skill issue, but if they don't improve this area of their game, they will be watching the playoffs not playing in them.

Fortunately, all of the above can be addressed and fixed, I just hope for the sake of the fans that improvement is on the way.

And now all that's left is ugly.

The Ugly

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Firstly, Round 3's 46-12 loss to the Sea Eagles in Christchurch was by far the Warriors worst display of 2019, the Warriors were defensively weak and abysmal when on attack.

It was a disaster of a game for the NRL starved community of Christchurch to witness, and thankfully the Warriors have improved since then, but it was a rude reminder of how bad the Warriors can be if they don't show up with the right attitude.

That's all I really have on the team in regards to ugly, but I have two things that need to be mentioned here.

First, Stephen Kearney's bench selection.

Kearney bench selections have been frustrating this season with his puzzling desire to run a small bench despite the Warriors desperately needing larger bodies to help Afoa and Paasi keep the pack rolling forward.

I don't mind having Jazz Tevaga and a hooker on the bench, so long as Tevaga is used as a second rower or lock but having a back also on the bench is a waste of time.

Thankfully the past few weeks has seen a shift in the way the bench has been selected and fingers crossed Kearney continues the three forwards and a hooker bench.

And my last ugly goes to Adam Blair.

Blair has been awarded my player to improve award so often this year that im tempted to start calling it the Adam Blair award each week.

When Blair was signed, I was optimistic and was hoping for the best, and despite the silly penalties, I think he was a pivotal contributor to the Warriors improved goal line defence but Blairs 2019 is a throwback to how he was performing at the Broncos.

With the Warriors needing more metres out of their forwards, having Blair take a hit up just appears to suck the life out of the Warriors sets, Blair seems to be a black hole for momentum, and something needs to change.

Blair is not delivering and needs to either ship up or ship out.

Overall, I would have liked the Warriors to be sitting in the eight at this point of the season but just outside of it isn't that bad.
Looking at the rest of the draw the Warriors still have a strong chance of making the eight but will need to start stringing some wins together.
The Warriors favourite time of year is now upon us with the State of Origin period starting now and is a good a time as any for the Warriors to start getting those wins.

Round 13 has the Warriors hosting the Melbourne Storm in what will be a tough encounter.
The Storm may make the trip minus a few players due to the State of Origin, but that does not make them any less dangerous.
The Warriors should have defeated the Storm on Anzac day but I feel that the Storm has got better since then and I see them beating the Warriors by 12.

So that was my Mid-Season review, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who has been your player of the year to date?
Who is your player that needs to improve the most?
Where do you see the Warriors finishing on the ladder?
What are your best and worst games for the season?
What is your score prediction for Round 13 against the Storm?