NZ Warriors 2020 Season Review: Road Warriors grit shines in unprecedented season, as hope builds for 2020

With the 2020 NRL season now completed, I decided it was the perfect time to comb through the Warriors year and conduct my season review.

2020 has been a season like no other, with COVID changing the landscape there were times when it looked like the season was not going to continue. 

After a less than stellar start, the Warriors found themselves in a situation where they had to base themselves in Australia for the entire season.

The odds were stacked against the New Zealand side. Still, as the season progressed, the Warriors found a tough edge and a top-eight finish started to look like a possibility, but unfortunately it wasn't to be as they finished the year in 10th position.

2020 was filled to the brim with talking, so let's just get into my review.

My Take on 2020

The Warriors ended the 2019 season in 13th place and in my 2020 season preview I was not overly confident that the Warriors would improve, so I predicted another 13th place finish.

I was wrong with that prediction with the Warriors finishing 10th, and despite still missing out on the playoffs I think they have shown enough to give me hope that 2021 will be happier times for the Warriors and other fans alike.

I think the 2020 season could easily be broken into two separate sections, the Kearney era and the post-Kearney era. 

Up until his final game as coach in round 6, the Warriors only manages two victories and four heavy defeats. They simply lacked attack and struggled with their defensive structure, the Warriors needed to do something and releasing Kearney from his contract was the decision they made.

I had given my thoughts on the decision back when it happened but to reiterate I was not a fan of how the decision was made but believe it was a decision that should have been made a while ago.

This lead to Todd Payten's promotion to head coach, to take over this side at that point in time with all the struggles this season had brought was not ideal, however instead of the Warriors falling apart like many had predicted, the Warriors started to grow a tough exterior and took several of the best sides in the competition to the limit. Besides two heavy defeats to the Storm and the Sharks, the Warriors looked a better outfit and were close to cracking the top eight, including my match of the year, a resounding 36-6 win over the Newcastle Knights in round 16.

This saw Todd Payten's run as coach ended with six wins and eight losses, still not a great record, but again it was more about the effort shown in those performances.

Overall the 2020 season was still disappointing, but in comparison to 2019 it was a welcomed step in the right direction, the Warriors just need to ensure that they take everything the platform they have set this season and build on it in 2021.

My Positives for 2020

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There were a few things that brought a smile to my face this season, but I have selected my top four positives for 2020.

Grit

This season was probably the toughest the Warriors have ever endured. Having to spend the entire season camped in Australia with a massive injury tally and the firing of the Head Coach, all of these challenges saw many pundits on both sides of the Tasman declare the Warriors destined for the Wooden Spoon.

But the longer the season went, the tighter this group became, the turning point for the side was when some of their key players decided to come home, it looked as if that was going to be the death blow to the 2020 season, but instead it installed grit in the remaining squad. No matter the challenge, the players were not going to roll over and wait for the season to end.

This side took teams like the Panthers and Roosters to the limit and showed that even when they were down by 13+, they would not give up and would keep battling until the 80th minute.

This has been the Warriors biggest downfall in the past, it is well known that other sides saw the Warriors as a 60-minute team and that as long as they kept close to the Warriors for the first hour, they would overtake them in the final stretch so seeing the Warriors improve that has made me more confident in the direction this club is heading.

This season was almost like an extra-long tour, and the team blossomed because of it, the many young players that the Warriors had to rely on got to learn so much from the experienced campaigners in the camp, and I think the Warriors will benefit from this experience for years to come.

2020 could be the year that makes this club what all the fans want it to be, a credible playoff team.

They just have to make sure that they don't take a step backwards when the 2021 season commences.

The Emergence of Rookies/ Loan Players

With the massive injury toll seeing the Warriors lose a majority of their front-rowers and the loss of Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a when they returned to New Zealand, it meant the Warriors were forced to lean on plenty of young players that would most likely have not got a lot of game time in a normal season. Pretty much all of the youngsters rose to this challenge.

Players like Eliesa Katoa, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown. Jack Murchie and Adam Pompey all became legitimate first graders in my eyes and have developed a lot quicker than they would have if they were sitting on the bench with limited chances. With Katoa being my standout, he has superstar written all over him and could become the Warriors rampaging the second-rower by the time I write my 2021 season review.

These youngsters were given a shot and took it with both hands, and I think many of them will be pushing for starting positions when next season comes around.

Before I move on I have to mention the loan players that the Warriors were gifted this season, It must be hard as a player to be sent to another club, but Poasa Faamausili, Jack Hetherington, Daniel Alvaro and George Jennings all arrived at the Warriors in the right frame of mind and gave it there all and kept the Warriors in a position to compete.

My standout loan players had to be Hetherington and Jennings. 

Hetherington brought an aggressive streak to the Warriors and became an enforcer of sorts, his discipline still needs plenty of improvement. I was hoping that the Warriors would be able to lure him to the club fulltime, but it wasn't to be with the Bulldogs snatching him up, a great signing for them and I wish him well.

Jennings slotted onto the wing for the Warriors like he had been with them all along, he ran hard and gave the Warriors some much-needed pace on the edge. He hadn't had the best luck in trying to cement a spot on the wing for the Eels, but in his short stint at the Warriors he showed everyone what he can offer, and it is no surprise that there are now rumours of the Storm looking to pick him up now that they are on the lookout for wingers.

Todd Payten

When Payten was handed the interim coaching role in round 7, he had the odds stacked against him. Taking over a team midseason is never ideal, but it didn't take him long to show his potential as a full-time head coach.

I was unsure of how he would go when he got the gig, but he won me over with his fresh and frank style. Kearney always appeared to struggle in post-match conferences, and you normally came away from the interviews with more questions than answers, but with Payten you knew exactly what he thought, and the players seemed to respond to this style.

He made good decisions on his gameday 17 and always picked a balanced bench, which was always my biggest gripe in the Kearney era.

As the team was heading toward the business end of the season, I was completely sold of Payten becoming the Warriors full-time coach and was happy when the Warriors decided to offer him the job and then was shocked when Payten turned it down. He cited family reasons which you cannot blame him for, but I'm sure he also told that they Cowboys job was his for the taking.

A massive thank you needs to go to Payten for what he has done for the club this season and I wish him well in his new journey with North Queensland, I truly hope he turns that side around just not when they face the Warriors.

Attack starting to build

In the 2020 preseason, the Warriors announced that they were changing their attacking style, taking off the shackles to unleash the Warriors strike weapons. This, unfortunately, did not happen with the Warriors playing the same lacklustre style they did in 2019. However, when Payten took over, you saw the Warriors take a few more chances on attack. Then when Blake Green left the club after round 12, the Warriors attack went up a gear.

I have said often that Green was an anchor to the Warriors attack, making poor decisions on the fifth tackle and with him out of the picture the Warriors finally got to try out the halves combination of Kodi Nikorima and Chanel Harris-Tavita.

CHT is still very young and has a lot to learn, but he is a star, and I believe he will be a mainstay for the club for years to come, and if the Warriors allow his partnership with Nikorima to continue I think they will develop into a formidable duo.

The Warriors forward pack were instrumental in getting the attack back on track with the young props consistently bending the defensive line and the rest of the pack getting the backline into the action with their offloading ability.

I say it every year, but the Warriors are lethal when they can utilise second phase football, that "Warriors Football" is exciting to watch and hard to defend against and hopefully we will see more of the same next season.

My Negatives for 2020

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Unfortunately, there were issues with this season also, so I have narrowed them down to my four most significant negatives.

Missed Tackles

It should come as no surprise since I mentioned it every week but my biggest negative from the 2020 season was missed tackles. The Warriors missed 610 tackles this season making them the fifth-worst team in this department.

The averaged 30 missed tackles a match, and this is something that needs to be fixed immediately, how they fix it though, well I'm not entirely sure.

I would say it's an attitude issue, but with how good the Warriors are with their scrambling defence I don't think that is the issue, so it's either fitness or a poor defensive game plan. With all the changes to the coaching staff and the playing squad itself for next season, there is no better time to go back to the drawing board and figure out a new defensive style that suits the side and brings that missed tackle stat down.

Errors

Another regular complaint from me this season was the Warriors error rate. They made 202 errors this season which was actually the second least amount which is good; however, my issue was that the Warriors unforced errors consistently happened early in their sets or when they were deep in the oppositions RedZone or when they were trying to get out of their own RedZone. These mistakes are called coach killers for a reason, and they need to just reign them in a little.

It's a catch22 with this side though as they are more likely to make errors when they are throwing the ball around, so it is all about finding that balance without hindering their attack.

Injuries

Injuries were a major concern with the Warriors losing so many players before the first round. Injuries were a common issue for all sides this season and are hard to prevent, so it's hard to offer a solution to improve the injured tally in the future.

With so many players getting injured before the season started though means that perhaps they need to make some adjustments to their preseason training to reduce the chances of injury.

It's a hard thing to try and fix, but with the Warriors most likely spending the 2021 season in Australia once again they are going to need to ensure they have as many hands-on-deck as possible.

Slow Starts

My last negative is the Warriors horrible trend of starting matches slowly. Quite often the Warriors found themselves two or three tries behind before they kicked into gear.

They were able to get themselves back into the contest most of the time, but they did themselves no favours, but starting matches cold.

Like all the negatives I have mentioned though this is something that can be fixed in both the offseason and preseason.

Perhaps a change to how they warm up and prepare before kickoff is what is required so let's add it to the list for the new coaching staff to work on in the upcoming months.

My Top Three Warriors for the season

Quite a few players stood up this season with several players being selected as my Warrior of the match throughout the season,, but I have selected the three that appeared the most as my Warriors of the season.

Tohu Harris

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Tohu Harris was head and shoulders above the rest of the Warriors in 2020, I gave him my Warrior of the match on six occasions this season, the next best only managed three.

Harris has come out in the past and acknowledged that his body hasn't been 100% for some time and with the extended time, off in 2019 in was coming into this season without any niggles and man did it show with Harris being able to play in all 20 matches for the Warriors in what has been his best year since joining the side.

He was the leader of the forward pack and rolled up his sleeves and did more than his fair share of work, making a team-high 845 tackles (the next best in the Warriors only made 558). Not being content with being a defensive powerhouse, Harris was also 2nd in the club for running metres totalling 3465 metres.

2020 was a great year for Harris, and hopefully, 2021 will be even better.

Speaking of 2021, it is also the final year of his contract, and with rival clubs allowed to speak with him from the first of November, the Warriors need to get an offer on the table for him ASAP, or they will lose him, and I don't think the Warriors can afford that.

RTS

It should come as no surprises that the 2020 Dally M Captain of the year has made my top three Warriors once again. In the 18 games he played this year, he ran for 3973 meters (5th in the NRL), scored 5 tries, had 84 tackle breaks and made 8 line breaks. He offers so much on attack already, but if he can get himself involved in a playmaking capacity, it will add an extra feather in his cap and make the Warriors attack a lot stronger.

In my 2019 season review, I voiced my concerns that the Warriors were relying on their skipper too much and that if the club didn’t find players that were willing to share the load, that they could wind up losing him. This year you saw the rest of the squad really give their all for the skipper, which is a testament to how well respected he is.

The sacrifices he made for this club this year have been widely reported, and he has admitted that he struggled every day with wanting to come home, but I think he knew that if he left the Warriors most likely would have imploded. So thank you RTS for everything you have done, and I hope you enjoy some much deserved time with your young family.

Peta Hiku

Peta Hiku had a great 2020 and earnt himself a one-year extension. I have been critical of Hiku’s defensive issues in the past, but you cannot argue that what he offers on attack more than makes up for it.

After assisting his winger in being the Warriors leading try-scorer two years straight, it was Hiku’s time to shine with him leading the Warriors with 8 tries. He also ran for 2204 running metres, made 5 line breaks, 28 tackle breaks, and he also kept his reputation as an unselfish centre by ending the season with 9 try assists, the second-highest amount by a Warrior this season.

Yes, his defence is still a concern, but if the Warriors get a solid defending second-rower to sit out on his edge with him, then that will solve that problem and allow him to do what he does best. Fingers crossed his form continues into 2021, and we see him earn another contract extension.

My Three Warriors who need to improve

On the other hand, the players that appeared in my Warriors to improve section throughout the season were mainly the same one's week in and week out. Most of them, however, are no longer with the club (Blake Green, Gerard Beale and Isaiah Papali'i) so I have excluded them from this section and will select my three 2021 contracted players that need to improve the most in 2021.

Kodi Nikorima

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It was hard to put Kodi Nikorima in this section as I thought he had a reasonably decent season. He lead the side with 19 try assists and provided several highlight-reel performances that brought a smile to my face. The reason I have him in this section, however, is solely because he would at times have games where he would disappear. Every time the Warriors had a great performance you can guarantee Nikorima was running the ball, if he can consistently attack the line, then the Warriors are one step closer to getting the win. When he just sits out the back and just throws the ball to whoever is closest to him them the Warriors are immediately on the backfoot.

Maybe its a confidence thing but the Warriors 2021 forward pack looks to be full of potential, so if they are doing all the hard work up front, then Nikorima should have plenty of space to utilise his running game.

Wayde Egan

Wayde Egan had a passable first year with the Warriors, patchy at times but towards the end of the season, he started to show promise.

In 2021 he needs to eliminate the no-look passes out of the ruck, they are too slow, and most of the time they tend to drift forward. The Warriors need quick, crisp passing from their dummy half and he started to show that he had the goods in that department.

He also needs to work on his snipe game, many of the top sides in 2020 had mobile hookers that darted out of the ruck when the markers were a tad slow and got there team a six again call.

One perk of the Warriors new coach Nathan Brown is that as a former hooker he is good at working with his team's hookers so we should expect to see Egan and Karl Lawton reach a new level.

David Fusitu'a

My last player to improve is David Fusitu'a.

Fusitu'a did not have a lot of game time this season due to coming home early, in his absence the Warriors has several players step up and make that wing spot their own. I know Kearney moved Fusitu'a into the centres, but with Hiku and new signing Euan Aitken there I don't see him getting a shot there again.

With Adam Pompey still with the club and having a decent season, he will be pushing for a position in the gameday 17, and while Fusitu'a should slot straight back into the side, if he doesn't up his game, he may find himself on the outer.

He is a great player with talent in finding the try-line, but after leading the NRL in tries scored in 2018, he has been in a bit of a dry patch. He needs to hit the ground running in 2021 and get himself back on the scoreboard, or he may find himself looking for another club.

In Summary

If you take a black and white look at the 2020 season, you would say it was a fail due to the Warriors missing the playoffs once again.

However, at the end of this season, I felt confident that the Warriors are on the right track, now I'm not saying that I think the Warriors are going to go all the way in 2021, but playoffs are a reasonable expectation. They showed toughness and heart, and if that continues into the 2021 season, their opponents will have to take them seriously.

They have cleaned out a lot of talent and have got some good signings on the way, in particular the signing of Addin Fonua-Blake which has got me really excited.

The forward pack looks better than it has in years and the backline with the return of Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a looks as dangerous as ever. 

So we will see what happens, but I can admit that I am looking forward to writing about the 2021 season a hell of a lot more than I was as this season started.

2020 has been such a strange year, with no live games to go to, but writing about the season and starting my show The Stand-Off on New Zealand Sport Radio has helped me get through some tough times so I would like to thank all of you that continue to read my ramblings every week. I want to continue to write throughout the offseason, so watch this space.

I also want to reach out to the Warriors to see if I can get some people on the Facebook show or get some interviews to publish on here. Fingers crossed on that, but you guys will be the first to know.

While the writing will have a little break, my Facebook show will still have a few more episodes before season one ends so come check it out 8pm on Wednesdays.

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Thank you all once again, and I look forward to talking to you soon.

So that was my take on 2020, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts on the 2020 season?
Who was your player of the year?
Which player needs to improve the most?
What realistic changes would you make for next season?
How do you see the 2021 season going?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 20 Review: Season ends on a high note as Warriors thump Sea Eagles

After last weeks spirited performance against the Canberra Raiders, the Warriors returned to their foster home on the Central Coast to face the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. 

With neither side moving onto the finals series, this was the last chance they had to end their season on a positive note. After surviving an early onslaught by Manly, it was the Warriors who ended their season in the winners' circle, winning 40-28 in a high-scoring affair.

What a way for the Warriors to end their season. I was confident that they would get the job done but watching Manly starve the Warriors of possession in the early stages and surging out to a 10-0 lead. I must admit I started to worry that the Warriors were already mentally on the flight home. However, as soon as the Warriors got their hands on the ball, all that worry went away as they went off a tryscoring blitz, scoring 5 tries on the trot and once they got the lead, they never looked in doubt despite leaking another 3 tries.

Besides the Sea Eagle's quick start, the Warriors were able to dominate the territory and forced Manly to try and play their way out of their own 20 for the majority of their sets, and most teams would struggle to stay competitive when camped that deep in their own half.

The Warriors look set to farewell Patrick Herbert and Adam Keighran, but I think their efforts in this match showed why the Warriors should keep them around, we have seen what injuries can do to a sides playoff aspirations, so depth is needed, and they are both more than capable of filling spots on the field. If the Warriors do let them go, I hope they get picked up by another club as they still deserve a place in the NRL.

It was a good performance by a side that many had written off (myself included) after a less than stellar start to the 2020 season, and they have earnt plenty of respect from their opposition and the Australian media alike. Now after spending 5 months away from home, they can come back for a much-deserved break to spend some quality time with their families before getting back into the grind of preseason training for the 2021 season.

There was plenty to smile about in this performance which leads me to my positives from the game.

The Warriors played plenty of positive attacking football, and it was beautiful to watch. There wasn't as much "Warriors Football" as you would have expected, but they attacked with intent and played smart football. If they can continue to play that smart football with a healthy dose of offloads and second phase football, then they will be a handful for any side to face.

The forward pack outdid themselves again, the platform they set put the Warriors in the driver's seat, and it gave the backs all the chances they needed to score points. 5 of the pack ran for over 100 metres with my Warrior of the year Tohu Harris leading the way yet again with 159 metres.

There are plenty of young players in this pack, and with plenty of experienced players back in New Zealand due to injury or family reasons it forced the rookies to step up and learn to be first graders without a safety net, and I think they delivered.

Eliesa Katoa, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown and Jack Murchie have all played well beyond their years, and I look forward to watching their careers grow next year.

Behind that rolling forward pack, Kodi Nikorima and Chanel Harris-Tavita had plenty of time to put the side into attacking situations and it was perhaps their best outing as a halves pairing.

Nikorima started to run again and will need to ensure that he consistently brings that facet of his game next season as the Warriors are a more dangerous outfit when he has his running shoes on.

Harris-Tavita showed why he is the future of this club with a great outing, he ended the match with 4 try assists and a solid kicking game.

It's still early days for this pairing, but I think they bring the best out of each other and their combination will continue to grow, especially when they get to play behind that impressive pack in 2021.

Lastly, the Warriors discipline improved this week, with the side only conceding 1 penalty and giving away 5 six again calls.

The six again calls were mainly in the early stages when Manly keep hold of the ball, but it was a great display from the Warriors as they made the Sea Eagles work for every set the got. Going into 2021, I want to see the Warriors bring this level of discipline week in and week out, give away no freebies and watch those other sides start to worry.

There wasn't much, but I did have a few issues which leads me to my negatives from the match.

Those slow starts are coach killers, and the Warriors need to sort it out, they have shown that can bounce back when they are behind in the early stages. If the Warriors want to be competitive in the NRL, they can't afford to give their opposition a leg up in the opening quarter of football.

My usual negative is still here with the Warriors missing 28 tackles. They stilhave great scrambling defence but they need to tighten up that first contact defence to just make winning a little bit easier. I'm not sure if it is down to attitude, communication or technique but improving the defense is a top priority when the team gets back together in the preseason.

My Warrior of the match for the second week in a row goes to Peta Hiku.

There were a few players that could have taken this spot with Harris-Tavita, Adam Keighran and Eliesa Katoa all putting thier hands up but I had to go with Hiku in a strong outing at fullback.

Filling Roger Tuivasa-Shecks boots is always a tough ask and Hiku had a few hiccups in the early stages but as his confidence started to grow he was a constant threat on attack, when he sits out on the edge he is one of the best at putting his winger away but that went to another level when he was out the back as he was inserting himself into the attack all over the park and his pass to Keighran for his first try was fantastic. I'm not saying that I would move him to fullback fulltime but I hope that RTS can learn a few of Hiku's tricks to add an extra dimension to his attack.

Also for the second week in a row, I have no Warrior to improve so I want to give a shout out to Adam Blair.

Blair announced his retirement during the week in what must have been a hard decision for him to make but I think it was the right call. There is plenty of talent in the Warriors forwards now and he may have struggled to get himself into the 17 not to mention 2021 looks to be another year spent in Australia so retiring now and getting to spend time at home with the family looks pretty good.

Blair has had his share of up's and down's and his time with the Warriors has not always been that flash but I think he had a strong 2020 after being moved to the front row.

He will still remain with the Warriors with rumours of him working with the young Maori players in the community and I think he will ace it and I truly wish him the best with this new opportunity. It takes a special kind of player to spend 15 years in first grade and I want to thank him for all he has done with the Kiwis and the Warriors.

So 2020 is done and what a season it has been, at times it looked like the season was not even going to reach the finals but watching the Warriors improvement in the finals stages of the season made this season a little more tolerable.

I miss going to live games and I hope we get games at Mount Smart next year but with how everything is going in the world I am not getting my hopes up just yet but my fingers will be crossed.

I will be taking a break from my writing for a little bit but my season review will be up during the finals. I also want to do some writing during the offseason instead of dissapeering for a few months so if you have anything you would like me to write about let me know.

I was thinking of doing some pieces like my top 5 warriors of the season, 5 that failed to deliver. Things like that so stay tuned.

My weekly show The Stand-Off will still be airing every Wednesday on Facebook and IHeart Radio on New Zealand Sport Radio so if you haven't checked that yet, tune in on Wednesdays at 8 and throw some questions my way.

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I'm proud of how they team has gone this year, obviously making the playoffs would have been better but with all the trials and tribulations the Warriors have faced this season I think they have set a solid platform moving into 2020.

Nathan Brown has a big task ahead of him and will need to ensure that the Warriors start next season in the same manner that they ended this one.

Addin Fonua-Blake and Ben Murdoch-Masila add plenty of size to the pack and Euan Aitken is a handy addition to the backline so anything less than finals football will be disappointing but I must say, it feels great to be feeling optimistic about next season.

So that was a positive Round 20, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who do you think will win the Grand Final?
Do you think the Warriors can reach the playoffs in 2021?
Who was your player of the day?
Would you be keeping any of the players that the Warriors are letting go?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 19 Review: Strong start not enough as Raiders overcome spirited Warriors

After lasts weeks heartbreaking loss to the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, the Warriors travelled to GIO Stadium to face the Canberra Raiders.

The Raiders were looking for a strong win to get themselves closer to the top four but were rocked by a Warriors team that was still determined to compete well above their ladder position. Despite a strong start from the Warriors, the Raiders got the job done, winning 26-14. 

Well, I got my prediction correct this week with the Raiders winning by 12, but the Warriors looked to be on the way to an upset victory in Canberra for the second year in a row after a strong start against a Raiders team lacking in discipline.

The Warriors looked the better team with the ball in hand in the first half and had a chance to put the foot on the throat of Canberra when Jack Wighton was sent to the bin, but the Raiders bounced back and actually scored two tries while having only 12 men on the park. Admittingly the first try was a lucky break with Semi Valemei scooping up a wayward Warriors offload to run the left of the field.

Now, if that try hadn't happened and the Warriors had scored there, it may well have been a different outcome, but the Warriors were unlucky to go into the sheds at the break trailing 16-14.

I was worried about how the team would go in the second half, knowing that Ricky Stuart would have given the Raiders a right bollocking before running out and while they were the better side in the second half. It showed the difference in class between the two sides, but the Warriors could hold their heads high; they stayed in the contest for most of the match and looked ten times better than the Warriors side that faced the Raiders start of the season.

Having to reshuffle the side after the injury to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck took hindered the Warriors attack a bit, but I liked what I saw from most of the side. The Warriors have got a good base now, and with the named additions to the roster for 2021, I think the Warriors have the ability to reach the playoffs; the key for them is going to be keeping the tough attitude they have developed this season.

Despite the result, some aspect of the match made me smile, which leads me to my positives from the game.

The Warriors have been criticized for slow start in the past couple of rounds, so it was pleasing to see them start the match strong; they just need to find the right balance between starting strong and keeping the pressure going for the entire match. The Raiders are no slouches, but if the Warriors want to be a playoff-contending side, then they need to get that balance right and, more importantly, keep it week in and week out.

The forwards went missing last week, but they bounced back here and appeared to rattle the Raiders pack, which may also be why the Raiders were so undisciplined in the early stages of the match.

5 of the forwards ran for over 100 metres, and they were solid defensively, reducing the Raiders opportunities in the middle.

One forward I want to praise here is Lachlan Burr; now, full disclosure here I am a big fan of Burr, but he hasn't had the best season, and I am not surprised that the Warriors have elected to not extend his stay with the club. However, he had one of his best performance here; it appeared that he was given the task of putting pressure on Josh Papalii, and I think he did a great job; every time Papalii got the ball Burr was right in his face and reduced the impact the superstar prop had on this match.

Burr is fighting for a contract somewhere, and if he can deliver another strong outing in Round 20, then I think he has a shot picking up a deal at another NRL club looking for a cheap forward option. 

The Warriors played with intensity, with a chance to make the playoffs gone. Many pundits across the ditch claimed that the Warriors would now have their sights set on going home and would go back to the heavy defeats we saw earlier in the year. But this Warriors side gets themselves into the battle and makes sides earn their victories.

One thing that has been highlighted on social media after this match was the Raiders runaway try, Valemei was scorching up the field, and the Warriors had 8 players chasing him all the way to the end. Yes, they couldn't stop him but the heart and desire the Warriors showed in that one play make me proud of how far this side has come this season.

Unfortunately, I had some issues with the performance too, which leads me to my negatives.

I always need to bring up the missed tackles; the Warriors ended the match with 29 missed tackles. Their scrambling defence saved them on many occasions, but their first-up tackling needs to be worked on in the upcoming offseason, fix that, and the Warriors will be a harder opponent to defeat.

The Warriors were guilty of forcing passes a little too much in this match; two of the Raiders tries came off wayward Warriors offloads. It's the high risk, high reward style of play that makes the Warriors exciting to watch when they get into "Warriors Football" mode. However, there were several times when the Warriors didn't need to throw a 50/50 pass in this match. It's a bit of a contradiction, but I just want to see them reign the 50/50's just a little bit without going all the way back to the stifled attack of the Kearney era.

Lastly, the Warriors gave away too many penalties; they only had 8 penalties in this match, but 7 of them were in the second half, and it really hurt the Warriors momentum.

The ref didn't have the best night, to be fair, but the Warriors flirted with the rules a little too much and lost out. It is no secret that the Warriors seldom get the rub of the green when it comes to the man with the whistle, so they need to ensure that they are extra squeaky clean. 

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My Warrior of the match goes to Peta Hiku.

I almost gave this to Burr this week, but I think Hiku had a great night out. He scored the Warriors only tries in this match and almost had himself a hat-trick. Hiku still needs to work on his defence (he missed 4 tackles in this match), but you cannot question his impact on the Warriors attack; for the past two seasons, Hiku has been the centre feeding the Warriors leading try scorer and in 2020 he is the leading try-scorer for the Warriors.

Defenders know that he is always ready to flick the ball to his winger, so I think this creates chances for him to throw a dummy and go himself. Perhaps it is something he can try to incorporate into his gameplan moving forward. He only got a one-year extension with the Warriors, but I expect him to go from strength to strength in 2021 and get himself a longer contract.

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I don't have a Warrior to improve this week, so I just want to give a shout out to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in what was his last performance for the Warriors in 2020.

When RTS limped to the sideline, my heart sank. It is well documented how tough RTS had it in 2020, and he did not deserve to see his season end in this way.

He is the heart and soul of this team, and he has really shown why the Warriors picked him to be their leader.

Roger, thank you for all the sacrifices you have made, and I hope you truly enjoy your much deserved time with your family in the upcoming weeks.

I know there are rumours that he may leave the club if they are forced to stay in Oz for all of 2021, but I'm hopeful that with the extra time to plan for a 2021 season spent abroad, the Warriors will be able to ensure that all the players have their families join them across the Tasman.

Obviously, I would prefer the Warriors to play in NZ (I miss going to Mt Smart), but with COVID still running rampant, I don't see it happening.

Round 20 sees the Warriors return to Central Coast Stadium for their final match against the Sea Eagles.

Normally I cringe when the Warriors face Manly, but they have not had the best season, and both sides will most likely be without their superstar fullback, with Tom Trbovich likely to miss this encounter after getting injured in his return match last week.

Both sides will be looking at ended their season on a high, but I think the Warriors will have the edge here. I think the Warriors will move Hiku to fullback, but I'm not sure who they will bring into the centres, but Paul Turner could find himself back in the 17 (he also could come in at fullback). I'm predicting it will be a tight contest, but I'm going with a Warriors win by 14.

There are rumours that the Warriors are chasing Addin Fonua-Blake and Jack Hetherington for 2021; I think both would be welcomed additions to the Warriors squad and give them one hell of a pack. I will be covering my thoughts on this news in my online show The Stand-Off on New Zealand Sport Radio on Wednesday night so if you want to hear more about that, tune in at 8pm on Wednesday (the show airs on my Facebook page love).

So that was an unfortunate Round 19, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who would you play at fullback in RTS absence?
Do you think the Warriors can reach the playoffs in 2021?
Who was your player of the day?
What is your score prediction for the Sea Eagles clash?

NZ Warriors Round 18 Review: Heartbreak as Warriors playoff dreams dashed in defeat to Sharks

After last weeks disappointing loss to the Parramatta Eels, the Warriors travelled to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to face the 8th placed Cronulla Sutherland Sharks. 

It was a must-win game for the Warriors if they wanted to keep their dreams of a top-eight finish alive. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be as the Warriors went down 22-14, ruling out any chances of making the playoffs.

Devastated is probably the best word to describe how I felt when Toby Rudolf barged over for his try in the final stages of this match, sealing the Warriors fate. 

I legitimately thought the Warriors were going to walk away with the two points here, but the Sharks had a game plan and never really looked in doubt despite losing their lead in the second half.

The sharks won the battle of the forwards, and Shaun Johnson unleashed his short kicking game causing plenty of havoc for the Warriors. The Warriors showed glimpses of promise on attack but couldn't string enough attacking threats together to take control of the match.

It looked like the side lack some confidence, when they took a shot at goal to take a two-point lead instead of trying to get another try, it was a telltale sign of a side not backing their attack. 

I am disappointed, but the way this side has performed through all the adversities they have faced is something the fans can take pride in. Two months ago I stated that I thought the Warriors only had one more win in them (against the Bulldogs) and I have never been happier to be wrong.

This team has punched well above its weight this year, and I'm hopeful that the Warriors take everything they learnt this season and build on it in 2021. If they can perform for an entire season in the way they have since round 11, then they give themselves a great chance of playing in the 2021 playoffs.

Despite the result, there was some aspect of the match that made me smile, which leads me to my positives from the game.

The Warriors didn't give up and fought back from a 12-0 deficit to take a 14-12 lead. They weren't able to keep the points ticking over, but for the second week in a row, the Warriors showed heart when in the past we have seen the Warriors drop their heads and get thumped. Again it's a quality that I hope to see continue into next season.

The forwards were bullied up the middle, but Jack Murchie had another outstanding night. He lead the tackle count with 46 and also lead the team in linebreaks, making 2. He has had a great few weeks, and the Warriors second-row stocks look great for the future. With Murchie, Eliesa Katoa, Tohu Harris and Jazz Tevaga, the Warriors have themselves quite a dangerous-looking pack.

Lastly, we didn't see enough of it, but the Warriors looked dangerous when playing some expansive football. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Peta Hiku threatened several times with Hiku's flick pass that lead to Adam Pompey's try being a standout for me.

I hope we see plenty more of the attacking flair in the final two rounds with nothing to lose. Let's see the Warriors end the 2020 season with some flamboyant football.

Unfortunately, there was plenty to frown about, which leads me to my negatives.

The Warriors showed heart with their bounce back, but once again they started the match too slow. The NRL is a tough competition, and you cannot afford to let any side run away with a lead in the early stages. I'm not sure if its an attitude thing or just an issue with the Warriors gameplan but it's something Todd Payten can try to address in his final two weeks in charge of the New Zealand side.

Apart from a handful of exciting plays, the Warriors seemed to lack some direction on attack. Often relying on predictable short passes to a forward. It a good ploy when you spot a weakness in the defensive line, but the Warriors need to reduce the predictability, especially with a tough match with the Raiders coming this week.

My regular complaint about the Warriors is back once again with the Warriors missing 35 tackles. They still can scramble well, and they were a lot better at wrapping the ball carrier up this week, but they need to cut their missed tackles in half if they want to win more matches than they lose.

Towards the end of the match, they appeared to be out on their feet due to the Sharks making plenty of dummy half running. Once the Sharks started doing that the Warriors were in trouble and couldn't stop the Sharks momentum.

Lastly, the Warriors had a poor showing with discipline and errors.

The Warriors made 10 errors and gave away 9 penalties, when you let your opposition off the hook almost 20 times in a match it is hard to walk away with the victory.

The Warriors were hard-done-by with some of the penalties they were pinged with and were unlucky with some calls not going their way, but it wasn't the difference between winning and losing here.

The Warriors seldom get the rub of the green when it comes to the man with the whistle, so they need to take him out of the match, give no reasons for the Refs to step in and watch the team string some wins together.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Tohu Harris.

I may as well call it now, but Harris has been my Warrior of the year. In a pack filled to the brim with inexperience, he as stepped up and lead from the front.

Leading the pack with 202 metres and playing some of the matches in the front row, Harris always bent the line as he attempted to get the Warriors on the front foot.

He is the cornerstone of the Warriors forwards, and if all the young players around him can emulate what he brings to the park, then the Warriors are going to have one of the top packs in the NRL.

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My Warrior to improve goes to Kodi Nikorima.

I feel like I could almost cut and paste what I said last week when I selected Nikorima for this section.

Kodi didn't run the ball enough once again, the forward's lack of punch was a key reason, but the Warriors really need Kodi to get his running boots on again.

When he takes the line on, the Warriors attack goes to another level, and they can compete with the top teams in the competition. I have confidence that Kodi and Chanel will be a good halves pairing for the Warriors, they just need Kodi to show some consistency.

Round 19 sees the Warriors head to Canberra to face a Raiders side looking at cracking the top four.

It is going to be a tough outing for the Warriors, and with Parramatta taking back George Jennings and Daniel Alvaro after the loss to the Sharks it makes the clash just a little bit harder. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown is also set to miss the match after getting charged with a dangerous contact charged which he has plead guilty too.

With the playoff dreams dashed and only two weeks to go, maybe it's time to give some of the players that have not been used that much some game time. Guys like Tom Ale, Adam Keighran and Paul Turner deserve a shot. 

I think the Raiders will be too strong for the Warriors in this match, and I'm going with Canberra to win the game by 12, but I have my fingers crossed for a strong effort by the Warriors, I don't want to see them drop their heads now that a spot in the playoffs is off the table.

So that was a heartbreaking Round 18, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What is your assessment of the Warriors 2020 campaign?
Would you bring in the players that haven't played yet for the final two rounds?
Who was your player of the day?
What is your score prediction for the Raiders clash?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 17 Review: Warriors valiantly go down to Eels in game marred with controversy

After last weeks impressive victory over the Newcastle Knights, the Warriors made the trip back to their makeshift home at Central Coast Stadium to host the 3rd placed Parramatta Eels.

After the Sharks lost on Friday night, a win here would see the Warriors only one win out of the eight with a chance to level up with Cronulla in round 18. It wasn't to be, however, as the Warriors went down 24-18, albeit in controversial fashion. 

Man what a demoralising defeat. At the start of the match the Eels were at their best, constantly making breaks and after thier first try I thought the Warriors were on the way to a massive defeat, but then the Warriors started to fight back and got themselves back into the match with some solid defense and exciting moments with the ball in hand.

Losing Jazz Tevaga for ten minutes saw the Warriors concede 12 points and ultimately in my opinion put the Warriors on the backfoot and they could never recover.

They fought back and almost got themselves the much needed victory but the Eels did just enough to hold on but should wipe any hopes for Parramatta fans the their side have a shot at title glory.

Does this result stamp out the playoff dreams for the Warriors? I think so unfortuantely, they need to win their last three matches and rely on the Sharks to lose all three. Now while I don't see the Sharks winning again this season, I struggle to see the Warriors defeating the Raiders in Round 19 so it will be yet another year that the Warriors miss the playoffs by just a few points.

I truly hope that isn the case and we see the Warriors sneak into the playoffs as I believe they are a better team than some of the teams that are currently sitting in the eight (Knights and Sharks if I am to call any out).

Before I move on to my positives and negatives from the match, I will just mention the elephant in the room. Grant Atkins performance with the whistle tonight was tremendously poor.

It isn't the first time this year that Atkins has had a howler and I think he could be stood down once again much like he was in the 2019 season. His sin bin decision was one of the biggest overreactions I have seen in a game of league in some time. Labelling Tevaga's push to Nathan Brown while in a tackle as a punch was laughable and has dire consequences on the result. You can't turn back the clock but if the Warriors didn't lose Jazz, you could argue that the Eels wouldn't have scored the 12 points that saw them charge out in front.

It wasn't just the sinsbinning decision though, as Atkins missed several forward passes (for both sides to be fair) and there were also plenty of six again calls that he missed when the Eels were adding some extra niggle in the tackles. 

Referees, just like players can have off nights but when a playoff spot is on line you cannot allow your decisions to affect the result which is what happened this week. 

It is going to be interesting to watch Graham Annesley's football briefing this week to see what he has to say about this match.

Despite the result, there was some aspect of the match that made me smile, which leads me to my positives from the game.

Being down 16-0, the game appeared to be over but the Warriors hit back strong and I thought were the better team for the majority of the match. They showed more on attack expect for a period towards the end of the match (more on that below).

Despite everything the team has gone through this year, it is fantastic to watch the toughness they have developed. When the odds are stacked against them, they keep pushing through and performing better than anyone thought they could. If only they had started this run a few rounds earlier.

The Warriors were physical throughout this match and you could see that it was getting under the Eels skin. If you can front up to your opposition and not take a backstep then you are on your way to wrestling a match in your favor. The Warriors got in the Eels faces and as a result they Eels appeared to deviate from their gameplan. We know the Warriors need to win the last three games of the season and if they bring this physicality into these games they will give themselves a hell of a shot.

Lastly it was good to see some "Warriors football", the tries Chanel Harris-Tavita scored came off some good ad lib football. I have said it time and time again but when the Warriors can play some second phase football they are incredibly dangerous and hard to stop. 

It's also very exciting to watch. If the Warriors somehow can keep playing an exspansive style while also retaining this newfound toughness, then the Warriors will be a tough opponent for any side in the NRL. This season may be done but I have my fingers crossed that this mentality sticks around in 2021.

I also had some concerns, which leads me to my negatives from the match.

After praising the forwards for the past few weeks they have made their way to my negatives.

Only 3 of the forwards ran for over 100 metres this week. With the Warriors needing to come from behind in this match, they needed a few more of thier big bodies to bend the defensive line. Most of the pack are relatively young and a drop off game was inevitable but hopefully we see a bounce back in round 18. The forwards did front up on defense after a poor start so it wasn't all doom and gloom.

The Warriors defense at the start of the match left plenty to be desired. If they didn't miss the tackle, they failed to wrap the ball carrier up and allowed the Eels to offload almost at will. Some superb scrambling defense kept the Eels from piling on the points. On a positive note though, the Warriors defense got better as the game progressed, they just need to ensure they don't start poorly like that in round 18.

The Warriors let themselves down with some simple handling errors, they made 9 which doesn't seem like a lot but when a game is a close as this one, you cannot afford to hand your opponents the ball back so easily. Normally i give them a slight pass if the errors come from trying to throw the ball around but in this match most of the errors came from losing the ball in the tackle. It is something that can be worked on at least so i expect to see the Warriors show the ball some more respect in the upcoming rounds.

My last negative is the Warriors return to one-out football. After praising the Warriors expansive attack there was a 10 minute period in the second half when the Warriors went back to the just passing one off the ruck 4 times before kicking. It was reminiscent of the lacklustre attack the Warriors started the season with. 

I'm not sure what happened to make them change their attacking style in the middle of the match but thankfully it only lasted for a small portion of the game.

Fingers crossed it was a one-off and that we don't see it return any more. 

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My Warrior of the match goes to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

The Warriors skipper gets my MOTM for the second week after another strong performance with 277 running metres, 2 linebreaks, 5 tackle-breaks and 1 try-assist. 

What can you really say about RTS that hasn't already been said, he continues to show his class in what has been a brutally tough year for him.

The Warriors new gameplan has opened up plenty of chances for Roger to run in open space and it is something they need to keep doing as he is too valuable as an attacking weapon to be used solely for getting the Warriors out of their own 20.

Look to see him continue to run off the shoulders of his teammates ready to break the opposition wide open.

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My Warriors to improve goes to Kodi Nikorima.

Nikorima has been in career-best form since taking over the mantle as the Warriors lead half but took a step backwards this week.

The Warriors have been playing their best football when Nikorima takes the ball to the line and in this match, he managed only 4 runs. I'm not sure if it was just an off night for him or if iT was due to the pack not running for as many metres as they have in recent weeks. I'm confident that he will get himself back on track, Warriors fans will just be hoping that it's sooner rather than later.

Round 18 sees the Warriors head to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to face the Sharks in what could be the most important game of the season for both sides.

The winner of this match keeps their playoff dreams alive, while the losing side is basically out of the race (Sharks technically are still in the eight but with tough matches in the final two rounds a loss for them here basically rules them out).

There has been no news on if the Warriors will welcome back their Parramatta loan players George Jennings and Daniel Alvaro, they also could even see Penrith Panther Jack Hetherington return as well which would definitely bolster the Warriors gameday 17.

The Sharks, on the other hand, have been dealt a blow, losing both Chad Townsend and Wade Graham after they both plead guilty to their charges from their match against the Knights.

Shaun Johnson may return from his groin injury but that has not been confirmed yet.

So with the season on the line, this is probably the best time for the Warriors to face an understrength Sharks sides.

I think if the Warriors can get some of the loan players back and can fix some of my negatives, that they give themselves a great shot at walking away with the much-needed two points. 

I feel that the Warriors are the better side right now so I'm picking the Warriors to win this match by 14 and keep the slim playoff hunt alive for another week.

So that was a controversial Round 17, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do the Warriors have any chance to make the eight now?
What was your take on the Sin Bin decision?
Who was your player of the day?
What is your score prediction for the Sharks clash?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 16 Review: Warriors dominate Knights and keep playoff hopes alive

After last weeks closer than expected win over the bottom-dwelling Bulldogs, the Warriors returned to where the NRL 2020 season version 2 all began as they hosted the Newcastle Knights at Scully Park in Tamworth. The Knights have got a lot of injuries to key players in their squad and facing the Warriors during their recent run of form was never going to end well for the Newcastle side as the Warriors ran away with their biggest win of 2020 36-6.

Well what a performance, I predicted a Warriors win here but not by 30 points. Even though the Warriors only lead 8-6 at halftime, they never looked in doubt and put on an attacking clinic in the second half, almost scoring at will and showing how dangerous they can be with the ball in hand.

This team is building something special here, and I think being in camp together all season has helped this side. Being away from NZ and family is hard on the everyone in camp, but I think it has made the Warriors a more formidable outfit. The young players in this side have grown so much, and this should be the start of some good times for the Warriors and the fans alike.

The Warriors form in the past 6 weeks has been great with narrow losses only against the Roosters and the Panthers.

This win keeps their slim playoff hopes alive, sitting in 9th position, 4 points behind the 8th placed Sharks. If they want to crack they eight they just need to keep winning, plus a win in round 18 against the Sharks would help the cause, not to mention the fact that the Sharks have not won a match this year against a top 8 side and face 3 teams in the top 8 in the final 4 weeks. So the Warriors have given themselves a shot they just need to keep the momentum going. 

There was plenty to smile about this week, which leads to my positives from the game.

The Warriors attack was on point this week, 9 line breaks, 30 tackle breaks and 18 offloads. The Warriors have been getting the wins but not blowing anyone off the park so you kind of had a feeling that eventually everything would click and the points would start flowing, and it happened this round.

I think the best part of the performance was the fact that the Warriors kept their foot down and did not let up until the final whistle. It's that killer instinct that has been lacking for some time for the New Zealand club, and it is something that needs to become part of their DNA.

Despite playing a more expansive style, the Warriors kept their error rate in the single digits and ending the match with an 89% completion rate.

The Chanel Harris-Tavita and Kodi Nikorima halves pairing is continuing to impress me.

Nikorima has been playing some of his best-ever football the past few weeks and appears to be flourishing without Blake Green there.

Harris-Tavita is growing every week, and taking more control of the matches is starting to find his voice out there. Both players complement each other's style, and neither tries to overplay their hand and try to take over the match on their own.

If they continue to grow their combination and get some good ball from the pack, then I only see good things in their future.

Speaking of the pack, the forwards had another good night with 6 of the forwards running for over 100 metres, with last weeks Warrior to improve Lachlan Burr leading the pack with 188 metres.

I like how the forwards are all stepping up now, you usually could pick 2 or 3 of the pack that played well with the rest not really pulling their weight. They just need to keep turning up and focus on controlling the middle. This kind of result is what happens when the Warriors forwards bully their opposition. With good ball, Nikorima and Harris-Tavita have all the time in the world to unleash the backline and the Warriors backs =have attacking threats everywhere.

George Jennings has been fantastic not the wing and is sure to be earning himself a contract somewhere. I would be looking at him if I was the Warriors as they need some good stock in the Wings to keep Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a on their toes.

I don't have much, but the game wasn't perfect, which leads me to my negative from the match.

Yes, I only have one negative this week and its a regular in this section, and that's missed tackles.

The Warriors missed 20 tackles, which is still too much if they want to keep themselves in the playoff hunt.

They strangled the Knights out of this match and covered their first-up tackling with some good scrambling defence, but I just want to see them tighten up their defence in the middle and around the ruck, if they do that then they won't leak any soft tries and strengthen their chances of walking out victors.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the week goes to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

What a day out for the Skipper, 269 metres, 2 line breaks and 2 tries. As the only kiwi player in camp without his family, there has been plenty of articles writing throughout the week about how tough it has been for Roger. He has said he thinks about coming home all the time, but he is toughing it out for the team and is truly showing his commitment.

For me, the most encouraging aspect of Tuivasa-Sheck's games recently has been watching him finally start to run off the shoulders of his big forwards, if they can offload the ball to him running that line, I find it hard for anyone to stop him breaking the game wide open.

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I have no Warrior to improve this week. I have watched the game several times, and I could pick out someone I was disappointed in. So instead, I would like to mention Chanel Harris-Tavita.

I mentioned above that Harris-Tavita is growing each week, he is the future of this club and it's his attitude that has impressed me the most this year.

Spending weeks on the sideline waiting for your chance to prove yourself can be challenging and several players have thrown their toys and demanded releases, but Harris-Tavita just continued to bide his time and make the most of his shot when he got it.

He does all the things you expect from a half, but I think his defence shows the heart he has, yes he can do the big hits but the amount of times he comes in to clean up some sloppy defence shows his character. Fingers crossed the Warriors can manage to keep him within the club longterm as I would love to see CHT become a one-club man.

Round 17 sees the Warriors return to the Central Coast to host the Parramatta Eels.

The Eels are hard to predict, they went from holding the Storm scoreless in round 15 to getting thumped 38-0 by the Rabbitohs. They currently sit 3rd on the ladder and are going to be a massive challenge for the Warriors. However, if the Warriors can continue to play like they have been for the past 6 weeks, then they may be able to get another win here.

Daniel Alvaro and George Jennings will not be playing in this match as per the loan agreement prohibiting them from playing against their own team, this is a massive loss for the Warriors, and I'm not sure who will fill their spots. Perhaps we will see Gerard Beale back on the wing and Joshua Curran onto the bench.

Unfortunately, I think the Eels will come away victors here, but it will be close, so I'm picking the Eels to win by 6. While also hoping the Warriors prove me wrong.

So that was an impressive Round 16, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you see the Warriors making the top eight?

Who would you bring in to replace Jennings and Alvaro?

Who was your player of the day?

What is your score prediction for the Eels clash?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 15 Review: Warriors get out of jail against gallant Bulldogs

After last weeks narrow defeat to the table-topping Panthers, the Warriors travelled to ANZ Stadium to face the 16th place Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Despite their position on the ladder, the Bulldogs have been putting in some valiant efforts but have lacked the ability to close out games and it was more of the same this week as the Warriors survived an early scare to come away with a 20-14 victory.

Well that was a lot closer than I would have liked. When the Bulldogs scored their final try minutes into the second half and pushed their lead out to 14-6, I thought the Warriors had come into the match already expecting to win and were going to get the rug pulled out from under them.

Thankfully for Warriors fans, the grit I have been praising for the last month was still there and they managed to get the job done. With the team missing Eliesa Katoa, Patrick Herbert and Chanel Harris-Tavita, I expected the Warriors to be lacking some cohesion and I was correct but I think the replacements did a good enough job in filling the gaps.

It wasn't a great performance but the Warriors continue to show that if they stay within range of their opponents they can get the results, and for the remainder of thier draw with some tougher teams the Warriors are going to need to consistently keep themselves in the hunt.

The gap between the top eight and bottom eight is starting to grow and chances of a top eight finish for the club is getting slimmer, all the Warriors can do is continue to notch up wins and see what happens.

It is a case of what if, but if the Warriors had won their round 9 clash against the Titans instead of going down 16-12, then they would be sitting at ninth only 2 points outside of the eight with a much better shot at playoff football, but that is the gift of hindsight.

Regardless of where they end up on the ladder, it is imperative that the Warriors move into 2021 with this newfound attitude. If they can start next season the same way they are ending this year then they give themselves a great chance of cementing a playoff spot. 

There was quite a bit to praise this week, which leads to my positives from the game.

The Warriors backline put in the work this week, with all of them bar Hayze Perham and Paul Turner running for over 100 metres, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck leading the side with 334 metres.

One thing the Warriors need to do though is having players running off the shoulders in support, I have been begging Tuivasa-Sheck to do this and sure enough, when he actually does it he streaks off to score, the backline lacks speed with the exception of Sheck and Kodi Nikorima so RTS needs to be the key man running those lines just off the edge, the Warriors have plenty of players that can offload the ball so they need to take advantage of it.

The young forwards continue to impress me, even with the backs stacking up the metres, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Jazz Tevaga all cracked the triple digits with Tevaga lead the pack with 185 metres. The majority of the pack were sitting just under the 100-metre mark which is great to see.

The pack has been building along nicely and there is going to plenty of room for thought for Todd Payten this week when Katoa is available again as it will be hard to take a player out.

If it was me, Katoa would be starting on the left, Harris on the right and Tevage in the middle, and the player to be omitted would be Isaiah Papali'i, I thought he played well but I think Jack Murchie offers more and needs a spot in the 17.

Paul Turner had a good hitout in his debut and is a star in the making, he almost scored in the early stages of the match and then had two tries taken off him in the second half.

He was a little gunshy in the halves and the Warriors relied heavily of Nikorima but I think Turner will feature in the side quite a bit in 2021. He has plenty of natural ball running talent and there is an Xfactor about him that you can not train. I guess it will just come down to what position he winds up playing in the future, next year I would be happy to have him as the 14 as I could see him filling many gaps in the backline and would give him time to get used to first grade.

Lastly, the Warriors improved their discipline. I have been critical of how many penalties and ruck infringements the Warriors have given away but this week they kept them both low, conceding only 4 penalties and 1 ruck infringement. If they can keep this up they will pressure their opposition and with that pressure, the Warriors will be able to force mistakes and gain the upper hand.

I did have issues with the performance however which leads me to match negatives.

The Warriors had another slow start, despite looking the more threatening side in the first half, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first 20 minutes. It was simply down to some poor Warriors defense which is at least something the Warriors can address and work on. The Warriors are showing they can shut teams down in the second half so if they can emulate that in their first-half performances they should be able to find some success.

The Warriors error rate was poor, making 12 errors in this match. You do expect a few more errors when the team is chancing their arm but they just need to reign in some of the 50/50 chances they are taking. They are a dangerous side when they play confident and throw the ball around it is all about finding that sweet spot.

Lastly was the Warriors lack of polish and poor fifth tackle options.

I put this down to the teams changes during the week and having Turner in the halves for his debut. The team struggle early on and didn't seem to be on the same page on attack with same poor decisions late in the tackle count. There were plenty of times where the Warriors appeared lost on the last tackle and died with the ball in hand.

The biggest one for me was Karl Lawton kicking from dummy half when the rest of the side didn't seem to know that he was going to do it.

It got better as the game progressed, showing that once the players were comfortable things starting to mesh. Nikorima was a bit dicey at the start of the match but took hold of the game and started creating plenty of opportunities and judging by Katoa's year to date and the performance of my Warrior of the day, it is clear that the second-rower on the same side of the park as Nikorima is going to feature heavily in the Warriors attack.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Jack Murchie.

After missing out on the gameday 17 since round 10, Murchie finally got another chance to show the Warriors what he can offer and he delivered in spades.

I liked what I saw from the young forwards in the early stages of this season and was perplexed at his axing but with Katoa and Jack Hetherington playing well it did make it hard for him to get a look in.

He showed a lot more on attack this week than in his early matches, back then it looked like he was a young large forward that would be a battering ram but this match highlighted the attacking weapon he can be. He scored two nice tries and showed some great hands when helping set Adam Pompey up for his try.

He needs to be in the gameday 17 as I said above but I don't see him getting a starting spot of Katoa or Harris so an interchange forward would be his ideal spot right now, especially with Papali'i and my warriors to improve not really delivering what is required from the Warriors right now.

Copyright Photo: Stuff

My Warrior to improve goes to Lachlan Burr.

News during the week was that Burr will not be at the Warriors club next year and will be looking for a gig elsewhere. Unfortunately for him this match showed why the Warriors are not extended his contract, he was not awful by any means but he just lacked any punch when running with the ball, watching the match I thought his biggest issue is that he runs too high when going into contact and lacks the strength to continue to push forward after being wrapped up by defenders. He also had a few wayward offloads that wound up going to Bulldog players. I like Burr and think he can continue playing in the NRL as an interchange forward and I wish him well with wherever his future leads him.

Round 15 sees the Warriors host the Newcastle Knights at Scully Park in Tamworth.

It's great to see the Warriors take a match to Tamworth where they spent their quarantine and should be a great match for the locals to watch.

I was looking forward to seeing the Warriors play Blake Green for the first time since his exit from the club but it looks like he has injured his ACL in the Knights 12-0 win over the Cowboys. 

It's horrible to see that happen to anyone and I really feel for Green as I thought he had been playing well for the Knights and at his age, this could well be the end of his career, I really hope that isn't the case and wish him well in his recovery.

The Knights are relatively safe in the top eight but have not looked that convincing for the past month and the Warriors are in with a chance to come away with the victory. The Warriors should have Katoa and Chanel Harris-Tavita back in their lineup and I their inclusions firm up the Warriors chances.

I think the Warriors have the edge in this match with thier new physical style and the Knights missing some key players so I'm predicting the Warriors to win this match by 10.

So that was a closer than expected Round 15, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Where do you see the Warriors ending up on the ladder?

What do you do with Jack Murchie when Eliesa Katoa returns this week?
Who was your player of the day?

What is your score prediction for the Knights clash?