NZ Warriors 2021 Season Review: A disappointing start to the Brown Era, but is there light at the end of the tunnel?

With the 2021 Grand Final almost upon us, I decided it was the perfect time to comb through the Warriors year and conduct my season review. 

COVID continued to play its part in the NRL landscape, which saw the Warriors spend the entire 2021 season across the ditch again.

I came into the season reasonably confident that the Warriors would return to finals football. Despite inconsistent performances, they still had a slim chance of a top-eight finish for the majority of the season, but it wasnt to be as they finished the year in 12th position.

2021 was filled to the brim with talking points, so let's just get into my review.

My Take on 2021

The Warriors ended the 2020 season in 10th place, and in my 2021 season preview, I predicted that the Warriors would finish this season in 6th place with an improved forward pack. So another incorrect prediction on my part, but after having some time to let my personal feelings on the Warriors season subside, I think 2022 will be happier times for the Warriors and the Warriors fans.

In the preseason, we were given the news that Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was going to leave at the end of the year with a shift to Rugby Union; not the greatest way to start the 2021 campaign, but at least the Warriors addressed the rumours head-on so the club could focus on the season ahead. COVID protocols saw the Warriors preseason training split into two groups, with Nathan Brown and the New Zealand based players starting the season in New Zealand with the rest of the squad training in Kiama, located on the coast in New South Wales. Splitting up the squad in the preseason is not the ideal way to prepare for the upcoming season, and they weren't helped when their first preseason match against the Storm was cancelled due to a COVID outbreak in Melbourne. This meant the Warriors only got one preseason match against the Titans, which ended in a 12 all draw, with the forward pack showing signs of improvement.

The Warriors started the season with another match against the Titans, winning 19-6 but followed that up with a 30-16 loss to the Knights and a 34-31 come from behind win over the Raiders. This started the trend of the Warriors being unable to field a consistent gameday 17. In turn, their performances fluctuated, with the team unable to string wins together until a three-game winning streak in rounds 20 to 22. They also went on two large losing streaks with four losses in a row from Rounds 4 to 7 and then a horror six successive losses from rounds 14 to 19. Sprinkled between these losses were a few wins over less than stellar teams (Cowboys, Tigers twice, Sharks and Bulldogs) that didn't really build confidence in the sides playoff potential due to how poor they looked in defeat on matches they should have won. The final three rounds saw the Warriors slide out of playoff contention with a narrow loss to the Broncos (24-22) and a larger defeat to the Raiders (28-16) before ending the year with my pick for worst match of the year with a 44-0 loss to the Titans.

This saw the Warriors end their year on a sour note, and an 8 win, 16 loss record. The Warriors had a poor run of injuries that didn't help them, but to their credit, they have not made excuses and accepted that they did not play at the required level to be successful in 2021. The optimist in me hopes that the few peaks and many valleys that this season had for the Warriors has given them plenty to learn from and that they will be better prepared for 2022.

My Positives for 2021

Despite the less than stellar year, a few things brought a smile to my face this season, which leads me to my top four positives for 2020.

New signings a boost

The Warriors had plenty of signings before the season started and then made a few more as the season progressed, and for the most part, I saw promise in many of them.

Before round one, the Warriors welcomed Euan Aitken, Addin Fonua-Blake, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Bayley Sironen, Sean O'Sullivan, Marcelo Montoya and Kane Evans. Then during the season, they always picked up Reece Walsh, Matt Lodge and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Fonua-Blake, Lodge and Walsh were the top signings in my eyes with some impressive displays throughout the year, but Montoya and DWZ surprised me; they added some much-needed speed to the backline and played a lot better than I expected; Aitken was hampered by injury and didn't have the impact I expected in the centres but found some form when he moved into the second row,

O'Sullivan was a handy backup half that had his moments, and Sironen and BMM had some solid outings but unfortunately ended their years with plenty of quiet performances. Evans, well, we will talk about him a little bit later.

Overall I think the club has brought in some good talent to boost the forward pack, round out the squad and snatched a superstar in the making; however, there are still areas in the depth chart that needs some beefing up, but Peter O'Sullivan has been making the moves which was what I was asking for in my season review last year.

Forward Pack comes to the party (for the most part)

For most of the time I have been writing about the Warriors, there has been one constant theme: the Warriors forward pack lacked the punch needed to allow the spine and backline to click into gear. The Warriors made massive strides to fix that problem this year, with their signings ending the year fourth on the post-contact metre stat ladder with 13,261 metres, thanks mainly to their new-look pack. AFB did not play as much as we would have liked, but the Warriors looked a lot better when he was on the field. What he lacked was a partner in crime which he eventually got with Lodge joined the side. These two were a handful when they were both on the pitch, and Nathan Brown needs to figure a plan to have at least one of these guys on the field at all times as this year when they would both come on the field, your saw the Warriors start to dip. Bunty Afoa was the next best in the prop rotation and was rewarded with a contract extension, and I'm sure he will go to another level in 2022. In the second row/lock department, Tohu Harris had another big year, but it was ended early with an injury, he was followed by Josh Curran, who had a great year and put his hand up for a starting role next year and Jazz Tevaga who just continues to impress me with his toughness and ability to dig deep regardless if were the Warriors make him play. The rest of the rotation was hit and miss; you saw strong games one week, then massive dropoffs the next. There is plenty of competition for the pack next year, which is excellent. Players like Eliesa Katoa, Bayley Sironen and Jack Murchie will need some massive efforts to get themselves into the gameday 17 conversation. If Lodge, AFB and Harris can get through the 2022 season without injuries or suspensions, then the Warriors should have the platform needed for their halves to work some magic.

Youngsters get much needed time at the Learning Tree

With all the Warriors' injuries this year, we got to see plenty of youngsters get some substantial game time. Walsh sits at the top of the class playing 16 games and adding plenty of excitement. However, we also got to see Rocco Berry (8 games), Ed Kosi (5 games), Taniela Otukolo (3 games), Viliami Vailea (2 games) and Jackson Frei (1 game). 

Berry really impressed me, and I think we will see him become a regular starter in 2022; he is still a bit small but showed that he was defensively sound and could find the try-line when given the chance. Otukolo, Vailea, and Frei had limited opportunities to play but did not let anyone down. Kosi had a lot of criticism thrown his way, but I think he was a bit hard done by; he was a development player that was thrown in the deep end and struggled to stay afloat. All of these players were not expected to play a match this season. I'm sure that since they got some runs on the board early this season, we will see them be more complete players when they are called upon next year (as of writing, Frei has still not been re-signed, but I think he is a relatively cheap depth option and will stay). The future looks bright with plenty of these rookies, and I'm excited to watch them develop.

RTS gone but SJ is back

Losing RTS is massive, he has been a shining light in some dark seasons and will leave a gigantic hole, but we also got the news this year that Shaun Johnson had signed to return to the club on a two-year deal. I was shocked when the signing was announced, as it looked like the damage done by his exit in 2018 was too severe to repair. When he left back then, I was upset and angry at both him and the club; it was no secret that the Warriors were not getting their money's worth out of him at the time but there wasnt a player to fill his shoes; however that decision has come and gone, and they now have him returning at a steal. He still has issues with injuries, but I think he has developed as a lead half in his time with the Sharks; he is not the same highlight reel player the Warriors had. That is a good thing, though, as the Warriors are in desperate need of a half that can direct the team and with the forward pack he now has at his disposal, he should be able to reignite the Warriors attack. We could even see the likes of David Fusitu'a return to his glory days. Plus, the thought of SJ and Walsh combining on attack just makes me excited. Once again, it's the optimist in me coming out, but it just feels right having SJ back in a Warriors jersey.

My Negatives for 2021

Unfortunately, there were plenty of issues with the 2021 season, but I have narrowed it down to my four most significant negatives to make it easier.

Missed Tackles

It should come as no surprise since I mentioned it every week, but my biggest negative from the 2021 season was missed tackles. The Warriors missed 725 tackles this season, they were not the worst in this department, making the 7th least amount of misses, but they averaged 30 missed tackles a match which is just too many if they want to succeed in the NRL. 

How do they fix this? Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I think a new defensive coach would be a good step forward, Justin Morgan hasn't made any noticeable changes to the defensive structures in his time in the role, and perhaps a change will help the club. However, in his defence, not having the same players on the pitch week in and week out did not help the defensive gameplan, so perhaps with some consistent team lists next year, we may see the defence improve with the players learning to work together and trust each other to cover their man. 

Errors

Another regular complaint from me this season was the Warriors error rate. They made 251 errors this season, which was actually the third least amount. However, my issue was that the Warriors unforced errors almost always happened early in their sets, when they were deep in the opposition RedZone or 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; I don't want to see the Warriors shy away from second phase football but just stop pushing passes that aren't on. It's all about finding a balance, so they don't hinder their attack.

Injuries

Injuries were a massive issue in 2021; the Warriors had no player in their squad that played all 24 matches, with the closest being Jazz Tevaga (22 games) and Kodi Nikorima (21 games). They used 33 players in total this season but losing critical players for stints throughout the season really haltered any momentum building. Key figures in the squad that played limited matches were Tohu Harris (15 games), Addin Fonua-Blake (15 games), Ben Murdoch-Masila (14 games), Chanel Harris-Tavita (11 games), Peta Hiku (10 games) and David Fusitu'a (5 games). Having to rotate your halves pairing almost weekly is a surefire way to disrupt a teams attack; the Warriors were not the only team hit with injuries, and with the increased pace of the game now, this is probably going to be a constant theme for years to come. Some injuries are not easy to prevent, but improving the squad's fitness levels could help eliminate minor injuries and setbacks, so that's probably a good place to start (plus, fitter players should also help improve the defence).

Not playing for 80

My last negative is the Warriors struggling to deliver an 80-minute performance at any point throughout the season. In most games, there was a 20-minute stretch where the Warriors did not show up; it was a consistent issue with the only thing that changed was where that 20 minutes was, sometimes it was at the start of the match, forcing the Warriors to attempt a come from behind win, or it was at the end of the game where they saw leads turn into losses (rounds 2 and 15 against the Knights, round 23 against the Broncos and round 24 against the Raiders). If the Warriors had played the entire match and kept the lead in those four matches, this season could have been different. The NRL is a tough competition, and if you take your eye off the ball for even a few moments in a match, you are doomed to defeat. It's something that can be addressed in the offseason, and I'm sure if the team is fit enough and keeps injuries to a minimum, then 80-minute performances will come.

My Top Three Warriors for the season

A few players stood up this season, with several players being selected as my Warrior of the match multiple times. Still, I have chosen the three that appeared the most as my Warriors of the season.

Tohu Harris

For the second year in a row, Tohu Harris gets the nod as my Warrior of the year; he was picked as my Warrior of the round on four occasions. With some much-needed help in the pack, Harris wasnt as heavily relied on to do all the work, but he still went above and beyond in 2021. Injuries saw him only play 15 matches, but he still finished the year with the fourth-most tackles for the club with 620 tackles at a 95.7% tackle efficiency. He also finished 10th in running metres with 1375 metres. 

I was concerned that the Warriors would lose Harris to a rival club, but the fact that he has re-signed makes me optimistic about the future, and he is a contender to take over as the Captain of the team in 2022, and if he gets the job I'm sure he will do it well. He is a leader in the pack, and if he can stay healthy in 2022, you can bet he will be in the running for the third year in a row as my Warrior of the season.

Reece Walsh

The RLPA rookie of the year also received 4 selections during his first season with the club and is a superstar in the making. He played 16 matches in 2021 and was the leading try scorer with 9 tries; he also led the team with linebreaks (14) and was second for try assists (11). Not a bad start to his career, but he still has plenty to learn, his defence needs work, and he made the third most errors (19), but you cannot question his spirit and determination. He has had some issues with aggression on the field and now a few dramas off it; however, I think the older players in the Warriors camp will take him under their wing and iron out the wrinkles. I expect big things from Walsh in 2022, and I think he is a player that the Warriors can build around as they attempt to return to the playoffs.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Again, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes my top three (unfortunately also for the last time) after being selected threes times this season. Despite announcing his exit and the end of the season and then leaving earlier than expected, you cannot accuse RTS of taking his eye off the ball as he continued to give 100%. He once again led the team in running metres (3054) and tackle-breaks (71), as well as being third with try assists (11). He added more defensive highlight reel moments with try-saving tackles, including the massive one on Jordan Rapana in round 3. I don't know what else I can say about RTS that I haven't said before; he is right up there with the likes of Stacey Jones, Steve Price and Simon Mannering in my eyes as elite Warriors. He always did his best on the field, never got involved in dramas or scandals off the field and will be a massive loss for the Warriors moving forward. Some rugby union fans like to write off League players joining their code, but the Blues and potentially the All Blacks have got themselves a winner here. Good luck Roger on your new journey, and I hope you smash it out of the park. 

My Three Warriors who need to improve

On the other hand, the players who appeared in my Warriors to improve section throughout the season were mainly the same week in and week out. Like the Warrior of the year section, I have selected the three players that appeared the most in my Warrior to improve.

Kodi Nikorima

Kodi Nikorima dominated the Warrior to improve section of my review this year with 8 selections, but it wasnt because of his stats. Stat wise he led the team in try assists (14) and points scored (100), but he also led the team in missed tackles (55). He was picked so often through the year due to his ability to disappear in matches. It's no secret that when the Nikorima is running the ball, the Warriors had a good performance, but too often, he looked listed on attack and just shuffled the ball to whoever was next to him. As the season progressed, Nikorima looked less interested in playing, and the Warriors suffered as a result. The forwards were doing their job up front, so there were no excuses for why he wouldn't run the ball, and I think his time as a half in the NRL is done. I still think he has plenty to offer as a No.14, and while he appears to not be interested in that role, I believe that the No.14 has become more critical than ever with the new rule changes. He was looking at leaving the Warriors after earlier activated his player option; at the time of writing, it seems like he will be a Warrior in 2022. I have my fingers crossed that he moves to the bench and is used to add spark out of dummy-half when the opposition is tiring.

Kane Evans

Kane Evans was picked to improve only 2 times this season, but I feel that if he wasnt suspended, that amount would have increased. When the Warriors announced Evans signing, I personally thought it was a dud, but I wanted to give him a chance to prove my initial thoughts wrong. However, unfortunately, my thoughts were correct as he offered very little to the Warriors; he played 14 games and only averaged 66 running metres a game after playing and minimal post-contact metres. He just didn't make a dent in attack or defence, and I feel that the Warriors would have got more use out of Tom Ale or Jackson Frei. His discipline was shocking; he was sin-binned three times this season and is currently suspended for 5 matches; he is simply more trouble than what he is worth. The current rumours are that the Warriors are trying to offload him to another club which I think is a wise decision, but I'm not sure if any team will pick him up. I'm sure he is a nice guy off the pitch, but the Warriors need players that add value to the squad, and I just don't see what he provides.

Wayde Egan

Wayde Egan is one of the more interesting picks here; he was selected as my Warrior to improve twice this year, but that was early on in the season, and I thought he really showed improvement as the season went on. He led the team defensively, making 715 tackles, and he also had 6 try assists and 540 running metres. The no-look passes from the ruck were still there, and he still looked to throw a few forward passes from time to time, however behind that big pack, he looked a lot better and started to snipe out of dummy-half, which is something we did not see from him in 2020. I think he will continue to grow as the Warriors starting hooker and reach a new level and hopefully will not be in the section of my season review next year.

In Summary

Another season is done, and another one with the Warriors not making the playoffs, which makes this season a fail in my books.

This season had plenty of what-if moments, and that's what makes the NRL so exciting for me; a few games go another way, and the Warriors are a playoff team, but it just wasnt to be.

However, as we look ahead to the 2022 season, I am confident that the Warriors can return to the playoffs. If they can keep all their stars on the field for the majority of the season, they have the talent to make it; it will be down to how they execute their game plan.

Signings for 2022 so far are Shaun Johnson and Aaron Pene. I've already discussed SJ, but Pene is a decent prop signing from the Storm; he is young and hasn't had a lot of first-grade experience, but from what I have seen this year from him, I think he will fill a hole in the Warriors prop rotation, I will discuss that in more detail in my 2022 season preview.

This season was tough for me personally; I think having no live games at Mount Smart for the second year in a row finally got to me; I eat and breath Warriors football, but there were times this year where my interest waned. Don't get me wrong, I never missed a game. I still wrote match reports for all Warriors games for Nothing But League and my match reviews, but it just felt like more of a grind, especially after the Warriors match against the Bulldogs in front of a sellout crowd at Mount Smart had to be cancelled. 2022 looks almost certain to be played for the most part in Australia; the Warriors have said they hope to have some games played in New Zealand towards the end of the season, but I won't get my hopes up just yet.

But other than the on-field results, 2021 was pretty good for me; with my show on New Zealand Sport Radio having a good second season, I also got to join Roo & Hammer, Warrior NRL Fanatics and Hold the Ball on their channels to talk about the Warriors. I just need to get myself on This Warriors Life and Fonzie, and then I've completed my bingo card. 

I'm not sure what 2022 will bring for my website, the match reviews will still be here, but I am thinking about possibly adding videos. Similar to what I do on The Stand-Off, but let me know if videos on Warriors news and rumours is something you guys would like to see.

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

New Zealand Sport Radio

Thank you all once again for reading my reviews this year. I know some of them were tough to read; hopefully, I have better matches to write about next year. I look forward to chatting with you guys all again real soon.

So that was my take on 2021, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts on the 2021 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 2022 season going?

NZ Warriors Round 25 Review: Saving the worst till last as Warriors embarrassed in Titans blowout

After round 24's defeat to the Raiders, the Warriors made their way to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast to face the Titans. The Titans were playing for a spot in the finals and needed a win by 11 or more to make the cut, but they blew that out of the park with a dominant 44-0 victory over a Warriors team that failed to deliver in their last outing of the year.

In the early stages, the Warriors started the match strong, almost scoring tries through Euan Aitken and Matt Lodge, but both lost the ball on the line. Then the Titans struck and never looked back, scoring three tries via Jayden Campbell, Mitch Rein and David Fifita to end the first half with a 16-0 lead, with the Warriors needing a massive effort to dig themselves out of the hole they found themselves in.

That wasnt to be with Fifita scoring his second try of the afternoon in the first minute of the second half. The Warriors offered little resistance, struggling to hold onto the ball and complete their sets, only going across for one try but was denied after the pass was deemed forward. Brian Kelly crossed for the Titans fifth try, and that seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back as the Warriors imploded. They lost Jazz Tevaga to the sin-bin after he ran in and pushed Phillip Sami after a pull-apart on the sidelines. One minute later, the Warriors had two more players sent to the bin when Matt Lodge was given his marching orders for a late hit on Tyrone Peachey, and Kane Evans was marched for striking. The Titans also lost Jarrod Wallace to the bin for his part in the fight. With only 10 men on the park, the Warriors already woeful defence just fell apart, with the Titans running through three more tries through Patrick Herbert, Campbell and Moeaki Fotuaika to twist the knife further, ending the Warriors season on a sour note with the 44-0 defeat.

What a horrible way to end the season, the Warriors had nothing but pride to play for, but they left their hearts at the door. They lacked direction, discipline and respect for the ball. I had picked the Titans to win this match, but I did not see this margin happening. It was brutal to watch and even harder to write about. I'm not sure I have much else to say here, so I will just get into my positives and negatives.

First, my positives.

Match Positives

I have watched the game over several times now, and I still can't find any positives out of the match, so my only positive is that this season is over. It has been a strange season, with a few ups and many downs and Im just looking forward to taking a break from the team for a little bit. Hopefully, the players, coaching staff and club have learnt some lessons this year and can address them in the offseason to hit the ground running in 2022.

There were plenty of concerns for me, which brings me to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

There were so many negatives for me in this performance, but I have decided to reduce it down to my four biggest, so let's just get into it.

Errors hurt the Warriors again; last week, I wrote that I wanted to see them reduce their errors to single digits but went the other way and ended the match with 13. They were all schoolboy errors and made the Warriors look very amateur. It just seemed like one of those days where the passes didn't stick, and the further behind they fell, the worse things got. We have seen them play low error football at times throughout the season; they just need to make that the new normal in 2022 as if they make this many errors every week next season, it will be another long year.

Missed tackles were troubling once again, They have been my biggest concern all season, and they missed 33 in this match. The Warriors had gaping holes all across their line and really took a step backwards. I was hoping that with the same team playing for the last few weeks, we would see come cohesion defensively, but it just hasn't come. I still feel that the Warriors need to part ways with Justin Morgan and bring in a new defensive coach because, as they say, defence wins championships. The Warriors can kiss their finals chances goodbye in the future if they cant get their defensive structures in order.

Discipline was an issue; the Warriors conceded 8 penalties, 4 six agains and the 3 sin bins. I felt that they were hard done by with some of the calls, but you could see that the team just fell apart and frustration set in. I love watching the Warriors play aggressive football, but they need to toe the line and not give the officials any reason to ping them (as hard as that is with some of the poor officiating we have seen). Starting fights when they were frustrated shows that the team lacks some leadership out there, but I'm positive that this will improve once Tohu Harris and Shaun Johnson are back in the mix.

Lastly is this lack of heart and desire. This was the final match of the year, and the Warriors had a chance to end their disappointing season on a better note, but they barely fired a shot, and once the Titans held a 16-0 lead, it looked like the Warriors just gave up. I know it has been a tough season; the team have had to relocate and deal with getting kids in and out of schools, had many injuries and struggled to have the same team named each week. However, I wanted the team to show some resilience like some of the other teams that face adversities this year (the Roosters spring to mind) and build like we saw them do last season. This game hurt to watch, and it is tarnishing my view on the year to date and will be the lasting memory I take into the offseason, but I know my optimism will return when I write my season preview early next year.

Warrior of the Match

For the first time in quite a while, I could not pick a Warriors of the match, some players played better than others, but no one stood out enough for me to give them the nod. I hope I don't find myself in this position next season.

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: New Zealand Herald

My Warrior to improve goes to Kane Evans. Every week I question why Nathan Brown picks Evans, and every week Evans shows why he shouldn't be in the side. He played just over 20 minutes and was put on report for leading with his elbow and then binned for punching for the second time this season. He just doesn't offer any positives to outweigh his negatives and is slowly climbing up my ranks as the worst signing in club history (I haven't compiled a list, but #1 for me is Jesse Royal, FYI). It looks like he will miss at least the first 5 weeks of next season due to suspension, and I hope that cooler heads prevail and he does not return to the gameday 17.

Seasons done; what's next for me?

So that is the last game for the Warriors this season, and it wasnt the way any of us would have liked the season to end. 2022 looks to be another year with no (or just a handful) of games on home soil for the side, which will be tough for the club, players, and fans alike. However, before the 2022 season begins, I will be back with my season review; I normally wait to release it just before the Grand Final, so look out for it in a few weeks. In the past, I have disappeared in the offseason. Still, I would like to do some articles throughout the months before everything kicks off again, so if you have anything you would like to see my opinions on, let me know, and I will see what I can put together.

So that was an embarrassing Round 25, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Did you have a Warrior of the match?

What would you do with Evans?
How would you grade the 2021 season overall?

Are you going into the 2022 season confident or worried?

NZ Warriors Round 24 Review: Warriors slim playoff hopes sink in second half collapse

After round 23's defeat to the Broncos, the Warriors made their way to BB Print Stadium in Mackay to face the Canberra Raiders. Both sides needed the victory here if they wanted to keep their playoff aspirations alive, and I was confident that the Warriors could get the job done here, and it certainly looked that way when they shot out to a 16-0 lead; however, it wasnt to be as the Warriors didn't return from the sheds at halftime, allowing the Raiders to come from behind with a 28-16 victory putting playoffs officially out of reach for the Warriors.

The Warriors busted out of the gates scoring in the first minute when Wayde Egan darted out of the ruck before putting Sean O'Sullivan away. After a brief battle in the middle with neither side getting the upper hand until the Warriors scored back to back tries when they kicked towards Bailey Simonsson, who had a shocker and failed to defuse either kick, allowing Rocco Berry and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score. The Warriors had a few more chances but failed to capitalise; just before halftime, the Raiders got on the board when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad barged his way over to see the Warriors enter the sheds with a 16-6 lead.

The Raiders were over again in the first two minutes of the second half when Sebastian Kris barged over on the right edge before the game once again settled into a battle. No points were scored until Kris finished off a nice 50-metre play, which after Jordan Rapana's conversion, saw the match level with 15 minutes to go. The Warriors had a few attempts of regaining the lead but made some poor choices with the ball in hand, which was a constant theme of the second half with Chad Townsend off the pitch after reinjuring his shoulder. Reece Walsh attempted a field goal which sailed to the left. This seemed to be the last swing the Warriors could muster as the Raiders scored down the left edge, with Rapana scoring the match-winning, in almost an identical manner to his try from round 3 that was stopped by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The Warriors attempted a short kickoff and came within a fingers grasp of grabbing before the Raiders struck again as the final siren blared when Hudson Young scooped up the loose ball after Walsh dropped a bomb to score the Raiders fifth and final try of the night.

It was a frustrating watch, the Warriors had the game in control, but as soon as Chad Townsend was injured, they lost their direction and with Matt Lodge and Addin Fonua-Blake both off the field, the Warriors lost their backbone in the middle. It just opened the doors for the Raiders to walk straight back in. I don't really know what else to say here that I won't cover in my positives and negatives, so I may as well just get into it.

Despite the result, there were a handful of things in the match that made me smile, which brings me to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

Chad Townsend was strong while he was on the pitch, he directed the side round the park well, and his kicking was on point. I think it was his best performance since rejoining the club; it was also his last game for the Warriors, as the injury he suffered will see him miss the final game of the year against the Titans. I hope that Sean O'Sullivan and Chanel Harris-Tavita have learned from the veteran half during his stay and can step up and similarly direct the team in the final match of the season before Shaun Johnson returns next season.

As expected, Matt Lodge and Addin Fonua-Blake were strong up the middle, with both running over 100m (AFB with 179m and Lodge with 171m). They look so much better when they are playing; the issue though is that when they both come off the field, the Warriors performance falls off a cliff. Both players can play large minutes, but the coaching staff need to figure out how to make sure they have at least one of these guys on the field all the time if they stagger them coming off in a way where one comes off early and plays a longer second stint and the other plays longer at the start and shorter in the second. I'm not a coach, so I could be way off the mark, but I feel the Warriors are better when these guys are out there, so make they both don't sit on the pine at the same time.

I had plenty of concerns, however, which brings me to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

That second half was shocking; I already mentioned that when Townsend went off, the Warriors went off the rails, but I feel that they may have come out for the second half thinking they had done enough to keep the lead. Complete speculation on my part, but in the NRL, a 10 point lead is never safe; you need to keep the pressure on. To see the Warriors let the Raiders off the hook when their season was on the line just hurt as a fan and makes me concerned with how they will go this week with nothing but pride to play for against a team still desperate to squeak into the playoffs.

Errors again hurt the Warriors; they ended the match with 10, and just like last week, many of them came from poor carries. They just need to show the ball more respect and keep that ball locked in when making contact. It can be easier said than done, but the Warriors have shown throughout the season that they can play error-free football, so with one game left, I want to see the errors move into single digits. 

Ah, missed tackles, my old friend; it's back once again with the Warriors missing 44 in this match. The first half was a reasonably good defensive display, but the defensive line went to tatters when Lodge and AFB went off. Once that middle started to soften, the edge defence started slipping, and the Raiders just started breaking the line at will. Defence has been a massive concern for me all year and needs to be one of the main things addresses in the offseason.

Nathan Brown's team selection needs plenty of work. Seeing him drop Jazz Tevaga to 18th man and bring in Kane Evans had me scratching my head. Evans has done nothing to deserve a spot in the 17, and this game was more of the same. He offers very little on attack running only 3 times in the 29 minutes he played. A positive was that he made no errors this time; he is a monster of a man; he just doesn't play like one. Tevaga offers so much more and should have at least been on the bench, if not starting at lock instead of Bayley Sironen, who still isn't offering enough. Brown needs to pick his best side. This year I don't believe he has done that, and if he continues this trend next season, we may have to be prepared for more disappointment.

Lastly, I want to touch on milking, the Raiders players appeared to be staying down after tackles in a bid to earn some soft penalties, and it worked for them, with the Warriors being penalised 7 times. It just irked me to see the Warriors getting punished for legitimate tackles when the Raiders got away with some high contact shots throughout the match, especially with the game being so close. I don't want to see the Warriors resort to milking themselves, but the Refs need to stop being baited.

Warrior of the Match

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Wayde Egan. I have been critical of the hooker this season, but this was Egans best game to date in a Warriors jersey. With Lodge and AFB rolling forward, Egan could use the running game I praised back when his signing was announced. He ran for 117m, set up that nice try for O'Sullivan and was involved heavily in defence. He took a knock and didn't get to finish the game, but if he can perform to this level consistently, then the Warriors spine might be quite dangerous in 2022.

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warriors to improve goes to Kodi Nikorima. Having to come on to replace Townsend in the halves was not was planned for Nikorima, and he had a start to forget, dropping the ball with his first touch. This saw him go into his shell as he offered very little after that, running the ball twice and not contributing to the kicking game. It's just not good enough for a player with his level of experience, and as harsh as it may be, I think his time with the Warriors is up; however, I don't see any club picking him up, so he will most likely be with the club next season. I think he could add something as the teams No.14, but if he needs to be relied on to replace a half, then the Warriors will be in trouble.

Next rounds thoughts and prediction

The final game of the Warriors season sees them return to Sunday afternoon football when they travel to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast to face the Titans. The Warriors got the win in round 1, but I think the Titans will be harder this week. They still have a slim chance of making the eight, so you can expect a big performance out of them. With Townsend out, we should see Harris-Tavita and O'Sullivan combine in the halves. Hopefully, Egan is fit to start at hooker and in regards to the rest of the pack, I would move Tevaga into lock, drop Evans from the bench and put Sironen there or bring Jamayne Taunoa-Brown back. I hope the Warriors give us a great final performance here, but I think the Titans will be too strong at home, so I am picking the Titans to get the win by 10. 

Before I go, I just want to touch on the news that the Warriors may be spending the 2022 season in Australia. This would be devastating for the club and the fans here in New Zealand who have been starved of live football since August of 2019. I have my fingers crossed that this won't be the case, but it does not surprise me with everything happening on both sides of the Tasman with COVID.

There has been nothing official on this yet, so I will give more of my thoughts in a separate article once we have more information since I want to keep writing in the offseason.

So that's was an embarrassing Round 24, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts about Browns team selections?
Who was your player to improve?
Do you think another year stuck in Oz will improve the Warriors?
What is your score prediction against the Titans?

NZ Warriors Round 23 Review: Winning streak over as Broncos hold on for narrow victory

After round 22's victory over the Bulldogs, the Warriors made their way to Suncorp Stadium to face the Broncos. After Brisbane's narrow defeat to the Roosters in round 22, I came into the match nervous. Unfortunately, that feeling was on the money as the Broncos walked away with a 24-22 victory, essentially ending the Warriors slim playoff aspirations.

The Broncos started the match looking more dangerous, but the Warriors were able to scramble and keep from scoring. Both sides traded sets for the first 20 minutes, with each having a try denied by the bunker. Brisbane kept plugging away and soon scored two tries via Xavier Coates in quick succession. A 60-metre sniping run out of dummy-half from Reece Walsh saw the Warriors deep in Brisbane territory. A few tackles later, they were on the scoreboard when Marcelo Montoya finished off a simple backline passing play. The Broncos surged back, and Anthony Milford looked to have scored, but Peta Hiku managed to wrap him up. A few tackles later, Hiku was in the mix again when the Warriors put up a bomb which he kicked on, and after Chad Townsend pushed it into the in-goal, Hiku pounced on the loose ball. The bunker was called on again and denied the Warriors, advising that Hiku had knocked the ball on. This saw the sides go into the sheds, with Brisbane holding a 12-4 lead. 

The Warriors started the second half strong, almost nailing a 40/20 on their first set before scoring on their second set when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak put a grubber through which Hiku kick forward before diving on it over the line. The comeback was on as Bunty Afoa almost barged his way across the line, but Josh Curran finished the set off with a nice hit and spin, handing the Warriors the lead. The Broncos took the lead back when Albert Kelly latched onto a fortuitous bouncing ball to score; however, the Warriors responded when Hiku drew in defenders before throwing his trademark flick pass out to DWZ; Walsh missed the conversion, which meant the game was levelled 18 all at the 60-minute mark. The scores stayed locked until Milford crossed the line after his own kick was tapped back to him, handing Brisbane back the lead. Time was running out for the Warriors, but they managed another try after Euan Aitken was ruled by the bunker to have grounded the ball before Coates; Walsh had the chance to level the scores with his conversion from the sideline but shanked it. With time running out, Walsh attempted a two-point field goal, but it swayed to the left, and the Broncos held onto the ball, waiting for the final whistle. The match ended with a bit of frustration on display, with both sides having a pull-apart as the final siren played.

I know I have been saying that I didn't see the Warriors making the top eight; however, this defeat all but seals their fate. They still have a chance at making it if all their stars align, but I just don't see it happening. The Broncos played well here, this isn't the same team that has been poor for the majority of the season, and it just wasn't the Warriors night. I thought the referee and bunker had a shocking night, and while I thought the Warriors were hard-done-by, the Broncos had calls go against them too. 

It's frustrating and disappointing, but I hope the team and coaching staff take a massive lesson from this defeat and end the season with two strong performances against the Raiders and Titans.

However, it wasn't all doom and gloom, leading me to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

I thought the majority of the forward pack did well in this match. Lead as always by Addin Fonua-Blake, who ran for 207 metres and lead the Warriors defensively with 38 tackles. He was assisted by some strong efforts from Eliesa Katoa (100m), Afoa (98m) and Aitken (88m). A few more of the pack still need to step up, but the return this week of Matt Lodge should help in that department.

Behind the forwards, the backline looked threatening at times. Montoya, DWZ and Hiku all caused headaches for the Broncos. Walsh had plenty of shining moments, too, especially being lethal when deciding to run from dummy-half. If they all get on the same page, they can create plenty of scoring opportunities. I still have concerns with Adam Pompey, I think he is a good ball runner, but he needs to work on his distribution skills a bit more as he showed in this match that when he decides to set up his winger, the Warriors can score down his edge.  

 defence

I thought the defense looked better, they did miss 35 tackles, but the team were sliding to plug up holes in the line and looked more in control. They appeared to be communicated better and is hopefully a sign that with the team not having wholesale changes, they are started to gel and build combinations. It may be too little too late for 2020, but it could be the start of a fruitful 2021.

I had concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

The Warriors were hurt by a slow start once again. Too often this season, the Warriors have allowed their opposition to score the first two or three tries. This just makes things harder for them, as any team on their day can give you trouble. The Warriors cannot continue to allow teams to run up an early lead as it will only lead to misery as they cannot rely on massive comeback attempts to get them out of jail every time.

Errors continue to be an issue for the Warriors; they made 11 in this match. Many of them came from poor carries. Ball security is a must; with a comeback needed, the Warriors tried pushing things a bit too much, and it backfired. Fixing those slow starts will help in this department, too, as it will stop them from needing to chance thier arm as much. When they played simple football, they managed to score with relative ease. More of that this week and the points will come.

Goalkicking was an issue in this match, with Walsh only kicking one from five. Plenty of critics have pulled the youngster apart for his poor showing, but he made up for it in other ways. I guess the question is when it looked like he was having an off night, why didn't Nathan Brown switch to Chad Townsend or Chanel Harris-Tavita? 

Speaking of Brown, my last negative is his use of the interchange. I have criticized his use of the bench many times this season, and he still has me scratching my head. He didn't use all of his interchanges and only brought Jack Murchie on for just over 10 minutes, which makes me question why he had him there in the first place? He needs to make smarter decisions on how to use his bench, when to inject forwards into the match and when to get players off before they start to make errors due to fatigue.

Warrior of the Match

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Peta Hiku. He was a constant threat on attack, scoring a try, being denied another, and setting up one for DWZ. Not to forget his defensive efforts with his try-saving tackle on Milford. He has been strong since his return from injury, and I think it was a huge mistake allowing him to walk away at the end of the year; I'm sure they could have convinced him to stay with the offer of a longer deal, but it is too late now. I hope we see more of his awesome try assists in his final two matches for the club. The Cowboys have got a talented player with gas still in the tank.

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: Warriors.kiwi

My Warrior to improve goes to Bayley Sironen. I couldn't find any images of him from this match because he was that invisible. He only played 48 minutes and ran for 48m; he did make 35 tackles, but the Warriors need a bigger effort out of their lock; if that was me, it would be the last game for the season for Sironen with either Jazz Tevaga or Josh Curran taking the No.13 for the last two matches. Sironen is a talent, but he needs to start offering more with the ball in hand if he wants to keep his spot. Especially with the performances, the Warriors have been getting out of Curran and Aitken.

Next rounds thoughts and prediction

Round 24 sees the Warriors return to Friday night football, travelling to BB Print Stadium in Mackay to face the Canberra Raiders. The Raiders are hard to gauge; they have been awful for long stretches of the season and are currently sitting on a two-game losing streak. I come into this match worried as I don't know if the Raiders are bad enough to lose three in a row. The Warriors will welcome back Matt Lodge, and apart from that, I don't know what other changes will happen. Wayde Egan should go back to starting hooker with Tevaga moving to lock. Since Brown opted to bring Townsend back, I say stick with him instead of changing the halves once again. It will be another tough encounter, but I think the return of Lodge should give the Warriors the edge, so I am optimistically picking the Warriors to get the win by 8.

So that was a disappointing Round 23, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts on Nathan Browns interchange use
Who was your player of the day?
Who was your player to improve?
What is your score prediction against the Raiders?

NZ Warriors Round 22 Review: Warriors playoff dream continues after third win in a row

After round 21's victory over the Sharks, the Warriors made their way to Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe to face the Bulldogs. I went into the match confident, but there was a slight unease that the Wooden Spooners could get an upset win here. However, that unease was unfounded as the Warriors walked away with a relatively comfortable 24-10 victory.

Three wins in a row and a match where the Warriors led from start to finish for the first time in quite a while. They scored from their first set with Josh Curran started the real with a long run down the sideline before finishing the drive after a nice short ball from Sean O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan went from hero to villain on the next set, throwing an intercept that was snatched up by Aaron Schoupp, who ran away untouched for the Bulldogs first try. After that, the Warriors always appeared in control, looking more threatening with the ball in hand, scoring two more tries through Jazz Tevaga and Edward Kosi. The Bulldogs had the last laugh of the first-half, scoring in the 39th minute via Jayden Okunbor to see the Warriors go into the sheds leading 16-10. 

The second half was more of the same, with the Warriors playing the more positive football but only managing one try when Chanel Harris-Tavita chipped the ball early in the tackle count for Reece Walsh to outrun the defenders to score just before the ball went over the dead-ball line. The Bulldogs looked to have scored after Kosi dropped the ball coming off the Warriors line, but the bunker took it away from them due to Sione Katoa making contact with Kosi's head. After that, the Warriors could not cross the line anymore, but they did slot a penalty goal to push out their lead and nail the win.

Now while I would have liked to see the Warriors blow the Bulldogs away, I was happy with the 14 point win; I had predicted a 12 point win, so I guess you could say they exceeded my expectation. Not only was it the Warriors third win in a row, but it was also the third match in a row where they kept their opponents scoreless in the second half. They have kept their slim playoff hopes alive, and while I still think they will just miss out, I am happy that they are making the end of a season more exciting to watch and write about, especially after having to write reviews through that losing streak.

It wasn't perfect, but this game had things that left a smile on my face, which leads to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

I thought the Warriors forwards dominated the middle; I was concerned that the Warriors may have struggled without Matt Lodge against a Bulldogs pack with loan player Ryan James in the mix, but I was wrong with four Warriors running for over 100 metres with Addin Fonua-Blake the best, chalking up 212 metres (the rest were Josh Curran with 175, Euan Aitken with 158 and Jazz Tevaga with 126). They threw offloads and created second-phase football, but they displayed more control than normal and didn't overplay their hand. Several of the pack put their hands up to run the ball more than once in a set, and they looked hungry. If this pack can keep this level up, they will be hard to combat, especially when you add Lodge back into the mix.

I liked what I saw out of the spine (for the most part), I think O'Sullivan is still playing better than I expected, and yes, he did have some poor plays included that intercept, but he kept plugging away. The highlight for me, however, was the budding combination between Harris-Tavita and Walsh. They are working well as a tandem, and I'm excited to see them build their partnership; add Shaun Johnson to that mix next season, and it could lead to some highlight-reel football.

Missed tackles are my last positive; normally, this is a constant in my negatives section, but last week I asked the Warriors to get their missed tackles to the low 20's, and they ended this match with 18. That is a great improvement, and while this was a match against a Bulldogs side that didn't threaten them too much, they managed to scramble whenever the Bulldogs looked to be gaining momentum. The Warriors stayed on their man better this week, and I'm hoping it is a sign of things to come.

They still have a long way to go defence wise, but this was a welcome step in the right direction. 

I still had concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

The Warriors made too many errors for my liking again, making 12 in this match. Some of them came from pushing passes that shouldn't have been passed. It may have been because the Warriors were trying things while they had a lead. Just like I said last week, they just need to take a breath and settle things.

I wasn't happy with the number of ruck infringements they conceded, they had five against them, and the disappointing part of it was that the majority of them were on the last tackle. The Bulldogs could not take advantage of these, but if the Warriors do the same thing against the Broncos, Raiders and Titans in the final three rounds, they may be in trouble.

Lastly, I was unhappy with some of the Warriors last tackle options. I praised the Warriors spine earlier, but they had a few sets that ended clunky with some poor kicks or wayward passes. Again I think in those moments, it was a case of the Warriors trying to rush to get things to happen. If they slow it down and utilise their strengths, then the points will come. They don't need to try and score every set.

Warrior of the Match

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match once again goes to Josh Curran. The young second-rower has just gone from strength to strength in the past month. He was heavily involved in the Warriors attack, scoring a try, setting up another, running for 175 metres and led the side with 3 linebreaks. He also was sitting atop the tackle count ending the day with 42 for the second week straight. He is starting to find his feet, and I love it. One of the first names I would pencil into the Warriors starting lineup from now on. 

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

I struggled to select a player to improve this week as I was overly happy with everyone, but I have selected Kodi Nikorima. I've liked Nikorima's move to the No.14 as he has been adding some much-needed spark from the bench, but he didn't deliver too much for the Warriors in this match. He only made two runs from dummy-half and didn't really take hold of the match like I expected him to. He made 13 tackles with no misses, which was good to see; however, I want to see a bit more out of him this week attack-wise. 

Next rounds thoughts and prediction

Round 23 sees the Warriors head to Suncorp Stadium to face the Broncos. The Broncos have been poor this season but have started to show some fight in the past few rounds, including taking the Roosters to the limit in a 21-20 loss in Round 22, so I come into this match a lot more nervous than I would like. The Warriors will welcome back Dallin Watene-Zelezniak but will still be without Matt Lodge. Apart from bringing DWZ in for Ed Kosi, I would be happy to keep the rest of the 17 the same; however, Nathan Brown may bring Chad Townsend in. The Broncos have been tough, but I feel that the Warriors have built enough confidence and cohesion over the past three weeks and will move to four wins in a row, so I am picking the Warriors to get the win by 10.

Before I go, I just want to talk about my show, The Stand Off on New Zealand Sport Radio. We are celebrating our 50th episode tonight (16/08/2021) at 8pm NZ Time. We will be hosting a Q&A, sharing funny memories from the past episodes and discussing the Warriors and all things NRL with special guests Roo & Hammer. So if you are interested in checking it out, I will link it below. 

New Zealand Sport Radio

So that was a satisfying Round 22, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the 17?
Do you think the Warriors will make the eight?
Who was your player of the day?
What is your score prediction against the Broncos?

NZ Warriors Round 21 review: Warriors make it two on the trot despite Evans implosion

After round 20's come from behind victory against the Tigers, the Warriors made their way to Cbus Super Stadium to face the Sharks. I was confident that the Warriors would get the job done with the return of their large front-rowers. However, they made it tough on themselves with a few poor decisions from Kane Evans and, for the second week in a row, had to come from behind to walk away with an 18-16 victory.  

Two wins in a row, now that is more like it, but man, don't the Warriors just love keeping us on the edge of our seats. They started the match well, surging up the field before Chanel Harris-Tavita forced a dropout; moments later, Sean O'Sullivan threw a massive cutout pass out to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for the first try of the afternoon. The Warriors kept the pressure on and were close to scoring two more tries. The first to youngster Viliame Vailea which was cruelly denied by the bunker due to a tackle-in-the-air call. Then a Reece Walsh grubber was just one unfortunate bounce away Watene-Zeleaniak's second. Then the game settled for a spell with both sides trading sets and the Sharks also having a try via Sioisifa Talakai denied for an obstruction call that could have gone either way. The Warriors lost some impact with Kodi Nikorima and Euan Aitken leaving the field with HIA's. We saw the Sharks slowly start to make inroads in the Warriors defence, and Will Kennedy got them on the board after sniping out of dummy-half before sending Connor Tracey over for a long-distance try. Then the game took a turn, and my heart sank as Kane Evans lost the ball in a tackle and lash out at Will Chambers with two horrible wayward punches that saw him given his marching orders. With a man down, the Warriors were ripe for the picking as Briton Nikora and Kennedy scored two easy tries in quick succession to see the Sharks take a 16-6 lead into the sheds. The second half started with the Warriors scrambling and defending all attempts from the Sharks, and once they had 13 men back on the pitch, they started to look the stronger side again with some strong runs causing plenty of headaches for Cronulla. With the mounting pressure, the Sharks could not hold on for much longer, and Walsh was over after a nice offload from Josh Curran. Five minutes later, the Warriors were over again when Aitken found himself with the ball on the last and shrugged off some woeful defence from Chambers to score; unfortunately, Walsh hit the posts on the conversion, which saw the game level at 16 all. Drama struck again with Evans sent to the bin for the second time for a head-slam tackle (which, in my opinion, looked very similar to the tackle he was hit with in the first half). However, the Warriors dug deep and did not allow the Sharks to open the floodgates and actually looked more dangerous on attack with some strong runs from Curran and Walsh, almost leading to another try. Still, instead, the Warriors were given a penalty for a crusher tackle which Walsh slotted to hand them the lead with 13 minutes left on the clock. The Warriors threw everything they had at the Sharks. Still, the game looked certain to be heading for Golden Point when the Sharks were gifted a penalty on the Warriors try line for a late hit on the kicker. However, instead of taking the easy two points the Sharks decided to go for the win and then inexplicably grubbered early, which Eliesa Katoa managed to dive on to let the Warriors off the hook. The Warriors then moved into one out low-risk football to wind down the clock. As the final whistle blew were reduced to 12 men again when Harris-Tavita was sent to the bin for deliberately lying on the ball carrier to waste time. The Sharks had one shot after the penalty but were too deep to do anything, so they attempted a two-point field goal, but it did not make the distance.

Another tough to watch win, but the Warriors got the job done. They weren't helped by the sin-binning, but they kept a side scoreless in the second half for the second week in a row. This unbelievably keeps their slim playoffs alive, and while I don't think they will make the eight, I am happy to see some more positive football out of the team, now we just need to see them keep it up and stay in the hunt.

It wasn't perfect, but this game had things that left a smile on my face, which leads to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

Addin Fonua-Blake and Matt Lodge make a difference to this side; they started the sets strong and led the front rowers in running metres (AFB for 222 metres and Lodge for 139 metres). This saw the Warriors to deliver quick ball to the backs and really do some damage. They make earning metres look easy, and I cant wait to see Walsh running off their shoulders, ready for a nice offload. If that starts to happen, then watch the points start to flow. It looks like Lodge may be out again this week with a suspension, unfortunately, but AFB should be able to carry the load, especially if the rest of the pack come to the party.

I think the rest of the pack did well with Aitken and Curran leading from the front with strong runs (Aitken with 133 metres and Curran with 156 metres) now; in contrast, the rest of the pack didn't clock up as many metres; they were defending well (for the most part) and getting the Warriors out of trouble and into attacking positions. A great sight to see after so many weeks of lacklustre efforts.

I liked what I saw from the Warriors attack. Harris-Tavita had a solid return and didn't try to overplay his hand. He also partnered up nicely with Sean O'Sullivan, who has gone from strength to strength in the past two rounds. Their kicking was on point, and I like what I see from these two and would be more than happy to keep them together in the halves for the rest of the season. Hiku's inclusion on the left edge created more opportunities on that side, and with Walsh inserting himself into the attack when he saw a chance to strike, all lead to some exciting moments throughout the game. Overall, the attack looks a lot better, and I think this side could really be competitive with a few more games together.

Lastly, I like the team's grit. Down 16-6 with a man in the bin, they had all the excuses to just throw in the towel and call it a day, but they dug deep and took it to the Sharks. It's great to see some fighting spirit in the side, and I hope it's a sign of things to come in the future as a Warriors team that refuses to quit is a hard team to face.

I still had concerns, which leads to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

The Warriors made ten errors, so they are down from last week but still too high for my liking. There were several poor carries and wayward offloads. I think they were just trying to push things a little too much and just need to take a breath, settle down and play with some more control. 

Discipline was probably the biggest issue from this match; they conceded 9 penalties, had players put on report 6 times and the 3 sin bins. I think they were hard-done-by on a few calls, but they just need to be careful as they don't have the roster depth right now to have players getting suspended (as of writing, the Warriors look to be without Evan, Lodge and Watene-Zelezniak this week). You want to see the Warriors play aggressive footy; they just need to play smart and not give the officials any reasons to ping them.

Missed tackles continue to plague the Warriors; they missed 38 this week. The number is still too high for me, but the Warriors scrambling defence looked better, and their goal-line defence was hard for the Sharks to penetrate, with only one of their tries coming from within the Warriors 20 metres. I know it's hard to judge with two of their three tries coming when the Warriors were reduced to 12 men with the Sharks able to attack the open space from deep in their own half. However, the signs of improvement are there, so we will see if they can get their missed tackles down to the low 20's this week.

My last point is the officiating; in my humble opinion, I thought Matt Cecchin and the bunker had an afternoon to forget. The two tries that both sides had denied in the first half were tough, and I thought they both should have been given. Then you had the Chambers shoe-throwing, which was a penalty last season (Jack Murchie was penalised for this last season), but this year it just winds up on the blooper reel for a laugh after the match. Refs have bad games, too, but I just want to see consistency from them for at least 80 minutes.

Warrior of the Match

Copyright Photo: Photosport

My Warrior of the match goes to Josh Curran. There were plenty of players that stood up, but I love what I saw from the second-rower. He ran hard, led the side with 42 tackles, had 6 tackle breaks and 2 linebreak assists. Not to forget that nice offload to Walsh for his try. He is not a superstar by any means, but he plays with gusto and passion, and that's what I love to see from Warriors players.

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: Photosport

It should come as no surprise, but my Warrior to improve goes to Kane Evans. His sin bins were brain explosions, and while we could argue that his second one was harsh, the first one was just stupid. Chambers sledges, and I don't mind sledging by any means, but since Evans decided to lash out, at least he could have hit him with a good one; I mean, everyone wants to see Chambers get one on the chin. However, besides that, I thought Evans was quite poor; he didn't dent the defensive line with his runs and struggled to keep hold of the ball. He appeared to do everything he could to make the Warriors afternoon harder. I was hesitant about his signing when it was announced, and I have seen nothing from him to suggest that it was a good idea. If I was in charge, this would be the last game Evans wears a Warriors jersey in, but I feel like Nathan Brown will continue to use him.

Next rounds thoughts and prediction

Round 22 sees the Warriors face the Bulldogs. It's not a bad time to face the 16th placed team, but that doesn't mean the Warriors can just stroll in and get the win. The Bulldogs have shown plenty of fight this year despite only managing 2 wins. The Warriors appear to be losing Evans, Lodge and Watene-Zelezniak, so I would be moving Bunty Afoa into the starting lineup and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown onto the bench. I would then bring Adam Pompey onto the wing for DWZ. Other than those forced changes, I would keep the rest of the team as is, allowing the team to get used to those combinations. With AFB, Curran and Aitken still in the pack, the Warriors should win the battle up front. They looked stronger in the backs, too, so I am backing them to win three in a row, so I am picking the Warriors to get the win by 12.

So that was an encouraging Round 21, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Would you keep O'Sullivan and CHT in the halves or bring Townsend back?
What would do with Evans?
Who was your player of the day?
What is your score prediction against the Bulldogs?

NZ Warriors Round 20 Review: Streak broken as patchworked Warriors defeat Tigers

After round 19's disappointing performance against the Rabbitohs, the Warriors moved to Suncorp Stadium to face the Wests Tigers. I confidently predicted a win here in last weeks review but had second thoughts after the team was named on Tuesday. With countless stars missing, the Warriors survived a miserable first half coming from behind, ending their seven-game losing streak with an 18-16 victory. 

Well, the rollercoaster continues; staring at the gameday 17, I was struggling to see the Warriors having a team that could get the job done, and it certainly started that way with the Tigers scoring two tries in the first 20 minutes. The Warriors were a makeshift side and were playing like it. There were glimpses of an attacking spark, but it quickly vanished with the Warriors' lack of cohesion. Then Kodi Nikorima came off the bench and provided a boost to the team, and they ended the first half looking better than they started. Then the Warriors kicked into gear at the start of the second half, scoring two tries in the first 10 minutes through Euan Aitken and Bunty Afoa to hand them a two-point lead. The Warriors had swung momentum but couldn't get themselves over the try-line but kept pressuring the Tigers defence, which lead to perhaps the easiest try Aitken will ever score. The Tigers attempted a short dropout which bounced into Aitken's hands as he strolled over untouched to push the Warriors lead out. A few minutes later, a try to Adam Doueihi reduced their lead and made the last 20 minutes very tense for this Warriors fan. The Tigers started to get a roll-on, but the Warriors manage to put out all the fires with some desperate scrambling defence. The Tigers then made the ultimate coach killing play; with momentum on their side, the Tigers were camped on the Warriors try line looking certain to break Warriors hearts once again but inexplicably did not have a dummy half in position of the play the ball which allowed Reece Walsh to dive on the ball and let the Warriors off the hook. After that, the Tigers appeared lost and just tried to level the scores with two-point field goal attempts that didn't even make the distance allowing the Warriors to hold on for a much-needed win after almost two months of defeats.

It wasn't pretty, but it's great to finally have a Warriors win to talk about. This team was a mere shadow of the full strength side the Warriors would like to be playing, but they dug deep and got the job done. With many claiming that they have given up on the season, it was good to see that they still have fight in them. With some key players returning soon, they still have a chance of ending the season on a Highnote. Last week I asked to see some effort, and I'm happy to say that I got it. Now let's see the team take it up another level.

It wasn't the best performance, but it had some things that left a smile on my face, which leads to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

I liked what I saw from the youngsters in this match; Taniela Otukolo was given 33 minutes this week and looks like he belongs in first grade. Has a quick pass out of the ruck and made a few sniping runs without going overboard. It is still early days in his career, but I am expecting big things from the rookie. I also thought Viliami Vailea did well in his debut; he made a few errors but looked good with the ball in hand and didn't let himself down defensively bar his poor defensive read that lead to Moses Mbyes try. I had heard good things about him in reserve grade but had not watched any footage yet but liked what I saw here. He is a potential star in the making, and all these young players are making me hopeful for the Warriors future. 

I thought Kodi Nikorima was a huge boost for the Warriors off the bench; I have stated many times this year that he is best suited as the No. 14, and he proved that with his effort here, the moment he came on the field, the Warriors attack picked up with him providing some spark with some nice runs. I think this is the position he needs to play for the Warriors from now on, and he could build a nice duo with Otukolo. A downside was that he started to throw some wayward passes towards the end of his time on the pitch, but a few more performances like this from Nikorima could help the Warriors string some performances together.

With so many experienced players out of the team, the return of Peta Hiku was well-timed. I had my concerns when I saw that he was named at five-eighth, but I thought he added an experienced level head to the spine and his ability to get his teammates into scoring positions. I saw enough from Hiku here to be happy with him in the halves for the rest of the season.

The Warriors just didn't quit, 10-0 down at the break with a patched-up side, I expected the Warriors to give up, but they showed fight to get themselves back into the contest. Then once the Warriors had the lead, the Tigers started to build momentum and looked certain to see the Warriors lose yet another match in the final ten minutes, but they dug deep and forced the Tigers into making mistakes. I would have liked to see the Warriors have a bigger winning margin, but it wouldn't be a Warriors watching experience if I wasn't on the edge of my seat.

I still had concerns, which leads to my negatives from the match.

Match Negatives

That first half was horrible to watch; the Warriors just were not in sync, not that surprising with the jumbled up squad they had. They were disjointed and couldn't get on the same page; it made it hard to watch and made it so much more enjoyable to watch them improve throughout the game's duration. So the key will be to hit the ground running this week.

The forwards definitely missed Lodge and Fonua-Blake in this match and struggling to push through the Tigers defensive line. Only four forwards managed to get over 100 metres, Euan Aitken (153), Jazz Tevaga (121), Bunty Afoa (115) and Bayley Sironen (109). The rest of the pack really struggled to stamp their authority on the match and will need to dig deep and start delivering in the final five rounds.

The errors continued to hurt the Warriors; for the second week in a row, they made 12. There weren't as many silly offload attempts this week which was a bonus, but it just looked like the Warriors were forcing passes that they didn't need to throw. The combinations weren't there, so I get it, but the Warriors need to have more respect for the ball; otherwise, they just make it that much harder for themselves. If they were facing a more competitive side, they would have been in trouble.

Once again, I wasn't happy with the defence; the Warriors missed 36 tackles in this match. Once again, those new combinations don't help, but the players just need to have faith in the players next to them to stick to their assignments. I still think the Warriors need to bring in a new defensive coach for 2022 as I don't think Justin Morgan is cutting the mustard, but I also believe that if the Warriors can keep the same 17 each week, they will be able to start building their defensive backbone.

Lastly, I thought some of the kicking options were a bit off, Hiku doesn't have a great kicking game, and I thought Sean O'Sullivan was a lot better this week, but at times they just made the wrong decisions. Reece Walsh kicking wasn't as bad as last week, but he kicked early in the tackle count a bit more than I would like. With their big props back next week, they should have a bit more time to make these decisions this week, so I'm hopeful that we will see improvement in this area.

Warrior of the Match

Copyright Photo: New Zealand Herald

My Warrior of the match goes to Euan Aitken. I will admit when I saw that he had been moved to the second row, I questioned the decision; however, my doubts were unfounded, and I think he may have found himself a new position. He lead the pack in running metres with 153 metres, made 41 tackles and scored two tries, including that mindboggling one from the short dropout attempt. He added some speed to the pack and helped improve the edge defence. I would be keeping him in that spot for the rest of the season, if not permanently. His best performance in a Warriors jersey and fingers crossed the sign of things to come.

Warrior to Improve

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior to improve goes to Ben Murdoch-Masila. This hurts me as a fully-fledged member of the BMM Fanclub. He is one of my personal favourites in the Warriors current roster, but he has really gone off the boil after starting the season so well. He showed improvement as the game progressed but started poorly, making some poor decisions with the ball in hand and giving away silly penalties. I have complete faith in the big man turning his fortunes around; I just hope it starts to turn sooner rather than later.

Next rounds thoughts and prediction

Round 21 sees the Warriors stay at Suncorp Stadium to face the Sharks. It wasn't long ago that these sides last faced each other, with the Sharks getting a 20-12 win in Round 17. Due to the COVID dramas in Queensland, the Sharks haven't played their match yet, but they will be facing the Warriors without Shaun Johnson steering them around. That makes me more confident as I thought he was the difference in the last encounter. Regarding selecting a team, I would be happy with the backline staying as it is, with maybe the only change being Chanel Harris-Tavita replacing Sean O'Sullivan. In the forwards, Lodge and Fonua-Blake will come back into the starting side in my only changes, and my bench would be Nikorima, Bunty Afoa, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Jazz Tevaga. The Warriors have been hard to predict and have not won in back-to-back matches this season, but I am backing them to achieve that feat this week, so I am picking the Warriors to get the victory here, winning by 10.

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

Would you keep Peta Hiku in the halves for the rest of the season?
Do you think Euan Aitken has found his new spot at the Warriors as a second-rower?
Who was your player of the day and player to improve?
What is your score prediction against the Sharks?