Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 8 Match Report: Warriors 21 Raiders 20

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors

Tries: Adam Pompey 24, Viliami Vailea 31, Euan Aitken 63

Goals: Reece Walsh 25, 31, 65, 79

Field Goals: Shaun Johnson 82

Canberra Raiders

Tries: Matthew Timoko 6, Hudson Young 27, Jack Wighton 34,

Goals: Brad Schneider 7, 15, 34

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

A new look Warriors outfit got the match underway but loss the ball on their first set when new recruit Daejarn Asi knocked the ball on; the call was initially called a Raider's knock-on, but they successfully challenged the call. Canberra followed that trend a few plays later when they also lost possession. Both sides traded sets back and forth before the Raiders, on the back of a penalty, surged up the field with ease before sending Matthew Timoko across for the first try of the afternoon with some excellent ball play, shifting quickly to the left edge. Jesse Arthars sparked the Warriors back into action with a strong kick return minutes later and earnt the home side a penalty, but they let the opportunity go begging when Addin Fonua-Blake lost control of the play the ball; the visitors were handed back-to-back penalties after this error but could not turn them into points after Jordan Rapana was tackled with the ball on the last tackle. Shaun Johnson tried a 40/20 but could not get the angle right, and Canberra surged up the field after Matt Lodge was penalised for a high shot, Adam Elliott found open space and was close to scoring, but the Raiders were given another penalty after Lodge tackled a player without the ball, Brad Schneider pushed the visitors lead out with a penalty goal. The Warriors were given a penalty after Jack Wighton was put on report for a dangerous tackle on Reece Walsh, but they made another error when Johnson threw a wayward pass that sailed over the sideline. Canberra looked close to scoring minutes later when Elliott fumbled a loose ball near the try line, letting the Warriors off the hook. The home side had an improved set and got to their kick which was caught by Jordan Rapana, who quickly passed to Nick Cotric, who dropped it; the Warriors promptly took advantage, shifting the ball out to Adam Pompey, who dotted down for the Warrior's first try. After getting themselves back into the contest, the New Zealand side let themselves down when Fonua-Blake dropped the ball on the first run after the try. The Raiders wasted little time taking advantage of this mistake, sending Hudson Young across for Canberra's second try. The Warriors responded quickly when Asi chipped a kick through, which was sure to be collected by Rapana, but the fullback slipped, which saw Viliami Vailea scoop it up to score the first try in his NRL career. It was groundhog day for the home side as they lost possession via Eliesa Katoa on the return set and could not contain the Raiders, who shifted to the left again, sending Wighton across to score. With the first-half winding to a close, the Warriors kicked early to try and catch the Raiders off-guard, but Rapana latched onto it; Canberra had a few half-chances with some nice offloads but could not turn them into points as the siren sounded, seeing the sides go into the sheds with the Raiders holding onto a decent lead.

HALF-TIME: Canberra Raiders 20 New Zealand Warriors 12

Second Half

The Raiders started the second half in the manner they ended the first, running at will and almost getting into a scoring situation again when Young pushed a grubber through for Xavier Savage but Walsh was able to latch onto it and keep the Warriors out of trouble. The sides started trading errors for the following few sets. The only notable aspect of play was Lodge was penalised and placed on report for raising his elbow when running into Corey Harawira-Naera. Canberra tried another grubber which Walsh once again defused. The run of errors continued for both sides, Walsh attempted to insert himself into the Warrior's attack and looked threatening, but a forward pass stopped any chance of adding to the score tally. Tempers started to flare when Ben Murdoch-Masila entered the match and had a push fight with Joseph Tapine, which saw the Warriors earn a penalty; Tapine would have the last laugh, though, when he forced an error when tackling Murdoch-Masila on the next set. Despite the mistakes, the home side was building momentum, keeping the action in the Raider's half and eventually scoring the first points of the half when Asi put Euan Aitken into a hole to cross the line untouched reducing the deficit to two. The New Zealand side kept the pressure on and moments later looked to have taken the lead for the first time in the match when Johnson hopped and skipped his way across the line; however, the bunker deemed that Tom Starling was impeded from being able to tackle the halfback. This kicked the Raiders into action, and they barged up the field and piled the pressure on the Warriors, forcing the New Zealand side to try and run the length of the field for the victory. Asi attempted a 40/20 to get the Warriors into great field position, but it sailed out on the full. Time was running out, and the Warriors got the ball to Johnson, who put up a bomb which Schneider dropped before being knocked on by Walsh. The home side had a few attempts to break the Raider's defensive line from the scrum but had no luck until they were given a penalty for an apparent high shot on Lodge, which saw Walsh level the scores to send the match into Golden Point.

Golden Point

The Raiders received the ball first, but the Warrior's defensive effort was up to the task, and they forced an error when Starling threw a forward pass from the ruck. The home side played it safe with some one-out running to set up Johnson for the field goal, which he nailed, handing the Warriors a much-needed come from behind victory.

FULL-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 21 Canberra Raiders 20

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Euan Aitken, 2 pts - Daejarn Asi , 1 pt - Wayde Egan

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

NZ Warriors 2022 Round 7 Review: A night to forget as Storm blow Warriors off park dominant second-half display

 

After the Round six loss to the Roosters, the Warriors made the trip to AAMI Park to face the Storm in their annual ANZAC clash. Warriors fans know that this match every year has been disappointing for some time. Unfortunately, we witnessed another horrible outing with the Storm dominating the Warriors, scoring ten tries in a second-half onslaught, seeing the Warriors go down 70-10.

For a breakdown of how the match went, check out my match report at the link below.

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 7 Match Report

Last week, I said that the Storm love to put a cricket score on the Warriors in this ANZAC clash, but I did not see a 60 point loss coming. I predicted an 18 point loss but expected that it could push out to a 30 point win, but at least it goes with my trend of getting the margins wrong this season.

Seeing the side get flogged like this hurts me to my core, but I think the fact that they were in the contest for the first half made it hurt even more. Call me stupidly optimistic, but after last week's match against the Roosters, I thought the Warriors would show more fight against a top tier side, but I was wrong. The Storm are one of the best sides in the competition, and if you give them an inch, they will take a mile which is what we saw here, and once they got on a roll, they starved the Warriors of possession and turned the match into a training session.

The Warriors only had six sets in the second half, which shows how dominant the Storm was but the fact that the Warriors only managed to complete two of those six sets shows how poor they were.

It's a reality check for the Warriors, and they need to learn as much as they can from this embarrassment and use it as fuel to bounce back; otherwise, we are in for a tough season.

Injuries to Josh Curran and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak do not help matters, Curran has been one of the Warrior's best players, and he is now set to spend some time on the sidelines, and that is a massive concern for me. DWZ getting knocked out was horrible to see; it was a freak accident, and I hope he is ok and back soon as the Warriors have thin stocks in the outside backs as it is.

There wasnt much to smile about this week, but I managed to find some glimmers of hope, which leads me to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

The match is over; take the lessons on board and move on.

We are another week closer to getting Tohu Harris back, I'm not saying he would have changed the outcome of this match by any means, but his experience and leadership are needed now more than ever.

This was the worst performance (at least the second half), but this may be just the result needed to either wake the players up or open the door to bring in other players to give them a shot. They have some inexperienced players like Junior Ratuva and Pride Petterson-Robati that could be given a chance to stake their claim at starting spots, and now that the Warriors are at an all-time low, it could be the time to blood some new talent.

However, I had plenty of concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the game.

Match Negatives

As mentioned above injuries to Curran and DWZ are massive concerns depending on how long they will be out for but I believe Shaun Johnson was playing injured too, judging by how little kicking he was doing during the match, Chanel Harris-Tavita went down in the first half also and looked to not be 100%. No word yet on how serious any injuries with the halves are yet, but my confidence will be at an all-time low if they are set to spend time off the park.

The Warriors only made 9 errors in this match, but when almost every error led to a Storm try, it must be mentioned as a negative. The Storms three tries in the first half all came from Warrior's mistakes, and they need to just show respect for the ball, especially in a game like this where they didn't get a lot of time with the ball.

The defence or lack thereof was a concern; the Warriors ended the match with 41 missed tackles. Most of these came in the second half when the side was just playing human turnstiles for a Storm side playing the game on easy mode. I have constantly criticised defensive coach Justin Morgan, and I will continue to do so until I see this side improve their defence structures; they often find themselves out of position defensively and are made to pay. This needs to be fixed immediately.

The Warrior's struggle with the ball in hand continued here; it's hard to judge the second half attack as they had limited sets to work with. Still, in the first half, we saw the Warriors struggle to pile pressure and too often made poor choices; kicking early in the tackle count continually broke me, and while they did manage to score a try of one of these early kicks, most of the time it just resulted in gifting the Storm more possession. It may be down to Johnson not being fully fit, but the Warrior's attack needs plenty of work if they are to dig themselves out of the hole they find themselves in.

Lastly is Heart, Nathan Brown mentioned in the post-match conference that he felt that several players gave up in this match and I have to agree, after the Warriors lost DWZ it felt like all the air was sucked out of the stadium and the Warriors were just waiting for the match to be over. I have been involved in matches where my team has put up a cricket score on the opposition but I have never been on the losing side in that situation so I cannot comment on the mental impact it has on you and your performance, I am certain that it is hard to continue to give it your all when the floodgates have opened but the fans of this club just want to see the Warriors fight, they stick with the side through thick and thin and if they see the team giving up, why should they continue to tune in. Win or lose just show that you are in the fight and good things will come, look at the Tigers right now.

Warrior of the Match

I have no Warrior of the match this week; the players that did not let themselves down were still not good enough to praise. I hope this is the only time I can't pick a player to highlight.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Ed Kosi.

I feel for Kosi, I really do, but once he dropped his first ball in this match, nothing went right for the winger. The Storm targeted him, and he folded; too many errors and either a lack of pace or lack of effort defensively highlighted that first grade may not be the place for him. I want to see him succeed, and I hope he takes this performance to heart and grows from it.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 8 sees the Warriors return to their makeshift home at Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe to face the Raiders, who went down 36-6 to the Panthers. It's rock bottom for both sides, and I think this should lead to an interesting matchup as both clubs will want to make up for their round 7 efforts.

Regarding the team I would pick, I think DWZ will be out, and Kosi should be sent to reserve grade, so I would bring Rocco Berry back to the centres and move Adam Pompey to one wing and either give Junior Ratuva a chance on the other win or bring Viliami Vailea back and move Jesse Arthars to the wing. Curran will be out in the forwards, so Jazz Tevaga stays at lock with Eliesa Katoa returning to the second row. I would drop Bayley Sironen and give Petterson-Robati a bench spot.

This is a challenging game to pick, and my thoughts may change when we see the announced team, but right now, I am going with home-field advantage, so I am picking the Warriors to win by 8.

So that was an embarrassing Round 7, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the game day 17?
Did you have a Warrior of the match?
Are you concerned that some players appeared to give up?
What is your score prediction against the Raiders?

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 7 Match Report: Storm 70 Warriors 10

 

Scoreboard

Melbourne Storm 70

Tries: Jahrome Hughes 8, 72, Xavier Coates 22, 60, 66, 68, Nick Meaney 26, 50,  Ryan Papenhuyzen 47, 52, Harry Grant 58, Jesse Bromwich 77, Justin Olam 78

Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen 27, 40, 41, 48, 51, 59, 67, Nick Meaney 74, 78

New Zealand Warriors 10

Tries: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 12, Wayde Egan 29

Goals: Reece Walsh 30

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

After a fantastic prematch ceremony, both sides showed they were here to perform. The Warriors showed some spark with an early run from Wayde Egan but could not convert it into points. Melbourne returned the favour with a strong set of their own before the clubs started to trade sets, with neither gaining an advantage. The New Zealand side surged up the field after earning a penalty and looked sure to score when Reece Walsh fired a cutout pass to Ed Kosi, but the young winger dropped the pass, and Ryan Papenhuyzen scooped it up before getting it away to Jahrome Hughes who ran 60 metres to score the first try of the night. The Homeside looked ready to pounce again on the next set, breaking the visitor's defensive line apart before being dragged down by the scrambling defenders. After surviving that scare, the Warriors found themselves back in the Storm half and then over the try-line when Chanel Harris-Tavita threw a skip pass out to Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak to see the scores levelled. The match settled back into an even contest with both sides trading errors for several sets before a Hughes grubber was not cleaned up by Kosi and then dived on by Xavier Coates for the Storms second try of the evening. Melbourne added to their lead a few minutes later when Nick Meaney latched onto a Shaun Johnson pass to run 70 metres to score. Everything appeared to be going the Storms way, and the Warriors needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they wanted to get themselves back into the contest, and that came from a Johnson kick on the second tackle that had a fortunate bounce that found its way to Egan for a much-needed try for the visitors. With halftime edging closer, we did see too much more happen in the first half; the Warriors gave away a few silly penalties, which gave the Storm a chance to end the half with a penalty goal pushing their lead out to six as both sides entered the sheds.

HALF-TIME: Melbourne Storm 16 New Zealand Warriors 10

Second Half

Melbourne started the second half strong, surging up the field before the Warriors forced an error on the last tackle. The Storm challenged the call, and the bunker ruled in their favour, giving them a penalty for a Warriors player tackling Harry Grant before he grabbed the ball. Papenhuyzen pushed the lead out to eight. After a few errors riddled sets, the Storm were deep in the visitor's half on the fifth tackle when the ball ended up in the unlikely hands of Nelson Asofa-Solomona. He put up a kick that found its way into the hands of Papenhuyzen for another try. The play was stopped for a brief spell after a scary incident where Watene-Zeleaniak was knocked unconscious when his head collided with Asofa-Solomona's knee, which saw the veteran winger stretchered off the field. The New Zealand side did themselves no favours when the game restarted when Walsh's kickoff sailed over the dead-ball line, gifting the Storm a penalty at halfway. Moments later, the Storm were across the line again when Melbourne targeted the Warrior's reshuffled left edge, and Meaney crossed for his second try of the night.  This saw the floodgates open up as the Storm continued to punish the New Zealand side, scoring back-to-back tries via Papenhuyzen and Grant before twisting the knife further with three more tries to Coates in quick succession, who would make the most out of Kosi having a bad night. The visitors were getting frustrated and started getting a bit niggly, with Matt Lodge getting penalised and put on report before the home side added more points to their tally and set a new record for most points scored by Melbourne at AAMI Park when Hughes, Jesse Bromwich and Justin Olam and scored in the final ten minutes to end the match with a massive sixty-point win, handing the Warriors the biggest defeat in their history.

FULL-TIME: Melbourne Storm 70 New Zealand Warriors 10

Warrior of the match Points

To be determined, right now, I could not pick anyone.

My official review will be out on Tuesday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

NZ Warriors 2022 Round 6 Review: Warrior's second-half stumble stops streak as questions surround officiating effort

After Round five's win over the Cowboys, the Warriors made the trip to the Sydney Cricket Ground to face the Roosters. This match was a celebration of the Rooster's Grand Final win over the Warriors in 2002, with both sides wearing heritage jerseys based on the designs worn twenty years ago; unfortunately, just like that Grand Final, the Warriors were unable to get the job done going down 22-14.

For a breakdown of how the match went, check out my match report at the link below.

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 6 Match Report

Well, my prediction was a little closer this time around, with the Warriors losing by eight this week (I predicted a 14 point loss in my review last week). 

This was a frustrating game to watch, the Warriors started well and shot out to a lead, but repeated errors and an inability to counter the Rooster's defensive line speed saw that lead reduce before the home side got ahead and never looked back. 

There were some puzzling decisions from the officials (more on that later) which soured the performance for me. I came into this match expecting the Warriors to not be good enough to beat the Roosters, but I ended the game disappointed in the result but more optimistic than I thought I would be.

I wanted to see how the Warriors fared against a top-tier team. An eight-point loss with questionable officials' performances opened up plenty of what-if situations is not that bad, especially with several players also being out of the contest.

As I have been saying the past few weeks, I think this side is coming together, there is still a whole lot of work to be done, but I feel that things are heading in the right direction. 

My general sense of optimism is still here despite the result, but the Warriors have just started their tough run so let's see how my positive outlook is after the next three rounds.

It wasnt the outcome any Warriors fan wanted, but all I was hoping for was to see some fight against a top side, and I thought I got it. 

There wasnt a lot to smile about this week, but it wasnt all doom and gloom, which leads me to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

The defence was better overall; there were still some poor reads in patches, and they still missed 29 tackles, but there were plenty of times where the Roosters looked like they were certain to score, but the Warriors scrambled and made the save. I think the team is showing more belief and trust in the men on either side of them in the defensive line, and with some fine-tuning to iron out the defensive lapses we are seeing each week, the Warriors are going to keep plenty of sides honest.

Adding to that, the Warriors kept Joseph Manu quiet. I had Adam Pompey as my Warrior to watch in this match, and I thought he was outstanding in making sure Manu didn't rip the Warriors to shreds; he wasnt alone as Chanel Harris-Tavita helped keep that edge contained. This was a good sign as that edge has had me worried defensively for some time now; the Warriors just need to get the other edge to the same level.

Lastly, the Warriors showed fight against a top side; many people, myself included, thought this could have been a blowout, but the Warriors were in the contest and had players like Josh Curran were hurt but refused to quit. If some calls had gone their way, they might have kept their winning streak going. This kind of attitude is needed from this side week in and week out if they want to be a playoff level team.

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

Match Negatives

I have already spoken about the Warriors having calls go against them in this match, but their biggest issue was their flat attack. The Roosters suffocated them in the second half, and besides the disallowed try and then Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak's try, they never really threatened the Rooster's defence. The Roosters forced the Warriors to constantly play from deep inside their own half and the Warrior's forwards, except for Addin Fonua-Blake (146m), Josh Curran (100m) and Aaron Pene (93m), could not gain control in the middle. It's the second game this year that I think the Warriors lost the battle up front; hopefully, the return of Matt Lodge and the inclusion of another forward on the interchange for Round seven will see the Warriors return to dominating the middle. 

The errors are back in my negatives, the Warriors made 11 this match, but my concern was when and where they were happening. The Warriors made an error every set after scoring points, and most of their errors were inside their own 40. Letting the Roosters off the hook with schoolboy errors was a coach killer, and the Warriors need to show the ball more respect. More errors like that this week against the Storm will put the Warriors in a troubling spot. 

The bench selection was confusing; Lodge getting ruled out leading up to the match did not help matters, but to take two hookers into this match was never going to work. I would have given Valingi Kepu his debut off the bench instead of having Taniela Otukolo play as a forward. It may have been a baptism of fire for the young forward, but this is the same club that debuted Reece Walsh against the Storm last year. I think that extra forward on the bench could have helped the Warriors break through the Rooster's defensive line.

My last negative is the officiating. 

I hate blaming match officials for results, and as I mentioned above, I think the Warrior's flat attack and poor effort from the pack was leading them on the path to defeat anyway. Still, there were so many questionable calls in this match. James Tedesco not going to the bin for his professional foul, the disallowed try, Angus Crichton stripping the ball from AFB that the bunker deemed to not be intentional, Adam Pompey hitting a ball with his boot by accident becoming a penalty and a DWZ knockback that was considered to be a knock-on.

There were a few more that I haven't mentioned here, but that is far too much in one 80 minute span of football; it was laughable at a point, and when Blocker Roach is staying, the Warriors were unlucky with those calls, you know the officials stuffed up. I think the Bunker was the worst offender as they have no excuse for making that many mistakes; the referee at least has to make calls in real-time.

It will be interesting to see what Graham Annesley says about this contest, but as Warriors fans, we are used to getting a sorry we got that wrong speech from him. 

The best officials are the ones you don't notice; it is a thankless job, I know, but the NRL need to work on the performance level of their officials as when they put a performance like this, it can ruin an enjoyable game.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match was Addin Fonua-Blake.

AFB has been a shining light this season, leading his side with 146 running metres and being one of the only forward to trouble the Roosters. He gave it everything he had in this match, but he needs help out there as he cannot carry this team on his back every week. He always bends the line, and I want to see Reece Walsh start to run off his shoulder as that just screams tryscoring potential. He has matured a lot in his time with the club, and I am confident that the best is yet to come from him.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Jesse Arthars.

Arthars has been great for the Warriors this year, but he had an off night in this match. He was quiet with the ball in hand, running for only 55m and his defensive reads were not up to par; he also gave away two silly penalties. As I said, it was an off night for Arthars, and I am sure that he will bounce back this week and I would still like the Warriors to try and keep him full-time, despite the tricky situation surrounding his contract status with the Broncos.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 7 sees the Warriors travel to AAMI Park in Melbourne to face the Storm for their annual ANZAC day clash. This match always fills me with dread as the Storm love to put a cricket score on the Warriors in this match every year.

The Storm put on a dominant display against the impressive Sharks this round, winning 34-18 and have been in excellent form as of late and win be the toughest challenge for the Warriors so far. 

Regarding how the team will be named, I think we will see the same 17 except Lodge returning and Otukolo exiting.

It will be a massive challenge for the Warriors, but if the forwards do their part, Shaun Johnson gets the side into scoring opportunities, and the defence restricts the Storm from second-phase football, then we may have a hell of a game on our hands.

However, I feel that unless the Warriors play the game of their lives, they will be on the way to another ANZAC day defeat. So I am picking the Storm to win by 18. 

So that was a frustrating Round 6, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts on Brown's bench selections?
Who was your player of the match and your player to improve?
How do you think the NRL can fix the officiating?
What is your score prediction against the Storm?

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 6 Match Report: Roosters 22 Warriors 14

Scoreboard

Roosters 22
Tries: Daniel Tupou 28, Kevin Naiqama 52, Sam Walker 60
Goals: Sam Walker 29, 42, 54, 61, 70

Warriors 14
Tries: Ed Kosi 15, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 64
Goals: Reece Walsh 10, 16, 65

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

It was a gruelling start to the match, with both sides trading error-free sets; the Rooster's defence was relentless, which saw the Warriors struggle to play attacking football outside of their own half. A penalty against the home side handed the Warriors the chance they needed, and they took it with both hands. A break from Jesse Arthars and the returning Dallin Watene-Zelezniak saw the visitors in excellent field position.  A strong run from Addin Fonua-Blake broke the defensive line apart, and he looked certain to score before James Tedesco stopped him metres from the try line; the fullback held on for too long and was penalised, which saw the New Zealand side take the penalty kick and an early 2-0 lead. The Warriors dropped the ball on the next set but were let off when Drew Hutchison knocked on directly from the following scrum. The visitors surged up the field and forced a dropout after Shaun Johnson pushed a kick into the in-goal that touched Daniel Tupou before going over the line. The Warriors looked to have the Roosters back peddling and shifted the ball to the left to Adam Pompey, who passed to an unmarked Ed Kosi to cross for the afternoon's first try. Another error from the Warriors on their first set after scoring points put them under pressure again, but an error from Victor Radley gave them a reprieve. The match started to get sloppy with both sides swapping errors and penalties with neither able to create any more scoring opportunities until the Roosters kicked to the corner for Joseph Suaalii; he outleaped Pompey for the ball but could not grasp it; however, Pompey touched it and knocked on. The home side shifted the ball left from the scrum and found Tupou open in the corner for their first points of the game. The errors continued after that try as the first half started to wind to a close; Radley found himself on report after hitting Kosi high as the winger was running out his in-goal; it was a tough situation for Radley as Kosi was low to the ground as he scooted into the field of play. It was the last play of note in the final stages of the half as both sides found themselves in a battle in the middle of the pitch fighting for territory as the siren blared, seeing the Warriors go into the sheds with a two-point lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 8 Sydney Roosters 6

Second Half

The Warriors had a shocking start to the second half when Reece Walsh's kickoff attempt sailed over the dead-ball line; the Roosters charged up the field before earning another penalty when Wayde Egan illegally stripped the ball; the Homeside elected to take a penalty kick, and level the scores. The New Zealand side gave away another penalty on the next set, which saw the Roosters back in prime position and almost to the try-line after Joseph Manu flicked a pass out to Suaalii, who was stopped inches away from the try line. The Warriors survived the set and, after earning a penalty, found themselves in Sydney's half; the decision to run on the last did not work for them as they let the Roosters off the hook; however, the home side returned the favour with an error of their own. On the back of repeat six again calls, the Warriors looked to have scored when Walsh had the ball stripped on the try line before Arthars dived on the loose ball, but the Bunker deemed that Walsh had lost the ball. To add to their woes, the visitors conceded another penalty which piggybacked the Roosters out of danger and into the Warrior's RedZone, the visitor's goal-line defence held firm, but it would last as a few minutes later, the Roosters found themselves ahead on the scoreboard for the first time in the contest when a Luke Keary bomb was knocked on by Watene-Zelezniak before being scooped up by the Roosters and fired out to Kevin Naiqama who strolled over in the corner. Sydney City attempted the same play moments later but was penalised for hitting Watene-Zeleaniak in the air. The New Zealand side struggled to make inroads against the Rooster's defence and found themselves in trouble once again as the home side cruised up the field before Sam Walker scurried his way through defenders before placing the ball on the line. Momentum appeared to be fully in the Rooster's favour, with the Warriors unable to string anything together on attack before a Shaun Johnson inside ball to Walsh, saw the livewire fullback burst into open space before putting up a banana kick that went to Watene-Zelezniak on the edge, Tupou slipped while trying to defend which saw the Warriors winger cross the line untouched to reduce the margin. The Warriors appeared to be hard done by on back to back calls after Addin Fonua-Blake appeared to have the ball stripped by Angus Crichton, but his Captain's Challenge was unsuccessful; a few minutes after that, Watene-Zeleaniak was ruled to have knocked a kick defusal on when it appeared to have gone backwards. After successfully using their Captains Challenge, the Roosters then earned a penalty and pushed their lead out by another two points when Walker took the easy penalty goal. The Roosters looked like they may have scored moments later when Lindsay Collins got to the try-line, but the bunker ruled that he made a second attempt at grounding the ball and was penalised. The home side controlled territory and forced the Warriors to play from deep inside their own half, and despite a few half breaks, they could not get themselves into open space as the Roosters extended their winning streak to three with a 22-14 victory.

FULL-TIME: Sydney Roosters 22 New Zealand Warriors 14

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Addin Fonua-Blake, 2 pts - Josh Curran, 1 pt - Reece Walsh  

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

NZ Warriors 2022 Round 5 Review: Warrior's make it three in a row after Johnson proves clutch in Golden Point

After Round four's win over the Broncos, the Warriors got to stay at their makeshift home of Moreton Daily Stadium, playing host to the Cowboys. The last match between these sides was a nailbiter, with the Cowboys winning by one point, and this match was just as close, with the Warriors getting a 25-24 win in Golden Point with a Shaun Johnson field goal sealing the deal.

For a breakdown of how the match went, check out my match report at the link below.

Ingers League Wrap-up Round 5 Match Report

Well, I was way off on my prediction last week, picking a 16 point win for the Warriors and looking back at recent history; a one-point win shouldn't have been much of a surprise. 

My confidence in a Warriors win took a hit early on when the Cowboys got out to an 18-6 lead, but the Warriors clawed their way back into the match and made a game of it. There has been a lot of talk about the Cowboys throwing the game away by letting the Warriors score two easy tries each side of halftime, but I think it was even as Tom Dearden scored a soft try after a defensive misread from Josh Curran and then Scott Drinkwater was gifted a try when Addin Fonua-Blake was way too relaxed trying to grab a ball in the in-goal area. Both sides had calls go against them and left a few chances begging, but when push came to shove, the Warriors dug deep and got the job down in their first Golden Point victory since 2016, with SJ doing what he does best and making the clutch play when the Warriors needed him too.

I think this team is starting to come together; there is still plenty to work on, but the bones are there, and the more they can keep the same key players together on the pitch, the better they will get. It just feels nice to have a sense of optimism in a Warriors season again, and hopefully, the remains for the rest of this campaign.

This game gave me all the feelings I have come to expect as a Warriors fan; we had the highs and lows and a nerve-racking ending, ah, the joys of being a Warriors fan. It's great to see them win in the end, and hopefully, we don't have too many down to the wire matches in the future as I'm not sure my heart could take it.

There was quite a bit to smile about this week, which leads me to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

There was a better effort from the pack this week, AFB was still the top dog (167m), but he wasnt left to do all the heavy lifting. Only two other forwards ran for over 100m, those being Euan Aitken (129m) and BuntyAfoa (124m). However, the rest of the pack still put in the work, except for my player to improve. As much as I would like all the forwards to hit triple digits, that isn't going to happen, but if they can all keep the work rate up, bend the defensive line and generally ask questions of the defence, then the backline should have plenty of chances to get on the scoreboard.

The fightback the Warriors showed after being 18-6 down was encouraging. It isn't the first time the Warriors have had to come back from a two-try deficit this season, but it shows they at least have what it takes to get points on the board when they need them. Although stopping teams from running away with the match is a more ideal way to go. It is just a case of being present for the entire match instead of bits and pieces, it's fixable, and we will get a better gauge of what this team can do in the next month as they hit tougher competition.

Lastly is errors; for the first time in 2022, the Warrior's errors were in the single digits (8); a lot of room for improvement in this area of their game but at least the error rate is coming down. I think it is a combination of the simpler game plan and the individual player's confidence building that is helping the overall performance so I expect to see them show more and more respect for the ball as the season goes. On a side note, however, someone needs to work with Jack Murchie, as watching him bobble every ball thrown his way was doing my head in. 

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

Match Negatives

Defence was still a significant concern, the Warriors only missed 25 tackles in this match, but the Cowboy's offloading style was causing plenty of headaches. If a team is nailing those offloads, they can be hard to stop, but this is a big red flag, and I'm sure it will become something opposition sides will try and do more often because it works. The Warriors, to their credit, were able to shut down many of the breaks caused by this second phase football, but they need to get their defensive line up quicker and wrap the ball carrier up, restrict that second phase football, and you are one set closer to victory.

The attack is still lacking, it was better in patches than last week with both SJ and CHT putting players into scoring opportunities, but the Warriors started to get too predictable. Johnson trying to throw the same cutout pass to the right just wasnt working, and the Cowboys were ready to pounce. Once you see that the opposition has figured out what you are trying to do, switch it up; instead of that cutout pass, throw a short ball to hit the hole left by the defender shooting out to try and intercept the long pass. I am still confident that this attack will continue to improve the more this spine gets to work together, so I don't see this saying in my negatives for much longer.

My last negative is discipline, the Warriors were on the back of a 7-1 six again count, and you can't put yourself under that much pressure. I think they were a bit hard done by on some of those calls, but you need to play to the ref you have and adjust to how they call the match. It did kind of even out a bit with the Cowboys getting penalised 6 times.  

Discipline still needs to be worked on; a 7-1 six again count is not pretty; I thought they were a bit hard done by in some cases; Marcelo Montoya's tackle on Peta Hiku was not a penalty, for example, but it did even out with the cowboys getting penalised 6 times. You just need to play to the ref that is out there and adjust to how they call the match; you never going to get every call going your way, but if you eliminate as much grey area as you can, then the ref has no excuse to make bad calls.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match was Chanel Harris-Tavita. 

Man, he just gave it 100% in this match, and I loved to see it; he was solid in the defensive line, hitting Chad Townsend with a bone rattler that forced an error. He also scrambled well when the Cowboys made breaks off the back of their offload game. Despite involving himself heavily defensively, he also had some great touches with the ball in hand. His 40/20 (his second one this season) got the Warriors back into the competition at the end of the first half. He also delivered a nice short ball to send Euan Aitken over for his try. Not to mention his commitment in the dying stages to throw himself on a loose ball to stop the Cowboys from stealing a win in the final seconds. His combination with Johnson is building nicely, and I think they could do something special together; perhaps it's time for other Warriors to sweeten their contract offer to him, as I think it would be foolish to let him walk out the door.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Matt Lodge.

After a strong showing last week, I expected more out of Lodge this week, but he just didn't deliver. Lodge was not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but he was unusually quiet, running for only 76 metres. He needs a bounceback this week against the Roosters; the Warriors will need him to get back into triple digits if they are to have a chance against a genuine top-four side.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 6 sees the Warriors travel to the Sydney Cricket Ground on Easter Sunday to face the Sydney Roosters in what will be their most formidable challenge of the season to date. The Roosters have been inconsistent this season and cut it closer than expected in Round 5 when they snuck home with a 24-20 win over the Broncos. With the news about Marcelo Montoya potentially missing some time for a contrary conduct charge, the backline will have to make changes once again; I would move Adam Pompey back to the wing and bring back Rocco Berry. I want to see Junior Ratuva have a shot, but I think he still needs time to develop in reserve grade before bringing him up. I would be happy to see the same players in the pack except for bringing Eliesa Katoa back into the 17, replacing either Bayley Sironen or Jack Murchie.

The Roosters at the SCG are always challenging, and the Warriors will need their best performance to get the job done here; it will be a good indication of where this side is actually at; the same simple gameplan needs to come into play here. Forwards do the hard work up the middle, gifting SJ and CHT time to get the backline into action. Unfortunately, I think the Roosters will be too strong here, and I'm picking them to break the Warrior's winning streak, so I am picking the Roosters to win here by 14.

So that was a heart in mouth Round 5, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Would you make any changes to the 17?
Who was your player of the match and your player to improve?
With a tough fortnight coming up, how confident are you in the Warriors adding to their win tally?
What is your score prediction against the Roosters?

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 5 Match Report: Warriors 25 Cowboys 24

Scoreboard

Warriors 25
Tries: Jesse Arthars 10, Josh Curran 38, Kodi Nikorima 41, Euan Aitken 64
Goals: Reece Walsh 11, 40, 42, 65

Field Goal: Shaun Johnson 82

Cowboys 24
Tries: Tom Dearden 6, Scott Drinkwater 21, Kyle Feldt 34, Valentine Holmes 47
Goals: Valentine Holmes 16, 22, 35, 60

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

The Warriors had the first chance at points in the early stages after Shaun Johnson pushed a grubber into the in-goal; however, Jesse Arthars could not keep hold of it, handing the Cowboys a seven tackle set. The Cowboys troubled the home side with their offloading, creating several pieces of second-phase football. The New Zealand side struggled with their defensive reads, but Chanel Harris-Tavita forced a knock-on when he floored Chad Townsend; however, it was only a slight reprieve as the visitors wasted little time getting back into the Warrior's RedZone and found themselves the first to put points on the board when Tom Dearden evaded Josh Curran's tackle and darted across the line. The New Zealand side fought back and levelled the scores a few minutes when Arthars made up for his previous error by latching onto a Johnson short ball for the Warrior's first try of the evening; a Reece Walsh conversion handed the home side the lead. The sides settled into the grind and traded sets until Addin Fonua-Blake made the error of all errors, casually attempting to grab a Cowboys kick in goal and allowing Scott Drinkwater to pounce on it, handing the visitors back the lead. The New Zealand side found themselves under pressure due to some poor discipline but were able to keep the Cowboys out and get themselves into the visitor's half. Still, the hard work was undone when Murray Taulagi intercepted a Johnson cutout pass. He screamed down the pitch before being caught by Adam Pompey; with the Warrior's defensive line in tatters, the Cowboys spread the ball out wide for Kyle Feldt to score his side's third try of the night. The first half was winding to a close, but the Warriors still had a little bit of juice in the tank and got themselves in prime attacking position after Harris-Tavita nailed a 40/20; a plays later, Curren crossed the white line untouched for the home sides second try to see them go into the sheds trailing the Cowboys 18-12.

HALF-TIME: North Queensland Cowboys 18 New Zealand Warriors 12

Second Half

Taulagi went from hero to villain as soon as the second half started, dropping the kick-off and gifting the Warriors excellent field position. The home side levelled the scores moments later when Kodi Nikorima spied some poor goal-line defence and darted his way across to level the scores. An error by Bunty Afoa gave the Cowboys the ball back, and after back to back six again calls, a decision to run on the last proved successful when Valentine Holmes strutted over the line and, after a wrestle with Walsh, grounded the ball to regain the lead. Both sides went through a patch where they struggled to complete sets, making errors, but a penalty against Marcelo Montoya for a high shot, allowed the Cowboys to push their lead out by two. The Warriors made another error when Walsh dropped a kick defusal, but the Cowboys were unable to add to their lead; the home side had their turn to get a few six again calls, and they made the most of it when Euan Aitken bashed his way through to score, levelling the scores once again. Time was winding down, and both sides were desperate to get the win; with the Warriors attempting two field goals, Johnson had his charged down, and Walsh's sailed to the left. North Queensland had one last dash but could not get it done with the ball coming loose and Harris-Tavita diving on it. This saw the match go into Golden Point.

Golden Point

The Warriors started Golden Point with the ball in hand and unsuccessfully attempted two field goals on their first drive. The Cowboys marched up the field, but Townsend's attempt also missed; Walsh scooped up the ball and made a big run up the field. After a few one out runs, Wayde Egan fired the ball at Johnson, who had to step an offside defender before kicking his side to their third win in a row with an ugly field goal and a 25-24 victory.

FULL-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 25 North Queensland Cowboys 24

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Chanel Harris-Tavita, 2 pts - Euan Aitken, 1 pt - Josh Curran

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

NZ Warriors 2022 Round 4 Review: Warrior's improved effort reaps rewards against ill-disciplined Broncos

After Round three's ugly victory over the Tigers, the Warriors made the trip to their home away from home at Moreton Daily Stadium to face the Broncos. Both sides had something to prove here after less than stellar efforts last week but the Warriors put on their best performance of 2022 to walk away with a solid 20-6 win.

I decided to make some changes here, so I wrote a match report that was released straight after the game finished. I will write a match report each week that will be posted the night of the game so keep an eye out for that each week. If you haven't checked it out, click on the link below. 

My Match Report

Let's get back to my review.

My optimism was low after that last performance, but it got a boost during the week when Shaun Johnson was named to play. There were a few other changes before kickoff too, with Rocco Berry and Aaron Pene pulling out with Berry sick and Pene injured. This saw Ed Kosi coming onto the wing with Adam Pompey moving to the centres, while Ben Murdoch-Masila came onto the bench.  

The Warriors started the match quickly, scoring in the first five minutes and never looked in doubt for almost the entire game. Their forwards were all over a Broncos side that lacked discipline and respect for the ball. Almost everything that has concerned me about the Warriors so far this season was improved; still a long way to go, of course, but at least it looks like they could be heading in the right direction. 

I will admit that I was worried about the backline changes, Kosi showed his inexperience last season, and I have talked at length about how I don't see Pompey as a first-grade centre, but they both played well; Kosi was solid running the ball and had a few big moments on defence including a massive hit on Herbie Farnworth. Pompey also had a good afternoon; he kept Kotoni Staggs quiet and created some opportunities for Marcelo Montoya on the wing with some Hiku like flick passes.

Overall it just feels great to talk about a good win, and I have my fingers crossed for more of this in the future.

I enjoyed quite a bit about this performance, which leads to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

As a former front-rower, I am biased, but I loved the effort from the props this week; the Warriors always play better when their big men are getting the job done in the middle. The three main contributors were Addin Fonua-Blake (196m), Matt Lodge (175m) and Bunty Afoa (97m). Ben Murdoch-Masila was injured, so he did not get a lot of minutes, but he averaged 10m a carry, so he did his part while he was able. The Warriors need this effort week in and week out from the big boppers to keep their spot in the top eight.

Nathan Brown and the coaching staff adjusted the game plan, and it worked wonders, gone was the constant looking for second phase football and front-rowers looking to throw short balls instead of bending the line, and in its place were hard runs up the middle of the field before shifting wide. It's a simple game plan, but it works when you have size up the middle and an experienced half that can direct the attack. The expansive style relies heavily on confidence, and that's something the Warriors don't have right now, so after a few solid performances together, we may see that style sneak back in with better success. 

Lastly, the return of Johnson, this side just looks and performs so much better with him out there. I mentioned it briefly when asked why I gave SJ the third spot in my Warriors of the round (behind AFB and Reece Walsh), but I explained that there were several times when momentum looked to be swinging in the Bronco's favour, and you could see Johnson out there talking and settling the side and keeping them focused. The side did not look confused or lost, and as long as he keeps that up, I will be more confident in the Warrior's chances every week. This is that leadership that has been missing that I discussed last week.

However, it wasn't a perfect performance, which brings me to my negatives from the game.

Match Negatives

The edge defence has been the Warrior's most significant weakness this season, but they were able to shut down Farnworth and Staggs for most of the match. Missed tackles still concern me; they missed 31 in this match, but there was better decision-making, and keeping the Broncos to only one try is fantastic, especially when that try was a piece of solo brilliance from Adam Reynolds. More welcomed signs, and hopefully, it means that missed tackles will soon disappear from my negatives sections.

Errors are a current issue for many teams, with eight other sides making more errors than the Warriors so far. The Warriors did reduce their errors, making only 10 this week, but they are still too high for my liking. I expect the error rate to continue to drop with the new game plan, and it will need to as the Warriors begin a run of tough challenges from Round 6 against sides that will punish them for each dropped ball.

Lastly, after a promising start, the Warrior's attack still lacked. They were held tryless in the second half but did have a few shots down the edges. It was the first game with the preferred spine, and I liked what I saw; they just need time to build cohesion. Once they are all comfortable in their roles and with each other, watch the points start to flow. Johnson and Walsh will be a joy to watch play together every week.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match goes to Addin Fonua-Blake. AFB was a monster in this game with his 197 running metres, 26 tackles with no misses and zero errors. 

Having SJ return and help in the leadership department allowed AFB to take some pressure off, and you saw it in his improved performance. He is one of the top front-rowers in the game right now, running for the most metres by any forward to date this year and second only to Payne Haas in post-contact metres. I loved that he has re-signed with the club already, and if he keeps playing at this level, he will go down as one of the Warrior's best forwards ever. 

Warrior to Improve

I couldn't pick a Warrior to improve this week, they all impressed me, and some did not get the required minutes to review their performance.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 5 sees the Warriors stay in Redcliffe to face the Cowboys, who, after starting the season strong, came crashing back to earth with a humbling 28-4 defeat to the Roosters in Round 4. They will be looking for a bounceback here, so it will be a tough matchup for the Warriors.

I would keep the squad the same here; jazz Tevaga is set to be suspended for at least two weeks, so in his absence, I would move Josh Curran back to lock and bring Eliesa Katoa back to the second row.

If the Warriors can build on the platform, they set in Round 4, getting the forwards rolling up the middle it will allow Johnson the time and space needed to get his backline into scoring positions as well as some more work on their defensive structures then they should make it three in a row. 

Optimistic Brad is back, so I am picking the Warriors to win this match by 16.

So that was a more positive Round 4, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What did you think of the spines' first game together?
Would you keep the same 17 for Round 5?
Did you have a player to improve?
What is your score prediction against the Cowboys?

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 4 Match Report: NZ Warriors 20 vs Brisbane Broncos 6

Scoreboard

Warriors 20
Tries: Jesse Arthars 4, 21, Marcelo Montoya 35
Goals: Reece Walsh 5, 22

Penalty Goals: Reece Walsh 71, 77

Broncos 6
Tries: Adam Reynolds 27,
Goals: Adam Reynolds 28, 

Sin Bin: Thomas Flegler 20, Jake Turpin 75

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

Both sides started the match better than they did last round, trading sets without errors. The Broncos had the first scoring threat when Tesi Niu attempted a chip and chase that Reece Walsh defused. A penalty against the Broncos handed the Warriors good field position, and they wasted little time, scoring on the right edge when Jesse Arthars latched onto a Shaun Johnson cutout pass. Another penalty against Brisbane on the next set saw the Warriors back on attack deep in the visitor's territory, but they were unable to convert it to points with the ball going to ground when they pushed out to the right; Corey Oates scooped up the ball and made a break before being dragged down by Walsh. Brisbane had a few set restarts to help them march down the field but let the Warriors off the hook with a handling error from Selwyn Cobbo. The sides traded sets with neither able to get the upper hand, the Warriors forced a repeat set, but the Broncos recovered the short dropout to keep the pressure on the home side. The errors started to creep in for both clubs, with neither being able to complete a set for a stint. Brisbane had a chance with some space outside, but Herbie Farnworth dropped the ball after a monster hit from Ed Kosi; not long after that, the Broncos looked close to scoring again after getting a scrum deep in the Warrior's RedZone, but their hands let them down. The New Zealand side marched up the field on the back of some strong runs by their forwards. They were given another penalty that saw Thomas Flegler sent to the bin. With the one-man advantage, the home side clicked into gear and were over the try line again, with Arthars scoring his second after Walsh spun his way out of a tackle before throwing a cutout pass. The Broncos survived the next set, and after a penalty against Jazz Tevaga were in the Warrior's half again; Adam Reynolds stepped up and got his side on the scoreboard, pushing a grubber through and picking it up to score. A penalty against Walsh for his kickoff going out on the full handing Brisbane a chance to level the scores, but it was left hanging with another handling error, this time by Billy Walters. Back-to-back penalties against the Warriors saw Brisbane on attack in good field position, but a Marcelo Montoya hit on Kotoni Staggs saw the visitors lose possession again. Montoya found himself involved once again moments later, latching onto an Adam Pompey flick pass to cross for the Warrior's third try of the afternoon. The New Zealand side was not done yet as a Tevaga offload saw Walsh dart down the field before shifting the ball to Chanel Harris-Tavita, who then passed to Adam Pompey. The Broncos scrambled and managed to keep the Warriors contained with a Pompey flick pass going over the sidelines as the first half started to wind to a close, seeing the New Zealand side go into the sheds with a 16-6 lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 16 Brisbane Broncos 6

Second Half

The Broncos started the second half better, completing their first set and doing some damage with a few breaks on the back of some quality offloads. They kept the pressure on with their next set and were close to scoring when Oates dived in the corner, but he could not place the ball in the field of play. The Warriors started to get back into the contest, but their momentum waned as a head clash saw Wayde Egan busted open, and the game stalled. Once the game got back underway, the Warriors looked to be building to another try-scoring opportunity; however, Walsh lost the ball in contact. Both sides started trading sets again, with the Broncos looking the more dangerous with the ball in hand with a few half breaks that were stopped by either scrambling defence or unforced errors. The home side sustained the pressure and ran with intent but could not turn it into points. An untimely error from Cobbo handed the Warriors great field position; however, it almost went to waste when a Walsh no-look pass went to ground; Kosi managed to regather it and earn his side a penalty when Farnworth dragged him over the sideline after the tackle had been completed. Luck was on the Warrior's side when they tried to push a pass on the next set as Oates intercepted it but dropped the ball. That luck ran out as Josh Curran dropped a short ball as the Bronco's goal-line defence stayed strong. Both clubs took turns having brain snaps, with Brisbane handing the ball to a forward on the last tackle and the Warriors kicking early via a Curran grubber. The home side kept control of the match and earnt a repeat set after Johnson kicked a grubber through and almost nabbed it for himself before Oates managed to bat it over the dead-ball line. The Warriors were building pressure and gained another penalty when Flegler was pinged for another hip drop tackle which saw Ben Murdoch-Masila injured; Walsh kicked the penalty to push the lead out to 12. With momentum heavily in the New Zealand side's favour, they kept knocking on Brisbane's door and were given another penalty when Jake Turpin held onto the tackle for too long; this saw the hooker sent to the bin while Walsh pushed the lead out again. As full-time was drawing near, the Broncos had one last attempt as Cobbo streaked down the sideline, but he was carried over the line by a solid defensive effort by Montoya. The Warriors played safe one-out football as they watched the timed run out as the final whistle blared, getting their second win in a row with a much better performance as they defeated the Broncos 20-6.

FULL-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 20 Brisbane Broncos 6

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Addin Fonua-Blake, 2 pts - Reece Walsh, 1 pt - Shaun Johnson

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.