NZ Warriors Indigenous Round Review: Torrid week continues with error riddled Warriors fall to Knights

After their frustrating Round 11 defeat to the Dragons, the Warriors returned to Moreton Daily Stadium to face the Knights. After bolting out of the gates, scoring two tries early. The Warriors started to fall apart and eventually went down 24-16 in their fourth loss in a row and their first defeat at their makeshift home ground.

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

Ingers League Wrap-Up Indigenous Round Match Report

The week leading up to this match may have been the worst in some time for Warriors fans, almost to the point that I had lost interest in watching this match. Rumours about Lodge's exit and payout, an owner rubbing everyone the wrong way, and whispers about a fractured squad have made the week 
harder for many a fan.
Unfortunately, this performance did nothing to fix that.

The match started well, but once I began to feel confident in the side, the same old errors and silly decisions reared their head. This was a must-win game against a side that has struggled in 2022, and watching the Warriors miss another opportunity is frustrating, to say the least.

Yes, they are missing some key players out there, but they had more than enough talent on the park to get the job done. I'm just at a loss for words right now; it doesn't really matter how good or bad their game plan is if they cannot get the schoolboy stuff done right first. 

The team is clearly broken, and they either don't want to play for Nathan Brown anymore, or they have no trust in their teammates; you can see that they simply aren't on the same page on the field, and they need to get it addressed sooner rather than later.

I love this team and hope I am wrong, but I think any chance of playing finals footy is now gone, and perhaps its time to start giving those young guys on the edges of the gameday 17 a shot because let's face it, they can't be any worse than the players currently running out onto the pitch.

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

They started the match well, scoring two tries in quick succession with some simple but effective passing play. They need to do this for larger patches of the game; sitting on a losing streak, the only way out is by going back to the basics, and they showed in the first ten minutes of the match how easy scoring can be when they do that. So more of that, please.

Losing Addin Fonua-Blake had me worried about the prop rotation, but I thought bench props stepped up; both ran for over 100m, albeit they just got there (Aaron Pene - 102m and Bunty Afoa - 101m). It's encouraging to see both of these players increase their efforts without their superstar front rower; they just need to build on this and then keep this as the new baseline when he returns. Dunamis Lui didn't significantly impact his first game for the club but was averaging just a smidge under 10m a carry, so I expect to see his effort increase. 

Lastly, while I couldn't find that much to be happy about, I need to give credit where credit is due. After selecting Adam Pompey as my Warriors to improve last week and wanting to see him dropped for either Jesse Arthars or Daejarn Asi, he showed improvement and got the best of Dane Gagai, which is no easy feat. He scored a nice try and almost got there a few more times while also running for a team high 167m. He also went a bit quiet in the second half like the rest of the team, but I have to praise the bounceback.

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

Match Negatives

The errors are where this game was lost for the Warriors, they only made 10 errors, but boy, did they make a difference. It was the usual coach killing mistakes that we saw here. There were forced passes, a lack of respect for the ball, a dropped ball straight after a try, and some wayward kicks. Two of which went over the sidelines on the full and a kickoff that went over the Deadball line on the full. These are all schoolboy errors that we should not be seeing from these players, and they are something that should be able to be fixed, but then again, these errors have been happening all season to date, so the odds of them going away anytime soon is wishful thinking. 

After that first ten minutes and then for a brief moment in the second half, the Warrior's attack was abysmal. The side looked lost or confused and was definitely not on the same page, Shaun Johnson kept electing to kick on the fourth, and the rest of the side never seemed to know what he was doing, resulting in many of the kicks not having a sufficient chase following them. 

Again they can improve this; they just need to play simple footy and communicate; it's a team sport, and if everyone is reading from the same script, points and, more importantly, wins will come.

I praised the bench front rowers, but unfortunately, the starting props front row will not be so lucky. Both did not make a lot of hit ups or metres (Ben Murdoch-Masila - 7 runs for 57m and Jazz Tevaga - 10 runs for 86m). I will give Tevaga a pass here because he is not a prop, and you cannot deny that he was doing the best he could out there. However, BMM needs to be doing more with AFB not out there, he is the big dog in the pack, and he needs to start acting like it.

I think Afoa or Pene need to come into the starting lineup moving forward; Tevaga cannot be named in the front row again, and perhaps with one of those guys starting, it may spur BMM into stronger performances.

Warrior of the Match

For the second week in a row, my Warrior of the match goes to Tohu Harris.

Harris has not put a foot wrong since making his return from injury; he was busy in this match, running for 162m and making 41 tackles with 0 misses. His passing game has added dimension to the Warrior's attack, making them more dangerous if the passes stick. 

As Captain of this club, he has a lot of work to do to get everyone back into the right frame of mind, but if the rest of the squad can start emulating his effort levels, then they may turn this season around, or at least end it on a happier note.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Shaun Johnson.

It was another 50/50 game from SJ; he set up a nice try for DWZ, forced four repeat sets, and threw a few good passes for strong attacking sets. However, he also had kicks go out on the full, missed some key tackles and made a few silly handling errors. If the rumours about him refusing to stick to Brown's game plan are true, I would at least like to think his idea of what to do on attack would be better than what he is currently offering. I'm not expecting to see the Magic Johnson of old, but I would at least like to see the try assist machine that was playing for the Sharks; instead, we are just stuck somewhere in between getting the worst of both worlds.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 13 sees the Warriors travel to 4 Pines Park in Sydney to face the Sea Eagles, who were convincingly defeated 28-8 by the Storm in the Indigenous Round.

Regarding the side I would pick, I would make a few changes.

In the backs, I would probably keep it the same this week, see if SJ and CHT can pair up better, and the outside backs did nothing that warranted getting dropped.

I would bring Afoa into the starting lineup in the forwards, moving Tevaga back to lock for Murchie.

If Wayde Egan is fit, I would bring him back to the hooker, with either Lussick or Otukolo taking a bench spot (I thought they both had goof patches in this match).

To join either of them on the bench, I would keep Pene and Lui and give the last spot either to Murchie or give Pride Petterson-Robati a much-deserved chance.

Regarding how I see the match going, It is another hard one to predict; the Sea Eagles come into this match without their Origin stars and the injured Tommy Turbo. On paper, the Warriors should be favoured in this match, but they haven't been playing well enough to justify that optimism from me right now, so I am going with a Sea Eagles win by 8.

So that was an embarrassing Round 12, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

How are you feeling as a Warriors fan after the past week?

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

Do you think it's time to bring some youngsters in?

What is your score prediction against the Sea Eagles?

Ingers League Wrap-Up Indigenous Round Match Report: Knights 24 Warriors 16

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 16

Tries: Adam Pompey 4, Viliami Vailea 8, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 50

Goals: Reece Walsh 6, 19

Sin Bin: Marcelo Montoya 58

Newcastle Knights 24

Tries: Tyson Frizell 23, Edrick Lee 28, Enari Tuala 53, 68

Goals: Jack Clifford 24, 29, 53, 70

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

After a turbulent week, the Warriors showed positive signs early, taking advantage of an Anthony Milford forward pass with strong runs up the middle before scoring back to back tries via centres Adam Pompey and Viliami Vailea. There was a comical moment after Vailea's try when Reece Walsh slipped when attempting the conversion.

The Knights showed a lack of cohesion after getting good field position when Shaun Johnson kicked the ball out on the full. They looked to second-guess themselves, and despite earning a repeat set, they threw away their chance when a wayward Kalyn Ponga pass went to the ground before going over the sideline.

The Warriors continued to look more threatening with the ball in hand, asking plenty of questions of the Knight's defence and were close to scoring again when Johnson scooped up a Chanel Harris-Tavita grubber but lost possession in the action of grounding. The Warriors earnt a penalty after the referee ruled that Johnson was hit high by Daniel Saifiti; Walsh kicked the penalty, pushing the New Zealand side's lead to 12. To make the visitor's day worse, Saifiti injured his knee and would be ruled out for the rest of the contest.

With momentum heavily in the home side's favour, it appeared that the Knights were staring down the barrel of another devastating loss. However, multiple errors from the Warriors, including another kick over the sidelines and a kickoff that sailed over the dead-ball line, were jumped on by Newcastle, scoring tries in quick succession via Tyson Frizell and Edrick Lee.

The Warriors tried to get back into the contest with Walsh hitting the line at pace, but he was put to the ground with a monster tackle from Milford. Walsh shook it off, continuing to threaten with the ball in hand, and got close to the try line before attempting a flick pass.

Newcastle attempted to end the half on a high with a field goal from Jake Clifford, but he shanked it to the left, ending the half with the scores levelled and plenty to work on in the second half from both sides.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 12 Newcastle Knights 12

Second Half

Warriors started the half strongly again, making dents in Newcastle's defensive line, but an error from Johnson saw the home side let another opportunity slip. If Nathan Brown had any hair, he would have started pulling it out.

A high shot by Milford gave the Warriors another chance, and after a few probing runs, Johnson kicked early and earnt his side a repeat set. A few plays later, he kicked a pinpoint ball to the corner for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score in the corner.

The Knights bounced back immediately when Chanel Harris-Tavita dropped the kickoff, scoring a try directly off the scrum after Ponga did a nice wrap around play before throwing a short-ball to Enari Tuala handing Newcastle the lead for the first time in the contest.

Marcelo Montoya was sent to the bin in the 58th minute after hitting Dominic Young high, despite being similar to the Saifiti tackle from the first half. The Knights had good field position but made a poor pass from the ruck, which was kicked on by Jack Murchie, letting the Warriors off the hook. The New Zealand side kicked early again, earning another repeat set but could not convert it into points with Harris-Tavita kicking to Pompey in the corner, but the centre tapped the ball over the sideline.

There was some friendly fire in the final 15 minutes with Warriors forwards, Jazz Tevaga, and Murchie clashing heads in a tackle; seeing both go off for an HIA, they would not return to the match.

It looked like the visitors were not going to score any points while having a one-man advantage, but the pressure they were heaping on the Warriors finally got rewarded when Milford pushed a kick through for Tuala's second try of the day.

Some poor discipline from the Knights saw the Warriors assisted in their length of the field march; however, despite earning two repeat sets, they were their own worse enemy, derailing the drive with a forward pass from Harris-Tavita to Ben Murdoch-Masila.

Time was running out, but the Warriors earned another penalty from a scrum but looked completely lost with the ball in hand; they were held up over the line on the fourth tackle before kicking the ball out on the full on the last to end the match, handing them their first loss in Redcliffe.

FULL-TIME: Newcastle Knights 24 New Zealand Warriors 16

Warrior of the match Points

No players rated at the time of writing.

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 Round 11 Review: Warrior's woes continue as they slide to defeat to Dragons

After their disappointing Magic Round defeat to the Rabbitohs, the Warriors made the journey to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to face the Dragons. In a tightly fought contest, some poor attack and defensive decisions ultimately saw the Warriors go down 24-18 in their third loss in a row.

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

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 11 Match Report

Another disappointing weekend as a Warriors fan; I came into the match reasonably confident, but with the news about Chanel Harris-Tavita and Matt Lodge leading up to game day, I admit that my confidence took a severe knock.

That wasn't helped when Shaun Johnson dropped the kickoff setting the Dragons up to score in the first minute. After that, the Warriors did get back into the contest, showing some improvements with the ball in hand and scoring some nice tries. However, the Dragons stayed in the hunt for most of the match and looked more dangerous on attack and honestly just wanted the result more. The moment they displayed this the most was when Mathew Feagai threw a hospital pass to Zac Lomax in the in-goal area, and instead of giving up, he fought his way into the field of play, with the help of his teammates, who created a maul to push him over the line. Watching the play back, several Warriors were there that could have stopped Lomax early, but they just watched other players try to tackle him. Once that happened, the Dragons got their second wind, and the Warriors just looked flat.

It's disheartening watching right now. The Dragons weren't better than the Warriors in this match; they just made the most of their opportunities. I just expected the Warriors to go up a level for Jazz Tevaga's 100th match.

This result puts plenty of pressure on the Warriors and makes this week's game a must-win if they hope to be in top-eight contention.

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

After last week's woeful effort, I thought the attack improved in patches. Johnson's kicks were more pinpoint, and Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak and Viliami Vailea reaped the rewards. Reece Walsh was getting involved and looked threatening multiple times. It was nothing flash, but you don't need to be flash to score points. Play a simple game plan, and the points will come, and we saw that in moments in this match; it just needs to happen every week.

It was another massive game for Addin Fonua-Blake; he ran for 209 metres and just dominated the middle. We expect nothing less from him at present, and he never fails to deliver. If the rest of the props in this side could at least get to half of his effort each week, then the Warriors would have a terrifying prop rotation.

Times are tough right now, but on the bright side, the Warriors are close to welcoming back several of their players. Looking at the NRL website, this week's match could see the returns of Jesse Arthars, Wayde Egan, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Bayley Sironen. Then Josh Curran should be ready to return in Round 13. This should allow the Warriors to make some much-needed changes to their lineup and hopefully get themselves one step closer to returning to the winner's circle.

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

Match Negatives

Despite the attack looking better, for the most part, it was still not a complete performance. There were moments when the Warriors looked lost or confused. Some poor last tackle options ultimately saw the Warriors shoot themselves in the foot by running too close to the sidelines in wet conditions (more on that later). 

It's pull your hair out types of mistakes happening here, but the Warriors showed they can score points; they just need to stop switching off.

Defence is still a massive concern. They missed 38 tackles in this match, and many of them were just down to half hearted efforts. It's an attitude thing, and I just don't know what the side can do to improve it. It may be time for the old fashioned honesty session so that the players not pulling their weight are put on notice by their teammates. If they can do that and improve the defensive efforts across the board, it should make winning matches a little easier.

Lastly, the injury to Addin Fonua-Blake, there has not been an official announcement of AFB's foot injury, but there is a chance that it could be the same injury that Ben Murdoch-Masila got last season, which could see the front rower out for the rest of the season.

This will be a massive blow for the club as AFB has been massive for them this season; adding to Lodge's exit, the Warriors will be lacking a lot of grunt up the middle. Putting an optimistic spin on things, this will give the other front rowers a chance to prove their worth, and I have my fingers crossed that they step up to the plate.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match goes to Tohu Harris. 

Only the skipper's second match back from injury, and he was all class, running for 155 metres, making 35 tackles and adding some attacking depth to the Warriors with an excellent passing display. He gives his 100%, and with the news that AFB may be gone for the season, the pack is going to rely on Harris more now than ever; I expect to see him move into the front row while the front row stocks are short and I just hope the rest of the forwards come up to his impressive levels of effort.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Adam Pompey. 

Pompey had a shocker; going over the sideline in wet conditions once is unfortunate, but he did it again and then almost a third, but he flicked a 50/50 pass to no one, which also went over the line. The sideline is the defences best friend, and the Dragons knew it, coaxing the Warriors to take them on down the sidelines, and Pompey took the bait every time.

He was no better on defence either, missing eight tackles and making poor reads, one of which led to Cody Ramsey's try. With some backs due to return from injury, I would be giving him a break as the Warriors need results right now, and I don't know if they will get them with him out there.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 12 sees the Warriors travel back to their makeshift home at Moreton Daily Stadium to face the Newcastle Knights, who were convincingly defeated 36-12 by the Broncos in Round 11.

If I was picking the side this week, I would be making a few changes.

In the backs, I would bring CHT back into the halves and have either Daejarn Asi or Jesse Arthars take Pompey's spot in the centres. 

In the forwards with AFB out, I would move Harris into the front row, Egan would come back to the hooker spot, and Tevaga moves into the Lock spot. The rest of the pack I would keep the same for now expect maybe moving Bunty Afoa into the starting side, and BMM moves to the bench.

Regarding how I see the match going, it is hard to predict; the Knights have been dreadful this season, so the Warriors should get the job done. However, with the loss of AFB, it will not be an easy task, but I think they will still have the edge here playing at "Home", so I am picking the Warriors to win by 16.

So that was a frustrating Round 11, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you think the Warriors are still a chance for the top eight?

Now that Lodge and AFB are out, who would be your starting front rowers?

Are there any changes you would make to the game day 17?

What is your score prediction against the Knights?

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 11 Match Report: Dragons 24 Warriors 18

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 18

Tries: Viliami Vailea 10, 34, Shaun Johnson 24, Dallin Watene-Zelaniak 43

Goals: Reece Walsh 26

St George Illawarra Dragons 24 

Tries: Zac Lomax 1, 51, Cody Ramsey 31, Michael Molo 47

Goals: Zac Lomax 3, 32, 48, 70

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

Before the match got underway, the stadium had a moment's silence for the late John Raper. Then the Dragons kicked off and found themselves right in the hunt, with Shaun Johnson dropping the kick. After a few attempts at the Warriors line, Talatau Amone pushed a grubber towards the try line; Euan Aitken failed to ground the ball, which saw Zac Lomax continue his chase and dive on the ball for the first try of the afternoon. The sides traded sets, with both clubs putting big kicks up in the hopes that they could force an error in the wet weather, but Reece Walsh and Cody Ramsey were up to the task. St George looked to threaten down the left edge, but Ramsey slipped and slid over the sideline letting the Warriors off the hook with some good field position. The New Zealand side tried a similar approach going down their left edge, but Adam Pompey was dragged over the sidelines himself. A handling error by the Dragons saw the Warriors dive on the loose ball; after earning a six again call, the visitors started to threaten the Dragons goal line, with Jazz Tevaga almost getting across in his 100th match. Johnson kicked to the corner on the last tackle, and Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak tapped the ball back inside to Viliami Vailea to score the Warrior's first try. Johnson would not be so lucky on the next set, kicking the ball out on the full on the fifth tackle. The Dragons could not convert that opportunity into points and gave away a penalty when Francis Molo hit Watene-Zeleaniak high; Walsh almost broke through the line but attempted a flick pass which hit Ben Hunt before going over the sidelines. The Dragons used their Captain's challenge but were unsuccessful. Walsh was threatening with the ball in hand again, and the Warriors were close to scoring when Johnson put another kick up; Walsh tapped it back, but Ramsey slapped it out of the field of play. The New Zealand side battered the home side's goal line and earnt a repeat set when Freddy Lussick darted out of dummy half and kicked into the in-goal before stopping Moses Suli from escaping. An error from Daejarn Asi let the pressure off the Dragons, and Ben Hunt attempted a 40/20, but the bounce did not go his way. The match looked to settle into another battle in the middle, with both sides trading sets until Tevaga broke the line and ran 20 metres; with the Dragon's defensive line back peddling, the Warriors looked in control, and Johnson made up for a patchy start took the line on himself and got across for his first try of the season. The New Zealand side received another penalty on their next set and put a big kick down the field, putting pressure on Mathew Feagai, but the young winger did well returning the ball, evading and knocking over several defenders. They completed their set and put another big kick down to Walsh, who defused it. A handling error from Pompey was challenged unsuccessfully by the Warriors, seeing the Dragons get a scrum deep in Warrior's territory, and moments later, Amone shifted the ball to Ramsey, who crossed the try line untouched. St George followed the Warrior's form when Jack De Belin lost possession on the return set; this saw the visitors back in the hunt; another Johnson kick to the corner was not claimed by Feagai, and Vailea managed to scoop the ball up and score his second try for the day. The Warriors completed their next set and delivered some strong defence which saw the Dragons make another error through Jack Bird. The New Zealand side looked sure to score, but Walsh had his kick deflected, and the Dragons attempted a counter attack but time was not on their side as the Warriors scrambled and tackled them as the siren sounded, seeing the visitors go into the sheds with a 14-12 lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 14 St George Illawarra Dragons 12

Second Half

The Dragons had a less than stellar start to the second half, giving away a penalty for having a player on the last tackle in front of the kicker. The Warriors looked strong with the ball in hand and earnt a repeat set after kicking into the in-goal, which Ramsey had to kick over the dead ball line. After a few runs up the middle, the New Zealand side shifted to the right with some quick passes, sending Watene-Zeleaniak over in the corner. After a solid return set, the Warriors let themselves down, giving away a penalty. Hunt booted the Dragons into the Warrior's half, and after some strong runs from the pack, they were deep in the Warrior's RedZone; and after a few half breaks, Hunt handed debutant Michael Molo the ball five metres from the try line, and he did the rest, bulldozing his way over the line. The Warriors had the next attacking opportunity when Johnson put another kick up. Watene-Zeleaniak tapped it down. It went between a handful of players before the Dragons jumped on it. The home side quickly shifted the ball out to the right to Ramsey, who found open space, running 40 metres before passing inside to Amone, who was dragged down. Ramsey took advantage of the quick play the ball, darting out to the right edge before sending Lomax over for his second try. St George looked threatening again a few sets later, kicking on the fourth into open space for Mikaele Ravalawa, but an untimely bounce saw the large winger go to the ground; the ball ended up with Bird on the last and the second rower put a kick through which contacted a Warriors before being regathered by the Michael Molo seeing the home side get a six again call, but the young forward lost possession in the tackle.

The sides traded sets for a spell with some messy plays from both clubs, a wayward pass from Hunt saw the ball go to the ground before being knocked over the sideline; the referee called that Hunt touched it before it went out, so the Dragons skipper challenged that decision and was successful with the ball deemed to have contacted Jack Murchie before going out. St George looked in complete control, marching up the field with ease and, after spying an overlap, flung the ball to the left edge where Vailea valiantly made a try saver. Hunt out his kick through on the fifth tackle, but the Dragons could not convert it into points. There was a bit of a pushing party between Lussick and Lomax, but it was defused quickly. The New Zealand side had a strong set and looked to have a certain repeat set when Johnson dropped a grubber into the in-goal; Feagai secured the ball but put his side under pressure when he passed to Lomax, the Warriors swamped the centre before both sides created an impromptu scrum as the Dragons pushed their way out of danger. The home side got their second wind after that brave display and had the Warrior's defence in tatters with quick dummy-half runs before Amone broke the line and looked to be away, scorching up the field before being caught by Walsh. The Warriors fullback held onto the leg for too long, giving away a penalty but lucky to not be sent to the bin. The Dragons extended their lead by two after that penalty and were ready to get back to work with a strong run from Suli, but he lost the ball. The visitors got themselves back into good field position but made a poor decision from Johnson on the last tackle and saw the Dragons survive. The Warriors were not punished for this mistake and, after defending a set, found space down the left edge until Pompey was tackled over the sideline by Tariq Sims. The sides went set for set before Pompey found space down the left side again before throwing a no look pass that went over the sideline. The Dragons looked dangerous with some strong runs and, after earning a repeat set, saw the match stopped when Shaun Johnson was hurt in a tackle; when play got underway, Hunt attempted a field goal, but it missed to the right. Time was running out, and the Warriors created some excitement as they tried to go the field's length in the final thirty seconds with plenty of passing and offloads, but the Dragons did not panic and eventually stopped the New Zealand side for a well deserved 24-18 win.

FULL-TIME: St George Illawarra Dragons 24 New Zealand Warriors 18

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Tohu Harris, 2 Pts - Jazz Tevaga, 1 Pts -  Addin Fonua-Blake

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 Magic Round Review: Warrior's second half comeback not enough after a woeful first half effort

After Round nine's embarrassing defeat to the Sharks, the Warriors made the journey to Suncorp Stadium for Magic Round to face the Rabbitohs. After possibly their worst first half of the season, the Warriors showed improvement in the second, attempting a comeback but narrowly losing 32-30

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

Ingers League Wrap-Up Magic Round Match Report

Ah, another typical Warriors game, dragging me down before giving me some hope as they attempted their comeback. It was like two different teams played this match, and the red flags that I had after Round 9 are still there. Yes, the effort in the second half was good, and I think if the Warriors played like that for 80 minutes, then the win would have been in the bag, but we are yet to see a complete performance from this side in 2022, and until they do that, they can kiss the playoffs goodbye.

The issues with this game were the same that we have seen before, shocking defence, clueless on attack and brain snaps from the supposed experienced heads in the backs. I will cover these more in the match negatives below, but as always, I will have my fingers crossed for a bounceback this week.

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

That second half comeback was impressive, I'm not sure if the Rabbitohs switched off or the Warriors woke up, but it was good to see some more positive football. The team looked to finally combine and play smarter football; they showed they can do it; they just need to do it for the full 80. They were building to scoring opportunities instead of trying to force a try every time they go the ball; more of that, please.

I think the inclusion of Tohu Harris helped; the team seemed to respond when he was on, and hopefully, we see more minutes from him soon as he regains his match fitness and that short ball to Bunty Afoa was beautiful. Shaun Johnson started the match well and then fell away but fired back in the second half; the Warriors need more of that from him; he made a few poor choices of the last tackle, however, and the Warriors need him to get that out of his game now. I don't want to see him flick the ball to a forward on the last tackle ever again.

The front rowers were strong again, with the main three all running for over 100 metres (AFB - 187m, Lodge - 146m and Afoa 130m). As a former front rower, I am biased, but I still believe that if your big men are doing the heavy lifting up the middle, then it makes the halves' job so much easier. It pulls defenders into the middle and exposes the defensive lines on the edges; you just need the halves to exploit that. AFB and Lodge will give you these performances every week, so it is up to the halves to take advantage.

We have Tohu back now, but the Warriors should get Euan Aitken, Wayde Egan and Chanel Harris-Tavita this week, with Jesse Arthars and Bayley Sironen the week after and then Josh Curran back in Round 13. Add to that the fact that the draw looks reasonably favourable during that time with games against the Dragons and Knights. There is no such thing as an easy game in the NRL, but the Warriors will be looking at those two games as must wins. I think the round 13 match against the Sea Eagles could be a win, too, with the full strength side together and playing a Manly side without some players due to Origin.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors started well, earning back to back repeat sets, but once the Rabbitohs got their hands on the ball, it was clear that the Warriors were in trouble. I praised the second half effort, but boy, that first half was one of the worst I have seen in some time. They looked like strangers out there, and it was embarrassing to watch, if I'm honest. You start a game like this against any team in the NRL, and you are doomed to face defeat. 

Going off that first half performance, the Warrior's defence was atrocious. Again they looked like strangers, and the defensive line showed that they were exposed multiple times with the side bunching up in the middle of the park, which created holes on the edges. I'm not sure if it is part of the defensive game plan or if Reece Walsh is not making the defence calls out the back, but the team need to be vocal and call players out if they see mismatches; communication is vital. 

I have been calling for Justin Morgan to be shown the door. I will continue to do so until we see improvements in the defensive structure or the Warriors sign a defensive coach (just give it to Kevin Campion since he is already working with it the club again).

Lastly, the attack still lacks cohesion; it did improve in the second half, but in the first half, Shaun Johnson was making some poor choices on the last tackle, and he is too experienced to let it slide. When Chanel Harris-Tavita returns to the halves, we will see a more balanced attacking platform. Walsh is getting himself involved more, and if he can loiter around the ball carrier waiting for an offload, then this team could really start scoring some points.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match goes to Reece Walsh. 

The young fullback ran for the most metres for his side with 191 metres; he also asked plenty of questions of the Rabbitoh's defence. He always looks to be giving it 100%, and if things aren't going his way, it does not deter him from having a stab. Sometimes he does overplay his hand, but if others in the spine offered more help, I think Walsh wouldn't have to do so much. If the rest of the playmakers could get to his level, then this side would be very dangerous.  

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Ben Murdoch-Masila. 

If you have been reading my stuff or watching my show for any length of time, you would know that BMM is my favourite current roster Warrior and I love the guy, but his return from injury has been less than stellar, and perhaps the new style of the NRL has surpassed him? He played just under 30 minutes in this match but had limited impact, running four times for only 46 metres, it's not a bad average per run, but the Warriors need him to increase his work rate, especially if he is meant to take over from AFB or Lodge in the middle. I hope that we see his form improve sooner rather than later.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 11 sees the Warriors travel to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to face the Dragons, who went down 20-16 in Golden Point against the Titans. 

Euan Aitken, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Wayde Egan may all be cleared to return. So in regards to the team, I would pick, for the backs, I would move Aitken to the centres for Vailea and either keep Adam Pompey in the other centre or move Daejarn Asi there so CHT can go back to the halves. In the pack, I would bring Tohu Harris back into the starting lineup in the second row along with Eliesa Katoa and move Jazz Tevaga back to lock. Egan or Lussick would be my hooker (depending on if Egan is cleared to play). For the bench, I would have Lussick or Egan, Aaron Pene, Jack Murchie and Bunty Afoa.

It will be a challenging game, but then matches against the Dragons always are; I feel that the Warriors have a shot here; with some key players back on the park, it may be just the ticket to get back into the winners circle so I am backing them to get the result here so will pick the Warriors to win by 10.

So that was a frustrating Round 10, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

How confident are you in the Warrior's top eight aspirations?

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

Will moving Aitken back to the centres fix the defensive issues?
What is your score prediction against the Dragons?

Ingers League Wrap-Up Magic Round Match Report: Rabbitohs 32 Warriors 30

 

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 30

Tries: Marcelo Montoya 39, 78, Adam Pompey 63, Jazz Tevaga 68, Daejarn Asi 74

Goals: Reece Walsh 40, 64, 69, 75, 79

South Sydney Rabbitohs 32

Tries: Taane Milne 6, 13, Alex Johnston 16, Blake Taafe 23, Damien Cook 30, Lachlan Ilias 49,

Goals: Blake Taafe 17, 24, 32, 50

Sin Bin: Damien Cook 73

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

The Warriors and Rabbitohs got day two of Magic Round underway with conditions less than ideal. The New Zealand side got the ball rolling, earning several repeat sets by kicking into the in-goal early but were unable to convert them into points. Souths looked threatening the moment they got the ball in their hands and strolled up the field before scoring the afternoon's first try after a cut-out pass saw Taane Milne go over in the corner. The Warriors had a few chances to get back into the contest but were undone by handling errors, and they were punished for it when Souths cruised up the field again before throwing another big pass for Milne's second try of the day. An injury to Jazz Tevaga saw the early entry of new Warrior Freddy Lussick, who only joined the club at the start of the week. The New Zealand side continued their lacklustre defence as the Rabbitohs had no resistance as they added to their score tally, this time by throwing the ball out to the left for Alex Johnston, who crossed untouched. An error from Jack Murchie put the Warriors on the back foot again, and moments later, Souths were over again when Blake Taafe cut the defensive line up the middle for the fourth try of the afternoon. The Warriors managed to finish a set, but they struggled to make any metres, and Souths were right back in the Warrior's RedZone, but the New Zealand side was able to stop them from scoring, forcing an error which was scooped up by Daejarn Asi who ran for 40 metres before passing to Adam Pompey who was dragged down, Johnson decided to kick early in the tackle count, but Dallin Watane-Zeleaniak was unable to outrun Johnston who did well to get himself out of the in-goal. Souths then surged up the field, making a mockery of the Warrior's defence before Damien Cook crashed over for his side's fifth try of the day. The game settled down for a spell with the sides trading sets in the middle of the pitch; the Warriors made several poor last tackle options and never looked like scoring. Souths looked to have scored again when Lachlan Ilias dived over the line, but the Bunker deemed that he lost control, letting the Warriors off the hook. With the first half winding to a close, the Warriors finally arrived at Suncorp, sending the ball to the left edge for Marcelo Montoya to score their first try in the 39th minute, seeing the Rabbitohs go into the sheds with a massive 26-6 lead. 

HALF-TIME: South Sydney Rabbitohs 26 New Zealand Warriors 6

Second Half

The Warrior's defence looked better as the second half started with Johnson forcing an error out of Cody Walker. The New Zealand side made some string runs before Reece Walsh sniped out of the ruck catching some defenders napping. The Warriors got close to the try-line on a few attempts before kicking to the corner for Watene-Zelaniak, who could not keep hold of the ball over the line. Souths continued to look strong with the ball in hand but let themselves down with some silly errors. The returning Tohu Harris out Bunty Afoa into a massive hole, and the front rower charged up the field; off that run, the Warriors looked to have scored when Eliesa Katoa barged over the line, but he lost the ball over the line, so the scores remained the same. Souths managed to hold onto the ball for an entire set and were back into their tryscoring ways when Walker flung a cutout pass to Johnston, who passed back inside to Ilias, who, after a wrestle with Tevaga in the in-goal, managed to get the ball down for the first try of the second half. The sides traded sets again for a spell before the Warriors managed a repeat set from a Johnson grubber, but they struggled with cohesion, and a wayward pass found grass before being picked up by Campbell Graham, who sent Johnston scorching down the park, evading Warriors defenders with ease. The New Zealand side survived the set and got their fans out of their seats when a Matt Lodge offload found its way to Johnson in open space; he zigged and zagged before being dragged down; the ball was fired to Walsh, who put a kick to the corner which was tapped back to Pompey for the Warriors second try of the day, the conversion also by Walsh was highlight worthy as he hit both posts. On the next drive, Walsh was back in the hunt again, leaping for a bomb unsuccessfully before a Rabbitohs error handed the makeshift home side the ball again. Asi earnt the Warriors a repeat set when Taafe could not control his grubber in the in-goal, and after a strong run from Aaron Pene, the Warriors were over again after Tevaga snuck over from dummy-half. The Warriors kept momentum on their side and looked close to scoring again when Johnson pushed a grubber through but could not ground it; the bunker deemed that Cook had impeded Walsh's path to the ball, and he was sent to the bin; the Warriors wasted little in taking advantage, with Asi running against the flow of play and scoring under the posts. Rabbitohs fans breathed a sigh of relief when Walsh lost possession on the next set, but it didn't last long as Souths coughed the ball up a few tackles later. A penalty against the Rabbitohs handed the Warriors excellent field position, and they were over once again when Montoya crossed over in the corner. With less than a minute on the clock, the New Zealand side needed a miracle, but it wasnt to be as Johnsons two point field goal was charged down before both sides traded knock-ons. The New Zealand side challenged the call, and the bunker advised that the Rabbitohs were accidentally offside, but it wasnt enough to give a penalty, so the Rabbitohs managed to hold for a tight victory. 

FULL-TIME: South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 New Zealand Warriors 30

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Reece Walsh, 2 Pts - Matt Lodge, 1 Pts - Marcelo Montoya

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 Round 9 Review: Warriors hit an embarrassingly new low against undermanned Sharks

After the Round eight Golden Point victory over the Raiders, the Warriors made the journey to PointsBet Stadium to face the Sharks. It looked like the Warriors had an easy path to victory with the Sharks reduced to 12 men for 64 minutes and then 11 men for ten minutes, but that was not the case as the Sharks cruised home with a dominant 29-10 victory.

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

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 9 Match Report

After thinking the Warriors hit rock bottom two weeks ago against the Storm, they proved me wrong with a horrible effort against the Sharks, becoming the first team since 2008 to lose against 12 men.

Granted I predicted the Sharks to win this match, but playing just over an hour without 13 men is meant to be tough, but the Warriors made it look like they had the disadvantage. They were horrible defensively and even worse with the ball in hand, and they will need to do a lot of soul searching this week if they want to climb out of the hole they have dug themselves.

For the first time in a while, I am lost for words on a Warriors performance, this match raised plenty of red flags, and I'm not sure if they have the players or staff to fix it, but as always, I will have my fingers crossed for a bounceback.

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 one of the worst performances of the year, but this may be 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. The question remains if they will wake up; however, the Storm match would have done that as you would think.

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

Match Negatives

The Warrior's attack was woeful; they ran around like headless chickens for large patches of the game and were simply too impatient. They had the numbers in their favour and just needed to play smart, and the points would come. However, they just started throwing the ball around and making terrible last tackle options. They should have been pushing for repeat sets to wear the Sharks down, but they simply refused. The playmakers needed to step up and control the match, but they didn't. I'm not sure if they have a poor attacking game plan or just don't know how to execute it, but perhaps they need to go back to the drawing board? A huge missed opportunity that they may come to regret at the backend of the season.

I have been calling for Justin Morgan to be shown the door, and each week his defensive gameplan strengthens my argument. The Warriors missed 45 tackles, and their poor defensive reads led to a team with 12 (and even when they were down to 11), creating overlaps constantly. When they did make tackles, they were not committing to wrapping the ball carrier up, which saw the Sharks go on an offload frenzy, ending the match with 19 offloads.

I criticised the Warrior's lack of heart against the Storm, but I will highlight the lack of leadership this week. This was a game that should have been easily put away, and when things started to go off the rails, the Warriors needed the leaders to pull them together and get everyone on the same page. That didn't happen, and it looked like everyone was just doing their own thing; it doesn't matter how talented you are as an individual; you cannot compete in the NRL on your own; you need to work together.

Lastly, the use of the interchange, Nathan Brown left Addin Fonua-Blake and Matt Lodge off the park for too long. The Warrior's effort dropped dramatically when they were on the bench, and the writing was on the wall by the time they finally returned. They are leaders in this side, and having them both off together for a large portion of the match hurt the sides' performance. I believe the Warriors need to have at least one of these two men on the park at all times, so they need to change how they use the bench and maybe even have one of them come off the bench instead of starting. Brown has plenty to work on this week, and he must be feeling the pressure with a month of less than stellar efforts.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the match goes to Matt Lodge. 

I struggled to pick a player this week as I was that disappointed with the performance, but Lodge was one of the few that I thought out his hand up. He ran for 144 metres and was the only forward to crack the triple digits, and just looked like he was giving it 100%, which is not something you could say about many of his teammates. He was aggressive defensively, too, constantly getting in Dale Finucane's face. If even half of the gameday 17 showed up with his effort, the Warriors would be a dangerous outfit.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Shaun Johnson. 

He started the match well but then just slipped away; this match was tailormade for him to create havoc, but instead, he was making far too many poor decisions on attack. With AFB sitting on the pine, the Warriors needed SJ to step up and lead them to the promised land, but he passed the buck to the inexperienced players around him, and the Warriors suffered because of it. He knows how to force repeat set after repeat set, but that facet of his game was nonexistent here, and he needs to take a big look in the mirror before the next match. If the Warriors had more options in the halves right now, he might have been at risk of getting a demotion in round 10.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 10 sees the Warriors travel to Suncorp Stadium for their Magic Round clash against the Rabbitohs. Souths will be hurting after losing 32-12 against the Broncos and will be looking at making an example out of the Warriors. 

Hopefully, the Warriors will be welcoming back Tohu Harris in this match, which will be a welcome addition to the forwards. Marcelo Montoya will also be back from suspension. So in regards to the team I would pick, I would bring Montoya in, move Adam Pompey back to the centres and drop Vailea. In the pack, I would swap Katoa for Harris.

It will be a tough match, and while the Rabbitohs haven't been at their best so far this season, they should get the job done here, so I am picking the Rabbitohs to win by 16.

So that was an embarrassing Round 9, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What do the Warriors need to do to fix their woes?

Is it time for the old fashioned honesty session?

Would you look at alternating Lodge and AFB to ensure one of them is always on the park?
What is your score prediction against the Rabbitohs?

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 9 Match Report: Sharks 29 Warriors 10

 

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 10

Tries: Dallin Watene-Zeleniak 17, Viliami Vailea 21

Goals: Reece Walsh 22

Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 29

Tries: Nicho Hynes 7, Teig Wilton 29, Connor Tracey 46, 66, Jesse Ramien 76

Goals: Nicho Hynes 7, 30, 68, 76

Field Goal: Nicho Hynes 73

Red Card: Will Kennedy 16

Sin Bin: Jesse Ramien 53

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

The Warriors started the match with enthusiasm and after earning themselves, a penalty, barged up the field deep into Sharks territory. Some slick passing almost sent Euan Aitken across the try line, but some solid defence stopped him in his tracks. The Warriors had another shot when they put up a kick, but it was defused safely by Sione Katoa. The sides traded error-free sets for a spell until a poor defensive read by the visitors saw Jesse Ramien get a half-break before shifting the ball to Katoa, who then got it to Nicho Hynes, who ran the remaining 40 metres to score the first try of the afternoon. The New Zealand side fought back with a robust set and earnt themselves a repeat set after Shaun Johnson pushed a grubber into the Deadball area, which Katoa had to bat over the sideline. The Warriors had a few attempts at getting across the line, but the Sharks goal line defence held firm and forced an error from Matt Lodge. The home side looked ready to get themselves out of trouble but made an error themselves, handing the ball back to the New Zealand side in great field position. Reece Walsh made a little break before getting clotheslined by Will Kennedy; this saw the fullback getting his marching orders with a red card. With a one man advantage, the Warriors wasted little time and shifted the ball quickly to the right edge for Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak to score. A few moments later, the visitors were over again after Walsh spied a gap and darted away before flicking a pass to Daejarn Asi, who punched a kick through for Viliami Vailea to score. An error on the next set handed the Sharks the let off they needed, and they piled on the pressure, earning several repeat sets before finally getting across the line when Teig Wilton crashed through the tackle of Johnson; Hynes converted to hand the Sharks back the lead. The Warriors looked sure to score again but looked lost on the fifth tackle with the ball switching to several players before Watene-Zeleaniak finally put a wayward kick through, which Katoa quickly scooped up. The Sharks got themselves all the way down the other end of the paddock again and almost scored via Wilton again, but he was deemed to have lost the ball, letting the Warriors off the hook. The sides traded a few more sets before Hynes attempted a cross kick for Katoa; as time was running out, the ball did not stick and bounced over the sideline as the siren sounded, seeing the home side go into the sheds with a two point lead.

HALF-TIME: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12 New Zealand Warriors 10

Second Half

The Warriors looked threatening right out of the gates but lacked polish, Johnson put a kick up on the fifth tackle for Adam Pompey, who managed to catch it and flick it back inside for Vailea, but Hynes managed a huge try-saving effort, forcing an error out of the young centre. The New Zealand side were asking questions again a few sets later, but an unforced error by Johnson handed the ball back to the home side. Cronulla had a solid set earning themselves a repeat set, and they wasted little time, moving the ball out to the left before Siosifa Talakai sent Connor Tracey over in the corner to push the lead out to six. The sides went set for set with neither able to gain the upper hand until Jesse Ramien was sin-binned for a high shot on Aitken. With a two-man advantage, the Warriors made it hard for themselves with some poor attacking plays and handed the ball back to the Sharks with a wayward pass. The Sharks marched up the field with ease but could not convert it into points; the New Zealand side surged up the field with the aid of a penalty but once again looked lost with the ball in hand and made a poor last tackle option. Cronulla dominated this game despite the circumstances and had several sets camped on the Warrior's line. The visitors were scrambling, but eventually, the Sharks were over again when Tracey dotted down for his second try after a massive cutout pass caught the Warriors napping. With a 12 point lead, the Sharks looked unstoppable and continued to charge up the field, and it looked like Tracey was over again, but the pass was deemed forward. After several horrible attacking sets, the Warriors managed a more balanced set and completed it only to give away a penalty, allowing the Sharks to stride up the field before Hynes pushed his side's lead out to 13 with a field goal. Cronulla were not finished yet, moving up the field with ease, Hynes put a kick up, which was tapped back, and the Warriors looked to have wrapped the ball carrier up but gave up on the tackle, which saw the ball offloaded to Ramien, who crossed for the Sharks fifth try of the night. The Sharks were penalised deep in their own half, handing the Warriors ideal field position; however, they continued to look clueless on attack, shifting the ball from left to right and back again before Daejarn Asi dropped the ball, seeing the final whistle blow has the Sharks end a dominate display winning 29-10.

FULL-TIME: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 29 New Zealand Warriors 10

Warrior of the match Points

No players that I can pick right now.

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 Round 8 Review: Sloppy Warriors overcome fading Raiders in Golden Point showdown

After the Round sevens record-breaking loss to the Storm, the Warriors returned to Redcliffe to host the Raiders. Both sides came into this match desperate to turn their fortunes around, and the outcome was a mistake-riddled less than stellar performance from both clubs. The Warriors scored the only points in the second half to force the game into Golden Point before Shaun Johnson secured a 21-20 victory in the 82nd minute.

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

Ingers League Wrap-Up Round 8 Match Report

Well, that was ugly to watch, but it was good to see the Warriors nail another Golden Point match, Shaun Johnson has not been playing outstanding, and I think he is still hampered with an injury of some kind, but when the Warriors needed him to secure the win he did it.

Most of the game was underwhelming for me; it was arguably the worst game of the season, with both sides more determined to throw the match away with coach killing errors. I was confident that the Warriors would get the job done as long as they kept within range of the Raiders at halftime since they struggle in the final 40, which is what we saw here.

I know I got some pushback for being too kind to the Warriors last week, and I may get more of the same criticism here because I did not mind this result; the schoolboy errors are inexcusable, so I will not be defending them, but this Warriors side with a young backline, a new half debuting with little to no training with the squad and a forward pack without Josh Curran, got the win, which is what's important. 

If this match was against any other team, they might have been on the path to a heavy defeat again. Still, you can only play the team that's in front of you, so take the points and get back to working on all the issues in the performance as the next two weeks are going to be tough, and a repeat effort like this one will only lead to heartbreak.

Before I move on, I just want to touch on the milking claims that are everywhere in the media. Did I think Matt Lodge had contact to the head? Yes. Do I think he milked the contact to get a much-needed penalty? 100% yes, but with the new rules, it is a penalty. 

Anyone that watches my show The Stand-Off on Wednesdays knows I disagree with this and think it should be play on, but full credit to Lodge's experience in getting the Warriors a chance to level the scores. Also, I thought Tom Starling milked too when Shaun Johnson's try was disallowed, so let's say it's even.

There wasn't much, but I liked some things in this match, which leads me to my positives from the match. 

Match Positives

They are back in the winner's circle, it wasn't pretty, but it got them the much needed two points. Plus, it's another week closer to the side getting Tohu Harris, Josh Curran, DWZ, Marcelo Montoya and Chanel Harris-Tavita back, which should make the Warriors a much better outfit.

What a debut for Daejarn Asi. He kept busy and ended the match with two try assists, one from a kick and the other from a nice pass. It's only one game, so I don't want to get over-excited, but I like what he offers from what I have seen so far. He didn't look like a player that was in his 11th match, and I would be looking at keeping him in the 17 long-term; when Chanel Harris-Tavita is fit, I would move Asi into the centres (where he has some experience); he is a big body that should be able to defend and has the playmaking skills to get the wingers over in the corner. He is only contracted until the end of the season, but I would like to see the Warriors keep him for a bit longer.

Lastly, after discussing the Warrior's lack of heart, I want to praise the fact that they didn't give up this week. Time was running out; they were behind on the scoreboard and were dropping the ball every few sets. There were several instances where the Warriors could have dropped their heads, put the cue in the rack and called it a day. However, they didn't; they kept pushing forward and got the outcome. I would have liked to see it in a better performance, but seeing them show fight when everything looked like it was going wrong is promising. 

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors were shocking once again with errors, making 17 this round. Poor play the balls, losing the ball in the tackle, silly offloads. You name it, the Warriors did it, and man, it was hard to watch.

They just can't continue making errors in the double digits; they were lucky that the Raiders made 18 errors themselves; otherwise, this would have been another loss. Show respect for the ball, and the rewards will come, continue to throw it away, and we are in for a long season.

The defence was a concern; the Warriors ended the match with 24 missed tackles. That's an improvement from the last round, and I will give them some leeway; however, due to the changes in the backline and the injury to Jesse Arthars, but it's simply not good enough when facing a struggling team like the Raiders. 

I criticised defensive coach Justin Morgan last week, and I will do so again. I want to 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 discipline needs work; they gave away 7 penalties and 2 ruck infringements. Like the errors, you cannot afford to give your opposition a leg up. Too often, they just let the Raiders off the hook, I didn't think the official was that great for either side, but the Warriors need to play to the whistle and adjust their technique to how the referee is calling the match. It is an easy fix, at least, and I want to see that penalty count drop sharply next round.

Warrior of the Match

Man, this was hard to pick; I switched between Daejarn Asi and Euan Aitken several times but have sided with Aitken. He gave it his all here, throwing the final pass for the Warrior's first try, making 46 tackles with zero misses and running with intent, consistently bending the defensive line. With Curran out for the next month, the Warriors need another edge forward to step up, and I think Aitken is showing that he is the man to do it.

Warrior to Improve

It was just as hard to pick a player here as many players did not put their best foot forward, but I have gone with Viliami Vailea. He scored a nice try, but he had a patchy night, making 2 errors and only running for 55 metres. His defensive reads were off the mark also. The kid is a hell of a talent, and I expect big things from him; he just needs time to grow and develop his game.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 9 sees the Warriors travel to PointsBet Stadium in Sydney to face the Sharks, who went down 16-7 against the Broncos in Round 9.

The Sharks have been one of the more impressive teams this season, and I struggle to see the Warriors getting the job done here, but after watching the Broncos beat them, I come into this match a bit more optimistic. It will be a tough ask, and the Warriors will need a much-improved effort here; I expect to see Johnson go up another level in his first match against his former club.

I wouldn't change too much regarding the team I would pick, to be honest. 

I would bring DWZ back on a wing for Vailea; depending on how Jesse Arthars is after being injured, I would either have him or Vailea on the other wing. The only other change would be bringing Aaron Pene back from suspension onto the bench in place of Ben Murdoch-Masila.

The Warriors will need to shut down Siosifa Talakai; otherwise, he will be a massive problem. I expect a better effort this week but ultimately see the Warriors going down in a close one, so I am picking the Sharks to win by 12.

So that was a heart-stopping Round 8, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who was your Warrior of the match?

Would you like to see the Warriors offer Asi a long term deal?

How optimistic are you about a top-eight finish?
What is your score prediction against the Sharks?