NZ Warriors 2023 Season Review: Webster Era kicks off with promise. Is this the start of Something Special?

With the NRL Season officially over and the Kiwi's matches just around the corner, I decided it was the perfect time to comb through the Warriors year and conduct my season review.

My optimism wasn't great coming into the season, and my expectations were well and truly exceeded. In a magical season that caught the country's attention, the Warriors finished the regular season in fourth spot before ending their Season in a preliminary final, which was a finish not many would have predicted.

I didn't write a season review last year due to it being such a disappointing season, so for those who haven't read one of my season reviews before I break it down into what happened this Season, my positives and negatives of 2023, I then highlight my top three warriors and my three that need to improve, before wrapping it all up while casting a brief glimpse in what's next for me and the Warriors.
So, let's stop the rambling and just get into the review.

What Went Down in 2023

The Warriors ended 2023 in fourth place, bowing out of the competition in the preliminary finals.

In my season preview, I had predicted a tenth-place finish, so another incorrect prediction by me but one that I was happy to get wrong.

It was a great start to this new era for the club, and with some finals experience and another preseason under their belt, the Warriors will put themselves in a prime position as a premiership threat.

After the past few years affected by Covid restrictions, the Warriors finally returned to a regular preseason, with no split camps or cancelled trials.

They stayed in New Zealand for both trials, winning the first at Mount Smart Stadium in a members-only event, defeating the Wests Tigers 48-12 before going down to the Storm at Apollo Projects Stadium (formally OrangeTheory Stadium) 24-6.

The Warriors started their Season with a 20-12 win in Wellington over the Knights before losing by the same scoreline a week later against the Roosters. The Warriors then won three in a row against the Cowboys, Bulldogs and Sharks in rounds 3 to 5.

That winning streak ended in round 6 with a loss to the Knights, but they bounced back in round 7 with a win over the Cowboys.

Then the much talked about 3 games in nine days happened, with the Warriors longest losing streak of 2023 coming at the hands of the Storm, Roosters and Panthers.

A win over the Bulldogs and a loss to the Broncos on either side of their first bye saw the Warriors in a decent spot on the ladder, which only improved after wins over the Dolphins, Raiders and Dragons and another bye, seeing the Warriors sit in 5th spot only 2 points behind the 1st place Panthers.

The team's confidence took a hit in their Round 18 heavy defeat to the Rabbitohs, but instead of derailing the campaign, the Warriors took it in their stride and went on a 7-game winning streak over the Eels, Sharks, Raiders, Titans, Tigers, Sea Eagles and Dragons.

With a top-four spot locked in, the Warriors elected to rest several key players and ended their winning streak in the final round in a 34-10 loss to the Dolphins.

This saw the Warriors return to the finals for the first time since 2018, and in the first week, they faced their 2018 finals opponents, the Penrith Panthers. They went down in a relatively one-sided affair 32-6, which set up a home final against the Knights; in front of a fantastic crowd, the Warriors put on a show winning 40-10, booking their tickets to the preliminary finals against the Broncos.

This was where the Warriors season ended, going down 42-12 against the impressive Brisbane outfit.

This saw the Warriors end their campaign with a 17-win, 10-loss record, and while it didn't end the way they would have wanted, it was definitely a massive improvement from their 2022 6-win, 18-loss record.

There were still plenty of what-if moments throughout the season, but if this is the platform on which the club is to build its future, then I am very optimistic about what the future brings.

My Positives for 2023

It was a surprising year in so many positive ways, and there was so much that brought a smile to my face, but I have reduced it to my top four positives for 2023.

Andrew Webster

I was hesitant when the club announced Webster as the Head Coach, and while I had a little optimism, I was concerned about a rookie coach coming into the mess that was the 2022 Warriors. That all changed after hearing him speak on This Warriors Life, Roo and Hammer and other media outlets. He showed that he was a great speaker and was open and honest about what he believed this team could do. It was refreshing to hear after a series of coaches that struggled to string words together.

He was able to come in and take a team that was mostly filled with talent selected by the past regime and get them to perform; when you listen to the players, the biggest thing they praise Webster with is his ability to instil confidence and belief into the squad. 

Players who were regressing under Nathan Brown found a new lease on life, and that fills me with hope about the development of the younger talent and what he could do with the returning Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Chanel Harris-Tavita.

Webster is still a young coach with plenty to learn, but he seems modest enough to know he has room for growth, which is a promising sign.

He has stated that he wishes to be in charge of the Warriors for a long time, and the possibilities of what he can achieve in the next 2-3 years are exciting.

The Revival of SJ

Shaun Johnson was one of the biggest talking points coming into 2023; many people called for Johnson to hang up his boots and the Warriors to move on. I was on the other side; I wanted to see if he could bounce back with a decent halves partner in Te Maire Martin. However, I did not expect to see Johnson turn back the clock and deliver perhaps his best Season ever.

Being back home with his family has played a massive part in SJ's improvement; a happy SJ is a dangerous SJ, and behind a forward pack that won the middle more often than not, it allowed him the time and space to get that Warriors backs into action, a key indicator of that was how dangerous the Warriors right edge attack was. 

He signed on to play again in 2024, and it was a well-deserved extension. 

It was also good to see how mature he has become, as he was playing in a way that could have gotten him big bucks at another club, but he instead took a pay cut as he wants to end his career where it started, and he has the belief that this club is on the right track to do something special.

Will 2024 be his final year? It's hard to say; if he performs like he did this year and feels like he still has more to give, then I wouldn't be surprised if he goes around again, but time will tell, and I will not write him off.

Improved defence and 80 Minute Efforts

One of my biggest gripes in 2022 was the Warrior's defence; it was their worst year in defensive stats ever and was the aspect of their performance that needed the most work, and man, did they deliver, conceding only 448 points during the Season, the 4th least in the NRL this year. There were still moments when they let themselves down with some poor reads, but it was no longer the default; the team defended like a unit, communicated better and had more confidence in the players on either side of them. 

Defence wins championships. I know it is a well-worn cliche, but it doesn't make it any less accurate. This defensive structure is a great starting point, and after a season of getting to know each other and the addition of RTS, I expect to see it go up another level in 2024, which makes the hopes of a first premiership more of a reality.

The Warriors Media and Gameday Teams

While the team delivered on the pitch, the Warriors team off it were also top-class. 

With its new podcast and weekly videos, the Media team gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the club and allowed us to learn more about the men wearing the jerseys on the field. 

I may be biased, but I feel like the Warriors' Social Media was head and shoulders above the rest of the NRL, and this just helps get more eyes on the side and, in turn, more people in seats on game day and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us over the offseason and then 2024.

Then there was the gameday team, making each home game feel special; the new entrance with the song Ru Ana Te Whenua from Alien Weaponry and fog that gave me goosebumps every single time. Getting the crowd to sing the team song after a win, it just made every home match a massive event. They have set themselves a high bar, and it will be interesting to see what else they have up their sleeves; I still have my fingers crossed that 2024 sees the return of the member's tent.

My Negatives for 2023

There were still a few issues in 2023, which leads to my three most significant negatives from the Season.

Errors

My biggest gripe this Season was the Warriors' errors; it felt like it was a negative in almost every review I wrote.

They made 282 errors this Season, the fifth worst in the competition. Many were simply from the Warriors trying to play too fast, pushing for quick play the balls, or forcing passes that weren't on, just general coach killers. The positive, however, is that it can be addressed and fixed easily enough; the team has had a year together, learning how each other clicks, and if they can just take a breath and stick to the game plan, then that error rate will reduce.

A Big Bopper Short

The Warriors still need another Front Rower.

It was a concern for me coming into this season, and it remains an issue for me now as we look towards 2024. Addin Fonua-Blake is a beast, but the Warriors' prop stocks fall off a cliff after him, and if he were to spend some time on the sidelines, then they could really struggle. Now, while there are guys like Zyon Maiu'u and Tom Ale that I have a lot of faith in, they still need time to develop before being regular first graders. There aren't a lot of top-tier front rowers on the market right now, which is an issue, but perhaps the Warriors can work their magic and get one that another team is willing to let go early; there are rumours that Newcastle are willing to let Daniel Saifiti, who would be my target.

If no player becomes available, then I think Tohu Harris needs to move up front, but with his injury concerns, that may not be wise; however, they have to do something.

Winless against Top 4 Teams

Just a small one, but the Warriors did not secure a win against any of the other top four sides, Losing 30-22 against the Storm, 18-6 and 32-6 against the Panthers and 26-22 and 42-12 against the Broncos.

A positive out of those is that the regular season matches were close against all three sides, especially when the games against the Storm and Panthers were in that tricky 3 matches in 11 days. The finals matches were more one-sided, with the Warriors struggling a bit with the faster pace of finals football and not being able to compete up front.

However, at least it wasnt like that past few seasons where the Warriors conceded cricket scores against the Storm and Panthers, so it is definitely a step in the right direction, and I think they are very close to ending their ANZAC day losing streak.

My Top Three Warriors for the Season

In my reviews this Season, I have selected my Warrior of the match, but behind the scenes, I was giving my old version of the Dally M 3,2,1 points to keep track of the players that shone in my personal view. 18 Players earned points throughout the season, but I will only cover the top three here.

Shaun Johnson - 36 points

I already talked a lot about SJ, but he won my Player of the Round by a landslide and rightly so.
His kicking game was on point, leading the NRL in Kicks (418), Attacking Kicks (206), and Kick Metres (13,091m). Had the most try assists (29) and Linebreak Involvements (20), but the thing that impressed me the most this season was Johnson's defence, ending the year with a 90.8% tackle efficiency. He has been prone to falling off tackles in the past, but this year, he didn't take a backward step and was a reliable defender despite being targeted every week.
It was a stellar season for the veteran half, and with 2024 most likely set to be his last ever, I hope he finds another level and gets that Dally M that he cruelly missed out on this Season.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - 23 Points

Charnze was the best story out of the Warriors camp this Season for me, going from reserve grade at the Raiders to a linchpin in the Warriors backline. 

In his first year back with the Warriors, he played in 23 matches, scoring 7 tries and ending the year with 8 try assists. He also averaged 188 running metres a game and had an 85.9% tackle efficiency. 

He is an entirely different beast to Reece Walsh, who is full of X-Factor and highlight reel plays, but what CNK lacks in X-Factor, he makes up for in effort; he just always got stuck in, getting involved in the hard carries coming out of the Warriors end, sometimes running the ball more than once in a set and developed a great combination with Shaun Johnson which made that right edge attack almost unstoppable. That battler mentality is precisely what the Warriors need, and I wouldn't swap him for anyone.

Tohu Harris - 22 Points

Tohu Harris has been my Player of the Year for the past four seasons, and while his streak is now over, it was another excellent season for the skipper. Despite being held together by strapping tape all Season, he played in 23 matches, scoring 3 tries, making 910 tackles with a tackle efficiency of 93.6% and averaging 139 running metres a game.

With so many players performing well above expectations, I overlooked Harris a lot this season, not because he wasnt playing well but because I am used to him consistently delivering. However, the Warrior's inspirational leader went above and beyond again and was crucial in the Warriors' attack. His short ball play created many scoring opportunities in the middle of the field. 

He played crazy minutes this Season, and I think the Warriors need to work on reducing his minutes in a way to keep him healthy without affecting his impact on the match result; as I mentioned earlier, I think he needs to move into the front row if the Warriors cannot recruit another big prop. 

2024 will likely be his last, so I hope the Warriors can put in a mighty effort to send him off in the right way, as it is what he deserves.

My Three Warriors Who Need to Improve

On the other hand, I only picked one player to improve each week, like the Warriors of the Year section; I have selected the three players that appeared the most in my Warriors to improve segment each week. On a side note, however, the third-place selection was None Selected (picked 4 times this season), where I had no Warrior to improve. 

Adam Pompey - 5 Selections 

Adam Pompey, I have mentioned many times this Season as being an enigma; on a good day, he is a dangerous attacking weapon, as shown by his 5 tries and 11 try assists this Season. However, when he is having a bad day, it stands out, demonstrated by his error rate; he made 31 errors this Season, which was the most by a Warrior and the 12th highest in the NRL.

I haven't been his biggest fan, so his selections may be biased, but he was winning me over this season as, besides being picked in Finals Week 1, I hadn't selected him as my Warrior to improve since Round 20. He is rocks and diamonds, for sure, but as the Season progressed, his positives outweighed his negatives.

He appears to be highly regarded by the coaching staff, leading to him getting a new deal. 

However, in 2024, I personally would be going with a RTS and Rocco Berry centre pairing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Pompey out there again, and as long as he can bring those errors down and narrow the gap between his good and bad games, then he could make that centre spot his own.

Bunty Afoa - 4 Selections

Bunty's season was confusing for me; I wasn't sure what his role in the squad was at first, which resulted in him receiving all his selections in the first 15 rounds. 

He played 21 games this season, scoring 1 try and ended his Season with a 97.7% tackle efficiency.

The reason I selected him 4 times, however, was his running metres; he averaged only 59 running metres and 5 hit-ups a game. I always want to see those front rowers hit the triple digits; that is my pass mark, but Afoa only hit that 3 times this year.

There has been no confirmation from Andrew Webster, but it looked like Afoa's role was to be a defensive-focused forward, tightening up the middle of the park and taking the sting out of the opposition middles. 

That is fine in theory, but with the Warriors needing another metre-eating middle, it felt like Afoa was not really making a mark, and I'm not sure if we will see much of him in 2024. He is a solid defender, but he needs to offer more with so many players fighting for that game-day 17.

Marata Niukore - 2 Selections

Lastly was Marata Niukore, who was only selected two times, and I thought he had a decent first year with the club. He scored 3 tries, had 2 try assists and 6 linebreaks. He also averaged 94 running metres and had a tackle efficiency of 92.9%.

The reason I picked him in those two matches was his errors and discipline. The officials are also watching him and are always ready to penalise him, and any charges he gets are almost certain to result in bans, so in 2024, he just needs to be extra squeaky clean. Other than those aspects of his game, he was great, so fix them, and I expect a big year in 2024.

2023 In Summary

So another season is in the books, and while the Warriors didn't go all the way, they made it to the preliminary final, which makes the Season a pass in my books, especially with how I thought my 10th-place prediction would be a great start for Webster's head coaching career.

The team played with a simple game plan, and with the squad starting the season super fit, it gave them the best chance of competing, which is exactly what we saw. 

They finally showed the ability to play for 80 minutes, which played a pivotal role in them nailing some vital wins this Season. 

The young players got some valuable experience and showed growth, and with the Warriors returning to the NSW Cup, it gave the club a place to keep these youngsters playing and learning, which should bear fruit for the first-grade squad in the future.

Add to that several key figures in the squad hitting career-best form at the right time, and it was simply a magical year to be a Warriors fan, and it has filled me with optimism about what the future will bring.

The team has stated several times that they have a lot to work on, which is great to hear as they will go into 2024 with expectations, and they need to go up a level if they don't want to follow in the Cowboy's footsteps and plummet down the ladder.

Signings for 2024 so far are big ones, the returns of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Chanel Harris-Tavita; RTS has confirmed that he is returning to play as a centre, which I think is an excellent idea due to the centres being the weak link in the Warrior's backline. It will be great to see him back, and I'm excited about what his inclusion in the starting lineup will do to this team.

CHT returning is great, too; however, we have yet to hear how Webster wants to use him. 

He has played in several positions in his career, and when he was last with the club, I floated the idea of him moving into a ball-playing lock role; now, while that may not happen, I could see him taking over the role Bayley Sironen had in the squad. Or they may keep him as a half option as they start to think ahead to SJ's pending retirement. 

We will just have to wait and see, but both are exciting additions to an already impressive squad; I just still have my fingers crossed for another prop signing.

This season was fantastic; the Warriors exceeded my expectations and, after a painful few years, made me enjoy writing about them again. We also finally had them home, and I got to go to every regular season match played in New Zealand, making the journeys to Wellington, Napier and Hamilton, plus getting to sit in sellout home matches at Mt Smart again; just made this Season so much sweeter.

2023 was also a pretty good year for me; we started Season Four of The Stand-Off on New Zealand Sport Radio with our 100th episode; I also got to join Roo & Hammer, Warrior NRL Fanatics, Hold the Ball and Wahs Up on their channels to talk about the Warriors. 

I love talking about the Warriors, and I just need to get myself on This Warriors Life, and then I've completed my bingo card.

It's great to see so many people creating content about the Warriors; as a team that sometimes gets forgotten in the media, it's incredible seeing the fans fill in the gaps, and I'm excited about what everyone will do in 2024.

I don't know what 2024 will bring for me. I will still be writing my reviews and hosting The Stand-Off, but I am considering getting into videos where I can chat more in-depth about the Warriors and invite people to chat footy. Will think about it more in the offseason, but let me know if videos on Warriors news, rumours and interviews are something you guys would like to see from me.

While the writing will have a little break, my show, The Stand-Off, will still have a few more episodes before Season Four ends, so come check it out at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; it streams on my Facebook page and is also on the New Zealand Sport Radio YouTube Channel as well.

New Zealand Sport Radio

Thank you again for reading my reviews this year; it means so much to me, and I look forward to chatting with you all again soon.

That was my take on a surprisingly good 2023 season, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your thoughts on the 2023 season?

Who was your player of the year?

Which player do you think needs to improve the most?

What realistic changes would you make for next Season?

How do you see the 2024 season going?

NZ Warriors 2023 Preliminary Final Review: Warriors Memorable Campaign Over After Broncos Blowout

After their big win over the Knights at Go Media Stadium, the Warriors went to Suncorp Stadium to face a Broncos side looking to reach their first Grand Final since 2015.

In front of a sellout crowd, the Warriors looked ready for a tough battle with a good start, but the Broncos proved too strong by putting together two quick-fire scoring raids to walk away with a convincing 42-12 victory, ending the Warrior's season.

What Went Down

The opening quarter saw a shootout of the most thrilling kind as the two sides traded blows in an end-to-end contest.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak opened things with a trademark diving effort before he became the single-season record holder for the Warriors with his 24th of the year after picking off a looping pass from Walsh and running 60 metres.

In between that, Billy Walters burrowed over before the Broncos put on a clinic down their left edge to score through Herbie Farnworth and Jesse Arthars and add another through Walters, which came after Walsh burst through the line and linked with his dummy half-back through the middle of the field. 

Down 24-8 with 12 to play in the half, the Warriors had to be next to score and crossed via Marcelo Montoya after Adam Pompey was denied a set earlier but drew a penalty for a tackle off the ball. 

But with Pompey pushing a third conversion wide, what could have been a one-score deficit remained 12 points at the break. 

As it turned out, the Broncos were far too good in the second half anyway, as things started to fall apart for the visitors, who had both Wayde Egan and Dylan Walker leave the field for HIAs, which they passed, and Pompey binned for a professional foul.

Brisbane took full advantage to put the result beyond doubt with further tries to Jordan Riki (albeit off a forward pass that was seen by all but the officials) and Ezra Mam, giving them a 24-point lead with 16 to play, which allowed coach Kevin Walters to take Adam Reynolds and Walsh out of the game early. 

Even without their star No.7 on the field, the Broncos kept the scoreboard ticking over. Farnworth grabbed his second of the night with 10 to play to confirm the final scoreline and set up a clash against the Panthers next Sunday at Accor Stadium. 

My Thoughts

This one hurt; I know I predicted a Broncos win in my review last week, but I still had a lot of confidence that the Warriors could bring the fight and score the upset. However, in the match's early stages, it was clear that Brisbane was at another level, and the Warriors were on the ropes. The Warriors kept fighting to their credit but couldn't keep the Broncos contained. I know there were some head-scratching calls from the officials (more on that later), and as much as that frustrated me, it was not the reason for the result; Brisbane was the better team and deserved the win here and will set up a great Grand Final. 

It wasn't the best performance to end the season with, and while I am disappointed with the result, I couldn't be more proud of this team. I would not have believed you if you had told me at the start of the year that the Warriors would be in the preliminary final. 

2023 was a fantastic season and an ideal foundation for future success for this club; there is plenty of work for this team to do to go to the next level, but I'm confident they have the right coach and group of players to do it.

Don't let this loss sour your thoughts on the season; it's been a hell of a ride, and I can't wait for the 2024 season.

There was one thing from this match to smile about, which brings me to my positive.

Match Positive

As already discussed, it felt like the Warriors were on the ropes early on, but despite that, they showed plenty of heart as the game progressed; when the offloads were flowing, the Warriors were scrambling, trying to put out fires all over the pitch. 

Apart from a brief patch of time where they dropped their heads after that forward pass, they were still trying to get points on the board. 

It's a positive sign for the future, as while the issues on both sides of the ball can be fixed, you can't just find more heart and resiliency; every team that has to face the Warriors in 2024 now know that they will have an 80-minute fight on their hands.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors were torn apart by the Bronco's second phase footy; Brisbane made 23 offloads in this match and appeared to be able to do it at will; this saw their attack operate at breakneck speeds that the Warriors couldn't contain. It was a dominant display of attack that proved too much and was hard to stop once they got a roll on.

It is a high-risk, high-reward style of play that could have worked for the Warriors if Brisbane had a case of the dropsies, but it wasn't to be in this match. 

A big reason the Broncos were able to unleash this free-flowing style of attack was down to their forwards dominating the battle of the packs. 5 of their forwards cracked the triple-digit target I like, whereas the Warriors only managed three. The Broncos pack is impressive, but I expected the battle in the middle to not be so one-sided. I still believe that the Warriors are one big bopper short (something I have said since before round 1), and this match and the first week of finals against the Panthers showed how much they miss that extra big body, but to get to the next level in 2024, the pack needs to lift.

Lastly, the officials, before ripping into them, I want to clarify that as bad as some of the calls they made/missed were, It did not change the result, but it did change the margin. The better team won, I can admit.

But onto the officials, I don't know how that forward pass was missed; it was mind-boggling, and a few other calls had me scratching my head. It's not just a Warriors problem; the officials have been dreadful in this year's finals, missing knock-ons and head highs, calling knock-ons when the ball hit the official, you name it, we got it.

I know they are human, but the finals are the real deal, and they need to be at their best; their touch judges need to lend a hand, as too often in this finals campaign, we have heard more about the officiating than the teams' performances. Brisbane looked fantastic here, but all we heard about yesterday after the match was that pass. 

Hopefully, the NRL look into the officiating in the offseason and find a way to make howlers few and far between, but I'm not confident.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Another busy night for the Warrior's Fullback, running for 207m, made several key defensive stops when the Broncos broke into open space and was safe under the high ball all night.

I've said it plenty this season, but CNK just puts his heart and soul into everything he does on the pitch, and this effort was no different. One of the first names I would write into the team sheet, and I look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a vital member of the Warriors spine in 2024.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Te Maire Martin.

I was close to selecting Adam Pompey here with his sin-binning and poor goal-kicking, but I have gone with Te Maire Martin here for the simple fact that he was invisible for a large portion of the match. He played a part in Montoya's try, but other than that, there wasn't much to write home about; he had 4 runs for 22m and made 13 tackles with 4 misses and no kicks. He wasn't the only player who didn't have the best night out, but with Luke Metcalf set to be back from injury in time for the start of next season, it makes the argument for which of the two should partner Johnson in the halves in 2024 more interesting.

Seasons done; What's Next for me?

So that's a wrap on the 2023 season, and man, what a ride it has been, a season that has truly exceeded my expectations, and while it did not end the way I wanted, it has filled me with plenty of hope for the future. Watching this team, I love winning over people from all over the country and the tribalism of the fanbase becoming a conversation around the globe. 

Unlike last year there is not that much of a roster change, with Bayley Sironen, Viliami Vailea and Valingi Kepu being the only three confirmed to leave the club (not including Ben Murdoch-Masila, Taniela Otukolo and Otukinekine Kepu who left during the start of the season) and the only new additions right now are big ones with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Chanel Harris-Tavita both returning to the club.

However, in a little while, I will touch on the roster updates when I write my season review, I usually wait to release it just before the Grand Final, but it may be a little later due to the Warrior's late exit this year, in that review I can unpack the entire year, highlight certain players and moments and look at what's to come in 2024.

I traditionally disappear in the offseason, but I am thinking of covering the Kiwis Pacific Championship campaign and doing match reviews after each match if that is something you may be interested in. I would also like to do some articles throughout the months before everything starts again, so if you have anything you would like to see my opinions on, let me know, and I will see what I can put together.

Last but not least, my show, The Stand-Off, will continue to stream live on Facebook and YouTube every Wednesday at 8pm NZ time; we haven't decided on a season finale time yet as we may stick around for the internationals, so come join us there as we discuss the footy.

So, that was a disappointing preliminary final, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes does Andrew Webster need to make with this team to take it to the next step in 2024?

How would you grade the 2023 season overall?

Who has been your biggest surprise from the squad?

Would you like me to cover the Kiwis Pacific Championship matches?

NZ Warriors 2023 Finals Week 2 Review: Finals Charge continues as Warriors Dominate Knights

After losing to the Panthers in Finals Week 1, the Warriors returned to Go Media Stadium for the final time in 2023 to host a Knights team on a ten-game winning streak in their first home finals match since 2008.

An amazing sell-out crowd that created a goosebumps-inducing environment got to witness the dominant display that they had been begging to see for the past six weeks as the Warriors made a statement with a 40-10 victory, setting up a clash against the Broncos in the Preliminary Finals.

What Went Down

A mistake by Knights winger Greg Marzhew in the game's opening set opened the door for Shaun Johnson to lay on a try for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who left Bradman Best in his wake to make it 4-0.

Johnson then earned his team a repeat set with a pinpoint grubber, and the Knights cracked for a second time when Addin Fonua-Blake powered over from close range, and the lead was 10 for the home side.

Left winger Marcelo Montoya was next to hit the scoresheet when he finished off some slick passing from Te Maire Martin and Adam Pompey to dot down for his 10th try of the season. Pompey's conversion made it 16-0.

The Knights then steadied and worked their way upfield, where mistakes by Johnson and Montoya gave the visitors a chance to click into gear, and Marzhew crossed in the 26th minute for a much-needed try in what was the last scoring play of the first half with the Warriors holding a commanding 16-4 lead as the sides entered the sheds.

The Knights needed only three minutes to strike first in the second term when Adam Clune put Dylan Lucas over, and the margin was back to six points.

It took the Warriors just four minutes to answer the challenge when Wayde Egan schemed out of dummy half and found a surging Dylan Walker for the home side's fourth try. Pompey added the extras from close range to make it 22-10.

The Warriors extended their lead on the hour mark when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak produced a miracle pass to find Rocco Berry, and the centre carried three defenders over the line to grab a try that brought the house down in Auckland.

With 15 minutes to play, the Warriors officially stamped their ticket to a preliminary final when Egan, Johnson and Nicoll-Klokstad combined perfectly to send Watene-Zelezniak over for his 22nd try of the season.

A late try to Bayley Sironen out of dummy half put the finishing touches on the emphatic 40-10 win.

My Thoughts

That was the perfect way to end the Warrior's campaign on this side of the Tasman. The crowd was electric, and the team rode that atmosphere all the way to an emphatic victory. I predicted a close win for the Warriors and was well off the mark, and I couldn't be happier about it.

The Knights have been on a hell of a roll the past few months, and were a team I was worried about the Warriors facing, but I think their energy-sapping win last week may have taken its toll.

This game was almost an exact copy of the Warriors Panthers match last week, with the Knights playing the part of the Warriors in this game. They were missing their regular halfback, made too many errors and couldn't get their way into the match due to the enormous pressure the Warriors put them under. It was just the bounceback the Warriors needed and should be a welcome confidence booster before what will be a tough match against the Broncos.

The Warriors started quick, punishing the Knight's mistakes with a much improved attacking structure. Newcastle did look like they would make this a contest after scoring tries on either side of the halftime break, but the Warriors defended well, shutting down Kalyn Ponga before putting their foot down and blowing them off the park. It is right up there for me as one of the better performances from the Warriors this season, and if they can stay at this level, then they have a decent shot at scoring an upset in Brisbane.

I've been saying this team is special all season, and they have exceeded my expectations. And there are still more chapters to write (at least one, but I'm hoping for two). Do we dare to dream?

There were plenty of things from this match to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

After criticising the Warriors for getting rolled up the middle last week, they more than delivered this here. Four of the forwards crossed my triple-digit target, led by Tohu Harris (228m), followed by Jackson Ford (188m), Mitchell Barnett (151m) and Addin Fonua-Blake (117m).  With SJ out there with a dodgy calf, it was up to the big boys to make his life easier, and it worked a treat. It helped that the Knights were without Daniel Saifiti, but the result would have been the same even if he was out there. The pack will need another big night against a formidable Broncos pack this week.

Speaking of SJ, he had a tremendous night out, setting up the night's first try and playing a big part in several more. Like many others, I spent the week checking the social media outlets to see if he would play, and I sighed in relief when I saw him jog out for the warm-up. And to be honest, he didn't look that hampered by his injury, with his kicking game adding a much-needed boost to the Warrior's play. He will be integral to the Warriors Grand Final hopes, so it was good to see him make it through the match with no issues. And the reaction he got when he left the field early and walked around the stadium gave me goosebumps. It's been a great year for him, and fingers crossed, a Dally M medal is heading his way.

It was great to see the Warriors successfully build pressure; those SJ kicks to the corners forced the Knights to start most sets deep in their own half, and almost every hit-up was driven back. It was an incredible sight to see, and more of that will be needed big time this week.

And lastly, that crowd, I have been privileged to go to pretty much every Mt Smart game for the last 18 years as a member and many more before then, and whenever I'm asked about which game had the best atmosphere, I always say the same one, the 2008 blackout vs the Roosters. 

Well, that is gone now as this match and the crowd were the best I have ever seen; being there live was electric and watching the game again when I got home got me emotional hearing the roar of the crowd, the singing and chanting were all things we haven't experienced that much in our little old stadium in Penrose but man I hope it sticks around.

Also, it was great catching up again or meeting people for the first time with so many people that I watch or listen to that deliver content about this team we all love.

Will from This Warriors Life, The Warriorholic, Levon from Wahs Up podcast, Dan from Warriors Anoynomous and the lads from Warriors Fan TV. I love chatting Footy and this club, and with so many of my friends and family not interested, it's great to have you guys to chat with, so I appreciate the meetup and have my fingers crossed for more in the future.

However, I did have a concern, which brings me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

I still thought the Warriors made too many errors for finals football, ending the match with 10. There is an asterisk on that figure, though, as some of those errors were from attempted intercepts and things like that. So it isn't all doom and gloom; however, as the errors have come down, it just needs to come down a smidge more, as the Broncos will punish them if they get a case of the dropsies. Brisbane has a similar error issue, so the Warriors could turn the tide and punish them back.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

This was one of CNK's best performances; he led the match with a massive 299 run metres, including 103 post-contact metres. Scored the first try, set up another and was a constant threat with the ball in hand, breaking 8 tackles. He was safe under the high ball and defensively sound; this is just another chapter in his story since returning to this club. He may not be a player full of flash and flair, but he is dependable, plays with heart, and always gives his all, and I wouldn't trade him for anyone.

Warrior to Improve

I didn't pick a Warrior to improve this week. They all did a great job out there, and I couldn't pinpoint anyone who let the side down, so instead, I want to highlight Tohu Harris.

The Skipper Put in another stellar display, leading the pack with 228 run metres, including a nice run into open space. He was near the top of defenders, making 39 tackles, and had a hand in several key moments in this match. He has been battling injuries since the start of the season but never lets anyone down. He is a true leader who commands respect from friends and foes alike, and he will go down in Warriors history as one of their greats and deservedly so.

Finals Week 3 Thoughts and Prediction

Finals Week 3 sees the Warriors make the trip to Suncorp Stadium to face the Brisbane Broncos, who got to sit out Week 2 of the finals due to their 26-0 win over the Storm in Week 1.

Regarding the team I would pick, I would stick with the same 17 the Warriors used against the Knights, there were a few niggles suffered by Wayde Egan, Josh Curran and Marata Niukore, but they should all be good to go this week. Johnson always appears to have got through the match unscathed, so I expect him to be ready to go, too.

A big battle here, facing a red-hot Broncos outfit at home, is a massive task. It is also the first time they will meet their former young superstar, Reece Walsh, who has been fantastic this season. He will be one of many threats the Warriors will need to shut down as this Brisbane outfit has talent left, right and centre, but if any team knows how to keep Walsh quiet, it will be the one he used to play for, so I'm sure they have some tricks at their sleeve for him. 

However, just like last week, the same approach needs to come into play here: reduce those errors, get those forwards rolling up the middle and open up the Broncos defensive line with some short balls before getting the ball out to the edges.

The crowd in Suncorp will be crazy, and I know there will be plenty of Warriors fans there, and they will make sure their voices are heard.

I think the Warriors can go across the ditch and score the upset; however, I am going to go with my head and not my heart and say the Broncos get the job done at home in a close match by 8. I really hope I am wrong, though, as I want to see the Warriors in the Grand Final.

So that was an amazing Finals Week 2, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What did you think of the Stadiums Atmosphere?

Would you make any changes to the gameday 17?

Did you have a player to improve?

What is your score prediction against the Broncos?

NZ Warriors 2023 Finals Week 1 Review: Warriors Taught Harsh Finals Lesson by Powerful Panthers

After Round 27's loss to the Dolphins, the Warriors made their way to BlueBet Stadium to face the Panthers in the first week of finals, the same opposition that eliminated them in their last finals appearance in 2018.

With the massive news that Shaun Johnson would not play this match, the Warrior's slight chance of walking away with a win was reduced to slim. Despite some courageous defence at times, the Warriors were served a welcome reminder of the level required in finals football, going down 32-6, setting up a sudden death finals match in week 2.

What Went Down

Penrith struck the first blow in the fifth minute when Cleary went to the line and found prop Moses Leota, who sent a perfectly timed long pass out to Brian To'o for his 18th try of the season. Cleary converted for a 6-0 lead.

Three minutes later, a mistake by Isaah Yeo handed the Warriors a chance, and Dylan Walker crossed wide out, but the try was ruled out due to obstruction in the lead-up by Adam Pompey.

A slashing run by Dylan Edwards had the Warriors' defence stretched again, but Cleary came up with a dropped ball, and the opportunity went begging.

Midway through the half, the Warriors turned the ball over deep in their own territory, and the Panthers made them pay when Liam Martin ran into a hole off a Cleary pass, and the premiers led 12-0.

Some slick hands from Jack Cogger and Stephen Crichton on the left edge sent Sunia Turuva on his way, and the Panthers had raced to an 18-0 lead.

The Warriors then showed plenty of resilience to hold out a number of sets on their own try-line, but a late penalty against Pompey for crowding in the ruck gave Cleary a shot at a penalty goal, and the half-time score was 20-0.

A dropped ball by Yeo gave the Warriors an early chance in the second half, but it came to nothing after a poor pass out of dummy half by Wayde Egan.

Two crusher tackle penalties against Tohu Harris and Walker in quick succession consigned the Warriors to more defence, but they hung on and took the ball to the other end, where Egan finished off great lead-up work by Rocco Berry and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score in the 57th minute.

Any hopes of a Warriors comeback were quickly snuffed out when the Panthers' left side clicked into gear, and Turuva finished the movement to make it 26-6 with Cleary's conversion.

From 25 metres out, Cleary bamboozled the Warrior's defence and grabbed a try of his own as the Panthers marched to their seventh consecutive win in finals matches.

My Thoughts

Well, After predicting a narrow Panthers win in last week's review, my thoughts changed, and by Wednesday, I had switched and was confident the Warriors would be ready for the ambush upset win over the defending champs. Then the rumours started swirling before being officially confirmed: Shaun Johnson was out, and with no Ronald Volkman named on the extended bench, the Warriors would be looking at a Te Maire Martin and Dylan Walker halves pairing. This saw my confidence plummet, and after the first 15 minutes of this match, the only thoughts I had left were how much the Warriors would lose by. 

The Panthers are an impressive team and did not let off the pressure in that first half, and the game was essentially over at half-time; they did back off a little in the second half, but even then, they were still too much for the Warriors. They are just an amazing team; they controlled the middle, never stopped asking questions on attack and were a wall of black when defending. It was always going to be a big ask for the Warriors, and unfortunately, they didn't fire a shot.

They were error-riddled and struggled to find a chink in Penrith's armour, a disappointing way to start their finals campaign, but I'm sure that they took a lot out of that loss and they prepare for their sudden death match at Mount Smart this week in what should be a fantastic atmosphere to be in.

It's not doom and gloom from me here. To beat the Panthers, you need to be almost perfect, and the Warriors simply weren't, but their story isn't finished yet.

There were a couple of things from this match to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

The Warriors showed plenty of heart. Yes, They conceded 5 tries in this match, but the Panthers spent plenty of time camped close to the Warriors' line, and they kept putting their bodies on the line despite the game being over well before full-time; the Warriors didn't drop their heads and kept fighting. It didn't lead to a win, but this attitude could be a key factor for the Warriors to keep their finals dreams alive.

The Warriors have a 2nd bite of the apple; the perks of finishing in the top four means they have that extra life to reset, refocus and get back on track. The team got a taste of finals football against the best team in the NRL, got served a dose of reality after a relatively easy final month of the season and get to play in front of a packed-out Mt Smart Stadium in what is a very winnable game. Second chances are rare, so they must take it with both hands.

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

Match Negatives

Errors again, the Warriors ended the match with 14. I've been saying for a while now that if the Warriors continued making 10 or more errors a game, they would be in trouble in the finals, and that is what we saw with the Panthers scoring 4 of their 5 tries straight after the Warrior's errors. Only six teams are left in the finals, and any of the other 5 teams will punish the Warriors if they continue to make these silly errors. I went through the error stats for every Warriors game this season and found that they average 10.5 errors a match, with the last time they made single-digit errors being in Round 20 against the Sharks (making only 6). If they don't get back to single digits now, their campaign will be over sooner rather than later.

The Warriors struggled to match the Panthers in the middle; only two of the Warriors forwards hit my ideal triple-digit figure: the usual suspects Addin Fonua-Blake (133m) and Tohu Harris (113m). The pack just couldn't bend the Panther's defensive line, which made life harder for the makeshift halves pairing as they spent a lot of their time kicking from deep within their own half. This highlighted the glaring issue with the Warrior's small bench, as there wasnt anyone there to help eat those metres. That isn't something that can be fixed overnight, but the Forwards need to step up if they want to succeed.

Lastly, the Warriors attack missed SJ; I know Webster said in his post-match interview that having Johnson out there would not have helped, as he would not have stopped the errors and whatnot. However, I disagree slightly; while he wouldn't have helped in some areas, his leadership and direction in attack, not to forget his kicking game, could have taken some pressure off the Warriors and asked more questions of the Panther's defence. I know there is still an injury cloud around SJ, and we are not 100% sure if he will play, but I think there is no way he will sit out of the sudden death final, so I expect him to play, and boy do the Warriors need him to.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Tohu Harris.

I was stuck between Harris and Egan for this segment, but I went with the skipper; returning from his injury rest last week, he played the entire match, led the game with 56 tackles and ran for those 113 metres. With SJ out, he was leaned on more for his ball playing and got a few nice short balls away. It was a courageous effort from Harris, and if a few more forwards follow in his footsteps and play with the heart he does, then the Warriors have a great chance of controlling the middle every week. 

Warrior to Improve

My Warriors to Improve is Adam Pompey.

This is another tough segment to pick this week, with several players unfortunately in contention here, but I have gone with Pompey. Looked off on defence all night, resorting to jersey pulling at times and grasping air at others, missing 4 tackles, which played a part in several of the Panther's easy tries. Not to mention a silly decoy run that took away a Warriors try. He is a divisive player with the Warriors fanbase and switched off too much for my liking. However, he still has great moments in him and was the only Warriors outside back to not make a handling error, the true definition of a rocks and diamonds player and with almost no chance of being dropped; I hope we see some diamonds this week.

Finals Week 2 Thoughts and Prediction

Finals Week 2 sees the Warriors return to Auckland to host the Newcastle Knights, who fought back from behind to win 30-28 over the Raiders in overtime of their finals week 1 match, securing their tenth win in a row.

Regarding the team I would pick, I would stick with the same side; it's too late in the season to chop and change, so I would just bring Johnson back into the halves and move Walker back to the bench with Lussick dropping out. I've kept Ford in the starting lineup but want to see the Coaching staff bring Curran on sooner this week, as he makes too much of an impact to ride the pine for as long as he did against the Panthers.

A big match here, facing a Knights team on a ten-game winning streak; these sides have one win each in their battles this year, with each side being victorious at home, and it should be a fantastic match.

The Warriors need to reduce those errors, get the ball rolling up the field and open up the Knights' defence with some short balls before spreading wide. 

If the last home finals match (in 2008 vs. the Roosters in the infamous blackout match) is anything to go by, this crowd will be electric. 

I am very grateful that I got tickets and can't wait for this match. If the Warriors can ride the momentum given to them from the home crowd, then I find it hard to see them not progressing to a daunting match against the Broncos in the preliminary final, so I am picking the Warriors to get the job done here in a close encounter, winning by 4.

So that was disappointing but not surprising Finals Week 1, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who was your player to Improve?

What changes would you make to the 17?

Have you got Tickets to this week's match?

What is your score prediction against the Knights?

NZ Warriors 2023 Round 27 Review: Winning streak over as understrength Warriors go down to Dominant Dolphins

After Round 26's win over the Dragons, the Warriors flew back to Aussie Soil to Suncorp Stadium to face the Dolphins in the new club's final match of 2023.

With several vital figures rested for this match, the Warriors struggled with cohesion and lacked the attacking spark to overcome a Dolphins side determined to end their first campaign positively, handing the Warriors their biggest defeat of the season, 34-10.

What Went Down

The Dolphins struck first in the eighth minute when Jack Bostock soared into the left corner, and Jamayne Isaako converted from touch for a 6-0 lead.

Come the 24th minute, the Dolphins had a second through Sean O'Sullivan after mounting concerted pressure for several sets.

A brilliant inside ball by prop Jarrod Wallace found Isaiya Katoa in support, and the Dolphins had cashed in on the weight of possession to lead 18-0 after 28 minutes.

Warriors halfback Ronald Volkman came close to opening his side's account soon after when he grubbered for himself, but he could not control the ball as he tried to get it down.

The NRL's leading try-scorer, Jamayne Isaako, finished a slick attacking raid with his 24th four-pointer of the season as the Dolphins ran the undermanned Warriors ragged, ending the first half leading 22-0.

The Warriors opened the second half with more steel in their defence, and a shot by Tom Ale on O'Sullivan served notice that Andrew Webster's men weren't going down without a fight.

When Freddy Lussick crashed over from dummy half in the 58th minute, the Warriors had closed within 16 points and given themselves some hope.

Tireless worker Josh Curran then busted the Dolphins defence from deep in his own territory and found Adam Pompey, who sent the ball on to Marcelo Montoya to make it two tries in two minutes for the Warriors.

A penalty against Warriors debutant Paul Roache for a dangerous tackle eased the pressure on the Dolphins, and they steadied with a try to Max Plath off great lead-up work by Kodi Nikorima.

Trailing 28-10, the Warriors threatened to hit back almost immediately, but some desperate defence by Valynce Te Whare kept the Dolphins' line intact.

Veteran forward Kenny Bromwich grabbed himself a late try to make the final score 34-10.

The Warriors were simply outclassed on the day and will head into the finals series on the back of their biggest loss of the season.

My Thoughts

Well, despite several players being rested, I still came into this match confident that the Warriors would have enough to get the job done against the Dolphins, but I was far too optimistic, with the game essentially being all she wrote at halftime. The Dolphins are not a bad team, and they were just too good for a Warriors team, minus its key figures.

The Warriors played like a mismatched team that wasn't on the same page in that first half; there were holes in the defensive structure, a lack of punch in the middle, and Ronald Volkman really struggled to take control of the Warrior's attack. The Dolphins had the lion's share of the ball in the first half and made the most of it with four tries, while the Warriors kept making errors with the slim ball they had.

There was an improvement in the second half with the Warrior's defence improving and the attack starting to work, which saw them score two tries in quick succession, but ultimately it was too little too late. It was a disappointing way for the Warriors to end the regular season for sure, but this happens sometimes when you rest your players (if you can recall, the Panthers lost 38-8 to the Cowboys in the final round of last season), so we just have to take it on the chin and move on to the Warriors first finals campaign since 2018.

No excuses here, though. The Warriors had a decent enough team to remain competitive but lacked intensity and made too many errors, but the focus was always on the finals, so we will just have to wait and see if throwing this match was worth it.

There were aspects of the match to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

There wasnt much to take from this performance with so many players out, but it was a good showing for a few of the names that will play a part in the finals. Josh Curran, Mitchell Barnett, Adam Pompey, and Bayley Sironen all had solid nights, and despite the loss, they will benefit from having the run. Addin Fonua-Blake and Tohu Harris need help up front, and the performances from Curran, Barnett and Sironen showed they can do that job. Pompey showed some promise with the ball in hand, but the best thing for him was getting a week to work with Te Maire Martin as the Warriors need the left side attack to fire in the finals.

The key figures got a week to rest and not travel to sort out any niggles they have and focus on the finals. I said last week that I'm not a fan of resting players and I would prefer momentum going into the finals, but let's face it, the Warriors' final month was not what we expected, they were grinding and winning, but it wasnt anything to write home about so perhaps this week off was just what the Warriors needed. It cost them a ladder spot, but facing the Panthers in week 1 is a better match for the Warriors than the Broncos, so it may prove to be a wise move from Webster, but time will tell.

The Warriors are finals-bound, a statement I did not expect to say this season; this year has exceeded all my expectations, and while there is still more of this story to tell, It looks like the Warriors have started to build a good foundation and this should lead to more success in the future. I still don't know how deep the Warriors will go in finals; part of me can see them going very deep, while another part has concerns that they could exit in straight sets. This week's match against Penrith will paint a better picture for their hopes, but until then, let's just enjoy the return to finals.

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

Match Negatives

Once again, errors were a huge concern for me; the Warriors made 14 in this match. We could link some of that with the new combinations, but double-digit errors have been a blight on each Warriors game for the past month. 

This is my biggest concern for the Warriors finals campaign, if they continue to make ten or more errors in the finals, they will be looking at an early exit. Each error is a free set for the opposition, so if they eliminate the silly mistakes, they will make themselves a harder team to beat.

The attack was clunky; again, much of that can be a by-product of the shuffled team. Te Maire Martin was rusty after not playing first grade for 6 months, and Ronald Volkman showed that he is not ready to take control of a first-grade side attack just yet. In Volkman's defence, the Warrior's forwards needed to be rolling forward to give him time and space, but in a nutshell, the team just looked slightly off. However, as the game developed, they started to improve. TMM started to click on the left edge, which will be pivotal in the finals, and he will be better after the run. 

The Warriors struggled with the Dolphins' second phase footy. The Dolphins unleashed 21 offloads in this match, breaking the Warriors' defence line to shreds; it is a concern and a reason why I am happy the Warriors are not facing the Broncos this week. I think with the return of those key figures, this will be addressed and fixed, but from here on out, every aspect of the Warrior's defence needs to be tightened, wrap up the ball carrier and shut down any chance of second phase footy and it makes it easier to restrict the opposition's attack. 

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Josh Curran.

Another start and another strong game from the cult hero forward; he led the game with 36 tackles and was also busy with the ball in hand, running for 173m and making a crucial line break that led to Marcelo Montoya's try. May not be the most talented player on the pitch, but he always gives it 100% and plays with heart, which I would take any day of the week; he is a true battler in every sense of the word.

It's been a strange year for Curran, spending the majority of the season riding the pine; however, if the last two rounds are anything to go by, he has built up some form and momentum, and it will make for a difficult decision for Webster to make come team naming Tuesday this week.

Warrior to Improve

My Warriors to Improve is Rocco Berry.

I was stuck between Berry and Ronald Volkman, but I went with Berry because he was one of the few regulars featured in this match.

I can't say if his knee injury from last week was a factor in this match, but he missed 5 tackles, made an error, gave away a silly penalty and struggled on the kick chase, which has been his biggest attribute this season, he had low numbers with the ball in hand, running for only 30m off 6 touches, which has been a familiar pattern this season for the young centre. An off night and another interesting proposition for Webster's team selection this week. If his knee was the reason for the decline, would you want to select him this week or move Montoya into the centres instead and bring Kosi back on the wing? 

Finals Week 1 Thoughts and Prediction

Finals Week 1 sees the Warriors remain across the ditch, moving to BlueBet Stadium to face the reigning Premier Penrith Panthers, who soundly defeated the Cowboys 44-12 in Round 27 to earn the Minor Premiership.

Regarding the team I would pick, I thought it would be easier to just name my 17, so I've put it below. In the backs, I am only stuck on the centre spot that Rocco Berry usually fills; if his knee is showing any signs of issues, I would move Montoya there and bring Ed Kosi back. If his knee is fine, I would keep him in his spot. Forwards are how they have been used for most of the season, and I have included Tohu Harris as I believe he will be playing, but I have left out Jazz Tevaga as I'm not sure if he will be fit to return yet, although I have kept Curran in the starting lineup due to his recent form but could easily see him and Ford swap around.

It's a hell of a match-up for the Warrior's first finals match in five years, facing the current champions, and many will have already written the Warriors off, but I think they have a decent shot at scoring the upset here.

The Panthers have been beaten six times this season, and the one thing that was common in those defeats was the Panthers struggling with the second phase football, similar to the Warriors (no surprise since Webby came from Penrith), they are a great defensive team with solid structure, but you can catch their scrambling defence out. So the Warriors will want to add a bit of that into their attacking plan, but in order for that to work, their errors need to come down. On top of that, their defence must be top-notch, as the Panthers can score from anywhere and through anyone. It will take a huge effort, and if the Warriors are still in the hunt at halftime, then it is anyone's game. I'm sure Webby has a few tricks up his sleeve for his old mentor, and it should be a great match.

While I will be putting my money on the Warriors and genuinely think they could walk away with the victory, I think the Panthers at home will be too tough, so I have to pick the Panthers to get the win here in a tight contest by 8 but really hope I'm wrong.

So that was disappointing but not surprising Round 27, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

What would you do with Rocco Berry?

Do you think Webster has a few tricks up his sleeve that we have yet to see?

What is your score prediction against the Panthers?

NZ Warriors 2023 Round 26 Review: Top Four Locked in after Warriors cut it close against Desperate Dragons

After Round 25's win over the Sea Eagles, the Warriors remained home to face a Dragons side with nothing but pride left to play for.

In front of another large crowd for their last home game of the regular season, the Warriors were pushed to the limit by the Dragons but ultimately were too strong for them, getting their seventh win in a row 18-6.

What Went Down

The Warriors had plenty to play for in their final regular season home game: not only was it Shaun Johnson’s 250th NRL game, but a win over the Dragons (who were competitive against Melbourne last week) would get them closer to a top-four spot.

The Dragons nearly scored off the kick-off when Zac Lomax cleaned up a bouncing ball and touched down. But The Bunker ruled that Lomax had knocked on while trying to gather the footy.

Adam Pompey scored the first official try in the 13th minute and then converted for a 6-0 lead.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad made it 10-0 after 20 minutes with an excellent stepping run from close range.

Addin Fonua-Blake nearly put the game away just before half-time but knocked on over the line. However, the Warriors still had a 10-0 lead at the break.

Jacob Liddle looked to have got the Dragons on the board in the 53rd minute but also knocked on over the line.

Lomax finally scored the Dragons’ first try in the 61st minute after a huge Ben Hunt bomb, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak unable to clean it up. Lomax converted to get the Dragons within four points.

Fonua-Blake made up for his earlier bombed try by touching down a Johnson grubber kick in the 75th minute. Tyrell Sloan tried to pick it up in the in-goal (instead of grounding it for a goal-line dropout), with Fonua-Blake taking advantage of the error in the match's final scoring play.

The win puts the third-placed Warriors (38) four points clear of the fourth-placed Melbourne and six clear of Cronulla-Sutherland (fifth) and Canberra (sixth), though that gap is likely to close during the weekend.

My Thoughts

Well, the Warriors extend their win streak to seven with another scratchy performance, this time against the team I despise the most, the Dragons.

When it looked like the Dragons scored seconds after kick-off, I couldn't help but laugh. I may hate them, but it was such an amazing display of how desperate they were to get the result; thankfully, as a Warriors fan, the try was denied, but credit to them for applying pressure.

In what has become a theme since the Warrior's last bye, they didn't deliver their best performance, but I felt like they remained in control for most of the match; they just didn't convert their opportunities as much as I would have liked to see. The Dragons have been fighting tooth and nail as their season nears its end, as we saw in their valiant effort against the Storm, but the Warriors contained almost all of their attacking chances, which was what I wanted to see out of this match, I didn't care how many points they scored, I just wanted to see them keep the Dragons to single digit points which is what I got.

I am slightly concerned by the Warrior's recent form, but with a top 4 spot locked in, I hope Andrew Webster has got his finals plans set; in a recent interview, he said he knows where the team needs to be for finals, and Addin Fonua-Blake has said there is plenty left in the tank for the team to make some waves in their first finals campaign since 2018.

So, I will continue the mantra I have said all year: In Webster, we trust, and I look forward to seeing what this team will do in the playoffs. However, Before finals, they still have one match left, and I want to see them deliver a more complete performance.

There were aspects of the match to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

The forwards put in some work. The Dragons boast a large pack, but the Warriors took it to them with every starting forward, with the exception of Bunty Afoa hitting that triple-digit mark I aim for every week. Led as always by Addin Fonua-Blake (223m) and Tohu Harris (200m). Marata Niukore (123m) and Josh Curran (112m) followed suit; additionally, Dylan Walker ran for 129m off the bench, which was just a massive performance by all involved. 

I'm always biased as a former forward, but they are so integral to getting your side the edge when the Warriors get rolling up the middle; it allows the backs to do what they are paid to do. It was the perfect platform to run up the scoreboard, but silly errors prevented that; however, if the pack can keep this level of effort moving forward, they will find themselves in the driver's seat and make winning much easier.

After a slight slip-up last week, the Warrior's defence was back on track. They only allowed in one try, and it was off an unfortunate kick, which has been an issue for the Warriors all year. 

They shut down many of the Dragon's attempts, reducing them to only one linebreak in the match and keeping the dangerous players like Zac Lomax and Tyrell Sloan contained. They also performed better around the ruck area. Still need to take it to another level, as stopping the Dragon's attack is not on the same level as the teams they will face in finals, but it is a step in the right direction.

Lastly, the Warriors have locked in a top 4 finish for the first time since 2007.

It has been such a sudden change after the dismal 2022 that we had to endure, going from the 15th spot on the ladder with a 6-18 record (5-7 at home and a shocking 1-11 away) and 408 points scored and 700 points conceded. 

Now sitting third with a 16-7 record (8-4 at home and 8-3 away), with 562 points scored and only 414 points conceded. 

It's been a fantastic season, and it's just great to see the team and fans alike rewarded. Nothing was handed to them; they were written off before the season began and have worked hard to get where they are. I have skipped writing a season review for the past two seasons, but I am looking forward to digging deep into this season when it is all over, and hopefully, it is just the beginning of a fruitful era in the club's history.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors could have put on a cricket score in this match if they didn't let themselves with errors and a lack of discipline. They ended with 11 errors and 10 penalties conceded; against a bottom-two team, you can overcome these setbacks and walk away with the win, but if they continue this trend of double-digit errors when they hit the finals, then they may find themselves with a one-way ticket to an early exit. They just can't allow a decent side to have that many extra sets. Just eliminate the coach killers and show the ball more respect; a single-digit error count will be on the horizon.

The Dragons were able to keep the Warrior's lethal right edge quiet; they were rushing up in defence and restricted many chances the Warriors would have usually had. The extra pressure forced some of those errors that the Warriors made. Teams will look at this as a key to shutting the Warriors down. The Warriors will need to put some kicks over the rushing defence or cut back to the inside to force the defence to take a step back. It's easier said than done, but I'm confident that Shaun Johnson and the rest of the spine can do it.

The last negative isn't an aspect of the performance but the injury to Luke Metcalf; I know I have been pushing for the return of Te Maire Martin, but I didn't want to see it happen due to an injury. Metcalf still has a lot to learn as a first grader, but I have been so impressed with his first year in a Warriors jersey and watching him in tears on the sideline broke me. He has had bad luck with his hamstrings, and thankfully, it wasnt the same one he injured at the beginning of the year. It's a heartbreaking way for his year to end, but I look forward to watching him bounce back in 2024. 

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Another stellar outing for CNK here, scoring a nice try showing some fancy footwork, and was heavily involved with the ball in hand, running for 217m and making 9 tackle breaks, 1 linebreak and 1 line break assist. Defensively, he only had to make 5 tackles but came up clutch with a fantastic one-on-one strip. It's been an excellent year for the returning Warrior; we all know the story: unwanted at the Raiders and being moved to reserve grade to now being one of the first names written on the Warriors gameday teamsheet. He has made every post a winner, and I expect that to continue as the Warriors move into the finals.

Warrior to Improve

No Warrior to improve this week

This was hard this week. I had Metcalf earmarked at half-time for this section, but I excluded him from selection due to his injury, so I settled on just a general improvement by all.

We are almost at the finals now, and after a month of grinding wins, which I believe will help them in the finals, we need to see the team hit another level this week, which is obviously the most cliche thing that I have said; however, it doesn't make it less accurate. 

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

Round 27, the final round for the regular season, sees the Warriors head back across the ditch to Suncorp Stadium to face the Dolphins, who went down 34-10 to the Cowboys in Round 26.

Regarding the team I would pick, It is a bit interesting as with a top four spot locked in, there are talks that Andrew Webster may look to rest some key players to have them fresh for finals, and also, Captain Tohu Harris will miss at least this weeks match with a back injury, if he is out I would have Mitch Barnett take his spot if he is fit, if he isn't then Curran moves there.

While I get that train of thought, I would be playing the same side as I feel the Warriors have not responded well after the byes, so I don't want to see that happen again in the first week of finals. With the Metcalf injury, we should see the return of Te Maire Martin in what would my only change, who looked like he hadn't missed a step in his return to NSW Cup this week. 

The Dolphins started their inaugural with a hiss and a roar, but as the season has dragged on, they have struggled with their depth and the chemistry amongst the squad. Which is kind of what I expected in their first year. However, in their final game of the year in front of their loyal fans, I expect them to come out fighting and will be determined to end their campaign on a high note.

Almost the same as I said last week, the Warriors need to be ready for a battle, keep their error rate low, dominate the middle and get the ball out to the deadly right edge. If that happens, then it is on to the eighth win in a row.

I believe the Warriors will get the job done, but it will be another tight one, so I am going with a Warriors win by 10.

So that was stressful Round 26, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Would you be resting players this week?

Who would you replace Tohu Harris with?

What teams would you prefer the Warriors to face in Finals Week 1, Broncos or Panthers?

What is your score prediction against the Dolphins?