NZ Warriors Round 13 Review: Warriors lament missed opportunities in Napier Defeat

After their Round 12 Bye, the Warriors travelled to Napier to play host to the Broncos.

The Warriors had plenty of opportunities to start well but shot themselves in the foot, and despite a strong finish and almost stealing the win, they were their own worst enemy as they went down 26-22.

What Went Down

An emotional Māori Welcome to Country kickstarted proceedings in Napier as the Warriors celebrated their Indigenous round. Both sides had opportunities to score, but the dewy surface made execution difficult. Multiple try-saving efforts from the Broncos kept the scores level in the first 20 minutes. Eventually, it was a length of the field try for the Broncos that broke the deadlock. Deine Mariner cleaned up a loose ball and ran 80 metres to score.

Following the Mariner try, there were several close calls for the Warriors as they searched for their first points. The Bronco's defence held firm, but with three minutes remaining in the half, they were finally broken. A backline shift to the right put Dallin Watene-Zelezniak over in the corner for the equaliser. However, an error of the following kick-off gifted the Broncos a late opportunity.

A short ball from Billy Walters put Jordan Riki over for a try of a questionable pass in the shadows of halftime, handing the Broncos a 12-6 lead at the break.

Early in the second half, the Warriors lost Freddy Lussick and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to HIA. Taking advantage of the reshuffle, the Broncos extended their lead when Adam Reynolds made a break and set up Ezra Mam for a try. A penalty right in front added insult to injury as Adam Reynolds converted for a 14-point lead.

In need of points, the Warriors’ energy lifted. Shaun Johnson combined with Marata Niukore, and Johnson batted the return pass out to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for his second try. However, the surge of energy didn’t last. The Broncos forced an error out of the Warriors, and in the next set, Deine Mariner grabbed his second try off a Triston Sailor kick. Despite being down 14, the Warriors refused to give up.

They scored two quick tries to Nicoll-Klokstad and Marcelo Montoya, respectively, cutting the lead back to four points. They almost scored the equaliser through Montoya again in the final minutes, but the bunker denied a grandstand finish. Adam Pompey was penalised for a jersey pull on Deine Mariner, which sealed the game for the Broncos.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a frustrating performance, I can admit that I was nervous about this match, and those nerves didn't go away as I drove down to Napier. Unfortunately, those nerves proved correct, ending my undefeated run of successful road trips. I felt while watching live, and then when I watched the replay, that the Warriors had the edge overall but did not convert their chances, while the Broncos made almost every shot a winner. And on that note, I believe the right team won; if you can't ice those opportunities, you should take the loss and hopefully learn a valuable lesson in the process. It just seemed like the simple game plan that has led the Warriors to so many victories this season was pushed to the side, and the team decided to try and put on a show, spreading the ball wide early without earning the right to do so. This led to more errors and plenty of botched tries; add to that some lapses in their defence reads and some ill-timed poor discipline, and it left the Warriors with an uphill battle that, to their credit, they almost overcame with two tries in the final ten minutes, and then that try in the final seconds that was denied after Adam Pompeys jersey pull.  

I can't speak for the players, but perhaps they took this match too lightly or were overawed by the occasion; however, It was a clunky match for the Warriors and has to be in the discussion for the worst performance this season and with the ladder as tight as it is, losses like this can seriously affect your playoff aspirations, so I am hopeful that Andrew Webster can redirect the players focus and make sure that this type of performance doesn't happen again.

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

There was a significant effort from the starting forwards, with all of them hitting the triple digits, led by Addin Fonua-Blake (264m) and Tohu Harris (212m). Jackson Ford (128m), Marata Niukore (128m) and Bunty Afoa (101m) all played their part, and hopefully, we will see more of this in the future as AFB and Harris cannot do it all on their own. This level of effort made it appear like the Warriors were on a roll, but their respect for the ball ruined it, so if that error rate improves while keeping the middle effort like this, the points will start to flow.

We saw a massive effort from the back three, mainly Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (240m) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (241m). Montoya (163m) had a quieter game, but these three are so crucial in getting the Warrior's return sets starting on the right foot, and how they run that ball back without regard for their own safety makes me wince. If they are playing well, it allows the Forwards more impact for longer periods of the match, which in turn makes getting the win easier, so fingers crossed they all stay fit for the remainder of the season. DWZ and Montoya both had a few missed tries, but they made up for them in the long run.

Lastly, just the Napier experience, there were some things about this game that put Napier in a bad light (more on that later). Still, I loved the road trip, getting to walk around town, seeing other fans enjoying the day and then getting to catch up with other supporters like The Warriorholic, Daniel Wharakura from Warriors Anonymous and Lancelot Muaiava, who is a massive Warriors fan living in Germany who was back in NZ for a few weeks. Doing this for as long as I have, I love getting to meet other people who spend their limited spare time discussing the Warriors and chatting about the team is what I love to do more than anything, so despite coming away with the loss, it was good getting to meet up with some people I have listened to for a while.

However, some things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

The respect for the ball was severely lacking, with the Warriors ending the match with 13 errors. Every time it looked like the Warriors were getting into the groove, they went backwards with a poor carry or blown try. Every drop is another set given to the opposition, and 13 free sets given to any team in the NRL is a big no-no and sets you up for defeat. This is something that they can fix quickly, just take a breath and don't panic, and the errors will come down.

The attack was out of sync for a large portion of the match; the Warriors were rushing and trying to force things to happen instead of allowing them to develop like we have seen so often this season. Some kicking options left much to be desired, and everything seemed slightly off. However, a positive is that this issue can be turned around quickly, so I expect an improvement to show this week.

Yet another halves combination doesn't help matters, but I think Metcalf and Johnson is a combination that will work it just needs some time; however, I still think SJ and Te Maire Martin is the combo the Warriors need to stick to once TMM is healthy again. 

Lastly, the Pitch Invaders, I can admit that I had a laugh for the first few, but when it kept happening, I got over it quick. It allowed both teams a chance to catch a breather, which helped the Warriors stop some of the Bronco's momentum, but watching back, it messed both teams up, with both sides scoring quite easily after these breaks. Maybe it is me just being a grumpy old man screaming at the sky, but I go to the footy to watch the actual game. I enjoy seeing games being taken to the small sections of New Zealand. But, if this happens when you venture out of Auckland, we will see the Warriors and all other NRL clubs think twice about taking games on the road, hurting the fans who want to enjoy watching live NRL in their hometown. I may be in the minority but I want to see it disappear.

Warrior of the Match

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

Was a toss-up between CNK and AFB this week, but I have gone with the gutsy fullback. 

Ran for 240 metres, broke 10 tackles and played a big part in the Warrior's attack, playing his part on Dallin Watene-Zelaniak's first try and scoring one of his own. All this is on top of being taken off the pitch for an HIA. CNK is full of heart and always rolls up his sleeves to do the hard work for the Warriors, with the ability to create attacking opportunities at any time. He is a vital member of this squad, and as long as he stays on the field, I am more confident in the Warriors walking away with the win, just not this time, unfortunately.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Freddy Lussick.

A few players could have gotten the nod here, but the others I was looking at had some positive facets to their performance, which helped them avoid selection.

Lussick had an off night that ended early with a failed HIA, meaning he will miss the upcoming game against the Dolphins. However, his passing out of the ruck was inconsistent when he was on the field, letting the Bronco's defence off the hook with some forward passes. He had a few runs, including being held up over the line and defended reasonably well, but if he can't deliver quality service out of the ruck, it affects the whole attacking structure, so when he returns from his stand-down, that aspect of his game needs to be better.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

Round 14 sees the Warriors return to Mount Smart to host the Dolphins, who defeated the Dragons 26-12 in Round 13.

Regarding the team I would pick, Wayde Egan and Mitch Barnett are meant to be ready to go, so I would bring them back, Egan swapping with Lussick and Barnet moving into the Front Row. This sends Afoa back to the bench, with Sifakula dropping out. Everyone else I would keep as is, except perhaps bringing Brayden Williame into the centre for either Rocco Berry or Pompey.

Luke Metcalf didn't have the greatest showing, but the potential is there, so I want him to have another chance to link with Shaun Johnson in the halves.

The Dolphins have exceeded my expectations and have been playing well; I assume that their origin stars will back up for this match, but it will be a difficult encounter even if they don't. The Warriors have done well when they stick to their simple gameplan, so if we see them control the middle, which may be easier with Barnett in the mix and utilise the short-ball game, then they should be able to open up some holes as the match unfolds, allowing SJ to get the backs into scoring opportunities. If they can do that, I see them being able to nail the win, so I am going for a close Warriors win by 8.

So that was a disappointing Round 13, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the lineup this week?

Do you think the Warriors shot at a top-eight finish is slipping?

What are your thoughts on Pitch Invaders?

What is your score prediction against the Dolphins?

NZ Warriors Round 11 Review: Warriors Strong First Half Seals Victory Over Bulldogs

After their Round 10 loss to the Panthers, the Warriors made their way to Accor Stadium to face the Bulldogs for the second time this season.

After a dominant first half saw the Warriors stroll out to an 18-0 lead, the Warriors left the door slightly ajar, allowing the Bulldogs a shot at stealing the win but showed some staunch defence when it mattered and a tremendous solo effort try from Ronald Volkman to end their losing streak with a much needed 24-12 victory.

What Went Down

With both sides coming off losses at Magic Round, there was plenty of anticipation around which team could bounce back with a win. In the opening 10 minutes, the Warriors gained the ascendancy through the boot of Shaun Johnson. First, he forced a line drop-out, then in the next set, he grubbered through the line for Josh Curran to score untouched.

The pressure remained on the Bulldogs as they struggled with execution and ball control. A seven-tackle set saw the Warriors march the length of the field and score again. Dylan Walker threw a flat pass to Addin Fonua-Blake, who charged through a gap to score his fifth try of the year. The bounce of the ball was against the Bulldogs too, when Adam Pompey intercepted an attempted flick pass.

Pompey was eventually run down by the Bulldog's cover defence, but Shaun Johnson’s skill was on show again when he chipped a kick out to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who caught the ball and scored in one motion. The Warriors cruising into halftime with a comfortable 18-0 lead.

Following the break, the Bulldogs came out showing plenty of energy. An early line drop-out forced the pressure back on the Warriors, and as a result, the Bulldogs broke through. Harrison Edwards put on some footwork close to the line to score next to the posts. With a renewed sense of confidence, the Bulldogs found their momentum as the intensity of the game lifted.

However, the Warriors were up for the challenge and found their first points of the second half. Ronald Volkman kicked for himself off a sloppy pass from the dummy half and regathered after a ricochet. He stepped around Hayze Perham to score a solo try, extending the lead back to 18 points. A consolation try to Jayden Okunbor gave the Bulldogs fans something to cheer about late, but the lead was unassailable. The Warriors ultimately proved too good as they outlasted the Bulldogs 24-12.

My Thoughts

Well, the losing streak is over, and the Warriors are back in the top eight; this was also their sixth win of the year, equally the total amount of wins they got last season.

That first half highlighted how much this side has improved in a short period of time, utilising their mobile pack and short passing game to probe the Bulldog's defensive line, and this allowed them to strike with some sweet kicking plays that caught the home side napping. They made the most of their opportunities and made me wonder how dangerous this side could be when their injured stars return. 

They let the foot off the pedal in the second half (more on that later), which was dishearting but I never felt like the Warriors were not in control, and while they couldn't pile on the points, they limited the Bulldog's chances and strangled them out of the match. Still, plenty to work on, but as they enjoy their first bye, they have time to recuperate and prepare for the next stage of the campaign, knowing that the toughest stretch is now over. 

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

The Warrior's discipline was back in check, conceding only 3 penalties and giving away 4 ruck infringements. You can say what you want about the officiating, but the key to winning the battle with referees is to find their line and stick to the right side of it, figure out quickly how much leeway you have and then adjust your style to how they call the match and I think we saw that from the Warriors here, I thought Cummins was a bit quick on the six again calls at times but you saw the Warriors defenders start to get off the tackle quicker and reduce those six again calls. If they can keep this mindset moving forward, they will find themselves on the right side of calls more often than not.

Dylan Walker is back where he belongs, coming off the bench and adding some dimension to the Warrior's middle at the right time. This is his best position in the squad, and while he did what he could in the halves, the Warriors are a lot stronger with him in the middle. His pass to Addin Fonua-Blake was classy, and I don't think AFB has had an easier try in his career. Walker is an integral part of the Warrior's gameplan, and if he can remain in that interchange slot, expect to see the Warriors scoring plenty more tries up the middle.

The back three had a solid night out; getting out of your own half as quickly as possible is vital in getting in the winner's circle in the NRL, and the Warriors have some of the best outside backs when it comes to that aspect. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (210m), Marcelo Montoya (185m) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (152m) all throw caution into the win and just surge up the field; this also relates to the early carries they make in the sets before the forwards can get back. When they start the sets with a few strong runs, the whole side looks more energised and cruises up the field. 

So I have my fingers crossed that these three keep doing what they are doing, as it certainly helps the Warrior's chances of victory.

However, some things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

AFB (162m) and Tohu Harris (162m) were massive in the middle, but they need help as Bunty Afoa (57m) and Tom Ale (40m) didn't really add much punch in this match. With the Warrior's current set-up, those four players are the ones that are looked to for the grunt work, and as great as Harris and AFB are, they cannot continue to do the lion's share every week as this is when we will start to see injuries happen. The Warriors cannot afford to lose AFB at all or Harris for the third time this season, the pending returns of Mitch Barnett and Jazz Tevaga will help, but until then, Afoa and Ale have some work to do. 

The Warrior's goalline attack is still clunky, and they don't seem to look steady when attacking close to the line. I don't know why they struggle when they get to the red zone, but the coaching staff need to fix it sooner rather than later if the Warriors want to play finals this season. The short balls close to the line have worked in the past, but it needs to be used only with players that know how to time their run; AFB has perfected it, but Afoa was struggling with the play leading to a few errors. The upside is that we saw some nice plays inside the red zone this week, so the Warriors can do it; they just need to stretch this from moments in a match to an 80-minute effort.

The Second Half drop was an issue but not an unexpected one. To be honest, it was just a team running out of juice after a tough few weeks. With a decent lead, perhaps the thought of the bye started to enter the minds of the players, and it let them relax. I can't say that for sure, but the positive is that while they let their foot off the gas, they didn't lose control.

The NRL season is brutally tough, and there are always peaks and valleys, but the best sides know how to minimise the valleys and capitalise on the peaks; I hope that when I look back on the 2023 season, I can say that the Warriors have done that.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Shaun Johnson.

Another big night from SJ here, setting up some nice tries for Curran and DWZ, he did have one or two missteps, but the good definitely outweighed the bad here. He directed the side around well and paired up better with Volkman here and made me comfortable with that combination until Luke Metcalf is ready. Still, the most impressive thing about Johnson in 2023 is his defence; he made 20 tackles with only 2 misses and was always one of the first players there on the kick chase. I know these rumours are floating around about the Tigers sending him offers for 2024, but I am sure he will be a Warrior next season if he decides to play on.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Tom Ale.

It was hard to pick a player yet again, with essentially all the players doing a serviceable job, but I have gone with Tom Ale.

Ale has been great this season, but he was kept quiet here with only four runs for 40 metres and 11 tackles in 22 minutes of work. He is commonly known for being defensively sound, and while he only had one miss, it was a big one that led to the Bulldog's first try.

It was just an off night for the youngster, who is probably fatigued after the past month of intense football; after the bye, you can expect a big bounceback. 

Bye and Round 13 Thoughts and Prediction

Round 12 sees the Warriors get a bye, so an easy two points and a deserved break after a brutal month.

A time to rest and plan for the next block of matches couldn't have come at a better time for the club before Round 13 sees the Warriors back on home soil, making the trip to Napier to face the Broncos.

It's hard to pick a team two weeks out, but I am happy with the side that played the Bulldogs, so I would keep it the same with the exception of any injured players that can return. 

I also want to see Luke Metcalf come into the halves; Volkman had a good night out, especially when you consider that he broke his finger badly early on in this game; however, Metcalf makes for a better pairing with SJ.

The Broncos have been good this year, but with the timing of this match, they will be without their Origin players, which means they could be without around 5 players or perhaps more. This doesn't make the Broncos easy beats by any stretch, but they have yet to travel much this year, so heading to Napier is a big task for them.

So I am backing a rested Warriors to get the job done against a depleted Broncos outfit with a 12-point win.

I'm also going to Napier for the match, which I am looking forward to, and if you are going and happen to see me, say hi.

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

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

Do you see the Warriors cementing a spot in the top eight?

Are you heading to Napier, and would you like to see more games taken around NZ?

What is your score prediction against the Broncos?

NZ Warriors Magic Round Review: No Houdini Act as Warriors rue Missed Opportunities

 

After their Round 9 loss to the Roosters, the Warriors made their way to Suncorp Stadium for Magic Round, where they hosted the reigning premier Penrith Panthers.

In a tight tussle, the Panthers did just enough to overcome a Warriors side that again faced plenty of adversity, winning 18-6. Meaning I actually got my prediction right this time with a 12-point Panthers win.

What Went Down

With the majority of the crowd backing the Warriors, Addin Fonua Blake led the line for the New Zealand Warriors in the early exchanges and was rewarded early with a try under the sticks after some uncharacteristically weak defence from Penrith.

Penrith – riled up – soon replied with Dylan Edwards squaring the ledger off the back of a try-saving tackle to bustle over and level the scores after a Nathan Cleary conversion.

Penrith produced stout defence and worked into the Warrior's half, eventually working a goal-line drop-out from a fatigued Warriors defence.

The boys in pink worked the ball down into the Warriors’ danger zone and converted on the edge with excellent shape for Brian To’o to go in at the right-hand corner.

The Warriors battled back with just under 15 minutes to play and nearly levelled the scores but were held close to the line; the two sides – after trading sets – went into the sheds with Penrith up 12-6.

The New Zealand Warriors fell foul of the new hip-drop directive, and Jackson Ford was sent to the bin. Soon after, Cleary imposed his mark on the game and forced a goal-line drop-out with just over six minutes gone in the half. Penrith pressed the Warriors’ line but to no avail, with Mitch Kenny knocking on in attacking shape.

Penrith regained possession and ascendency soon after with strong middle carries that culminated in a hip drop penalty. From which Cleary landed a fairly straightforward chip off the right-hand upright to put his side eight in the lead.

The Warriors – seemingly buoyed by holding the defending champions to two points – made a considerable effort to control the middle and did so for 20 minutes until Cleary led from the front and nailed Josh Curran to force the ball and gift his side excellent field position to attack the line.

Following the tackle, a fracas ensued, and Demitric Sifakula was sent to the bin for his involvement – albeit terribly soft – by the referee.

The two-time defending champions eventually made use of the extra man – with Spencer Leniu crossing to stretch the lead to 12 points with six minutes to play. That was enough for the Panthers.

My Thoughts

Well, this was a mixed bag of emotions for me; on the one hand, I was highly frustrated with the Warriors losing their third match in a row, but on the other hand, I was proud once again of their ability to face adversity and not just give up. The Panthers have been patchy, it's fair to admit, but they played smart football here, forcing the Warriors to battle from deep within their own half and defended well to stop most of what the Warriors threw at them.

The Warriors had their fair share of issues here with injuries and sin binning's, but they looked the better side in the early stages at around the 20-minute mark; they started to lack punch and struggled to make inroads. They almost showed signs of panic when they had some close calls, which isn't something we tend to relate to the 2023 squad. None of what we saw is anything to start panicking about; the issues we saw are all fixable, and with some injured players returning soon, I am sure the Warriors will get back on track, this three-game stretch was always going to be the most challenging part of the Warriors season, and now it is over, and I think the Warriors didn't embarrass themselves.

Before moving on, I know there were plenty of discussions about the officiating, with ONE NZ Ceo Jason Paris getting plenty of airtime for his Twitter thoughts about the officials. I have no issues with his thoughts and think the Warriors have plenty of examples from the past three matches to request a please explain from the NRL. However, despite some poor calls, the Warriors have more than enough opportunities to win these matches. It will be an interesting few days to see if the NRL do anything about what has been said, but I personally think it will be swept under the rug.

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

In the early stages, Tohu Harris's short passing game asked plenty of questions of the Panthers, which made the Warriors attacking shape so much better. With him out there, Shaun Johnson could stand back a bit and direct play better. Still, a lot of work to do to ensure that it becomes an 80-minute effort instead of just 10-20 minute bursts.

I thought they defended reasonably well; there were a lot of missed tackles, but to hold the Panthers to 18 points is a massive effort; it may sound like a defeatist attitude, but I'm being realistic. With only 12 men for 20 minutes, the Panthers had every chance to run the score up; however, the Warriors scrambled well. There are still some poor defensive reads, but more often than not, I am getting more confident in the Warriors holding their opposition to only 2 or 3 tries a game which is a massive improvement compared to previous seasons.

With injuries and two sin bins, the Warriors had plenty of reasons to throw in the towel and just look ahead to Round 11, but they didn't, they kept grinding right up to the final whistle, and this attitude will reap the rewards in the long run. Get a few injured players back, and it's a whole new ballgame.

However, some things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

Despite a strong start, the Warrior's attack in the final hour was stilted; I will admit it is hard to make big attacking plays when you are constantly stuck in your own half. However, when they had a few opportunities, they let them slip; the biggest one that sticks out for me was after Curran's linebreak ended with Egan close to scoring, the Warriors shifted right, and Johnson put in a silly kick. I'm no halfback, but I think they could have taken the tackle and set up to try and score up the middle or left edge, or at least go for a repeat set. There were moments when taking a breath may have been the better option over rushing.

I noticed a lack of kick chase whenever Johnson put a big kick downtown; in fact, the best kick chaser on the day was Johnson himself, so he got a pass from me. However, the Warriors needed to play the territory game; if they had forced the Panthers to start sets deep in their own half more, they could have earnt themselves more opportunities. I don't know if the players were gassed or if they just were off by a step, but I expect a better kick-chase against the Bulldogs this week.

Lastly, I didn't like seeing Ed Kosi stuck out there hobbling around, he was clearly injured after his monster tackle of Stephen Crichton and full credit to him for trying to stay out on the pitch, but he was a liability. Thankfully, the Panthers didn't target him too much before he left the field. It sounds like he may have fractured his kneecap, and I could only imagine how tough it would have been to stay out there with that kind of injury, but I expect more from the club when it comes to the player's well-being,

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Tohu Harris.

As mentioned already, the Warrior's attack is a lot better when Harris is on the pitch, setting up Addin Fonua-Blake's try, but he also did plenty of the heavy lifting himself. Running for 155m and leading his side with 48 tackles. A strong performance from the skipper, and he got through the game with his knee intact; I just hope Webster can manage his minutes effectively to ensure that he can avoid returning to the casualty ward.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Marata Niukore.

Hard to pick a player again in this category, but I went with Niukore just because I expected a more significant impact from him. He ran for 67 metres and made 31 tackles with 5 misses. He also moved out to the centres when Ed Kosi went off injured, which was the logical choice; however, he struggled to make his mark on the game. Not a poor match but perhaps I was just expecting too much?

Next round thoughts and prediction

Round 11 sees the Warriors stay in Australia, heading to Accor Stadium to face the Bulldogs, who went down 34-30 against the Raiders in Magic Round.

Regarding the team, I would pick; Kosi will most likely be out, so I would move Montoya to the wing and bring Brayden Wiliame back into the centres. If Luke Metcalf is available, I would chuck him straight into the halves, allowing Dylan Walker to return to the interchange where he has excelled.

In the pack, I would keep it the same; however, if Jackson Ford is unavailable, Curran moves into his spot.

With the Interchange, I like the option of Freddy Lussick starting with Wayde Egan coming off the bench so Egan stays on the pine, joined by Tom Ale, Demitric Sifakula and Walker.

The Warriors have already beaten the Bulldogs this season, winning at the death 16-14; however, the Bulldogs are now at home and will be looking for a big bounce back after their Magic Round defeat. There are also rumours that Josh Addo Carr may be named to return; also, it will be a tough match for sure, and the Warriors need to win this match if they wish to remain in the hunt for the Top Eight, if they keep their discipline in check and stick with the gameplan and keep Matt Burton quiet then they should be able to get the job done so I am backing them to get the win by 8 points.

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

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

Would you bring Luke Metcalf straight into the side?

Do you think anything will happen after Jason Paris's comments?

What is your score prediction against the Bulldogs?

NZ Warriors Round 9 Review: Downpour Dampens Warriors in Shutout Defeat

After their ANZAC Day loss to the Storm, the Warriors returned to Mount Smart Stadium to face the Sydney Roosters for the second time in 2023.

The Roosters handed the Warriors their first defeat of the 2023 season, and in horrible conditions, the Roosters were also the first team to defeat the Warriors at Mount Smart in 2023, grinding to a 14-0 win.

What Went Down

It was a defence-orientated tussle in wet, gloomy conditions in Auckland. The Roosters had plenty of early possession down the Warrior's end; however, the Warrior's defence held them out, only conceding a penalty goal after Marcelo Montoya played at a short drop-out before it had travelled ten metres.

Kicking was key, with Luke Keary landing a 40/20 and Shaun Johnson coming close to a rare 20/40, only for the ball to take an unfavourable bounce. The two halfbacks also forced several goal-line drop-outs with their short kicking games.

Errors started seeping into the Rooster's game in the middle period of the half, putting them under pressure, but like the Warriors before them, they could turn away every attacking raid.

The Roosters finally broke the impasse in the 35th minute when Nat Butcher crashed over from close range. Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i converted to give them an 8-0 lead heading into halftime.

The second half picked up from where the first left off with a defensive slog in the drizzling rain. The Warriors enjoyed plenty of early possession, but the Rooster's defence held on.

The Roosters capitalised on a rare attacking set, two Auckland-born players combined, Sitili Tupouniua scooping up a Brandon Smith grubber to score under the posts in his second game back from a knee reconstruction.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak came close to keeping the Warriors in the contest with seven minutes remaining, racing onto a perfectly weighted kick, but he was stopped just short and turned possession over. Under torrential rain in the final minutes, the Roosters held their line intact, marking the second consecutive occasion that they’ve kept the Warriors scoreless in Auckland with a 14-0 victory.

My Thoughts

Well, that was the worse weather to sit and watch a game in that I have encountered personally in some time and leaving the stadium soaking to the bone without being able to celebrate a Warriors try, let alone a win, did hurt; however, it wasnt all doom and gloom as there was nothing I witnessed in this performance that can't be corrected. We all knew rounds 8 to 10 were going to be tough, and with a short turnaround and plenty of players unavailable, the Roosters were going to be a tough challenge, and that's what we witnessed. Both sides had limited scoring opportunities in heavy rain, and the Roosters made theirs count and defended exceptionally well to stop any chance the Warriors had. 

Despite their second loss in a row, I still believe the Warriors are a top-eight side, and finals are definitely a possibility; the Warriors just need to stay competitive until they get some troops back and then put their foot down, build some combinations and string together some wins.

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

The attitude of this continues to shine through for me, I didn't think they played poorly, and there were no excuses for their performances. Despite the Short turnaround, injured players and a few questionable calls from the officials, you don't hear the players or Andrew Webster pointing fingers at anyone other them themselves. You also see it reflected in their performance on the pitch; despite trailing on the scoreboard, they kept pushing forward and trying, and when things went wrong, the players didn't start having a go at each other like we saw last year. This not "playing the victim" mindset will only bode well for the future of this team.

They defended reasonably well; they did miss 27 tackles and kept falling off James Tedesco and Joseph Manu. However, despite repeated attempts, the Roosters only managed one barge-over try and a fortuitous try off a grubber. The Warriors always seem to be found wanting when it comes to defusing tries from kicks, so hopefully, the coaching staff can fix that, but I take pride in how the Warrior's goal-line defuse can hold out these teams for long stages. If they can improve their defensive structure in the middle of the park, they can alleviate some of the pressure they put on themselves.

Lastly, 20,395 fans showed up in that rain; that is a massive effort, and I applaud everyone that showed up; I can admit as I was driving to the stadium, I thought that watching in the comfort of my home was a lot more appealing and several times during the match I kept going back to that thought. I think the weather took a bit of sting out of the crowd reaction, the chanting we are used to was at a minimum while fans weathered the Storm, but it's just all part of the game day experience, and you don't get that sitting on your couch.

However, some things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

Errors were to be expected in this weather, but the Warriors ended the match with 13, and unfortunately, they were at times when the Warriors looked to be getting back into the fight. These let-offs help the Roosters maintain control of the contests; most of the errors were from the Warriors, just simply rushing, which Webster has been trying to get out of this team. Quick play the balls can help you catch the opposition off-guard, but respect for the ball should always come first. Eliminate the silly errors, and you are one step closer to victory.

The Warriors did well to build pressure and camp themselves in the Rooster's red zone, but once they were there, what they offered on attack was too predictable and easily defused by the Rooster's. They missed Tohu Harris's short passing game, which meant most of the attack was directed through Shaun Johnson, and while they had a few close calls, short passes to the second rowers are not the answer every time. Add some dimension to the attacking structure and watch the points flow.

For the second week in a row, I am throwing shade at the officials; there were several dubious calls once again, knock-ons that were missed, and a shoulder charge that the bunker missed even though it seemed obvious. Change all those calls, and I still don't see the Warriors winning due to my previous two negatives, but shocking calls from referees just takes the joy out of watching the contest. I know that the Warriors don't get the rub of the green, but they are not the only team that suffer at the hands of officials, and I don't see that improving anytime soon.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Addin Fonua-Blake.

AFB moved into Lock for this match and had another strong showing; he played 75 minutes and ran for a game-high 194 metres, including 654 post-contact metres. Led his side with 3 offloads and made 34 tackles with only 1 miss. He has been a beast for the Warriors this season, and with all the injuries in the pack, the team has been leaning on him a lot for the grunt work, and he is not shedding responsibility and long may it continue. My only concern is that he is more at risk of joining the casualty ward with the extended minutes he is currently playing.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Adam Pompey.

Pompey missed two tackles, made two errors and gave away a penalty and a ruck infringement. He did run for 107 metres, but his mistakes were just coach-killers. In wet conditions, he lacked ball control, and as the only outside back in the club without a contract for 2024, he needs to start making every post a winner if he wishes to continue with the club. He is a hell of a talent but simply lacks consistency.

Next round thoughts and prediction

Magic Round sees the Warriors head to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane to play hosts to the Penrith Panthers, who went down 12-8 to the Tigers in Round 9 and are currently on a two-game losing streak.

Regarding the team, I would pick; it all depends on who is available. The NRL website says Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Brayden Williame are the only players ready to return for Magic Round. Still, I'm hoping that Mitchell Barnett is included in that list (he is slated for round 11 currently). I would keep the same 17 but bring CNK back to fullback and replace Pompey and Viliame Vailea in the centres with newly re-signed Marcelo Montoya and Brayden Wiliame.

I would keep the forward pack the same, but I still wish to see how Tom Ale would go as a starter, so I may swap him and Bunty around, or if Barnett is available, I would bring him into the front row, and Bunty drops out of the 17.

The Panthers are still one of the best sides in the competition, but they are a lot more human this season; they are no longer untouchable, and this is a game that the Warriors could succeed in if they reduce their errors and show more enterprise with the ball in hand.

Unfortunately, I just don't see the Panthers losing three matches in a row, so I am going with a Panthers win by 12.

So that was a frustrating and wet Round 9, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the game day 17?

How would you address and fix the poor officiating?

Do you still see the Warriors as a finals team?

What is your score prediction against the Panthers?