NZ Warriors 2023 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?