NZ Warriors 2024 Season Review: A Disappointing Year of What If's and Missed Opportunities

With the NRL Season almost at a close, the Grand Final happening tomorrow, 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.

I came into this Season filled to the brim with optimism. Unfortunately, my expectations were severely overblown, with the Warriors failing to reach the finals after finishing the regular Season in 13th place.

For those who haven't read one of my season reviews before, I break it down into what happened this Season and my positives and negatives of 2024. I then highlight my top three warriors and the three that need to improve before wrapping it all up while casting a brief glimpse into what's next for me and the Warriors. So, let's stop the rambling and just get into the review.

What Went Down in 2024

The 2024 season for the Warriors was a whirlwind of highs and lows, with moments that filled fans with pride and others that left them frustrated. It was a year of close encounters, narrow losses, and flashes of brilliance, but inconsistency ultimately kept them from realizing their full potential. 

The Warriors ended 2024 in 13th place; in my season preview, I had predicted a 4th-place finish with a potential Grand Final appearance, so this was yet another incorrect prediction by me, which is becoming a trend for my season previews.

After the highs of 2023, I had hoped that this was the start of something special, but this Season brought me back to earth and hopefully reminded the club that to remain successful, you cannot take anything for granted.

Just like in 2023, the Warriors stayed in New Zealand for both of their preseason trials. They lost the first to the Tigers in Christchurch 18-16 before returning to Mount Smart to defeat the Dolphins 34-22.

The Warriors began their campaign at Go Media Stadium with a tight 16-12 loss to the Sharks, a game that set the tone for the close contests that would follow. A trip to Melbourne in Round 2 ended in a 30-26 defeat to the Storm, but the effort was promising. Things clicked in Round 3 when they secured their first win, beating the Raiders 18-10 in Christchurch, which sparked hope that momentum was starting to build. That win was followed by back-to-back home victories over the Knights (20-12) and Rabbitohs (34-4), with the latter being one of the more dominant displays of the Season.

However, the Warriors' Season was one of fine margins, and that was never clearer than in Round 6 when they played out a dramatic 22-22 draw with the Sea Eagles at home. The match was a thrilling back-and-forth affair, and while a draw left both sides unsatisfied, it displayed the Warriors’ fighting spirit. But the inconsistency that had plagued them reared its head again soon after. A tough loss to the Dragons away, followed by a narrow ANZAC Day defeat to the Titans (27-24), showed the team’s struggle to close out tight games. Those back-to-back losses to the Knights and Roosters in Rounds 9 and 10 kept them on the edge of the top eight, unable to string wins together.

Just when it looked like the Season might get away from them, the Warriors produced one of their most memorable moments in Magic Round, taking down the reigning premiers, the Panthers, 22-20. It was the kind of result that had the fans buzzing, a reminder of the team’s potential when everything fell into place. They followed it up with a 24-20 win over the Dolphins and a 42-12 victory over the Cowboys, but their form remained patchy, highlighted by a 38-24 loss to the Storm at home and a shocking 66-6 defeat at the hands of the Titans—a game that would be the low point of their Season.

There were still signs of life, though. The Warriors bounced back with an impressive 32-16 victory over the Broncos at Go Media Stadium in Round 17, showing that they could compete with anyone on their day. But narrow losses continued to haunt them. A heartbreaking 13-12 defeat to the Bulldogs in Round 18 and a 20-18 loss to the Raiders in Round 20 showed just how fine the margins were and how those small moments could make or break their Season.

Despite the setbacks, the Warriors kept fighting. A 28-16 win over the Wests Tigers in Round 21 gave the fans something to cheer about, but the following losses to the Eels and Dolphins in close, high-scoring affairs effectively dashed any lingering hopes of a late surge for the finals. However, they refused to go out quietly. In Round 26, in a thrilling contest against the Sharks at PointsBet Stadium, the Warriors finished their Season on a high with a dramatic 30-28 come-from-behind victory. It was a gutsy, hard-fought win that encapsulated the Warriors’ spirit and left a lasting impression on their loyal supporters.

This saw the Warriors end their campaign with a 9 win, 14 loss & 1 draw record; the 2024 season was a mixture of what could have been and what still could be. The Warriors showed they could match it with the best, as seen in their wins over the Panthers and Broncos, but the inability to close out tight games or maintain consistency ultimately cost them a shot at the finals. Heading into 2025, the team has plenty to build on. If they can iron out the flaws and bring more stability to their performances, the Warriors might be able to make a run for a return to finals.

My Positives for 2024

I've taken a few weeks since the Warriors exited the Season to comb through the Rounds. With the year not going as hoped, it was hard to find many positives, but I have found three I would like to highlight.

Promising Signs From Rookies

With the Warriors squad suffering more than their fair share of injuries, we saw some of the youngsters strut their stuff on the big stage. Jacob Laban, Ali Leiataua, Leka Halasima, Demitric Sifakula and Zyon Maiu'u were all given opportunities in first grade, and they all showed promise at what they could deliver if promoted to first grade full-time; some are closer than others, but all need a bit more seasoning, and the future looks good. The new pathways system is already showing promise, with the Harold Matthews side winning the comp in their first year, and while it will take time to reap the rewards of a good pathway, the Warriors are heading in the right direction. Fingers crossed, the next superstar halfback is growing in this pathway already.

SJ Final Game

Shaun Johnson's announcement of his retirement hit many, including myself, with a lot of emotions. After a disappointing loss in his final game at Mount Smart, the odds of him ending his career with a loss looked likely, and it was not something fitting for one of the Warriors' greats. However, the team rallied together to put together an impressive 30-28 come-from-behind victory. SJ played a crucial role in getting his side across the line, with the final play of his career being a cutout pass for the match-winning try. After a season of heartbreak with not much to celebrate, to see SJ end his playing career like that was a soothing balm to send me into the offseason. It still doesn't feel real that we will never see SJ lace up the boots again, and those boots will be so difficult to fill. He will go down as one of the best to have worn the Warriors jersey, and his impact on this club may never again be replicated. 

Mount Smart Sell Out's

The Warriors became the first NRL club to sell out every home game and set a new attendance record of 295,302 fans coming through the gates, averaging 24,608 a match. At the beginning of the Season, you could point towards the optimism we as a fanbase had for what this Season could bring, and when the losses started to pile up, I expected to see the crowds get smaller like we have seen in the past in other poor seasons and while the team wasnt getting the results on the field with a Mount Smart record of 4 wins, 5 losses and a draw that fans kept coming. This led to an amazing atmosphere for every game. The club has done well at creating a must-see experience, which makes every home game a must-see event. You would expect that 2025 will deliver more big crowds, and hopefully, the team can start using the energy of that crowd to their advantage and make Mount Smart a fortress that teams don't want to come to.

My Negatives for 2024

There were plenty of issues in 2024, but I have narrowed it down to my three most significant negatives from the Season.

Defence After Adversity

The most common theme in the negative section of my reviews this Season has been the Warriors struggling to defend after adversity. The Warriors showed the ability to stay in the fight in almost every match this year, but an ongoing theme was often, when they made an error or gave away a silly penalty, they conceded points almost immediately. This is purely an attitude issue, and Andrew Webster did acknowledge it at the Members Forum, advising that while the team prepared for each match great physically, they did take the mental preparation for granted, and it is something they are looking at correcting in the offseason. If they can sort that out, then they can turn more of those close losses into wins.

Inability to close out games

Out of the 14 defeats the Warriors suffered in 2024, 7 of them by 6 points or less (once by 1, twice by 2, once by three, twice by 4 and once by 6). One view of that is good; the Warriors kept themselves in range to win half of the games they lost. However, this also highlighted that the Warriors lacked that killer instinct and attacking finesse needed to be a genuine finals contender. There were factors like the constant switching of the lineup due to injuries and some bad luck thrown in, but ultimately, they were gun-shy with the ball in hand; if the Warriors don't figure out a better attacking game plan in 2025, we can expect to see more heartbreaking losses in the future.

Injuries

The Warriors were ravaged by injuries in 2024; the NRL Physio had the Warriors as the 2nd most affected, with an estimated 140 games missed collectively by top squad players (Rabbitohs were first with 213). This is something that is hard to predict or prevent, but it makes building momentum in your campaign difficult when the 17 players on the pitch are changing. Luke Metcalf and Shaun Johnson were picked as the Warrior's halves but only managed to play together 7 times, and one was only for 6 minutes. That was a massive blow to the Warriors' campaign, and that was just the start, with injuries to many others like Tohu Harris, Wayde Egan and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and moments in matches where the Warriors lost their outside backs, forcing forwards to play in the backline. I have no solution to the injuries; I just hope that 2025 brings them a bit more luck. The only positive thing is that the injuries allowed younger talent to get some experience.

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 own version of the Dally M 3,2,1 points to keep track of the players that shone in my personal view. 19 Players earned points throughout the Season, but I will only cover the top three here.

Addin Fonua-Blake - 32 points

It was another big year for AFB. With the news that he was leaving the club early to become a Shark, I had a few concerns that he may phone it in, but that was well and truly alleviated after his performance in round one. He was the big dog upfront week in and week out, and besides the little blemish when he was stood down for a match, he was always in the conversation of top performers every match, which is why he was miles ahead of everyone else in my yearly points. Always hit my triple-digit target in running metres and led the NRL in post-contact metres; despite all the heavy lifting he did with the ball in hand, his defence was always sound, with a 95.9% tackle efficiency. Has been one of, if not the best, prop in the game for the past two years and will be a massive loss for the Warriors. He may not have been here as long as we wanted, but he will go down as one of the best to have worn the Warriors jersey and will be missed.

Mitchell Barnett - 23 Points

It was a breakout year for Barnett, who really found his groove in the Warriors system. Moving to prop for most of the Season really brought out the best in him, which saw him rewarded with a call-up to the New South Wales side and a potential Kangaroos debut in a few weeks. He averaged 149 running metres a game and had a tackle efficiency of 93.9%, but what impressed me the most was his maturity. My biggest concern with Barnett joining the Warriors was his lack of discipline, but his record remained clean this Season, and he became a terrific Captain and leader of this side. He appears to enjoy being in New Zealand and playing for this club, which saw him extend his stay until the end of 2027, and I think he is certain to be the next Captain when Tohu either retires or steps down. 

He is also going to be a hell of a bargaining chip when recruiting talent from across the ditch, showing that you can move to NZ and still be in the conversation for Origin and International opportunities, which has always been a stigma for Aussies coming over here.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - 10 Points

This award was a two-horse race, but Charnze took the bronze medal here. He is the epitome of effort, giving everything he has every minute he is on the pitch. It doesn't matter what position he plays; you know he will excel. With the Warrior's attack not being as potent as we saw in 2023, his attacking stats were down slightly, with only 5 try assists compared to last year's 8, but he had 10 linebreaks and 71 tackle breaks, showing he is still dangerous with the ball in hand. He averaged 202 running metres a game and came in clutch with some superb defensive saves. He is all heart, which is something that you cannot teach, and he makes the Warrior's side better by just being in it. His ability to excel regardless of where he plays is great for the Warriors and could potentially lead to a position switch in 2025, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck not doing as well as we hoped at centre. I still love him at fullback, though, but if moving him to another spot on the field makes the Warriors stronger, then that's what needs to happen.

My Three Warriors Who Need to Improve

On the other hand, unlike the Warriors of the Year section, I only picked one player to improve each week; I have selected the three players who appeared the most in my Warriors to Improve segment each week. 11 players were picked at least once in this section in 2024; however, on a side note, the first-place selection was None Selected (picked five times this Season), where I did not pick a Warrior to improve in a match. 

Marcelo Montoya - 3 Selections 

It feels a bit harsh for Montoya, but three picks is not that high for an entire season; it was usually his errors that got him the nod during the Season. He ended the year with 21, averaging just a tad over 1 a game by Season's end. He scored 8 tries, which was third on the Warrior's leaderboard, and he had 67 tackle-breaks and 11 linebreaks; his defence was a bit patchy also with 21 missed tackles. He always ran the ball out of the Warrior's end with no thought for his own well-being and can never be accused of not doing his best; unfortunately for him, with all the talk around trying to make RTS work in this backline, Montoya is the first guy you would drop, which is probably why these rumours of the club letting him leave early if he wishes to be true. It would suck to see him go, but I understand the reasoning, and regardless of what jersey he wears next Season, I hope to see him have a better season.

Te Maire Martin - 3 Selections

Te Maire Martin is the first player in one of my season reviews who featured reasonably high in both the Warrior of the Year and the Warrior to Improve lists. He earned 10 points in the Warrior of the Year section after a run of surprising performances, but that was followed up by three games in a row, so I had to pick him as the player to improve. TMM was fantastic for a patch when given the keys to the Warriors attack but struggled to remain consistent and fell off. He showed some excellent ball-handling skills, which led to 16 try assists, but his lack of a big kicking game is what has me worried about what 2025 could bring. He is a hell of a talent, but as we have seen this Season, being the leader in the spine can be a struggle for him week in and week out. The biggest question for the Warriors 2025 preseason will be who fills Shaun Johnson's boots, and many have already picked TMM, but I need more time before I can give my thoughts on that.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak - 3 Selections

Another tough pick, but it was always going to be tough to back up what DWZ delivered in 2023; with the Warrior's attack struggling, it meant that DWZ was kept relatively quiet, despite that he still ended the Season as the Warrior's top try scorer with 15. He just had a few too many errors and poor defensive reads, which made him pop up in this section. Showed glimpses of that attack we loved last Season, but it wasnt consistent; hopefully, the coaching staff can rejig the Warrior's attack in the offseason and get him back into that 2023 form as he is a tryscoring weapon when put in the

2024 In Summary

So that's another season in the books, and the Warriors' failure to reach the finals makes the Season a failure in my books. There is still plenty the club can work with to bounce back in 2025, but we can discuss that at a later date.

The 2024 season was full of what-ifs. What if the injury toll was less? What if a few calls went their way? I could go on; however, the fact is, in order to remain a finals threat, a team needs to evolve, and unfortunately, the Warriors didn't. Bringing the same tricks that worked in 2023 into 2024 did not work, with all teams coming prepared and easily shutting them down. A positive note is that this was a valuable lesson for the coaching staff to learn and should have them in a better position to get this side back on track.

With the Season over, we also bid farewell to Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake, and Jazz Tevaga. Rumours swirl that Marcelo Montoya and Bunty Afoa could also leave the club. It's a bittersweet situation as I like all these players, and they are leaving some big holes. Regarding the 2025 additions, the Warriors have James Fisher-Harris, Erin Clark and Sam Healey coming in as first-grade-ready additions, as well as the intriguing prospect of Jett Cleary. Exciting additions, to be sure, but time will tell how Webby will make all the jigsaw puzzle pieces fit. Not to forget the return of the Warriors NRLW side, which is building nicely to hit the ground running as a title contender in 2025.

This was a tough season; I came in with plenty of optimism and expectation, but it just wasnt to be. I found writing the reviews tough again after 2023's super joyous Season, but we, as Warriors fans, have been through tough years before, and I'm looking forward to having better performances to write about next year; fingers crossed. We haven't seen the 2025 draw yet, but I am hoping for a few more games around the North Island so I can get some more road trips under my belt, as well as more sellout games at Mount Smart after this year's incredible effort of selling out all home games.

While the 2024 season was not what we expected or wanted, 2024 away from the field was a pretty good year for me. The Stand-Off is in its fifth Season, and we are getting closer to our 200th episode. I also got to join Roo & Hammer and Warriors NRL Fanatics a few times. I am still waiting for that invitation to jump on with This Warriors Life, but one day.

I also got to finally meet Roo and Hammer in person and ride their coattails on a tour around the club, which is an experience I will never forget.

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 to see the fans fill in the gaps, and I'm excited about what everyone will do in 2025.

I am still determining what 2025 will bring for me. I will still be writing my reviews and hosting the Stand-Off; I had initially planned to dip a toe into creating videos this year, where I can chat more in-depth about the Warriors and invite people on to chat footy, but simply could not find the time so I will go back to the drawing board this offseason and perhaps look at doing that in 2025. Let me know if videos on Warriors news, rumours and interviews are something you guys would be interested in seeing from me.

While the writing will have a little break, my show, The Stand-Off, will still have a few more episodes before Season Five ends as we cover the international games, 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 disappointing 2024 season, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Where do you think the 2024 season went wrong?

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 2025 season going?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 26 Review: Johnson Ignites Warriors' Stunning Comeback to Topple Sharks

After their emotional and disappointing Round 25 defeat to the Bulldogs, the Warriors travelled back across the ditch for the final time in 2024 to face a Sharks side looking at cementing 2nd place on the ladder. The Sharks shrugged off a valiant Warriors start and looked to have victory in hand at halftime. However, the Warriors staged an incredible second-half comeback, just like the game played between these sides in 2023 at the same venue, to send SJ into retirement with a 30-28 victory.

What Went Down

Just like last week, the Warriors started purposefully and looked ready to take it to the Sharks. They struggled to create scoring opportunities as errors and penalties were traded between the sides. The game swung into action when Shaun Johnson turned back the clock, catching the home side off-guard with a jinking run before putting Luke Metcalf over for the night's first try in the 11th minute. Both sides traded sets, penalties and errors for a spell until the Sharks found themselves in good field position after an Addin Fonua-Blake error deep in the visitor's half. Moments later, Braydon Trindall threw a short ball to Teig Wilton, who crossed over untouched in the 24th minute. This injected life into the Sharks as they took control of the match and started a scoring spree with three tries to Kayal Iro (32nd minute), Sam Stonestreet (34th minute) and Tom Hazelton (37th minute) as the Warriors defence fell apart, seeing them go into the sheds trailing 22-6 and the prospect of ending the season with a heavy defeat.

Warriors fans started the second half concerned about what was to come and held their breath when the Sharks took only five minutes to cross the try line when Nicho Hynes squeezed through a gap to score on his first-grade return. However, the bunker denied the try due to obstruction. On the next set, the Sharks scooped up a loose Metcalf carry and ran the length of the field to score; the bunker once again intervened, advising that Sione Katoa knocked the ball on at the beginning of the counter-attack, letting the Warriors breathe a sigh of relief. The Warrior's defence started to firm, and they wrestled their way back into the contest and had the first official try of the second half in the 48th minute when some slick passing between Johnson and Taine Tuaupiki saw Dallin Watene-Zelezniak touch down in the corner. The Warriors kept the pressure on, and minutes later, DWZ had his second and 100th career try when Johnson pushed through a kick early in the tackle count that the winger outraced his opposite number to dive on. The game started to get a bit tense after a handful of high and late tackles against DWZ and Jazz Tevaga, including a high shot on DWZ that led to a scuffle and the sin-binning of Iro in the 60th minute. The Warriors took full advantage of facing 12 men and took only a minute to add points when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad crashed over in the 61st minute, reducing the Shark's lead to 2 after Johnson's successful conversion. A few minutes later, the Warriors found themselves back in front 26-22 after Marcelo Montoya barged his way over on the left corner in the 64th minute. A few sets later, Montoya went from hero to villain when he was penalised for an escort, which handed the Sharks the perfect chance to reclaim the lead. They did not have to be asked twice as they sent the ball to their left edge for Sam Stonestreet to cross untouched; Trindall's sideline conversion saw the Sharks ahead 28-26 with only ten minutes left to play. Both sides traded sets as time started to wind down with neither able to gain the upper hand; another break from SJ set up Metcalf for a two-point field goal, and while he had the distance, it sailed to the right of the posts, the game looked all done and dusted until an error from Jack Williams handed the Warriors the ball back and on the final play with just seconds remaining, Johnson delivered a pinpoint cutout pass to DWZ allowing him to complete his hattrick and seal a fantastic comeback victory 30-28, sending Johnson, Tevaga and AFB out on a high in what has been a poor season.

My Thoughts

This year has been a chore to watch and write about, but that was a hell of a way to sign off for the season. This match had me riding the waves of emotions with that solid start, followed by that shocking second 20 that had me preparing for a blowout in the second half. Then I was back on the edge of my seat for that final 40 minutes and jumping around my lounge when SJ threw that final pass to DWZ to secure the win. After a fortnight of second-half shutouts, it was great to see the team just refuse to quit and fight against the odds; who knows what would have happened if the bunker hadn't denied those two tries to the Sharks at the beginning of the half, but after those poor calls we have discussed at length this season, it was nice to see a few calls go the Warriors way.

The team just looked more confident, and who can blame them when, in 2023, at this ground, they put on an amazing comeback to get the win. They just needed to repeat that miracle again, and they nailed it. It wasn't the greatest performance, but it was a hell of an effort; the forwards did plenty of heavy lifting despite Mitchell Barnett playing only 36 minutes and Freddy Lussick having plenty of minutes as a forward (which I wasnt a fan of). The backs hardly put a foot wrong for 60 minutes of this match. Taine Tuaupiki was getting pounded all night but just kept going and added a nice dimension to the attacking structure; Ali Leiataua and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad looked great at centre, and DWZ and Montoya were just running, hitting the ball at pace and churning those early metres on each set. Then SJ and Metcalf just directed the attack well, with SJ picking his shots beautifully. 

It's a positive end to a very negative season, and while we can sit down and enjoy this victory, there is still so much work for Andrew Webster and the squad to do in the upcoming offseason to get back into the conversation as a finals side. It's not an easy task by any stretch. While they start to work that out, I will take time to enjoy the break and forget this season—well, after my season review is done, that is.

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

Match Positives

I already mentioned it, but after back-to-back second-half shutouts, we finally got to see the Warriors score points in the second half, scoring 5 tries in that second 40. We are still waiting to see an 80-minute performance from the Warriors, but this fightback in the 2nd half is a step in the right direction. If they find a way to perform with that level of commitment for the entire 80 in 2025, they will find themselves in finals contention. 

Addin Fonua-Blake was in beast mode in his final game for the Warriors, facing his future teammates. He led the Warriors with 211 running metres, 111 post-contact metres, 3 offloads and 25 tackles with only 2 misses. I have not shied away from my appreciation of AFB in his time with the Warriors; he has been my favourite player that whole time, and I, like many, was concerned that he may phone it in this season, especially when a chance at finals was gone, but no he kept consistent, and he will be missed, James Fisher-Harris softens the blow a little, but it's hard to replace my personal pick as the best prop currently in the NRL.

It has been a rubbish season, but this was a perfect sendoff for SJ. He played in the stadium he called home for three years, and he played a critical part in the Warriors' getting the result. It was a fairytale-like ending to his career, and it was great to see him celebrated not just by his teammates and the Warriors fans but also by the NRL community. It is a true testament to the player he is, and I'm so happy that his final match was a win.

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

Match Negatives

The attack in the first half was clunky; the Warriors just struggled to convert their many opportunities into points, at times looking a little lost. They found their groove as the game continued, but it all ties back to looking for that elusive 80-minute performance. The attack has been very hit or miss all season, so I can't say I was surprised, but with some fine-tuning, they can hit the ground running with the attack in 2025.

That second 20 minutes of the first half were shocking; in an ongoing trend of 2024, the Warriors struggled to defend after adversity. It took a simple error in the 23rd minute to derail the focus, and for the next 17 minutes, it was one-way traffic as they allowed the Sharks to bully them and score 4 tries at a rapid pace. It leads me to believe that it is more a mental/attitude issue instead of a skill issue. Hopefully, the coaching staff will look to better prepare this squad for these situations, as adversity always happens. They just need to ride the storm and not let that adversity set them back.

Lastly, this was the last time we watched SJ, Jazz Tevaga and AFB play for the Warriors. Watching Tevaga and AFB run around next season in a different jersey will take some getting used to, but I hope they crush it with their new clubs, except when they face the Warriors. I have already talked at length about SJ earlier and in the next segment, and AFB got his props in my positives, so I will show Tevaga some love now. Jazz just bleeds Warriors, and while he was never the biggest or most skilful player on the field, he made up for it in pure heart, which is an asset you cannot train. I would have kept him on my roster if I was in charge, but I don't know enough of the details behind the scenes for the decision to let him go; however, I will back Webby, and I know Jazz will be a valuable pickup for whichever team has signed him (I've heard rumours but there has been no official announcement). 2025 is going to be different without these guys, man.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Shaun Johnson.

Some big efforts from a few key men on this side, but SJ was the standout by far. 

Vintage SJ was on display here, engaging the line and ending the match with 176 metres, 2 linebreaks, and 3 try assists, including that tremendous match-winning pass. He kicked and defended well, with the only blemish being his 50% at the kicking tee. In sport, it is rare to end your career on your terms and on a high, but besides a grand final win, I can't imagine a more fitting way for SJ's final game to go, coming up clutch to pull his side out of an almost certain defeat and secure the win with a last-second master play. It still doesn't feel real that we won't ever see him on that field again, and it will take some time to get used to. I'm sure I will go into it more in my season review, but it has been a privilege to watch SJ legend grow over the years, and the NRL and the Warriors will not be the same without him.

Warrior to Improve

I have no Warrior to improve this week, as I couldn't find any player in the 17 who let the side down.

Not everyone was perfect, but they all gave it 100%, which is all we can ask for.

Seasons done; What's Next for me?

So that's a wrap on the 2024 season, with the Warriors getting their final bye in Round 26, 

2025 brings a lot of change, with Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake and Jazz Tevaga all departing, and the only new addition named so far is James Fisher-Harris.

However, I will touch on the roster updates later when I write my season review. I usually wait to release it before the Grand Final, but it may be a little sooner due to the Warriors' early exit this year. In that review, I will unpack the entire year, highlight certain players and moments, and look at what's to come in 2025.

Then, I will take a little break and let these seasons' disappointments pass, perhaps writing a few articles about the Warriors if the inspiration hits me. However, my partner will be expecting me to give her a bit more attention, with the Warriors not consuming my day-to-day for a few months.

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 an exciting Round 25, 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 2025?

How would you grade the 2024 season overall?

Who has been your biggest surprise from the squad?

Who do you think is going to win the 2024 premiership?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 25 Review: Bulldogs Second-Half Shutout Spoils SJ Farewell

After their disappointing Round 24 defeat to the Sea Eagles, the Warriors returned home for the last time this season. On a night dedicated to celebrating Shaun Johnson, with Go Media Stadium renamed in his honour, the Bulldogs spoiled the party by rallying from multiple deficits to clinch their first finals berth in eight years, winning 34-18.

What Went Down

After plenty of emotion on display, Shaun Johnson's night could not have started any worse when he fumbled his first touch of the ball. The Warriors dug deep and avoided being punished for that error, forcing the Bulldogs to make a mistake of their own. The Warriors got back on track and wasted little time; with the aid of some six again calls and a penalty, they found themselves deep in Bulldog's territory, and after a few chances, including Adam Pompey being held up over the line, the Warriors drew first blood when Luke Metcalf threw a short ball to Marcelo Montoya who barged his way over in the 9th minute. The Warriors kept the pressure on and, a few sets later, off the back of another Bulldogs error, were over again in the 14th minute when Metcalf hit Kurt Capewell with an, at best, flat pass before the second rower ran 20 metres untouched before scoring under the posts. The game started to settle into a back-and-forth battle, but the Warriors faced a setback in the 21st minute when Adam Pompey left the field injured and would not return. 

An error by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the 23rd minute, followed by a penalty against Addin Fonua-Blake, swung momentum in the favor of the visitors; the Bulldogs came close to scoring on the right edge but were stopped right on the line by a great tackle from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad; however, they went straight back to work shifting the ball left, sending Bronson Xerri over in the 26th minute. A few moments later, in the 29th minute, the Bulldogs were over again when the Warriors were unable to catch a crossfield kick, and it was scooped up by Stephen Crichton. Matt Burton's conversion saw the Warriors' lead reduced to 2. The Bulldogs continued to silence the sellout crowd when Viliame Kikau broke the line before sending the ball to Kurtis Morrin to score in the 34th minute, handing the Bulldogs their first lead of the match. The Warriors did have the last laugh of the first half after an error and penalty from the Bulldogs saw the home side in prime position to attack, and a quick snipe from Wayde Egan in the 38th minute was successful as he burrowed his way over the line, SJ conversion saw the first half end with the Warriors regaining the lead to go into sheds ahead 18-16.

The Warriors started the second half with plenty of aggression, driving the Bulldogs back with each tackle; however, Burton got his side out of trouble with a massive 40/20. The visitors bombarded the Warriors' goalline multiple times, but the home side's defence held firm and eventually forced an error. They were unable to capitalise on it, though, as a few plays later, they made an error of their own. They defended that mistake and regained possession, only for controversy to strike in the 45th minute when Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was ruled out of the match and next week's game due to a shoulder hit to the head by Crichton, who survived going to the sin bin after the officials deemed that there was a high level of mitigation in the tackle. Both sides trade sets, with neither able to gain the upper hand and it wasnt until the 54th minute before the first points of the second half were scored when Harry Hayes scored the first try of his NRL career when he collected a Toby Sexton grubber kick. The Warriors had plenty of opportunities to regain the lead but struggled with their execution. The Bulldogs did not have the same issue as they marched down the field before Burton pushed through a grubber, which Josh Addo-Carr beat all the chasers to, diving on it just before it went over the dead-ball line in the 62nd minute, pushing the visitors lead to 10 after Burtons conversion. The Warriors' woes continued with back-to-back errors, and there was another situation with the officials in the 72nd minute, where Max King's shoulder connected with Mitchell Barnett's head, splitting the Warriors skipper's eyebrow. The referee was not interested in calling a penalty until Barnett's refusal to continue to play changed his mind. The penalty gave the Warriors more chances to reduce the lead but the Bulldogs defence continued snuffing anything the Warriors attempted to throw at it. An error from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the 76th minute handed the Bulldogs a scrum from here; they secured their victory with a shift to the right, which saw Crichton break the line and surge down the field before sending Jacob Kiraz across for their sixth and final try of the night in what was the final scoring play of the night. Seeing the Bulldogs chase for a top-four finish still alive as well as earning their first victory at Mt Smart Stadium since 2012 with the 34-18 win.

My Thoughts

Well, that wasnt how we wanted this occasion to go; I predicted a Bulldogs win in my review last week but changed my mind during the week, ending up with a Warriors win prediction as I thought the boys would be up to sending SJ, Jazz Tevaga and AFB away with a win but it just wasn't to be.

I will admit that I was surprised at the emotions I felt as the boys came out on the pitch. I have been there for many club legends' final matches at that stadium: Stacey Jones (twice), Steve Price, Rueben Wiki, and Simon Mannering. However, watching SJ come out for the final time brought tears to my eyes. Never getting to watch him play live again will take time to get used to, but I will dwell on that more in my season review in a few weeks.

However, onto the actual match. The Warriors shot out to that early lead, but like so often this season, a 12-point lead is never secure. With more injuries seeing the Warriors' backline once again reshuffled, the Warriors' attack was clunky, and despite showing the will to throw the ball around, they just struggled to break through the much-talked-about Bulldogs defence. Say what you will about some of the calls that went against them (more on that a bit later), the Warriors had plenty of chances to get points here, but their attack is just not threatening enough right now, and at times, they simply looked out of ideas about how to crack the Doggies defence. There is a lot to work on for the club in the upcoming preseason, and it will be a big job for Andrew Webster and his coaching staff to reset and get things back on track. 

2024 has been a rough season of the promise that 2023 delivered. It hasn't been what we imagined it would be, and I am just looking forward to the break.

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

Match Positives

They kept fighting, and the Warriors showed off some second-phase football and didn't give up despite the adversity of a few bad calls and losing both centres. Unfortunately, while the fighting spirit was there, the execution was not. However, the positive from that is that if they can keep that attitude and keep pushing forward and fighting, the rest will work itself out. You can teach game plans and strategy, but you can't train the heart.

Demitric Sifakula continues to impress me; he got through 32 minutes in this match, running for 118 metres and making 13 tackles with zero misses. Like many of the youngsters in the squad, he is filled to the brim with potential and with another preseason under his belt, he will be in a great position to secure a regular spot in the 17 in 2025.

Lastly, the season is almost over; there is only one game remaining in a season we all can't wait to put behind us and forget. The club doesn't have that luxury, as they need to comb through the data from the season and start making plans to ensure they don't fall into the same situation in 2025.

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

Match Negatives

Another second-half shutout, the Warriors had plenty of chances to take control of the match in the final 40 minutes but just kept letting the Bulldogs off the hook. On that list of things that need to be fixed, the coaches must address finding a way to get consistent 80-minute performances out of this squad. I could be better with the statistics, so I am stealing one from Will at This Warriors Life. This match was the fourth at home where the Warriors had a great start of 12-0 or more before losing; that is not acceptable anywhere, let alone at home. Fix that, and they will climb up the ladder next year.

The Warriors' errors increased this week to 13. Admittedly, the errors started to rise when the Warriors threw the ball around a bit more to try and create opportunities to get back into the match, but they just needed to show the ball more respect.

There was rain, but it wasn't heavy, and it didn't seem to matter the intensity of the rain because as soon as it started, the Warriors fell apart. I can't explain why since they should be used to the wet conditions now. Add it to the fix-it list, Webby.

Lastly, the officials, I hate when people blame the officials, and I think the Warriors had more than enough chances to get the result here, but the officiating in this match was dreadful; firstly, the hit on RTS that didn't not result in a sin-bin, I usually would be OK with just a penalty, but the NRL drew a line in the sand at the beginning of the season that moment like that is a sin-bin. It didn't help matters that we saw so many sin-bins giving out in other matches throughout the round for less impactful hits. Then, later on in the half, we saw another high shot that split Mitchell Barnett's head, and the official was not willing to blow even a penalty and finally gave in, with Barnett simply refusing to play. You could argue that should have been a sin-bin also. It's just unacceptable; regardless of how good or bad your side is going, they deserve to be treated fairly, and we didn't see that here. I have delayed releasing my review as I want to see what Graham Annesley says in his press conference.

Annesley confirmed that the Crichton hit should have been a sin-bin but spent the rest of the conference defending the mistakes, so there is not much to say there, but surely the officials and their boss have to be in the firing line if things don't change.

Warrior of the Match

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

Another big night from AFB, the least visibly emotional Warrior out of the three playing their final game at Mt Smart, but he could not be accused of not trying. Ran for 124 metres, had 60 post-contact metres, and led his side with 49 tackles with zero misses. As a former prop, I gravitate towards the big boppers when it comes to the discussion of my favourite players, and I have been a massive fan of AFB in his stint as a Warrior, and it will be difficult seeing him in a Sharks jersey next season, but it has been a privilege watching him represent the Warriors, and I hope he has one big performance left in the tank for the final match of the Warriors 2024 campaign.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

It was hard to pick, as a handful of players could have gotten the nod here (namely Marata Niukore), but I went with DWZ because the Bulldogs managed to keep him quiet. He only had 89 running metres, made 2 errors, and allowed that 40/20 that got the Bulldogs out of trouble at the start of the second half. In his defence, the Warriors were not sending the ball out his way a lot, which did not help him out, but not stopping the 40/20 was terrible and a big momentum shifter in this match. He is another player who has had a significant drop from his 2023 form, but hopefully, he can find his groove again in 2025.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors head back across the ditch for the final time in 2024 to face the Sharks, who defeated the Dragons 38-10 in Round 25.

Regarding the team I would pick, Webster said that RTS will not be available for this match after his head knock, so I would bring Ali Leiataua in for him. If that is the only injury, I would keep the remaining 17 the same.

The Sharks have been the least desirable of the current top-four sides but have been building nicely, with a four-match winning streak. They will be looking at this game as another chance to solidify their top-four spot and will be looking to make a statement. The Warriors will want to end their season on a high and send the boys who are playing their final game in Warriors colours out with a win. I've been saying it a lot the past few weeks, but if the Warriors are to get the job done, they need to reduce those errors, convert most of their opportunities into points and keep the Shark's backs quiet as they have a lot of threats out wide. I desperately want to see the Warriors win here, but I can't pick it as I think the Sharks at home will just be too strong, so I am going with a Sharks win by 16.

So, that was an emotional and frustrating Round 25, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What's your favourite SJ moment?

How would you fix the officials and bunker situation if you were in charge?

Who was your player to improve?

What is your score prediction against the Sharks?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 24 Review: Sea Eagles Surge After the Break, Leaving Warriors Behind

After their heartbreaking Round 23 Golden Point defeat to the Dolphins, the Warriors remained on Australian soil to face the Sea Eagles. Not many, including myself, gave them any chance of walking away victors, but the return of Shaun Johnson, Luke Metcalf, Adam Pompey and Marcelo Montoya made the team look more competitive. After bringing the fight in the first half, which saw the game level at 10 all, Manly took control in the second half, holding the Warriors scoreless and cruising away to a 24-10 win.

What Went Down

After the Warriors controlled the early field position, a 40/20 by Daly Cherry-Evans swung momentum in favour of the home side. The Warriors then conceded back-to-back infringements before eventually cracking as Tom Trbojevic created an overlap that saw Jason Saab cross over in the corner after only 9 minutes. Manly kept the pressure on, but they were unable to convert their attacks into more points. The home side conceded a penalty which handed the Warriors an opportunity to get back into the contest and looked to have scored moments later when they shifted to the left before Adam Pompey barged over the line. However, bunker official Kasey Badger deemed that Cherry-Evans had been obstructed by Kurt Capewell, overturning the try. The Warriors did not drop their heads, and after Tom Trbojevic made an error, the Warriors went left again, this time to Addin Fonua-Blake, who managed to offload the ball to Shaun Johnson, who scored under the posts in the 20th minute, levelling the scores. Manly got back to work and were next to score in the 23rd minute after a great pass from Luke Brooks to Tommy Talau saw him take advantage of a gap created by Johnson and Marata Niukore before Talau sent Tommy Turbo away to touch down under the black dot. The points started to dry up as the match entered a messy period, with both sides trading ruck infringements until the Warriors wound back the clock to 2023 with a play down the right edge that saw Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad put Dallin Watene-Zelezniak over in the corner for one of his trademark dives in the 32nd minute, Luke Metcalf nailed the conversion from the side to see the scores level 10 all in what was the last scoring play of the first half.

The skies opened up at the beginning of the second half, making the game stop-and-start. The rain significantly dulled both sides' attacking efforts. Both sides traded sets, with neither able to find the much-needed points until a well-placed kick from DCE saw Reuben Garrick snatch the ball out of the air in the 53rd minute for the first points of the second half. Both sides had additional opportunities but were unable to ice them. A costly error from Pompey handed Manly the perfect chance to secure the win, and they did not let it slip when Turbo threw a cut-out pass to Lehi Hopoate, who dived over in the corner in the 68th minute; Garrick's conversion saw the Sea Eagles extended their lead to 12. With only 12 minutes to go and in conditions that did not favour comeback-style football, the Warriors were on the back foot, and it was a messy final stage of the contest with both sides trading penalties (eight players were put on report by the referee and the bunker) which saw the final scoring play of match being a penalty kick at fulltime by Garrick after Chanel Harris-Tavita was pinged for a dangerous tackle. This saw Manly the victors 24-10, keeping themselves in the hunt for a top-four finish, while the Warriors will head back to New Zealand with the goal of getting a win in Johnson's final game at Mount Smart next round.

My Thoughts

Well, it was another game where the Warriors fooled me. I came into the match ready for disappointment and a heavy, one-sided affair. However, the Warriors got my hopes up as they looked up for the game, and an upset could have been on the cards. Then, all that hope just slowly drained away as the team struggled to piece anything together in the second half. Rinse and repeat what I said last week; the attack disappeared, and they struggled to defend their mistakes and had no killer instinct. I knew they were in trouble the moment it started to rain, and it still puzzles me how this team struggles in the wet when they spend most of their time in Auckland, where it's always prone to rain. 

There is nothing but pride left to play for this season, and while I hope we see an increase in the team performances in the final two matches of 2024, I feel like they might just throw everything they have into the final home match for SJ and then not show up for the final game against the Sharks. It may just be my current pessimistic outlook, but there hasn't been much to praise in recent times, and the team continues to struggle in the same areas, so they are either unwilling or unable to adjust right now. Thankfully, the offseason reset is just around the corner, and hopefully, it becomes the turning point this club needs for the 2025 campaign.

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

Match Positives

The attack did look better in the first half. SJ and Metcalf looked to be on the same page, and the returns of Pompey and Montoya in the backs gave the attack more targets. It was still clunky, but hopefully, we will see the combinations grow for the final two rounds if they can keep the same side out on the pitch. Right now, they have to be one of the most lacklustre attacking sides in the comp, and I just want to see their attack taken seriously again. 

The finals dream was over with the exception of some divine intervention, with every game working in their favour. However, they did not throw in the towel, which has to be commended. That second half was dreadful to watch, but they were still swinging, which is precisely what I want to see from them until that final whistle blows in two weeks. 

The Warriors got through the 80 minutes with no injuries. I had concerns about SJ and Metcalf not making it through, but there were no major bumps or bruises. This is integral to this side ending the season on a higher note, as a consistent 17 is the only way this side will build cohesion. It's weird to say with the season almost over, but I want to see them bring the fight until the end.

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

Match Negatives

That second half, they started with promise but kept shooting themselves in the foot; they earned themselves a penalty and elected to run it instead of taking the two points, which, while I appreciate them wanting to put on the throat, they ended up losing the ball moments later with a poor pass/poor handling situation between SJ and Capewell. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but taking the points when they were on offer could have kept the pressure on Manly. Alas, it was a half-full of letting Manly off the hook. It feels like we haven't seen an 80-minute performance from this side for a while, and until they can deliver that, it will continue to be hard for the Warriors to put sides away.

Respect for the ball was still lacking, and the Warriors made 12 errors in this match; now, while the weather did not make things easy, plenty of the errors were coach-killers with wayward passes and poor play of the balls. Handing the Sea Eagles 12 extra sets was just setting them up for failure; the team is low on confidence, so the 50/50's that may have worked in the past are just not sticking right now, so just stick to basics until they nail that, then look to expand. It's the old cliche of learning to walk before you run.

Lastly, the Warriors discipline, I know they don't get a fair rub of the green when they have Chris Butler as the official, but they conceded 7 penalties in this match, and there were only a handful I would have argued with. In the same vein as the errors, the Warriors are not a good enough team right now to just hand a team an easy 7 extra sets. It's hard when you feel like the officials are not giving you a fair go, but you have to adjust in real-time to how the official you have is running the game and not allow them to ping you regardless of whether you think it is valid or not. That is easier said than done, I know, but the Warriors have to be extra squeaky clean every week if they want to avoid being penalized out of the contest.

Warrior of the Match

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

Another big game from the big bopper upfront. He played big minutes and had 149 running metres and 60 post-contact metres. He also had 35 tackles with only 1 miss and no errors. I had plenty of concerns that AFB would clock off this season, especially when finals started to look more like a dream than a reality. However, for the most part, he has consistently been one of the best forwards on the field every time he has been out there. A massive loss for the Warriors, and he will have a significant impact on the Sharks; it will be a shame to see him go in just a few weeks.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Marata Niukore.

A quiet night for Niukore here, the only starting forward to not crack the triple digits, making only 55 running metres. Did make 27 tackles with only 2 missed and conceded a penalty. It wasn't a horrible game, but it was a flat game; I just expected a bit more punch out of the big unit. 

He has the potential to be a game-breaker out on the edge. He just needs to deliver.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors return home for their final home game of the season to face the Bulldogs, who defeated the Dolphins 30-10 in Round 24.

Regarding the team I would pick, I would keep it the same unless Wayde Egan is fit to play; if he is ok, I would bring him back into Hooker. 

The Bulldogs have been the fairytale team of 2024, similar to how the Warriors were last season. They are the only team yet to be defeated at home; however, their record away is poor (3-8), so the journey to New Zealand may not be as easy as you would think if you looked at the ladder. They will be coming desperate for a win to keep themselves in the hunt for a top 4 finish, but the Warriors will be looking at giving SJ a victory in his final match at Mount Smart. So this has all the makings of a special night. If the Warrior's combinations can click better, turn opportunities into points, and reduce their errors, then they can walk away victors. I think and hope the Warriors get the job done, but I am going with a Bulldogs win by 8; I just think the desire to make the top 4 will get them across the line.

So, that was a disappointing  Round 24, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who would be your halves pairing in 2025?

Would you make any changes to the 17 this week?

Who was your player to improve?

What is your score prediction against the Bulldogs?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 23 Review: Dolphins Break Warriors’ Hearts in Golden Point Showdown

After their disappointing Round 22 defeat to the Eels, the Warriors made their way back across the ditch to face the Dolphins. A late change saw SJ out and TMM in for what was a must-win game to keep the Warrior's season alive. After a poor first half saw the Warriors trailing 20-6, the team showed spirit to get back into the contest and force the game in Golden Point, but unfortunately, the same issues that have plagued their 2024 campaign sealed their fate, and Sean O'Sullivan ended his former club's finals dreams with a two-point field goal in just the second minute of extra time, handing the Warriors their 12th defeat of the season 34-32.

What Went Down

The Warriors started the match with good field position and plenty of possession but struggled to take advantage with a stagnant goal-line attack. When given their time with the ball, the Dolphins would avoid making the same mistake. It took only 8 minutes to get on the board when Kodi Nikorima pushed through a grubber that could not be picked up by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, allowing Felise Kaufusi to get to it first; Jamayne Isaako pushed his streak to 23 straight conversions handing the Dolphins a 6-0 lead after 10 minutes. The Warriors responded with some enterprising football, utilising some offloads which showed promise as the Dolphins struggled against their second phase football; however, they continued to have issues getting across the line; around the 16th minute, the Dolphins turned defence into attack when Chanel Harris-Tavita put in a cross-field kick which was batted back by CNK but was scooped up by Max Plath who flicked the ball to Herbie Farnworth who sprinted 85 metres to cross for second try of the afternoon. After a few back-and-forth sets, the Warriors were next to strike when Edward Kosi outleaped Isaako for a TMM bomb before powering over Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in the 21st minute to finally get the Warriors on the scoreboard.

The game started to settle, with neither side able to gain the upper hand until some contentious decision swung the momentum back to the Dolphins. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was penalised for a high tackle in the 34th minute despite replays showing no contact to the head; Isaako slotted the easy penalty goal, extending the home side's lead to two scores. Moments later, Jake Averiloo broke through some lacklustre defence before sending Nikorima away for another try, albeit from a pass that looked forward in the 35th minute. On the next set, Mark Nicholls left the field with an HIA that would rule him out of the contest; the Bunker Officials ruled that Dylan Walker contacted Nicholl's head with his shoulder, which saw the Warrior's lock sent to the sin bin in what was the last big play of the first half, seeing the Warriors enter the sheds trailing 20-6 and down to 12 men.

The Warriors started the second half strong and only took two minutes to score when a TMM kick was chased hard by Kurt Capewell, who had no issues grounding the ball over the line; Harris-Tavita's successful conversion reduced the lead to 8. The Dolphins looked to have struck back quickly with another try, but it was denied after Tevita Pangai Junior was penalised for an obstruction.

It took another ten minutes before another scoring play happened, as a Mitchell Barnett error handed the Dolphins much-needed field position. The Dolphins wasted little time, shifting the ball to the left before Nikorima sent Farnworth over for his second try with a nice short ball. Isaako's conversion saw his streak extend to 27 in a row, and the Dolphins' lead out to 14. The Warriors refused to quit and, after an error from Plath, found themselves back in the hunt, surging up the field before a TMM pass to left went to the ground before being scooped up by Ali Leiataua, who crossed to score untouched in the 58th minute. The Dolphins continued to dig themselves a hole when  Isaiya Katoa kicked the ball out on the full, handing the Warriors more attacking opportunities; moments later, a clever play from TMM, who spied Tabuai-Fidow defending the front line put a kick through that was not recovered by Oryn Keeley in a contest with CNK, allowing TMM to pounce on the ball in the 64th minute and bring the Warriors within one score. Filled with confidence, the Warriors were back at it again when Leiataua broke into space, scorching down the field before giving the ball to CNK, who was dragged down just 10 metres out; the Warriors quickly shifted to the left, handing it to Leiataua once more who lost control of the ball as he was about to ground it, to make matters worse for the young centre he was kneed in the head by Kosi and was taken from the field for an HIA and would not return. The Dolphins were ruled to be offside during that play, so the Warriors had another shot and did not waste it as CHT evaded several defenders before offloading to Wayde Egan, who shuffled the ball to Demitric Sifakula, who crashed over in the 67th minute, CHT's conversion levelled the scores 26 all. The passage of play appeared to wake the Dolphins up, and on their next set, they put the Warriors to the sword when Kaufusi broke the line before sending Averillo away for their fifth try of the day in the 70th minute. Both sides struggled to complete sets in the final 10 minutes, but with five minutes remaining, the Warriors went all in, pushing through another grubber that saw Barnett chase the ball but just missed the grounding. However, the bunker and referee deemed that Nikorima had interfered with Barnett in the chase and gave the Warriors a penalty try, which, after CHT's conversion, saw the scores levelled once again. With time running out, both sides attempted field goals but missed the mark, which saw the match head into Golden Point.

Golden Point followed the usual routine of hit-ups leading to field goal attempts. Both sides had their chances, but it was Sean O'Sullivan who came off the bench to deliver the winning field goal from beyond the 40-meter line in the 82nd minute, securing the Dolphins the victory and ending the Warrior's slim hopes of making the finals.

My Thoughts

Well, that match had me going through all my emotions, but ultimately, as we have seen so often this season, the Warriors just could not get the job done. I went into this match not very positive and had predicted a Dolphins win, and when the Warriors went into the sheds at halftime down 20-6 and reduced to 12 men, I was getting prepared for a blowout, but the team made a match out of it and took the Dolphins to the limit. They just let themselves down with the same things they have done poorly all season: stagnant attack, inability to defend their mistakes, and general lack of killer instinct. This defeat rules out any hopes of finals football, so we now will get to see how this side will respond when they have nothing but pride to play for; I am on the fence about how that will go, but I have hope that the team will lift to aim to end the season on a high and send Shaun Johnson out on a more positive note. Still, I also have lingering fears that this will be the final straw and the Warriors could collapse.

It's not how many predicted the Warriors' season would go, and the staff will have a busy offseason combing through all the data and formulating a plan to get back on track in 2025. Until then, there are three games left for us to watch and for me to review, but I am looking forward to this season being over.

There wasn't much to smile about, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

The Warriors showed heart; with the game looking out of reach and playing with 12 men, they had the perfect excuse to just throw in the towel, but they dug deep and started to play football. The result may have gone their way if they showed a similar grit in the first half. That final 40 minutes gives me hope that we will see a competitive Warriors side in the final 3 matches, but it wouldn't be the first time my hope has been misguided this season.

The forwards were busy again, with five cracking my triple-digit target, Addin Fonua-Blake (204m), Mitchell Barnett (139m), Dylan Walker (137m), Jazz Tevaga (101m) and Marata Niukore (100m). Kurt Capewell was the only starting forward to not hit 100m, but he was close, and both Tom Ale and Demitric Sifakula had limited minutes but still averaged 10m a carry. However, it was another game where the forward's hard work was lost by the lack of attack from the backs; despite this, it was good to see some size on the bench for a change. It just needs to be used better, but more about that later.

Lastly, it's time to put the calculator away for the year. It is disappointing that the Warriors won't be playing finals footy, but the stress of whether they will win and if other sides around them lose to help them make it is gone. We can just do our best to enjoy the footy, and hopefully, the Warriors will help us in that regard. 

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors are still showing a fragile, defensive structure when under adversity. Many of the Dolphins' points came directly from a Warriors error or silly penalty. That is purely an attitude issue and was not something the side struggled with in 2023. I can't say how you fix an attitude issue, but it's something that Andrew Webster needs to address and fix sooner rather than later; otherwise, the Warriors could find themselves suffering some heavy defeats against sides all pushing for a top-four spot.

The Warriors' attack is still lacking; they had plenty of possession and good field territory but just lacked the attacking structure to trouble the Dolphins; things started to open up more when TMM was able to utilise his grubber, which is one of his better weapons but if he remains as the Warriors half for the foreseeable future, he needs to work on improving the other kicking options. Besides that, the team's attack has just been too one-dimensional this season, which makes it easy to defend, so they just need to begin to ask more questions of the defence, whether that comes from a better line running or second-phase football I am not sure, but they need to figure it out.

Lastly, Webster's bench usage still has me scratching my head; he used two interchanges in the first half and only 4 in the second half, with one used less than ten minutes into the second half. This side is frankly not good enough to have a player sit on the bench unused and to have interchanges left over. Demtirc Sifakula was spent after his ten minutes, so I would bring him on at the 30-minute mark so he has ten minutes to do his thing before going into the sheds to have a rest, then let him hit the ground running in the second half before taking him off at the 50-minute mark. My coaching experience is laughable, so I may be completely wrong, but you don't get to keep the interchanges you don't use, so please just use them, Webby.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Mitch Barnett.

Another big game from the current skipper, 16 runs for 139 metres and 33 tackles, showed plenty of desire to chase that try that he would have probably scored. He gave everything he had for the cause, and if the rest of the squad could emulate his heart, then the Warriors would be a tough side to beat. He did make an uncharacteristic error; however, he has to have locked in the Simon Mannering Medal already.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Edward Kosi.

It may be a tough pick here as Kosi did plenty of things right, including that nice try, but he led the side with errors, making three, and had a few poor defensive reads. Plus, we can add his accidental knee to Leiataua's head, which ruled the young centre out for the final 20 minutes. Definitely not the worst performance of the winger's career, and while he seems like a great kid, it may be time for the Warriors to try other wing options when the incumbents are out injured or keep RTS there.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors remain across the ditch to face the Sea Eagles, who defeated the Raiders 46-24 in Round 22.

Regarding the team I would pick, just like I said last week, I would bring Luke Metcalf back (who had another solid outing in the NSW Cup) into the halves, moving CHT to the bench, where he would be more useful than Freddy Lussick. Johnson sounds like he will be out still, so TMM stays in the halves. The rest of the side I would keep the same, perhaps only bringing Moala Graham-Taufa back into the centres and moving RTS to Kosi's wing.

The Sea Eagles have been on a bit of a roll, winning four of the last five and only losing once this season at 4 Pines Park, so the odds are heavily in their favour. Add to that the fact that a big win over the Warriors could help them cement a top-four spot, so I am concerned that this could be a blowout if the Warriors don't come to the match with the right mindset. It is going to be tough, but if the Warriors can work on their attack, reduce their errors and show more starch defensively then they have a fighters chance. Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening, so I'm going with a Sea Eagles win by 18.

So, that was a tense Round 23, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

With the finals hopes over, what do you want to see from the Warriors' remaining clashes?

What changes would you make to the 17?

Can the Warriors get another win this season?

What is your score prediction against the Sea Eagles?