NZ Warriors 2024 Round 10 Review: Roosters' Early Onslaught Crushes Warriors' Ambush Dreams

After their frustrating loss to the Knights, the Warriors remained across the ditch to face the Sydney Roosters. After a barnstorming 20 minutes, the Roosters held a dominant lead and, despite getting a few wobbles in the second half, held it together to hand the Warriors their fourth loss in a row, 38-18.

What Went Down

It only took the Roosters 3 minutes to kick off the scoring in this match; after Luke Keary charged down a Shaun Johnson kick, the Roosters made it look easy after a few steadying hit-ups before shifting right for Dominic Young to cross in the corner untouched. Young was heavily involved again on the next set, breaking the Warrior's defensive line before Angus Crichton finished off the drive by diving over the line. The Warriors made an error on their next set, which saw the Roosters score another easy try through Young of a scrum set play. The Pain for the Warriors wasnt over just yet as Crichton crossed for his second try on the next set to see the Roosters hold a dominant 22-0 lead after only 14 minutes. The Warriors managed to stop the floodgates and started to trade sets with the Roosters but struggled to get out of their own half, with only three sets being in the Roosters' red zone, with two ending with a 5th tackle crash ball and one ending with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak knocking on a Johnson grubber. The Warriors looked to have finished the first half on a positive note after getting good field possession due to a Roosters error when Johnson crossed to score. However, the Bunker denied the try because Jackson Ford took out a defender while running his line. The Roosters surged down the field on the back of a Rocco Berry stripping penalty and looked to have given Crichton a first half hattrick, but the Bunker ruled a knock-on in the play, which saw the score remain 22-0 as the sides went into the sheds.

The Warriors looked to start the second half on a positive note, but that quickly changed when Mitchell Barnett dropped a Johnson pass, which was scooped up by Sam Walker. This sent Young down the field, who was only stopped by a tremendous defensive effort from DWZ. However, it was only a slight reprieve as Walker put up a crossfield kick to an open Daniel Tupou for their fifth try of the afternoon. The Warriors finally got themselves on the scoreboard a few minutes later when Johnson threw a harbour bridge pass to Ed Kosi, who dived over in the corner. The Roosters quickly took back control a few sets later when James Tedesco scored after Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii broke the line and sent his skipper across. The home side let their standards slip by giving away back-to-back silly penalties, which saw the Warriors get some decent time in their red zone and eventually find some rewards when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad crashed over for the Warrior's second try. Johnson exited the game early after injuring his pec in the first half, and not long after, the Roosters looked to have scored again when Suaalii crossed, but the Bunker denied it due to an obstruction. After being gifted a few penalties and a timely six again, the Warriors reset and scored again when Addin Fonua-Blake barged over in the 68th minute. The game settled into a grind for a few sets before the Roosters added another try to their tally when they put up a chip kick before Walker scooped it up to score. With time running out, the Warriors had one more chance to score, but Barnett dropped the pass in the match's final play as the Roosters ended the deserved winners 38-18.

My Thoughts

Well, for the first time this season, I got my score prediction right after saying the Warriors would lose by 20. However, this was not the prediction I was hoping to get right.

I had slim hopes of an upset before kickoff, but they were well and truly dashed after the first 12 minutes. The Warriors continued their trend of collapsing after adversity, which in this match was the Keary charge down; after that, the floodgates opened, and it took some time for them to slow down the onslaught. They showed slight improvements in the second half, but by then, it was too little too late, as the match was already over. It was a brutal watch, with the Warriors looking very amateur at stages and then lacking the confidence and ability to get themselves out of the hole they got in. I'm still lost for words about what has happened to this side. Is it the injuries, is it fatigue, is the team just simply not good enough, or is it a combination of all of the above? 

There is a long way to go this season, and with some tough matches on the horizon, the pain is far from over. The club has a lot of work to do to turn things around, but I just don't know if they will be able to.

Once again, there wasnt much to smile about this week, but I found one, which brings me to my positive.

Match Positive

I thought the Warriors showed improvement in the final 60 minutes; as I already said, it was too little too late, but they improved the defensive structure, which forced the Roosters to make some errors, which, in turn, allowed the Warriors to get some good field position and while the attack was rusty with several sets ending with crash ball attempts on the last tackle but right now that is pretty much the only play the Warriors have and eventually the Roosters defence let them through. If they had started in the way they performed in the second half, then they may have made a game out of this. It may just be the desperate optimist in me, but I hope they see this as the kick in the pants they need to wake up and start improving.

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

Match Negatives

That last 60 minutes may have been an improvement, but the first 20 minutes were embarrassing; it looked like a New South Wales Cup side attempting to play first grade. The defence was in tatters, and the Warriors struggled to get anything going with the ball in hand, with schoolboy errors letting the Roosters off the hook. It doesn't matter who you face in the NRL. If you start a match as poorly as they did here, you will get punished, which is precisely what we witnessed, and fingers crossed, it's the last time.

Just as they get closer to getting some troops back, it looks like the Warriors have added to their casualty ward with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck being ruled out before kickoff, Shaun Johnson hurting his pec, Freddy Lussick being knocked into next week, and Dylan Walker looking worse for wear by the time they blew the final whistle. Now, while the team may be struggling to deliver on the pitch. They have not been helped with the number of injuries they have had this season. I'm not making excuses for them, but I want to see if this side will show improvement once everyone is fit and healthy. 

Lastly, once again, Webster bench rotation; against a big, dangerous pack like the Roosters, the Warriors needed fresh legs in the middle to stay in the fight, and instead, Webby pushed his middles to play long stretches (besides Bunty Afoa who only got 17 minutes), which saw them struggle to contain the Roosters. When Tevaga and Ale joined the match in the second half, there was a visible lift in the team's energy, and if one of them had been brought on around the 20-30-minute mark, they could have made a difference. Again, it may just be the optimist in me clinging to anything positive, but I think a few smarter rotation options would help the Warriors out.

Warrior of the Match

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

I may have to name this section after AFB with his fourth selection in a row, but once again, he was over of a select few players that could hold their heads high. He led the Warriors with 171 running metres, including 71 post-contact metres. He also had a line break and a try, his fifth for the season. He is going to be a massive loss, and it's just a shame that his teammates are not performing to send him out on a high.

Warrior to Improve

My Player to improve is Freddy Lussick.

He was curiously moved into the starting lineup and given 20 minutes in his first game back after his suspension. He really struggled against the Rooster's middles, missing a team-high 6 tackles (tied with Shaun Johnson), showed some issues with his passes out of the ruck and failed to stamp his mark on the contest. Did return to the match in the second half but lasted less than a minute after coming over second-best in a tackle. He would be better suited to come into the match against tired middles, but he may need a few reserve-grade games to get back into the groove.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 11, The Warriors remain in Australia, heading to Magic Round to face the Penrith Panthers, who defeated the Bulldogs 16-10 in Round 10. 

Regarding the team I would pick, I would keep the backs together. I thought Pompey and Kosi would start to get into the groove in the second half, so I would give them another shot. In the halves, we don't know how bad Johnson's pec is, but I would sit him out to get healthy; Webster said that Chanel Harris-Tavita may be ready to go, so if he is ready I would bring him in; if not then I would give Taine Tuaupiki a chance since he has been doing the lion share of the kicking duties in NSW Cup. In the pack, I would move Barnett back to the middle and either move Jacob Laban to Jazz Tevaga to the second row. With my bench, I would have Dylan Walker (if fit), Tom Ale, Zyon Maiu'u and Bunty Afoa.

The Panthers will be without Nathan Cleary, but as we have already seen this season, the Panthers know how to perform without him, so this will be another tough match for the Warriors. The Warriors must start better and keep that Panthers pack from getting a roll on. It will be a tough ask, but if the Warriors improve their defence and play some positive football with the ball in hand, then they have a fighter's chance of walking away with a win. I just don't see it happening, so I'm going with a Panthers win by 12.

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

What would your gameday 17 be?

Would you rest SJ?

Have you ruled out the Warrior's final chances?

What is your score prediction against the Panthers?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 9 Review: Warriors Drenched in Disappointment by Knights' 14-8 Victory

After their shocking loss to the Titans, the Warriors returned across the ditch to face the Newcastle Knights. With some tough matchups on the horizon, the Warriors needed a statement result to build some confidence, but it was not to be, as they stumbled their way to a 14-8 defeat,

What Went Down

In less-than-ideal conditions, the Warriors were under pressure in the first ten minutes, giving away a handful of penalties. The Knights made the most of the opportunities they were handed, and after a few sets, they drew first blood when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad could not control a grubber, losing track of it, which allowed Tyson Gamble to dive on it for the first try of the afternoon. The Knights looked to have scored again on the next set when Marcelo Montoya dropped the fifth tackle kick, but Dane Gagai was penalized for pushing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. This let-off was shortlived, however, as Mitchell Barnett lost possession, allowing the home side to continue to apply pressure and, after earning another penalty, pushed out to an 8-0 lead in only 15 minutes. Both sides traded errors and penalties until the Warriors managed to string some plays together and get across the line themselves in the 26th minute when Dylan Walker barged over in the middle of the park to reduce the Knight's lead to two. The game settled back into errors and penalties until it looked like the Warriors had snatched the lead in the 38th minute when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak caught a Shaun Johnson kick but dropped it while being tackled in the air; the officials deemed it a penalty but not worthy of a penalty try or a sin-bin, the Warriors elected to not take the two and push their luck to try and score a try but an error from CNK saw them rue another missed opportunity as they went into the sheds down 8-6.

The Warriors started the second half on a Knights error. Still, they struggled to make any inroads into the Knights' red zone, and any pressure they did attempt to build was immediately taken away with silly penalties. 

The Knights looked close to scoring through Dane Gagai, but a tremendous try-saving tackle from CNK forced a knock-on. There wasnt a lot of scoring opportunities in the second half, but the Warriors almost got there when Jackson Ford was beaten to the ball after Tom Ale and Ford both kicked the ball over the try-line. A few plays later, it looked like the Warriors had scored through DWZ with one of his trademark dives, but the Bunker controversially took it away for a dubious obstruction call against Ford.

A few minutes later, the Warriors levelled the scores when Jed Cartwright gave away a penalty for a late tackle, which SJ slotted. In what had become a habit in the match, the Warriors made more errors, which saw the Knights regain pressure, and eventually, the Warriors broke when Daniel Saifiti crashed over in the 62nd minute to retake the lead. With time running out, the Warriors did have a few chances to force the game into golden point, but everything they threw at the Knights was quickly defused as the Knights secured a critical 14-8 victory, sending the Warriors home with plenty to work on.

My Thoughts

It was another disappointing performance to watch. I know there were some shocking calls, and we could argue that the Warriors should have been given one, if not two, tries, but besides those moments, the Warriors just played horribly, living up to the stereotype of not being able to function in the wet.

With sloppy errors and silly penalties, the Warriors were constantly on the back foot, and when they managed to hold onto the ball, their attack left plenty to be desired (more on that below). We have seen teams string wins together and climb the ladder, so I am not writing them off just yet; however, I am concerned that the same complaints I have had for the past month have not improved despite being easy fixes in my mind but, in fact, got worse. I usually have a few days to process the match before completing my review, which allows me to bring a positive spin even in defeat, but I'm sorry, with games against the Roosters and Panthers up next, I just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet, and it is a significant moment in Andrew Websters short head coaching career, and he has work to do to get his team out of this slump.

There wasnt much to smile about this week, but I found one, which brings me to my positive.

Match Positive

Another week down means we are another week closer to seeing some of the injured troops return. We don't know how long Kurt Capewell will be out for now, but Chanel Harris-Tavita and Jazz Tevaga are scheduled to return in Round 13, and Marata Niukore is meant to return in Round 14. Niukore has been a big out, and the Warriors need him back in the lineup as he adds much-needed go-forward and helps open up the opposition's defences with his line running, creating opportunities out wide if he doesn't get the flat ball. If the Warriors stop getting injuries each week and get everyone back on board, then perhaps things will turn around.

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

Match Negatives

The most significant negative was the turnovers. The Warriors made 8 errors and conceded 10 penalties; add to that another 3 six six-again calls, and that is 21 extra sets gifted to the Knights. It's basic math, but giving away that many sets makes winning very difficult. The horrible conditions did not help, which is why we saw the Knights make 9 errors and concede 9 penalties also. The Warriors have been showing this lack of respect for the ball for a few weeks now, and they need to improve it tenfold sooner rather than later.

The Warriors' attack was woeful. To put it bluntly, they lack creativity. The tricks that worked in 2023 have been studied by the opposition and are easily defused; with the Warriors' forwards struggling to control the middle, the backs rush plays. So, as cliche as it is, the Warriors pack needs to dominate the contest, which opens up a better-attacking structure in theory. 

Lastly, Webster's bench and his use of it. I have long been vocal about Webster's struggles with picking a bench and using it, and this week was no exception, with Adam Pompey being a late-minute selection of Jacob Laban and not being used. I know he likes to have an emergency player on the bench that he only uses if an injury happens, but I think part of the issue the pack is currently having is the mismanagement of minutes; we know AFB, Tohu Harris, and Mitchell Barnett can play big minutes but some fine-tuning of when the interchange forwards join the contest could make all the difference. I'm not a coach, but I think a few tweaks to the rotations could assist in keeping the energy levels up.

Warrior of the Match

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

For the third week in a row, I've gone with AFB. I played 66 minutes and led the Warriors with 184 running metres, including 93 post-contact metres. He also had 32 tackles with only two misses and no errors. He is the only Warriors forward who threatens with the ball in hand currently, and despite being targeted each week due to this, he still delivers. If one or two more of the forwards can get their attacking ability up to his level, then this pack would be dangerous; easier said than done, but AFB continues to be one of a select few players who are delivering in 2024.

Warrior to Improve

My Player to improve is Marcelo Montoya. It was a tossup between both wingers this week, but I let DWZ off due to his two tries being scrubbed out. He ran for 138 metres but never looked threatening after he got gunshy after dropping a kick defusal (that was taken off his stats due to the Knights being penalized) early on; he is just one of several players currently struggling with confidence and could most likely do with a drop-down to reserve grade.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 10, The Warriors remain on enemy soil to face the Roosters, who put on a show in their 40-18 win over the Broncos in Round 9.

Regarding the team I would pick, with injuries still affecting the forward pack, I would leave the players there. However, Montoya needs to be replaced in the backline. DWZ is not playing great either, but you know he is always a chance to score in the corner, so he clings on for me. I would move Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the wing and bring Pompey back into the centres. Te Maire Martin is lucky to keep his spot, but I will switch him out when CHT returns.

The Roosters have been scary the past few weeks, putting 100 points on the Dragons and Broncos combined, and I am worried about how many points they may put on the Warriors. This has a big chance of being a cricket score if the Warriors don't make immediate improvements on both sides of the ball. Reduce the errors, improve the discipline, tighten the defence line and don't let the Roosters unleash their second phase football; if they do that, they have a fighter chance of getting an upset.

Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening, and I think the Roosters will win easily by 20.

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

What would your gameday 17 be?

How would you use the bench?

Are you concerned about the next two weeks?

What is your score prediction against the Roosters?