NZ Warriors 2024 Round 16 Review: Warriors Suffer Historic Humiliation in Heavy Defeat to Titans

 

After their disappointing Round 15 defeat to the Storm, the Warriors made the trip back across the ditch to face the last-placed Titans. While many expected a one-sided Warriors win, the Titans didn't get the memo as they put on a clinic, cruising to a 66-6 victory.

What Went Down

The Warriors attempted to build some pressure and looked sure to score in the corner via Marcelo Montoya in the 7th minute; however, some stern defence from Beau Fermor forced an error. From there, the Warriors continued to make errors, allowing the Titans to build pressure before being rewarded in the 6th minute when Alofiana Khan-Pereira easily crossed. The sides traded sets for a while, with the Warriors still struggling to complete their sets before a perfect pass from Kieran Foran sent Fermor across the line in the 20th minute. The Titans kept the pressure on, and after an Issac Liu line break split the Warrior's defence apart, the home side kept the tempo up as Chris Randall got his side's third try in the 25th minute. With the visitors on the ropes, the Titans would not be stopped as Jayden Campbell evaded several defenders before offloading the ball to Keenan Palasia for yet another try in the 31st minute. With time running out, the Titans struck once more when Keano Kini cut through the defence before sending Sam Verrills over to see Gold Coast leave the pitch leading 30-0 at the break.

The Warriors started the second half with more focus and looked willing to fight their way back into the contest until a wayward pass from Shaun Johnson in the 46th minute went straight to Khan-Pereira, who ran the length of the field for his second try of the afternoon. A dubious call against Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for a dangerous tackle saw the centre marched for ten, and the Titans capitalized with Kini cutting through the line once more in the 53rd minute to extend his side out to 40-0. Moments later, Foran continued to twist the knife when he put a kick up, which bounced the right way for Campbell to pounce on in the 56th minute for his side's 8th try. In the 58th minute, the Warriors finally got themselves on the scoreboard after Tohu Harris got close to the line before offloading to Te Maire Martin, who crossed untouched.

The game was already out of reach, but any hopes for a miraculous comeback were dashed in the 62nd minute when Campbell put a low kick through that was grabbed by Khan-Pereira for his first NRL hat-trick. The home side was not done yet as they added two more tries, one in the 67th minute when Kini took a Foran inside ball for his second try and then a 4th try by Khan-Pereira after he was put away by a quick pass from Brian Kelly to see the Titans cement their biggest winning margin in a 66-6 victory that will be remembered by the fans of both sides for many years to come.

My Thoughts

Well, what the hell was that? After this match, I spent a lot of time debating if I should even write a review this week, but I am a glutton for punishment, so here we are.

I came into this match confident, albeit a tad bit nervy with the Titan's recent form against the Warriors, but I never expected a scoreline of this nature. The Warriors never got into this contest and were well and truly beaten. The Titans deserved their applause as they played well and refused to allow the Warriors any chances, but the Warriors were embarrassingly poor here.

I just don't know what happened; the Warriors had that great 3 weeks, then got some wobbles last week against the Storm and then fell off the cliff here; there wasnt anything to praise; they couldn't control the ball, made poor defensive choices and just looked lost on attack, all worrying signs for a side that we all expected to start climbing the ladder. The decision to play Walker on the edge didn't work, and Webster's decision to have Jazz Tevaga and Chanel Harris-Tavita on for a decent chunk in the middle did not help the Warrior's attempts to dig themselves out of the hole they were in. This is a line-in-the-sand moment for this club; despite such a crushing defeat, they are still within reach of the top 8, and if they string some wins together, they still have a shot; however, Webster and the players need to have a decent honesty session and air out any issues that are festering and get back to work before it's too late.

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

Match Positives

Full credit to the fans who showed up. The Warriors always enjoy plenty of support on the Gold Coast, and this match was no different, sounding like a home game. Unfortunately, the team didn't respond in the way that we all expected, which saw the crowd become very quiet. 

Hopefully, this embarrassing showing is precisely what the doctor ordered to kick the side in the pants so we can start seeing some results. This may be the optimist in me, but I want to see this team succeed, and the only way is up from here.

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

Match Negatives

The side's attack looked disjointed, and in fact, everything did. There was a lack of heart and desire, and that team just looked out of sync. I'm curious if the team took the Titans lightly or thought too highly of themselves where they expected that they didn't have to try hard, and by the time they knew they were in their fight, it was already too late. It feels like something is going on behind the scenes that we are not privy to and it is causing friction on the field, something has spoiled the broth and it is up to Webster to figure it out and fix it.

The Warriors did not help themselves with the errors, making 13 in this match, I have said it multiple times this season, but against any side in the NRL, you cannot afford to hand over possession and the extra 13 times without paying the price. Most of these errors were simple schoolboy ones that showed a lack of concentration. They must show the ball more respect if they wish to return to the winner's circle.

The defence was atrocious. They missed 45 tackles and generally just could not keep their line intact. It was soft and displayed a massive mental deficiency. A pivotal moment for me was Jazz Tevaga's missed tackle on Chris Randall when he had just joined the game. He was fresh, and Jazz should have secured him, but he got run over. Defence is, for the most part, attitude-based, and this side could have been much better in that department.

Warrior of the Match

I have no Warrior of the Match this week. None of the players did enough to leave the pitch with their heads held high. It's only the second time I haven't picked a player since the Warriors lost 70-10 to the Storm in 2022, and hopefully, it's the last. 

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to the whole team.

I have only watched the game twice, and I struggled to pinpoint any player who played the worst as they were all poor. The forwards barely made a dent up front; the halves were constantly on the back foot, which led to the outside backs having no space to work in. Add to that the constant errors, subpar defence and the inability to work together. It was a throwback to how this team was prior to Andrew Webster taking over; I hate seeing the team perform like this, and if there is ever a time for a bounce-back performance, now is the time.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors return home to host the Broncos, who enjoyed a bye during Round 16.

Regarding the team I would pick, there was talk that Johnson may be out of this match with a hamstring injury. If that's the case, I would return to TMM and CHT in the halves and bring the suspended Dallin Watene-Zelezniak back to the wings. I would bring back Mitch Barnett and Kurt Capewell and would like to see Graham Moala Taufa brought back into the centres with RTS moved to the wing.

The Broncos have been struggling lately, with Adam Reynolds and Reece Walsh missing for a decent portion of their campaign. This has impacted their direction in attack; they may also be missing some, if not all, of their Origin stars, which may help the Warriors get a much-needed win. However the Warriors did lose to the baby Broncos last year. The Warriors need to regain their mojo, and a strong effort upfront by the pack needs to happen early to set a platform. Then, the halves must exploit any holes the pack has created and get those back into space. They also need to communicate and get their defence back on track because if they give the Broncos an inch, they will take a mile. I think the Warriors can get the job done if they get the basics right, but I cannot pick them here after the Titan's loss, so I am going with a Broncos win by 12. However, I hope the Warriors prove me wrong.

So, that was an embarrassing Round 16, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Did you have a player of the match?

Can you pinpoint what is wrong with this side and how they can fix it?

Do you think the Warrior's finals dreams are over?

What is your score prediction against the Broncos?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 15 Review: Warriors Derailed by Storm Surge

After enjoying their big Round 14 win over the Cowboys, the Warriors returned home to host the top-of-the-table Storm. After a dominant start, the Warriors could not keep the momentum on their side and were outrun by a determined Melbourne, losing 38-24.

What Went Down

The start couldn't have been any better for the Warriors as they dominated the first 20 minutes, holding the lion's share of possession. They only took six minutes to dot down the first points in the match when Adam Pompey dived over; a few minutes later, they extended their lead out when Pompey slotted a penalty goal after Eliesa Katoa collided with Te Maire Martins while he was kicking. The Warriors kept the pressure on, forcing the Storm into making more errors, which saw the Warriors increase their lead to 14-0 when Marcelo Montoya crossed over in the corner after a fantastic flick pass from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. The Storm wrestled back the momentum with a dubious marker, not a square penalty and were rewarded when Adam Pompey appeared to have secured a Jahrome Hughes bomb, only for it to be ripped away from him by Katoa for the Storms's first try of the night in the 19th minute. The Storm were right back to it when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak lost possession, handing the ball back to the Storm in good field position. They wasted little time when Hughes kicked to the corner, where Xavier Coates tapped the ball back to Grant Anderson for their second try in the 25th minute. A few minutes later, a penalty against Jackson Ford for pressure on the kicker saw the Storm strike again when they swung the ball out wide for Dean Ieremia, who made it look easy to evade defenders for an equalling try in the 30th minute. Both sides traded errors in the next few sets before Katoa terrorised his former club again when he broke into open space before sending Nick Meaney away for the Storm's fourth try of the night and seeing them take the lead. The first half stuttered to an end, with both sides making errors to see the sides go into the sheds with the Storm holding onto a 20-14 lead.

The Warriors started the second half in a similar manner to how they started the first, capitalising on a Coates error by sending Mitchell Barnett over in the 45th minute to reduce Melbourne's lead to 2. Things began to fall apart for the Warriors after that. Jazz Tevaga looked to have scored but the bunker reviewed an early play and handed the Storm a penalty for a Te Maire Martin dangerous tackle; a few plays later, Montoya was penalised for illegally stripping the ball before getting sent to the bin for a professional foul when he tackled Hughes before going back ten. The Storm took advantage of the one-man advantage, shifting the ball out wide to Sua Fa'alogo to cross untouched in the corner, hurting himself in the process with a massive dive. Five minutes later, the Warrior's problems got worse when DWZ was sent to the bin for hitting Anderson high and off the ball now with a two-man advantage, the Storm struck again when they placed a grubber through for Coates to swoop on, extending Melbourne's lead to 32-18. The sides traded sets, but neither gained the upper hand until a Nelson Asofa-Solomona error handed the Warriors a good field position. They finally found some success when Pompey sent Montoya over for his second try of the night. The Warriors looked to have found their second wind, but with time against them, they were forced to take some risks. It went against them when Barnett made an error, handing the Storm the final chance to score points. It was their livewire fullback Fa'alogo who broke the line to cross for the final try of the evening in the 78th minute to see the Storm extending their winning streak over the Warriors to 16 with the 38-24 victory.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a disappointing performance. I came into this match confident that the Warriors would get the job done, and after a dominant starting 15 minutes, it looked almost sure that the Storm's losing streak would finally be at an end. However, when the rain began to drizzle, it was the liquid kryptonite that we have seen affect them in the past, and they just fell apart and let the Storm waltz back into the contest. It was a promising start, but the Warriors need to be stronger when it comes to adversity, as when they had some shocking calls go against them, they couldn't stop the Storm rolling, and it looked like the more they tried, the more they got wrong. This game broke me a bit; sitting there in my seat watching that lead just dwindle was terrible; they started so well and looked like a genuine premiership threat, but they couldn't keep it up. If they want to play finals football, then they need to play 80 minutes consistently, week in and week out. It's not all doom and gloom; I believe that the Warriors are good enough to be a finals side. It is just going to take a few tweaks, and they will be back on track.

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

Match Positives

That start was fantastic; the Warriors refused to let the Storm into the game with a crushing defence that forced errors, and they applied enough pressure to force mistakes and capitalised on the chances they earned. If I had one criticism, it would have been their decision to go for the two points instead of attempting to add another try and really turn the screws. As I mentioned above, if the Warriors could turn that 20 minutes into a full-game effort, then they would be a tough team to defeat.

It was another big day for the forwards, with five players cracking that 100-metre target I like them to hit. Instead of mentioning them all, I want to just focus on one: Jackson Ford hit another front rower stint out of the park, leading his pack with 156 metres and playing the first 65 minutes before coming off; that is a massive effort, and against a more formidable forward pack, he did not look out of place. He has truly found his calling in the middle, and I look forward to seeing his game continue to improve.

I know there has been a lot of conversation surrounding the half's performance in this match, with some calling for SJ's head; however, I liked the new attack structure with a more equal spread of control shared between SJ and TMM. It was a bit clunky, but this was the first time this new style was used, and it will take some time for things to click, but the positives outweigh the negatives. The Storm are a hard team to try this new version of attack out on, but if they stick with it, it will reward them in the long run.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors let themselves down with their respect for the ball and discipline. They made 10 errors and conceded 8 penalties. Now, while some of those calls were dubious at best, they cannot afford to hand over 18 sets to any team, let alone a team like the Storm. It's just basic maths; the more turnovers they concede, the harder it will be for them to win. If they don't respect the ball more, their opposition will continue to punish them.

The Warrior's defence was pretty good for the most part; however, whenever they faced adversity due to an error or soft penalty, their defensive line lost all structure. They proved that they can defend well, as we saw in patches, but when pressured, they wilted, which shows that the issue is more of a mental and fatigue issue; the positive aspect of that is that it can be quickly addressed and fixed.

Lastly, the officiating, Gerard Sutton was well below the standards we expect in the NRL, which is already low. He made so many decisions wrong, and while I will not use that as an excuse for why the Warriors lost, it definitely aided the Storm in swinging the momentum in their favour. I think it's a fair request to have the game called fairly, and while the referees are only human and mistakes happen, we shouldn't be able to pinpoint multiple occasions where the calls were so wrong. I thought the two sinbins were fair in his defence, although I think the penalty conceded before Montoya's was incorrect.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Mitchell Barnett.

Fresh from his new contract extension, Barnett had a great showing. He played the full 80 minutes, ran for 145 metres, and made 25 tackles with only one miss. He has been a critical figure in this Warriors pack in 2024 and shows no signs of slowing down. He adds plenty of attacking threat and defensive starch to the edge and has eliminated the discipline issues he had while at Newcastle. A great game, and I'm thrilled that he will continue to be a Warrior until at least 2027.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

It was not the best night for DWZ. He ran for only 76 metres, made 2 errors, and had that sin-bin, which was just a brain explosion that should never have happened. He is a better player than this game suggests, and now, with a week off due to a ban, he has time to reset and hit the ground running in Round 17. 

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors return to Australia to face the Titans, who lost 18-10 to the Wests Tigers in Round 15.

Regarding the team I would pick, there is a fair share of outs this week, with DWZ banned, Kurt Capewell and Barnett out due to Origin selection, and injuries to Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey. However, Pompey may be cleared to play this week, so I will pencil him in for now.

In the backs, I would bring Roger Tuivasa-Sheck back into the centres to replace Berry and either Ed Kosi or Moala Graham-Taufa onto the wing (or move RTS to the wing and have Graham-Taufa to the centres).

In the forwards, I would either move Ford to the 2nd row or bring Jacob Laban in to replace Barnett and bring Tom Ale onto the bench to replace Capewell.

The Titans have been all over the place since they defeated the Warriors on ANZAC Day and have looked like a shell of what they could be, so my confidence is high for a Warriors bounceback. However, the Titans have David Fifita returning, and he will be looking for a big game as he attempts to try to get back into Queensland selection. The Warriors have a great chance of bouncing back here; they will have a few changes in the lineup but have shown that the young guns can step up, so if they can start fast and stay consistent, reducing the errors and improving the discipline, then they are in the driver's seat here so I am going for the Warriors to win by 18.

So, that was a disappointing Round 15, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What is your take on the new halves game plan?

Who would you bring in to replace the outs?

Do you think the officiating was terrible, or am I overreacting?

What is your score prediction against the Titans?

NZ Warriors 2024 Round 14 Review: Cowboys Lassoed by Rampaging Warriors

After enjoying their Round 13 bye, the Warriors returned across the ditch to face the Cowboys. With some of the heavy hitters back and a week to recover from extra niggles, The Warriors hit the ground running with a dominant display, cruising to their third win in a row 42-12.

What Went Down

After an early error from former Warrior Viliami Vailea, the Warriors found themselves in good field position and looked to have scored a few plays later when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak sauntered over in the 2nd minute; however, the bunker denied it due to Jackson Ford's obstruction. The Cowboys tried to apply pressure on the Warriors with a strong kick-chase at the end of their set but gave away a penalty when Valentine Holmes tackled Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad early, and from there, the Warriors took control of the match with several strong sets that earned repeat sets through some cowboys ill-discipline and accurate grubbers into the in-goal, and they were finally rewarded in the 8th minute when Nicoll-Klokstad snatch up a Te Maire Martin flick pass that had gone to ground, broke a tackle and dived over in the corner for the first try of the evening. The Cowboys continued to let themselves down with a Tom Dearden error and an inside the 10 six again call, which handed the Warriors favourable field possession, and they wasted little time when Addin Fonua-Blake barged over in the 13th minute for his sixth try of the season. The sides started to trade sets, and it looked like this might become a more even matchup until an error from Kyle Feldt saw the Warriors capitalise once again and cross for their third try of the night when Mitchell Barnett dived across the line in the 19th minute, taking advantage of a Cowboys defensive line in tatters. The Warriors lost some composure, made several errors, and gave away some six agains, which saw the Cowboys finally get some ball in the Warriors' red zone, but the Warriors' defensive line held firm and forced yet another Cowboys error. The Warriors got back to work and, after several sets, were close to scoring again, only for the official to call a forward pass, handing the back-peddling Cowboys a slight reprieve; however, it wasnt for long as an error from Braidon Burns saw the Warriors back in attack mode, a few moments later Tohu Harris burrowed his way over the line but the bunker ruled that he didn't get the ball down, the Warriors kept their cool and were rewarded when a Te Maire Martin pass on the final take hit Rocco Berry who was fortunate when the ball bounced off his chest and touched no Cowboy which allowed him to regather it before scoring in the 32nd minute to see the score extend to 22-0. The Cowboys would end the first half on a positive note when Dearden spotted some lazy markers deep inside his own half and sniped away before sending Scott Drinkwater away for their first try of the match to see the sides go into the sheds with the Warriors leading 22-6.

The second half started on a more even platform, with both sides trading sets and errors for the first 10 minutes; in the 50th minute, the Cowboys looked like they may have scored, but the bunker confirmed that Burns made an error. The Warriors surged up the field and were given a penalty on the last tackle due to a dangerous tackle. The Warriors clicked into gear with a few darting attempts at the Cowboys line before Te Maire Martin threw a Harbour Bridge pass over several defenders and bounced forward before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scooped it up for the first try of the second half. This try would have been taken away from the Warriors most nights, but not this night. The game settled again, but with the Cowboys struggling to dig themselves out of the hole they got in, tempers started to flare, with Chad Townsend and Chanel Harris-Tavita starting to give each other a bit of niggle. An early tackle penalty against Townsend in the 60th minute saw CHT drop the ball on the former Warrior's head, which saw CHT sent to the bin for ten, Townsend would join him seconds later, and the Warriors pushed their lead out to 30-6 when Pompey slotted the penalty kick. A few plays later, a Jaxson Purdue error saw Marcelo Montoya scoop the ball up and run into open space before losing the ball due to a massive tackle from Holmes; the official ruled it an illegal shoulder charge; however, the Cowboys successfully challenged the call to retain possession. The Cowboys struggled to find any holes in the Warrior's defensive line, but a long pass from Dearden to Feldt almost brought them some points, but they kept composed and forced an error from Berry with their fifth tackle kick, and with a new set, they pushed their luck but made the wrong call and saw the ball go over the dead ball line. The Warriors charged up the field with their next set, and after a linebreak from TMM, the Cowboys were all over the place and a grubber from CNK went into the goal and looked to be heading over the dead-ball line, only for DWZ to slap the ball backwards to CNK who grounded it for an amazing try in the 68th minute. The Cowboys finally showed some life in the 72nd minute after earning a seven-tackle set and managing to hold onto the ball for several plays, shifting left to an unmarked Burns to cross for their second try of the night. The side traded errors, including a mistimed Pompey offload, before the Warriors ended the match in dominant style when Berry popped the ball to CNK, who broke down the field but elected to hold onto the ball; a few plays later, Berry was involved again when he latched onto a TMM grubber to score his second try of the night in what was the final scoring play of the match with the Warriors cementing their third win in a row in a onesided 42-12 win.

My Thoughts

Well, what a win! I predicted and expected a Warriors win, but not by that kind of scoreline. The Warriors started with intent and never looked in doubt, and while the Cowboys played well below their capabilities, the Warriors didn't let the game fall into a try-for-try messy battle. They played a simple game plan, made the most of the opportunities the Cowboys handed them, and openly attacked whichever side of the field had holes, which is precisely what we want to see from them. The returns of several big names worked well, with the players slotting into the team without disrupting the flow the team has had since Magic Round. It wasnt a perfect performance, with a few too many errors and six agains for my liking, but it was yet another confidence-boosting win that has seen the Warriors shoot a few spots up the ladder and get them into top-eight contention and with a few challenging games coming up the Warriors need to build on this past month and stack those competition points. The Warriors still have Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to come back into the fold, which will lead to an interesting problem for Andrew Webster as he attempts to find a way to fit all the players in, but that is a good problem to have with a side that appears to have turned its season around.

There was plenty to smile about this week, which brings me to my positives.

Match Positives

The forwards put in a massive stint, with five of them running for over 100 metres, Addin Fonua-Blake (207m), Jackson Ford (178m), Mitchell Barnett (147m), Tohu Harris (143m) and Dylan Walker (105m). The rest were not that far behind, and with them doing the hard yards on both sides of the ball, it just made the back's life so much as they were able to expose the Cowboy's defensive structure that was struggling to stay together with the Warriors rolling forward. With big games against the Storm and Broncos in the next few weeks, this pack needs to keep this level up if they want to score the upsets. Before moving on, I want to give an extra shoutout to Jackson Ford and his move to prop, I raised my eyebrows at the selection during the week, and while I thought he would be serviceable upfront, I did not expect him to excel like he did, now it's only one much, so I want to see him remain at this level, but I think keeping him at prop is the way to go.

The Warriors didn't take their foot off the gas. With a healthy lead going into the break, I had concerns that the team would let off and allow the Cowboys into the contest, but no, they kept pushing and added another three tries to the tally. The NRL is a tough contest, and we have already seen many times this season that if you leave the door open, teams can overcome large deficits and win, so it is essential to stay committed for the entire contest. It's promising to see the Warriors show that focus, as that is a mentality they will need to keep for the remainder of the season if they wish to play finals.

Lastly, the defence was a highlight; admittingly, they didn't have much thrown at them, but to hold the Cowboys to only two tries is a big statement. The Cowboys made plenty of errors, but some were down to the pressure the Warriors defensive line piled on. The side was communicating, and more importantly, we saw more trust between the players on the edge; add to that a tackle machine like Ford in the middle, and the Warriors just left no avenues open for the Cowboys to target, except that first try with some lazy marker work. I want to see this defensive attitude remain against the Storm this week, as we all know they have plenty of points in them. 

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

Match Negative

I've watched the match several times and have struggled to find anything that concerns me, so I will discuss the sin-binning. We have seen some head-scratching sin-bins in the NRL's history, but the ones against Chanel Harris-Tavita and Chad Townsend are a new low. CHT shouldn't have dropped the ball on Chad, as it was just poking the bear. Still, it should never have led to 10 in the bin, at worst it should have been a pull aside by official Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski with him telling them to stop the niggle but in all honesty, it looked like Ziggy was starting to lose control and went from 0 to 100 to make a statement. Thankfully, the game was over anyway, but it shows why Ziggy has spent most of 2024 as a touch judge, so he should go back to the sidelines.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Te Maire Martin.

There were a bunch of players that I could have picked here, but out of the Warrior's seven tries, TMM threw the final pass in five of them and assisted in a 6th with a kick, so I gave him the nod. He directed the side around the park well, and while he may not have Shaun Johnson's kick power, he makes up for that with an accurate short kicking game that either creates scoring opportunities or creates pressure. I was concerned when he was given the keys when SJ went down, but he has been nothing but fantastic since then. While we are all looking forward to SJ returning and waiting to hear if he will play on in 2025, I can say I am confident in a TMM-led Warriors in 2025 if SJ decides to hang the boots up. We just need to see how TMM can keep adding impact to the Warriors' attack when Johnson takes the keys back.

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.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

The Warriors return home for Round 15 to host the Melbourne Storm, who, in Round 14, held on to defeat the Knights 36-28.

Regarding the team I would pick, the rumours are that Shaun Johnson will be ready to go, so I would bring him back into the halves and move Chanel Harris-Tavita to the bench, replacing Freddy Lussick, since I think CHT can cover hooker and essentially any other back position. The rest of the 17 I would keep the same.

The Storm are sitting at the top of the ladder, and deservedly so, with some hard-fought wins this year, including that heartbreaker in Round 2, where they beat the Warriors in the dying stages. However, they have also lost some matches that many did not expect and will be without Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster, which makes them slightly less dangerous. You can never take the Storm lightly, but if the Warriors can bring a similar gameplan that we saw against the Cowboys to this match in front of yet another sellout Mt Smart crowd, then they have a massive opportunity to earn their third top-four scalp. Perhaps it's the buzz of the past month, but I am coming in confident, so I have picked a Warriors win by 8.

So, that was a great Round 14, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the 17?

Did you have a player to improve?

Where on the ladder do you think the Warriors will end the 2024 season?

What is your score prediction against the Storm?

NZ Warriors 2024 Mid-Season Review: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

With the Warriors enjoying their first bye of the Season in Round 13, I have no match review to write, so instead, it was the best time to write my mid-season review.

I came into the 2024 season filled with optimism, I predicted the Warriors would start well, and by the time they reached their Magic Round match against the Panthers, they would have a 7-3 record, which I got very wrong as, in fact, they were 3-1-6 and looking a shell of their 2023 counterparts and my optimism had taken a stumble, then back-to-back wins over the Panthers and Dolphins got the Warriors back on track. The Warriors currently sit in 13th place with 13 points and a -3 points differential. The season is very tight, with the Warriors only 1 point out of the top eight, 3 points out of the top 4, and 5 points ahead of the 17th-placed Rabbitohs.

Unlike last season, playing away from home is having more of an impact. The Warriors have a 4-1-2 home record and a 1-4 away record, although one of those home wins was at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Warriors let slip some of those games on both sides of the Tasman, which could have seen them cement a spot higher up the ladder, but hopefully, those defeats will prove vital lessons as the Warriors turn their focus to the second half of the season.

Keeping in theme, I started a few seasons back; I'm going to break my review into what's been good, what's been bad, and what has been downright ugly before summing it all up, looking at the second half of the Season, updating my player of the year tally, and predicting the Cowboys match in Round 14.

So, let's just get into it.

The Good

Let's start with the next man up, the mantra that Andrew Webster spoke about at length when he took the helm last season. It sounds like a cliche, but despite a heavy injury toll, the Warriors have remained competitive, including their upset wins in rounds 11 and 12 with a severely depleted team. It is a true display of this side's heart and dedication to the game plan that anyone can step up, slot into any position, and deliver a commendable performance. And while it is not ideal to have to rely on the second-string and sometimes third-string players in the squad, we can move forward knowing that the Warriors are always a fighter chance regardless of the 17 that run out on the field and it at least provides some gameday experience if those players have to be called on if the Warriors make the finals.

The pathways are also showing promise, with all the Warriors teams performing well in the lower grades, including the Harold Matts side winning the competition in their first season; this is great for the Warriors' future as there appears to be plenty of talent sitting under Webster's learning tree now, and a healthy pathway is the best way to ensure long-term success.

I just mentioned the next step-up mentality working well, and that comes down to Andrew Webster's system; he has a system in place that the squad are responding to, and while they have suffered several losses, there have not been a lot of blowouts which shows that the gameplan is there and with just a bit of fine-tuning and luck the Warriors will be able to win more than they lose and that really is the key. If a few things click, I expect a very successful second half of the season.

Lastly, the sell-out crowds at Mount Smart. The club is currently on track to be the first NRL side to sell out every home game. As a season member for the past 19 years, I have sat through plenty of games at Mt Smart with tiny crowds, so to see the people flock to games now has been amazing; a packed-out Mt Smart is incredible to witness and is intimidating for visiting sides giving the Warriors an edge, and if the fans keep showing up the Warriors can really make some waves in the competition. 

So far, my game of the year was the Warrior's Magic Round 22-20 victory over the Panthers. It could have easily gone to the Dolphins win a week later, but I had to go with the win over the reigning premiers. I went into the match only hoping that the makeshift Warriors could remain competitive and lose by a close margin, but they showed heart and determination and, against the odds, delivered a fantastic display that was a well-timed confidence booster not only for the squad but for the fans also and was the perfect opportunity to show everyone that they have what it takes to turn their season around. 

The Bad

The Warriors have let a few games slip this year; they could have been a top-four side right now if they iced some opportunities in their losses in Round 1 against the Sharks, Round 2 against the Storm, Round 8 against the Titans and then their Golden Point draw against the Sea Eagles in Round 6. I've selected these matches as I believe they had enough chances to get the job done. However, while they did not get those points, they have gained valuable lessons that have seen them improve and if they continue to improve each week and climb up that ladder.

The Warrior's attack has been a bit onenote for most of the season, with the Warriors focussed on sending everything out to the right, which has been easily defused by the opposition; the kicking game has consisted of kicking deep to the right and applying pressure while it worked well last year it has not been as successful this season. In the past two weeks, the Warriors have executed a more balanced attack, striking the left, middle, and right more evenly, making it more challenging to defend. It's the way they have to continue to play, which is the big question mark around this side after the bye; when all the regular players return, will they keep this attack or regress back to what wasnt working earlier? 

Lastly, I have been vocal about my dislike of Webster's bench use all season. It is another thing that has improved in the past fortnight, but at times, he either leaves players on for too long or only gives the bench players a little time on the pitch. It can be a tricky aspect of the game to nail, but I would like to see 2 or 3 interchanges in the first half; give your prop interchanges 20 minutes to see the big guns like Addin Fonua-Blake get some energy back into their legs. With all the players returning, we may see the interchanges improve, as perhaps Webster is being cautious with the young players who have had to fill in. 

My bad match of the year was the Warriors 27-24 ANZAC Day defeat to the Titans. The first ANZAC day clash on home soil since 2015 did not live up to the expectations that I had set. The Warriors started strong but then regressed and let the Titans take over, the team lacked urgency, struggled with their defence and looked out of ideas with the ball in hand, and the life was sucked out of the crowd until Zyon Maiu'u entered the game, which saw the Warriors pick things up, but it was too little too late. 

And now all that's left is the ugly.

The Ugly

Injuries have been the biggest issue for the Warriors this season, as several key figures have been out for extended periods. NRL Physio provided a stat this week on the approximate number of games missed due to injury by top squad players, and the Warriors sit at the top with 73 missed games. Currently, the Warriors have 10 players out with injury, with most due back this week, but vital cogs to the Warriors campaign like Shaun Johnson, Wayde Egan, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad,  Kurt Capewell, Tohu Harris, Luke Metcalf, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Marata Niukore have all spent time on the sidelines and there are many more. To their credit, the Warriors have not made excuses, and as I have already mentioned, the players that have had to step up have done an admiral job. With the injured Warriors starting to return after this week's bye, I have my fingers crossed that the Warrior's bad luck stops and we begin to see the same 17 get to play together and work on their combinations as they work towards getting themselves in the top eight.

My last ugly is the Addin Fonua-Blake situation that happened recently. The star front-rower was stood down after not being involved in the coach's address and team song after the Panthers' win. Rumours of an early exit were everywhere, but as of yet, there have been no developments on that front, and I am optimistic that AFB will remain with the Warriors until the end of the season. He has been one of the club's best performers this season. I want to see him end his Warriors career on a high, so hopefully, all the drama has been dealt with. Still, full credit to Andrew Webster for his decision to stand AFB down; it's essential to have standards for your squad and no player, regardless of how important they are, should be above them. 

My ugly match of 2024 was the 38-18 Round 10 defeat to the Roosters. 

This was one of only two blowouts that the Warriors have had this season, and while the Roosters have put together some good performances, the first 20 minutes of this match were embarrassing to watch with less than stellar defence and no answers on attack. The Warriors looked like a NSW Cup team, and while they did stem the flow and look competitive for the final 60 minutes, the match was already over. Putting a positive spin on it, this match may have been the wake-up call the side needed, as they have turned a corner and looked much better since this loss.

The Season so far and what's next

Overall, I am okay with the season to date, albeit that has lifted with the past two wins, as before that, I was very disappointed. Sitting at 13th isn't great, but with how close the ladder is, if they string a few wins together, they can climb that ladder quickly.

There is still plenty for the squad to work on, but they have improved, so I'm confident that they will continue to trend upwards, and with their injured players returning, they have a good chance of racking up the competition points during the Origin period. They have two byes and 12 games remaining, and looking over those 12 matches, only five are at Home, and six are against the current top-eight sides. We have seen plenty of upsets, but out of those 12 remaining games, they all look winnable, with the hardest being matches against the Storm, Broncos and Sharks.

As I have mentioned several times, the NRL ladder is tight, and a few more poor performances could really derail the Warrior's finals chances; however, this year's squad has shown a lot of heart and has proved recently that they are game to defy the odds, so I think they have a great shot at ending the season in the finals series for the second year in a row. And once they get to the finals, they could rattle a few teams, so the sky is truly the limit in 2024. I'm not going to say that they can go all the way and win their first premiership right now, but if they battle every week and start getting runs on the board, then they have a shot. The biggest criticism against the 2023 Warriors was their inability to defeat any top-four sides, and so far this season, they have beaten two of them (Panthers and Dolphins) and narrowly lost to the other two (Sharks and Storm), so anything is possible in my eyes.

Update on Brad's Player of the Year Standings

After every match, I have been rating the top three Warriors with a Dally M 3,2,1 points system; I have been slack in sharing the updates this season, so I will include the update here.

Twelve players have received points so far this season, and below are the top five scorers. Addin Fonua-Blake currently sits at the top with a massive lead. The players with points who didn't make the top five in the image below are Te Maire Martin with 4 points, Rocco Berry and Roger Tuivasa Sheck with 3 points, and Taine Tuaupiki with 2 points.

On the other hand, I also keep track of the players I pick each week who need to improve. We have had seven players make that list, with Jackson Ford and Marcelo Montoya leading with two selections each. The rest, with only one selection so far, are Tom Ale, Jazz Tevaga, Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak, Freddy Lussick, and Edward Kosi. I have also had a no-player selected to improve three times this season.

Next Rounds' Thoughts and Prediction

Round 14 sees the Warriors return across the ditch to face the Cowboys, who defeated the Roosters 18-16 in Round 13.

Regarding the team I would pick, based on the NRL Casualty report, Rocco Berry, Kurt Capewell, Wayde Egan, Addin Fonua-Blake, Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, and Taine Tuaupiki are all meant to return. 

This makes it a bit tough to pick my 17, but I would bring CNK and Berry back into the backline. SJ returns in the halves, and I would keep TMM, as I think his recent form gives him the first shot at the 6 jersey. 

In the forwards, AFB and Egan return to the front row, and I would move Tohu Harris up front also; Jackson Ford and Kurt Capewell are my second row, with Dylan Walker at lock. My bench would be Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jazz Tevaga, Marata Niukore and Tom Ale. I have left Mitchell Barnett out due to him perhaps playing Origin. If he doesn't and is free to play, I would drop Tom Ale out.

The Cowboys have been a real up-and-down side, winning games you don't expect while also losing games no one predicted either, which makes them a hard team to predict, especially when they may have a fair amount of players rested due to playing origin. If the Warriors bring the same style and attack that they have delivered the past two weeks with the inclusion of some more strike power from the returning stars, then they should be in the driver's seat to get the win. If they get the momentum rolling with the forwards and don't restrict their attack to one edge, they should walk away victors. I'm confident that the side has taken note of the past couple of wins, so I am going with the Warriors to get their third win in a row by 12.

So that was my mid-season review, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who has been your player of the year to date?

Who is your player that needs to improve the most?

Where do you see the Warriors finishing on the ladder?

What are your best and worst games for the Season so far?

What is your score prediction against the Cowboys?