NZ Warriors 2025 Round 8 Review: Warriors Ride Fast Start To ANZAC Day Success

After their upset win over the Broncos, the Warriors travelled down to Christchurch to host the Knights, who tasted defeat in Round 7, losing 34-14 to the Sharks.

In front of a lively league-starved Christchurch crowd, the Warriors never looked in doubt and cruised to a comfortable 26-12 win after a strong first half.

What Went Down

The game kicked off with a bang as both teams were reduced to 12 men within the first five minutes. Marata Niukore (Warriors) and Leo Thompson (Knights) were sin-binned for high tackles, setting the tone for a dramatic start.

Despite the early chaos, the Warriors quickly seized the momentum. Luke Metcalf's clever link-up play put Leka Halasima in a strong position near the line, and moments later, slick ball movement sent Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad diving over in the corner. However, the Bunker ruled out the try for obstruction.

Undeterred, the Warriors pressed on. Just a minute later, Dane Gagai spilled a high bomb, and quick hands from Kurt Capewell set up Adam Pompey, who scored in the left corner in the 8th minute. After a tense review, the Bunker confirmed the try.

The Warriors continued to dominate. A break from Capewell opened up the Knights' defence, and Metcalf’s brilliant pass sent Taine Tuaupiki charging toward the line. But once again, the Bunker intervened, ruling Tuaupiki’s foot had brushed the sideline.

As the game settled, the Knights thought they had a breakthrough when Greg Marzhew powered over the line, but the Bunker ruled he hadn’t grounded the ball. The Warriors made them pay almost immediately. A high kick aimed at James Schiller was plucked out of the air by Pompey, who linked up with Ali Leiataua, who offloaded to Jackson Ford for the Warriors' second try in the 28th minute.

The Knights’ frustration mounted as Dane Gagai was ruled to have knocked on, and Schiller’s difficult night continued with another error. The Warriors seized the opportunity, with Metcalf steering the attack, finding Erin Clark, who offloaded to Ford for his second try of the night in the 35th minute, seeing the Warriors go into the sheds with a commanding 16-0 lead.

The second half began with Newcastle gaining early momentum. Gagai led the attack, breaking through Leiataua before passing to Schiller, who bounced back from a tough first half to put the Knights on the scoreboard in the 49th minute.

Just as Newcastle seemed to be building some pressure, Jack Cogger threw a loose pass that was intercepted by Luke Metcalf, who appeared set to score. However, Fletcher Sharpe's determined chase stopped him just short of the line. Despite the near miss, the Warriors capitalised on the next set. Wayde Egan powered through the defence to score for the hosts in the 55th minute.

The Warriors then sealed the win in the final ten minutes, punishing the Knights for their mistakes in yardage. Metcalf sliced through the line, with the ball seemingly touching Chanel Harris-Tavita (backwards) before landing in Pompey's hands for his second try of the game in the 71st minute.

Though the game was already decided, the Knights had the final say in the 76th minute. After a few phases deep in Warriors' territory, Brodie Jones crossed untouched following a well-timed short ball from Phoenix Crossland. However, it was too little, too late, as the Warriors secured their first ANZAC Day victory since 2014, winning 26-12.

My Thoughts

This match was a much less stressful watch compared to recent rounds. I felt confident heading into the clash, given the Knights' struggles, and I even came within two points of my prediction from last week. However, with the Warriors’ poor ANZAC Day history in the back of my mind, there was still a hint of doubt. Those nerves grew early when Marata Niukore was sent to the sin bin almost immediately. Despite the setback, the Warriors stayed composed and got to work.

It wasn’t the prettiest performance, but the Warriors built pressure and capitalised on key opportunities. Defensively, they were solid for the most part, although a few poor reads allowed Newcastle to grab some soft tries. Overall, the Warriors controlled the game, keeping the Knights pinned down and preventing them from building any real momentum.

I was hoping to see the Warriors shift gears in the second half and pile on more points. However, they did ease up a little, but not enough to put the result in danger, just enough to stop them from running up a cricket score. That’s nitpicking, though. With the Warriors' attack still missing a bit of spark, it wasn’t entirely surprising.

Still, it was another important win, keeping the Warriors firmly inside the NRL top four. Even better, there are some very winnable games ahead, especially with James Fisher-Harris, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak set to return soon. There’s still work to be done, but the Warriors are improving each week (aside from the Storm game, hopefully just an outlier).

If this trend continues, the Warriors are a real chance to lock in a top-four finish, or at the very least, secure a spot in the NRL finals, which is a huge step forward from where I thought they’d be during the preseason.

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

Match Positives

It was a busy night for the forwards; they kept momentum firmly in the Warriors' hands. Five of the pack ran for my ideal triple-digit target, led by the constantly impressive Erin Clark (155m). Jackson Ford (147m), Mitchell Barnett (142m), Leka Halasima (122m) and Kurt Capewell (104m). Marata Niukore got 79 metres, but I assume he would have cracked 100 also if he hadn't received his sin bin and HIA. With the halves pairing of Metcalf and Harris-Tavita still finding its feet and building cohesion, it is vital to the Warriors' chances of success that the forwards do the heavy lifting in the middle, get the opposition stuck on the backfoot, and that's when we will see the Warriors attack start to bear fruit. The pack has been great in most games this season, so fingers crossed that trend continues.

The Warriors secured their fifth win of the season, a solid achievement considering their full-strength side hasn't yet played together. While their performances haven’t always been flawless, the Warriors have shown great heart and determination, winning games they would have likely lost last year. They're building a strong foundation, and once at full strength, we can expect their game to reach a whole new level. While it’s too early to start booking Finals tickets, the Warriors are definitely heading in the right direction.

Although the Warriors eased off in the second half, they didn’t allow the Knights to get back into the game. Aside from a soft try at either end of the half, the Warriors kept the pressure on, forcing errors and preventing the Knights from making it a competitive match. While I'd like to see the Warriors be more ruthless and finish teams off, it was reassuring to see they avoided the mental lapses that have cost them in recent matches, where opponents have scored quickly to close the gap.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors' attack remains clunky and lacks creativity, even though it's getting the job done for now. Scoring five tries is no small feat, but there’s still significant room for improvement. The team often looks unsure when entering the opposition’s red zone. Much of this can be attributed to the developing combination between Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita, as well as the absence of key strike weapons Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. Once they return, I expect the Warriors to convert more of their scoring chances and sharpen their attacking game. 

The officials, particularly the Bunker, seemed determined to drain the excitement from the match. This wasn’t just an issue for this game, but a theme across all matches in the round. Going back several plays to review a high shot and sending players to the sin bin disrupts the game's flow. If the on-field officials miss a major call, then sure, review it. But for those 50/50 calls that no one reacts to, especially when the player being hit doesn’t try to exaggerate the incident, just let it play on. Maybe it's just me, an old fan frustrated by the system, but it’s especially annoying when more obvious mistakes, like forward passes or strips, are ignored by the Bunker. Thankfully, it didn’t cost the Warriors in this game, and they adapted well after going down to 12 men. Still, these constant interruptions take away from the enjoyment of watching the game.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Adam Pompey.

In my time doing these reviews, I have been highly critical of Pompey, and he has proven my opinion wrong essentially every round this season. He made a poor error defusing a bomb in this match, and that was really the only thing I can critique in this week's performance. He was busy with the ball in hand, scoring a nice double and running for 171 metres, making two linebreaks and adding a line break assist and eight tacklebreaks. Wasn't tested defensively too often but did show nerves under the highball, an issue that will go away for the most part when he returns to the centres. I have been very impressed with his effort this season, and he has proven to be a dependable player for the Warriors. He should retain his spot in the back five when DWZ and RTS return.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Rocco Berry. 

It was another week where I struggled to pick a player here; however, I decided to go with Berry, who had limited impact with the ball in hand, running only 7 times for 72 metres, defensively, he made 28 tackles, the highest for the Warriors backs, however he also had 7 missed tackles, which was the most by a Warriors player in this match. Struggled with kicks both on attack and defence, I rate Berry, and while he is only 2 games in from his return from injury, he is currently not at the level to keep a spot in the centres. I expect to see him dropped once the Warriors get their first-choice wingers back, so he has Magic Round left to show he deserves to keep the number 3 jersey.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 9, the Warriors head over to Brisbane for Magic Round to face the Cowboys, who defeated the Titans 50-18 in Round 8.

As for the team I'd select, I'm sticking with the same side. I don't like changing a winning team, and JFH, RTS, and DWZ are not scheduled to return until Rounds 10 and 11. 

The Cowboys had a rough start to the season but have bounced back strongly, winning four straight games since their Round 3 loss to the Broncos. Their halves are combining well, creating space for their strike players to showcase their speed, a major threat for the Warriors, who often struggle against fast-paced teams.

For the Warriors to come away with a win, the game plan remains simple but crucial, wrap up the ball carriers to stop offloads and put pressure on the Cowboys’ halves to deny them time and space. Dominating the middle will also be vital. The forwards need to build momentum, giving Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita the platform to create scoring chances.

Look for the Warriors to target short balls to power runners like Marata Niukore and Leka Halasima close to the line, a tactic that could lead to plenty of tries. The Warriors will also have strong support from their vocal fanbase at Suncorp Stadium, and they'll need to feed off that energy.

It’s shaping up to be a cracking contest, and I’m backing the Warriors to get the job done by 8 points.

So, that was a Satisfactory Round 8, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who was your player of the match?

Did you have a player to improve?

Would you like to see the Warriors play more games around NZ?

What is your score prediction against the Cowboys?

NZ Warriors 2025 Round 7 Review: Warriors Shock Broncos in a Gutsy Golden Point Grind

After their massive defeat to the Storm, the Warriors returned home to host the Broncos, who also tasted defeat in Round 6, losing 26-16 to the Roosters.

Despite missing key players and letting an 18–6 lead slip, the Warriors held their nerve. After Reece Walsh kicked the restart dead at the beginning of Golden Point, Luke Metcalf, despite four earlier misses, nailed a 50-metre penalty to seal the victory, 20-18.

What Went Down

It was a less-than-stellar start for the Broncos, with star fullback Reece Walsh immediately under pressure. Nursing a knee injury, Walsh struggled to clean up an early kick and looked uncomfortable throughout the first half. An early error under the high ball from Adam Pompey gifted the Broncos field position, and they struck quickly. Billy Walters caught the Warriors napping around the ruck and darted over for the opening try at the 3-minute mark.

Both teams were guilty of letting opportunities slip away. Mitch Barnett was denied for a knock-on, and Xavier Willison’s effort was rubbed out for obstruction. After a scrappy period in which both sides struggled to take control, the Warriors finally got an opportunity that stuck as Luke Metcalf isolated Jordan Riki one-on-one and put Leka Halasima over in the 30th minute, bringing the scores level.

Metcalf had a shot to take the lead with a sideline penalty goal near the end of the first half, but it missed and nearly proved costly. Brisbane caught the wayward kick and went the length of the field, only for Kotoni Staggs’ forward pass to Walsh letting the Warriors off the hook, which saw the first half close with the scores locked at 6-all.

The Warriors struck first after the break, in a messy sequence. Mitch Barnett, unsure of the tackle count, tossed a panicked pass to Taine Tuaupiki, which went to the ground. The young fullback punted the loose ball ahead as Brisbane’s left edge rushed up, opening the door for Edward Kosi to sneak over in the 51st minute and take the lead. Just past the hour, the Warriors turned defence into attack. A loose Ben Hunt pass was intercepted, and Kurt Capewell surged clear. With Kobe Hetherington chasing hard, Capewell flung the ball to Metcalf, who dotted down under the sticks.

Brisbane began to unravel, the scoreboard and a 9-3 penalty count weighing heavily on them. The Warriors kept the pressure on and were rewarded when Marata Niukore drove straight through Jaiyden Hunt and Reece Walsh to notch the Warriors' fourth try in the 64th minute, extending their lead to 12.

The Broncos weren’t done, however. Walsh made amends with a pinpoint cutout pass to Jesse Arthars, who scored to maintain his status as the NRL’s leading try-scorer in the 66th minute. Then, with under ten minutes left, Adam Reynolds rolled a grubber into the in-goal. A flurry of air swings ensued, before Walsh grounded it to tie the game at 18-all, sending us to golden point after the Bunker confirmed the try.

Golden Point started in the worst possible fashion for Brisbane, with Walsh sending the kick-off out on the full. Given a shot at redemption after a poor night at the kicking tee, Metcalf stepped up from halfway and nailed the penalty goal, sealing an upset win for the Warriors 20-18.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a stressful watch. I entered this match expecting the worst, following that loss to the Storm. And after the Broncos scored in the first couple of minutes, I was prepared for another horrible night, but the Warriors dug deep and held in there and, backed up by an error-riddled performance from the Broncos, kept in the fight. They were sloppy with the ball in hand, but started to make some inroads and looked to have firm control of the match after the first hour. Then the Broncos began to threaten again and forced their way back into the contest before ultimately blowing it in Golden Point. So, while it wasn't the best performance from the Warriors, it was another much-needed two points, keeping them in the top four, a spot I never expected them to be in at this point in the season when I wrote my season preview. There is still a lot this side needs to work on, and hopefully, we will start to see them deliver better performances. However, not playing at their best and still winning is a significant improvement over what we saw from this side last year, when these tight tussles almost always resulted in a loss. They dodged a bullet here, so while they deserve to enjoy the win, they must get back to work, improve those shortcomings and keep the wins coming.

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

Match Positives

This Warriors outfit is starting to get comfortable in the grind. While it does a number on my nerves, they are showing that they are capable of getting the job done in close matches; this was an aspect of the game they struggled with consistently last season. I would prefer to see them win a bit more comfortably, but we at least know now that if they can stay within a try or two, they have a chance of clawing back a win. 

Go Media Stadium is becoming a fortress again with the Warriors yet to taste defeat this season in Penrose. I know I'm biased, but I love that Stadium and the energy that it brings when the Warriors are playing, and the players always talk about the lift they get from the crowd; however, it hasn't always translated to wins, but this year playing at home finally appears to be an advantage for the Warriors. This will be tested in the next few rounds, with home games against the Raiders and Panthers upcoming.

I wasn't that happy with the team selections that Andrew Webster made, mainly the decision to put Kurt Capewell in the centres, but he more than held his own. Admittedly, the Broncos had an off night, but he didn't let the Warriors down. Pompey and Kosi had a mixed night, with a few errors, but did more positive than negative. While I thought Jackson Ford had a rough start, he improved as the match progressed. I would have started with Afoa and brought Ford on for the final 60 minutes, but that's just my opinion. This isn't the 17 we expected to play with this season. We have yet to see a full strength side play a round yet but that should hopefully only be a few weeks away from happening but in the meantime if they players brought in don't let the side down the Warriors should be able to pick up a few more wins before James Fisher-Harris, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak return.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors' attack continues to be clunky. They have been able to get themselves deep into the opposition half, but once they get there, they struggle to create scoring opportunities in this match, with the four tries either coming off crashes in the middle or Broncos mistakes. I think when DWZ and RTS return, we may begin to see a few more attacking plays start to come together as they are the strike weapons on each edge and credit to the Warriors for being able to capitalise on Brisbane's mistakes, I just get frustrated when they camp themselves in the opponents half and come away with no points.

Errors were still too high for me; they ended the contest with 13 in total. The wet weather in the first half didn't help matters, but handing the Broncos 13 extra sets would typically be a one-way ticket to defeat, but luckily for them, Brisbane also had a case of the dropsies. They cannot rely on that every week, so they need to reduce the error rate to a respectable number to avoid letting winnable games slip away.

With less than 20 minutes to play, the Warriors were leading 18-6 and in control, but, as seen in other games this season, they experienced a brief lapse and allowed the Broncos to score some soft tries, levelling the scores and forcing the match into Golden Point. They are in a good spot ladder-wise right now, but they need to work on staying present for the entire 80 minutes, as the better teams in the NRL will run away with the match if they leave the door open. The Warriors have shown that they refuse to quit and will keep fighting. If they eliminate those lapses, they will walk away as winners more often, which will enable them to climb the ladder that we all want to see.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Leka Halasima.

This kid has been impressive this season, and this match was no different. In the first start of his career, he got 69 minutes of gametime, scored his third try of the year and ran for 92 metres with four tackle breaks. Defensively, he was solid, making 23 tackles with only two misses. Still only 19, but does not look out of place in first grade and is brimming with potential. So hard to take down with the ball in hand, and needs to be used more on attack, as his running onto a short ball close to the line is almost guaranteed points. The sky's the limit for Halasima, and I am going to enjoy watching him continue to grow and develop into the star he is going to be.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Luke Metcalf.

I feel a bit rough about picking the guy who won the game in Golden Point as my Warrior to improve. His performance was terrible, with a nice 40/20 and a try, but he struggled with his playmaking in the Broncos' Red Zone. However, the main reason I picked him was his shocking goalkicking, aside from the Walsh brain explosion and the Golden Point 50m penalty goal. If we take those out of the equation, we could be sitting here talking about how the Broncos got the win because the Warriors couldn't turn four points into six. He has had some great nights with the boot, but he is just not consistent with it. If he can improve that part of his game, his confidence will increase, and we will see the rest of his game improve as well. It's a tough spot stepping into Shaun Johnson's shoes, but I want to see Metcalf do it. 

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 8, the Warriors head down to Christchurch for their ANZAC Day match, hosting the Knights, who lost 34-14 to the Sharks in Round 7.

As for the team I'd select, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad set to return, I would have him back at fullback, moving Tuaupiki to the wing for Kosi. I was happy enough with Capewell at centre, but I assume Rocco Berry will come back. The rest of the team, I would keep the same, although with Capewell moving back to the forwards, I would move Niukore to the bench and keep Halasima in the starting spot.

The Knights have been dreadful this season and are currently on a four-game losing streak and have the worst points for in the competition, scoring only 60 points, averaging 10 points a game. I see this as a dangerous game for the Warriors; this should be a match they win comfortably, but if they take their eye off the ball, it is the perfect chance for the Knights to bounce back. If the Warriors are to walk away with the win here, it is the same plan I discussed last week: wrap the ball carriers up to prevent offloads and give Kalyn Ponga no time or space. With the ball in hand, they just need to reduce those errors, dominate the middle, nail those scoring opportunities and more importantly, make those conversions. I'm feeling confident, unlike the past two weeks, and I think the Warriors will get the job done, so I'm picking the Warriors to win by 16.

So, that was a stressful Round 7, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who was your player of the Match?

Would you make any changes to the gameday 17?

How confident are you that the Warriors will remain a top 8 side?

What is your score prediction against the Knights?

NZ Warriors 2025 Round 6 Review: Warriors Wilt in Melbourne Mauling as Losing Streak Hits 17

After having their first Bye of 2025, the Warriors made the trip across the ditch to face the Storm.

The Melbourne Hoodoo continue here as the Warriors collapsed in a nightmare first half, conceding 36 unanswered points and losing Skipper James Fisher-Harris to injury in a 42-14 thrashing by the Storm.

What Went Down

The Warriors kicked off to start the match but managed to regain possession after the Storm made a lacklustre attempt to defuse the kick, setting themselves up deep in Storm territory. However, they let the home side off the hook with an error near the try line. The Storm pounced on the loose ball and surged upfield. After a few sets, they shifted it left, where Xavier Coates crossed in just the 2nd minute. Ryan Papenhuyzen converted to give Melbourne an early 6-0 lead.

Looking to build pressure, the Storm were halted briefly by an error from Jack Howarth, allowing the Warriors to start a set inside Melbourne's half. The Warriors couldn't break through the line despite a few strong carries. A clever grubber forced a dropout, and they recovered the short kick to earn another full set close to the line, but a loose pass on the last was intercepted by Coates.

Melbourne easily rolled up the field, but Jahrome Hughes mistimed a kick that sailed dead. The Warriors struggled to get into rhythm, with Erin Clark coughing up possession. Though they held strong defensively, another error handed the Storm another attacking opportunity. Again, the Warriors held firm, with Coates spilling a kick in-goal.

Finally completing a set, the Warriors looked to settle, but Hughes, despite carrying a shoulder knock, nailed a 40/20. The Storm wasted no time, with Josh King barging over in the 14th minute. Papenhuyzen made it 12-0.

After a brief back-and-forth, Melbourne blew the game open. Their offload game tore the Warriors apart, and a break from Coates set up Shawn Blore to score in the 20th minute. Another conversion from Papenhuyzen stretched the lead to 20-0.

On the very next set, the Storm went close again. Grant Anderson flew down the right edge and found Moses Leo, who looked sure to score, until Luke Metcalf pulled off a stunning try-saving tackle. However, the Warriors were penalised for Jackson Ford holding a player back, gifting Melbourne another chance. They made it count, with Trent Loiero diving over off an offload in the 23rd minute. The conversion made it 26-0, and Ford was sent to the sin bin for the infringement. To make matters worse, James Fisher-Harris was confirmed to be ruled out with a pec injury, leaving the Warriors with just three on the bench.

Down to 12 men, the Warriors couldn't hold the Storm out. Coates broke away again and handed it off to Harry Grant, who scored untouched in the 27th minute. Papenhuyzen's conversion pushed the margin to 30-0.

The onslaught continued. Melbourne went the length of the field on the next set, exploiting a bunched-up Warriors defence. They shifted right, and Anderson scored unopposed in the corner. Another Papenhuyzen conversion made it 36-0.

Melbourne kept the pressure on, winning a penalty deep in Warriors territory. A well-weighted early grubber from Papenhuyzen forced another dropout. The short restart didn't go to plan for the Warriors, giving the Storm more red-zone possession. They nearly scored again through Grant, but Demitric Vaimauga did well to strip the ball as the hooker dived over.

With time winding down in the first half, the Warriors finally got a penalty and looked sharper on the ball. Metcalf forced a dropout after a grubber was taken dead by Cameron Munster. The Storm's short dropout bounced awkwardly and stayed in the in-goal, giving the Warriors a golden opportunity 10 metres out. But they couldn't capitalise, with Rocco Berry spilling the ball as the halftime siren sounded. The Warriors went into the sheds trailing 36-0.

The Storm opted to rest Jahrome Hughes for the second half with the game pretty much in the bag. The Warriors looked focused early on, but handling errors continued to plague them. Adam Pompey spilled the ball on just their second set. However, their defense stood tall, and they earned a seven-tackle set when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad caught a Storm kick in-goal on the full. Unfortunately, Nicoll-Klokstad suffered a head knock on the very next play and was forced from the field for an HIA, he would not return.

Although the Warriors completed that set, they posed no real attacking threat. Both sides then traded sets until the Storm were awarded a penalty for a late hit on the kicker. The Warriors challenged the decision and were successful, with the bunker finding that Blore had illegally taken Rocco Berry out of play during his catch attempt. That flipped the penalty in the Warriors' favor.

A few tackles later, they earned another penalty for a high shot. Momentum seemed to be turning their way, but it didn't last. Vaimauga lost the ball near the tryline, wasting a promising opportunity.

A few sets on, the Warriors sparked to life after a powerful run from Ali Leiatua took them deep into Storm territory. Moments later, Chanel Harris-Tavita put a kick towards the goal line for Leka Halasima, who snatched it out of the air and muscled his way over the line in the 54th minute. Metcalf added the extras to make it 36–6.

With points finally on the board, the Warriors found some rhythm. A strong set followed by a Storm error from an intercepted pass gave them another chance. However, as pressure was building, Jackson Ford's handling error halted their momentum. The Storm made them pay, executing a smooth shift to the left that saw Xavier Coates streak downfield, brush off Taine Tuaupiki, and drag Metcalf over the line in the 58th minute. Papenhuyzen remained perfect with the boot, extending the Storm's lead to 42–6. Despite the margin, the Warriors kept fighting. In the 62nd minute, a cutout pass found Pompey, who powered his way over but was held up over the line. They then swung the ball right, only for Tuaupiki to spill it. The Storm nearly punished them again with some dangerous runs, but the Warriors hung on.

A strong burst from Erin Clark put the visitors back on the front foot. Metcalf tried to capitalise with a chip-and-chase but couldn't regather. On their next set, the Warriors were again on the Storm's line, but execution failed them; Capewell's mistimed pass to Berry flew into touch.

Melbourne then surged back upfield, only to lose the ball near the tryline. The Warriors returned the favor when Berry lost possession in a tackle. They challenged the call, but it was upheld.

The Storm threatened again with some half-breaks, but the Warriors defended gamely and earned a seven-tackle set when Munster's grubber went dead. The Warriors made it back to the Storm's red zone, a clever grubber from Clark almost resulted in a try for Vaimauga, but he lost the ball over the line.

With the result beyond doubt and several Storm stars resting, errors crept into their game, and finally, some fortune came the Warriors' way. A kick into the in-goal was picked up by Moses Leo, who lost the ball in contact, allowing Berry to pounce and score in the 74th minute. Metcalf missed the conversion, leaving the score at 42–10. In the final minute, a high shot on Metcalf gave the Warriors one last attacking set. This time, they executed perfectly, shifting the ball right until Metcalf spotted a gap and darted through to score in the 79th minute. He missed the conversion, and the match ended in a 42–14 defeat, marking the Warriors' 17th consecutive loss to the Storm.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a disappointing display. This losing streak is becoming too much of an anchor around the neck of this club. The Warriors started well with a nice kickoff, but the Storm tore them to shreds when they had to defend. It became hard to watch as the Storm turned the first half into a training run, making easy work of the Warriors' Defence. The loss of James Fisher-Harris early on did not help the Warriors' cause, but they had already conceded easy points before he left the match, so it wasn't like his injury caused this collapse. They just struggled against the Storm's second-phase football, an issue that was exposed in Vegas against the Raiders, too and something that needs to be sorted ASAP. They looked rattled and played like it, making plenty of silly errors. The second half did show signs of improvement with the Warriors looking more competitive; however, the Storm had taken off their key playmaker at that point. Leka Halasima made a significant impact but was only brought on in the second half; perhaps bringing him on earlier in the contest could have helped stop the Storm barrage, but we will never know. I said last round that there was still plenty to work on, but at least the Warriors showed slight improvements in each performance. But they took a big step backwards here, and the season only gets tougher, so they need to dust it off, focus on fixing what went wrong and get back to work.

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

Match Positives

As I already mentioned above, the Warriors showed some fight in the second half. The game was already over, but they didn't give up and continued to try to claw their way back into the contest. It's a shame they waited until it was 36-0 before that fight appeared, but at least it did, and we didn't have to witness another 70-10 smashing like we had to suffer in 2022. 

Hopefully, this heavy defeat provides a wake-up call to the team. I'm not in the inner circle, so I can only speculate, but perhaps after three wins in a row, the team started to buy into their own hype and got an embarrassing reminder of how far behind the top sides they still are. This performance should ground them and refocus them on the task at hand. It may be the ever-present optimist in me, but I want to see this team succeed, and the only way is up from here. They cannot let this loss derail them.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors killed so many of their opportunities with silly errors that they ended the match with 14 in total. With no respect for the ball, they could not build any pressure, and as I've said countless times over the years, you cannot afford to hand any team in the NRL 14 extra sets. Most of the errors were simple schoolboy ones that showed a lack of concentration. They have been decent so far this season in keeping their mistakes low, so if they can return to their previous form, they can return to the winner's circle.

The attack still looks clunky and disjointed at times. Admittedly, most of the first half, they were either dropping the ball or defending, so we only got to see the attack properly in the second half; however, they struggled to ask many questions on the Storm's defensive line and had to rely on individual efforts to create thier opportunities, Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita are still learning to work together and while it doesnt look very cohesive right now the Warriors just need to stick with it and let their combination grow. Hopefully, the attack will start to look more dangerous soon.

Lastly, the injuries, losing James Fisher-Harris and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, did not make this match any easier. Still, I'm more concerned with the next few weeks. Fish is a massive loss upfront, but the young forwards in the club are eager for more responsibility, so I'm confident they will step up until he returns. It's the outside backs I'm more concerned with, the Warriors already have low back stocks, and now adding CNK to the injury ward sees the Warriors without any of their first-pick back three, which takes away plenty of firepower out of the Warriors' attack. I have my fingers crossed that they all return sooner than predicted.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Erin Clark.

Not the way Clark would have wanted his 100th NRL match to go, but he was only one of a select few who looked dangerous out there. Finished the game with 144 running meters and 31 tackles in his 44 minutes of playing time. Showed a bit more of his playmaking side with a nice little grubber that almost secured a try. He never showed any signs of giving up, even with the game out of reach, and he consistently bent the defensive line when he got hold of the ball. I was skeptical of Clark's signing when it was announced, but he has impressed me every week and is making that Lock position his own and becoming a key figure in this Warriors pack.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Marata Niukore.

After this performance, there were many options for this category, but I went for Niukore because I barely noticed him out there. He made nine runs for 74 metres and made 26 tackles with only two misses. However, when the Warriors lost James Fisher-Harris early, I expected to see him step up and play a more significant role, and he just didn't rise to the occasion. He can be a devastating ball runner, but the Warriors need him to contribute more consistently, especially with James Fisher-Harris potentially missing many matches.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 7, the Warriors return to Mt Smart to host the Broncos, who also suffered defeat in Round 6, going down 26-16 to the Roosters.

As for the team I'd select, with the likely absences of James Fisher-Harris and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, there needs to be some changes. For CNK, I would move Taine Tuaupiki to fullback and bring Ed Kosi back onto the wing. For JFH, I would move Bunty Afoa or Jackson Ford to the starting lineup and bring Jacob Laban onto the bench. Rocco Berry looks set to miss a week or two with a ban for a head high, so if he is out, I don't know who else to bring in with the current low back stocks so perhaps Moala Graham-Taufa gets the callup.

The Broncos have been inconsistent this season. They are almost unbeatable at their best, but when they have an off day, they have weaknesses that can be exploited. To walk away with a victory here, the Warriors must wrap the ball carrier up and stop the offloads. The Warriors will be missing some talent, so the rest of the team needs to step up to fill the void, especially in the pack, as they need to shut Payne Haas down, in the backs, they just need to mark up and reduce the time and space that Adam Reynolds and Reece Walsh have, do that and reduce thier errors then they do have a chance. However, I think the Broncos will be too strong with the Warriors down on men and confidence, and I'm picking the Broncos to win by 16.

So, that was a disappointing Round 6, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Who was your player of the match?

Did this loss dampen your finals expectations?

Who are you bringing in to replace the missing players?

What is your score prediction against the Broncos?