NZ Warriors 2025 Round 17 Review: Errors and missed chances cost Warriors again

After their lacklustre defeat at home to the Panthers, the Warriors made their way back across to Ditch to Suncorp Stadium to face the Broncos, who were confident after their 34-28 win over the Sharks in Round 16.

The Broncos controlled the match right from the start and despite the Warriors' attempted fightback in the second half, the home side never lost control, cruising to a 26-12 victory.

What Went Down

The Broncos wasted no time setting the tone, capitalising on a Warriors error in the opening set. Just two minutes in, Adam Reynolds rolled a grubber into the in-goal for Kotoni Staggs to pounce on and open the scoring.
They continued to impress without the ball too—Josiah Karapani forced Edward Kosi into touch with the try-line in sight. Moments later, Karapani was rewarded at the other end, finishing off a sharp cut-out pass from Ezra Mam to score his fifth try in three games and give the Broncos a 10-0 lead by the 14th minute.
A Reynolds penalty goal in the 24th minute stretched the margin further. The Warriors thought they had hit back through Chanel Harris-Tavita, who claimed a Metcalf bomb, but the bunker ruled he didn’t ground it cleanly.
Just before halftime, Reece Walsh capped off a dominant first half by putting Gehamat Shibasaki over in the corner, sending the Broncos to the sheds up 18-0.

The home side picked up where they left off after the break, with Walsh close to scoring, thwarted by a massive try-saving effort from Te Maire Martin, who replaced Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback after he succumbed to a knee injury. That gave the Warriors an energy boost, and it was them who struck first, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck diving over in the 45th minute for his first try at Suncorp Stadium since 2014.
Reynolds added another two points via penalty in the 51st, after Jackson Ford was pinged for an escort, extending the lead to 20-6.
The Warriors kept fighting. Leka Halasima climbed high to collect a bomb and score in the 65th minute, giving them hope. But that was short-lived, as Luke Metcalf left the field soon after with a suspected ACL injury following a heavy shot from Brendan Piakura.
Their frustration grew when Kosi spilled a pass with the line wide open. The Broncos made them pay. Shibasaki crossed again in the 75th minute to secure his third double in as many games.
The 26-12 win was Brisbane’s third straight victory and handed the Warriors their first set of back-to-back losses in 2025.

My Thoughts

Another tough one to watch. I came into the game confident the Warriors would bounce back from the Panthers' loss and keep their unbeaten record at Suncorp intact. But when Marata Niukore dropped the ball in the first set and the Broncos scored almost immediately, you just had that sinking feeling it was going to be one of those nights.

The Warriors were outmuscled and outplayed. And to make matters worse, luck was nowhere to be found; bad bounces, injuries, and even the referee’s calls all seemed to go against them. It was a frustrating watch from home.

They lacked punch early, which put them on the back foot straight away. While they never stopped fighting, they couldn’t build any momentum, errors and penalties constantly disrupted their sets. Losing Metcalf and CNK hurt badly. It threw the team's rhythm off, and they never looked in sync after that. Understandable, but costly.

This was another chance for the Warriors to prove they’re serious premiership contenders, and they let it slip. If they want to be taken seriously, they need to start winning these big games. The upcoming clashes with the Dolphins and Bulldogs are must-wins in my eyes, perfect opportunities to make a statement.

There’s still a bit of a buffer between them in fourth and the Broncos in fifth, but it won’t last long if performances like this continue. I still believe this team can stay in the top four, but they’re going to have to earn it.

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

Match Positives

The Warriors may have been outplayed for most of the first half, but they came out after the break with more energy and purpose. Their defence tightened up, slowing the Broncos’ momentum and forcing mistakes, while their attack started to click. They scored 12 points in the second half and kept the contest alive. There were also a few attacking chances that, with better execution, might’ve changed the outcome. In the end, it wasn’t enough to get the win, but the Warriors showed real fight and determination, battling hard right to the final whistle.

The Warriors’ offloading began to shift momentum in their favour in the second half, although it did not secure them the win. They completed 12 offloads compared to the Broncos’ 6. This helped break down the Broncos’ defence and create more attacking opportunities. These sharp offloads added energy to the Warriors’ attack, helping them gain ground and build longer sets. Keeping them in the fight, and while it wasn’t enough for a win, the offloading showed real promise as a way to break through defence and needs to stay in the game plan for the rest of the season.

The Warriors found themselves on the back foot early but gradually stepped up their defensive intensity. As the game went on, their line speed improved, they wrapped up the ball more effectively, and showed greater urgency in scramble situations. This increased pressure disrupted the Broncos’ rhythm at times and helped keep the scoreline from getting out of hand for significant stretches. The Warriors’ defensive effort in the second half demonstrated resilience and a refusal to give up; they just need to do it for 80 minutes.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors struggled all night with discipline and ball control, which constantly disrupted their momentum. They racked up 11 errors, conceded eight penalties, and gave away four set restarts, handing the Broncos repeated opportunities and valuable field position. Every time the Warriors showed signs of getting back into the game, a mistake or penalty would undo their progress and swing the momentum back to Brisbane, making an already tough challenge even harder. In a competition as tough as the NRL, you cannot hand the opposition free sets at any stage, so the Warriors need to get these down asap.

The Warriors’ forward pack was clearly outmuscled in the middle during their 26-12 loss to the Broncos, failing to provide any real go-forward. None of the starting forwards consistently bent the line, making it hard for the team to build momentum through the middle of the field. Only James Fisher-Harris (125 metres) and Erin Clark (120 metres) managed to crack the 100-metre mark that I like to see, well below what's needed to pressure a strong Brisbane defence. With such little impact up front, the Warriors’ attack lacked spark, and their halves had no platform to work from. If the Warriors want to stay in the top four and push for finals success, their forward pack needs to toughen up and stop getting dominated through the middle.

Injuries once again disrupted the Warriors’ rhythm, with the loss of Luke Metcalf and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad unsettling key combinations and raising fresh concerns about the strain on their squad. With Mitch Barnett already ruled out for the season, and Ali Leiataua (returning around Round 21) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (returning around Round 22) still sidelined, the growing injury list is becoming a major obstacle. The latest knocks suffered during the match could have lasting effects, depending on the scan results, potentially forcing further changes in an already stretched lineup. While the club continues to emphasise a “next man up” mentality, these repeated in-game losses are testing their depth and team cohesion. With the finals approaching, the Warriors will be hoping their luck improves and they can finally get through a match without losing multiple players.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

There were only a handful of players who could have been in the conversation here, but I had to go with RTS. Led the Warriors in running metres with 173m, scored a try and was safe out the back when he had to move to Fullback when Metcalf went off. It felt like he was one of the only Warriors players who looked threatening with the ball in hand. Has had a great 2025 and consistently gives it 100% regardless of where he plays. With CNK out, the discussions about him moving to fullback may start up again, and I wouldn't fight it right now.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Ed Kosi.

I feel for Kosi; he seems to be a great guy, but he's just so rocks and diamonds when on the footy field. He has had a few games this year and has performed fine, but we got the rocks display here. He made four errors and was carried over the sideline several times. He was one of only five Warriors to run over 100 metres, ending the match with 118m. He also had a few poor reads and positioning defensively.

In a performance where the Warriors needed composure and execution, Kosi's inconsistency stood out for the wrong reasons, highlighting areas that still require major work if he wants to cement his spot in first grade, I just don't think he has what it takes to play at the level week in and week out, but i truly hope he can prove me and his many doubters wrong.

Bye Round and Round 19 Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 18, the Warriors get their third and final bye of the season. It looks like a great time to get it, with some issues that need to be ironed out, and it's an ideal week off for the injured players to improve without the team missing them on the field.

After the bye, the Warriors are back at Go Media Stadium, hosting the Wests Tigers.

As for the team I'd select, Andrew Webster said that both Luke Metcalf and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will not be playing. So I would bring Tanah Boyd in for Metcalf and Tuaupiki in for CNK. I would also be dropping Ed Kosi, but with the current outside back stocks low, it makes it tricky. So I would be looking at moving Kurt Capewell to centre and pushing Adam Pompey to the wing. Either that or Tuapiki goes to the Wing with Te Maire Martin playing fullback. I'm 50/50 on which option to go with right now. I'm a massive fan of Boyd and have been wanting to see him get a chance in the top grade, although an injury to Metcalf was not the way I wanted it to happen.

The Tigers have shown improvement this year, but ultimately are not at the level of a team vying for a finals spot, so on paper, this is a perfect opportunity for the Warriors to bounce back. However, as we saw earlier this year, the Tigers took the Warriors to the limit, so they cannot come into this match with a poor attitude. For the Warriors to get the win here, they will need to muscle up on Terrell May and pressure Jarome Luai. If they do that, then they should be in the driver's seat. With the ball in hand, they need their pack to get the Tigers' defensive line on the back foot and utilise the offloads again. The attack may be a bit clunky with a new look spine, but if they kick to the corners and pressure the Tigers into mistakes, the points will come. I'm confident the Warriors will be too much for the Tigers, so I'm picking them to end their losing streak and win by 16.

So, that was a poor Round 17, and I will leave you with some questions as usual.

Who would you bring in for Metcalf and CNK?

After back-to-back losses, do you think the Warriors can remain a top-four side come the finals?

Are you concerned with the Warriors' outside backs' depth?

What is your score prediction against the Tigers?