NZ Warriors 2026 Round 9 Review: Too Strong Against Eels as Winning Run Hits Four

After a successful trip to Wellington, the Warriors travelled back to Australia to face the Eels, who went down 33-18 against the Sea Eagles in Round 8.

The Warriors absorbed an early blow but quickly flipped the script, capitalising on Parramatta errors to take control. While the Eels threatened to stay in the fight, the Warriors’ power and composure proved the difference, pulling away late to secure a convincing fourth straight win.

What Went Down

Parramatta struck first, with Ronald Volkman crossing in the 4th minute after back-to-back set restarts put the Warriors under early pressure. The hosts looked sharp with the ball in hand, but errors soon crept in, and the Warriors didn’t need a second invitation. Leka Halasima hit back in the 13th minute, slicing through as Parramatta’s discipline faltered, before Alofiana Khan-Pereira gave the Warriors the lead just five minutes later. The winger had too much pace out wide, finishing off another Eels mistake to make it 12-6.

The Warriors thought they had their third soon after in a moment of confusion around the “held” call. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck powered over, initially awarded by Gerard Sutton despite protests from Parramatta, who believed he’d been held. The bunker eventually overturned the try, not for the held call, but for a lost ball in the grounding. The Warriors kept the pressure on, and in the 24th minute, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finished in the corner to extend the lead, although Tanah Boyd couldn’t convert. On the stroke of halftime, Boyd added a penalty goal in the 40th minute to give the Warriors a 16-6 advantage at the break.

Parramatta came out strong in the second half and struck quickly. Brian Kelly created the opportunity, with Will Penisini finishing in the 44th minute. Mitch Moses couldn’t add the extras, but the margin was back to six. A penalty then swung momentum back the Warriors’ way, and Boyd made no mistake from the tee in the 50th minute, pushing the lead out to 18-10. The game tightened again in the 59th minute when Volkman grabbed his second, beating Watene-Zelezniak to the ball to bring the Eels within four. Moses again missed the conversion, leaving the door slightly ajar.

From there, though, it was all Warriors.

Jackson Ford crashed over in the 63rd minute as the middle began to dominate, before Khan-Pereira picked off an intercept in the 69th to stretch the lead further. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck then put the finishing touches on the result in the 76th minute, capping off a strong performance. All three late tries were converted, sealing a convincing 36-14 win as the Warriors powered away in the final stages.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a rollercoaster of emotion. Until the final 15 minutes, it felt like anything could happen.

The Warriors didn’t get their own way early, conceding first and inviting pressure through a mix of errors and ill-discipline. But what stood out was how quickly they flipped the momentum. Once they settled, they looked dangerous, capitalising on Parramatta’s mistakes and striking with intent to take control before halftime.

It still wasn’t a complete performance. There were patches, particularly early and just after the break, where the Eels threatened to swing things back. But this time the Warriors had another gear. When the game tightened, they responded through the middle, took their chances, and then blew it open late. That’s the real takeaway: not just that they won, but how they finished it. In the past, this was the type of game that stayed close or even slipped away. Here, they turned it into a statement in the final 20 minutes. The combination of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Alofiana Khan-Pereira continues to grow, and it’s now at the point where that centre–wing pairing should be locked in. Up front, the pack continues to roll the side forward and consistently win the middle, making life much simpler for both Tanah Boyd and Chanel Harris-Tavita. They’re getting more time on the front foot, building pressure instead of chasing it.

It’s been a tremendous start to the 2026 campaign, and heading into the first bye with second place locked in is something I didn’t expect before the season started. That said, the upcoming matches against the Broncos and Panthers will be the real indicator of where this team sits. But that’s something to ponder in a few weeks. For now, it feels good to just sit in the moment.

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

Match Positives

The Warriors set the tone physically and never really let it go through the middle of the field, with their pack consistently winning the contact and generating momentum through strong carries and quick play-the-balls. That dominance was backed up on the stat sheet, with Erin Clark leading the way with 179 running metres, closely followed by Jackson Ford on 177 and James Fisher-Harris adding 138, while Kurt Capewell contributed 103 and Demetric Vaimauga made an impact off the bench with 91 metres and a couple of highlight-reel kick returns off the bounce. This kind of platform is exactly what the Warriors’ 2026 success is built on: the pack controlling the tempo and setting the terms of games, and so far this season, that’s been the case more often than not. As the match wore on, sustained physical pressure wore the Eels down, allowing the Warriors to build control and pull away late.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak were both constant threats out wide, with their speed and finishing ability proving too much for the Eels’ edge defence at times. Khan-Pereira took full advantage of broken play and space, and his pace has been a much-needed boost for a Warriors side that has often lacked genuine speed out wide in recent seasons. At the same time, DWZ once again provided a strong finishing touch in the corner to reward their territorial dominance. Defensively, both also stood up well, applying pressure on Parramatta’s shifts and reading the play smartly, with each coming up with an intercept to shut down attacking opportunities. It gave the Warriors a genuine strike edge on both sides of the ball, helping turn pressure into points and stretch the Eels’ defensive line.

The Warriors’ strong finish in the final 15 minutes highlighted their growing ability to close out games once momentum is on their side. After a tight period where the Eels briefly stayed in touch, the Warriors lifted another gear, with Jackson Ford, Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck all crossing in the late stages to seal the result. That late surge has become a welcome part of the Warriors’ DNA in 2026, shifting away from the old days when opposition teams could hang in for an hour and expect to outrun them late in the game. Instead, they now look like the stronger-finishing side, a clear sign of improved fitness and mental toughness. Once they got control, they didn’t release it, turning dominance into points and finishing the game convincingly.

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

Match Negatives

Even though the Warriors controlled large parts of the game, they still allowed Parramatta to swing momentum back their way at different stages. It wasn’t sustained dominance from start to finish, with the Eels able to respond whenever the Warriors’ intensity dipped slightly. While they remained in control overall, those momentum shifts meant the game never fully got away from Parramatta as early as it could have. The final piece for this Warriors side is developing a consistent killer instinct, the ability to shut games down completely once on top and remove any chance of a fightback. We’ve already seen glimpses of that, including in the win over the Storm, but if they can bring that same ruthlessness into every contest, this becomes a very difficult side to compete with.

Discipline was an issue at times, with the Warriors conceding three penalties and eight ruck infringements throughout the match. Those repeat set restarts and penalties, particularly early on, handed Parramatta valuable field position and allowed them to build momentum they didn’t fully earn. While the defensive effort generally held strong, the lack of discipline at key moments kept the Eels in the game longer than necessary and put extra pressure on the Warriors’ line. This has been a concern for me over the past couple of weeks, and it’s something they’ll need to tighten up quickly with big matchups coming up against the Broncos and Panthers, who are more than capable of punishing any lapses in discipline.

Handling errors at key moments also held the Warriors back from really putting the game to bed earlier. A few unforced mistakes, including one over the line, cost them potential points and stalled momentum at crucial stages. There were also moments when they came close to scoring but didn’t quite take the right option, holding onto the ball when an overlap or an extra pass was on. Inside the Eels’ 20, they created enough opportunities but didn’t always execute cleanly enough to fully capitalise on their field position. It’s not a major issue in isolation, but it does link back to that broader need to develop a stronger killer instinct. Turning those chances into points more consistently would allow them to close games out earlier and take complete control much sooner.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Erin Clark.

There were several players I could have gone with for this one, but Erin Clark deserves recognition for another consistent, high-level performance. He hasn’t always grabbed the headlines compared to some of his teammates, but that’s largely because he keeps producing week in, week out without fuss. Clark played 50 minutes and was excellent on both sides of the ball. He ran for 179 metres, set up a line break and a try, and backed that up with 27 tackles, missing just one. What stood out just as much was his discipline, no errors, no penalties, and no ruck infringements. His passing game has also taken a real step forward this season. The short ball in particular is becoming a real weapon, regularly creating space and putting defenders under pressure. If he keeps this up, he’s right in the mix to go back-to-back for Dally M Lock of the Year.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve goes to Leka Halasima.

For the second week in a row, I've had to go with Halasima. He got on the scoresheet with a try and very nearly had a second, showing his knack for being in the right place when opportunities arise, but outside of that, his involvement was limited, with just 4 runs for 35 metres in 57 minutes. Defensively, he was solid, making 23 tackles with only one miss, although he did lead the side with 3 errors, which disrupted his overall impact. It all adds up to a mixed performance, some clear positives, but still not the consistent influence he’s capable of, and if his attacking output remains that low, there’s a case that a bench role might better suit him right now, allowing him to come on later and provide a sharper burst of impact in shorter minutes.

Bye Round and Round 11 Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 10, the Warriors get their first bye of the season. It feels like it is coming at the right time, as a few players have niggles, and it's a good opportunity to get some extra time for R&R and to work on the issues I highlighted above as they prepare for the tough run of matches coming up. They are sitting in a good spot right now, but they can't get ahead of themselves and need to remain grounded as it's still very early days.

After the bye, the Warriors head to Brisbane for Magic Round, where they will face the Broncos, who went down 38-24 against the Roosters and will face the Sea Eagles in Round 10.

Regarding the team I’d pick, the only changes I'd make are to bring Ali Leiataua back for Adam Pompey and Mitchell Barnett back for Eddie Ieremia-Toeava. Wayde Egan took a head knock but will be fine for Magic Round.

The Brisbane Broncos haven’t quite delivered the dominant start many expected from the reigning premiers, sitting at five wins and four losses and just outside of the top eight, with injuries to key players disrupting their rhythm at times. Even so, the return of Reece Walsh adds a completely different dimension to their attack, and it’s clear this is a side that can score quickly when momentum swings their way. That was evident against the Sydney Roosters; despite a poor first half, they flipped the script after the break and looked dangerous whenever they got a sniff, nearly pulling off an unlikely comeback. Their ability to turn half-chances into points makes them a constant threat. Still, consistency and defensive lapses have been an issue, particularly when they’re forced to absorb sustained pressure or defend quick shifts out wide.

For the Warriors to get the job done here, it again starts through the middle; their forwards need to match the Broncos’ physicality, win the ruck, and generate quick play-the-balls to give their spine time and space to operate. Against a side with as much strike as the Broncos, defensive discipline is crucial; they can’t afford to invite pressure through errors or penalties, especially with players like Reece Walsh capable of turning broken play into points. The Warriors’ edge defence will need to stay tight and connected to handle the Broncos’ speed and shape out wide, while in attack, they should look to build pressure, stay patient, and pick the right moments to shift. If they can control possession, limit momentum swings, and keep the game in their terms, they’re every chance to grind this out. I’m backing the Warriors in a tight one, by 8.

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

Would you make any changes for Magic Round?

How do you feel about the Warriors' playoff potential after 9 weeks?

What would you be doing with Halasima?

What is your score prediction against the Broncos?