NZ Warriors 2026 Round 20 Review: Warriors Stay on Track Despite Scrappy Showing

Fresh off their 32-6 win over the Wests Tigers, the Warriors returned to Auckland for the first time in five weeks to host a Dragons side coming off a bye.

The Warriors weren't at their best, but they found a way to grind out a hard-fought 20-12 victory over the Dragons. It was far from a perfect performance, but another two competition points keeps their momentum rolling.

What Went Down

The Warriors made the perfect start, opening the scoring in just the 3rd minute when Adam Pompey crossed in the corner. Initially ruled no try on the field, the Bunker overturned the decision after determining Pompey had grounded the ball.

The Dragons responded in the 13th minute, producing some slick second-phase play before Clint Gutherson crossed for their opening try. Valentine Holmes converted to give the visitors a 6-4 lead.

The Warriors levelled the scores in the 20th minute when Chanel Harris-Tavita slotted a penalty goal before regaining the lead in the 32nd minute. After building sustained pressure and forcing the Dragons to defend repeat sets, Alofiana Khan-Pereira crossed to put the home side back in front on a nice solo effort after a Dragons goal-line drop-out.

The Dragons had the final say before the break, however. Just three minutes later, in the 35th minute, Hamish Stewart sold a superb dummy close to the line to slice through the Warriors' defence. Holmes converted to hand the visitors a narrow 12-10 lead heading into half-time.

The Warriors wasted little time responding after the interval, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finishing in the corner in the 44th minute to reclaim the lead from what appeared to be a forward pass. From there, the Warriors controlled much of the territory and possession, repeatedly forcing the Dragons to work their way out of their own end.

A key moment came in the 60th minute when Dragons winger Setu Tu appeared to break free down the sideline after referee Jarrod Cole called play on. However, the Bunker intervened and ruled Tu had been held, with replays showing his arm had contacted the ground while still in the tackle. The decision halted a promising attacking opportunity for the visitors, who had looked set to build momentum.

Chanel Harris-Tavita extended the Warriors' lead with a penalty goal in the 69th minute before adding another in the 78th minute to seal a hard-fought 20-12 victory. It wasn't the Warriors' most polished performance, but they did enough to secure the two competition points and continue their strong season.

My Thoughts

Well, this wasn't exactly the performance that had me jumping out of my seat, but it was another important two points banked, very vital with the Roosters breathing down the Warriors' necks on the ladder. After some of the more convincing performances we've seen this season, this was a reminder that not every game will be played at the same level. The Dragons, to their credit, made life difficult, and the Warriors had to find a way through a contest that was much tighter than many, including myself, expected. While it wasn't pretty, there is something to be said for a team that can still come away with the win when things aren't clicking.

One thing that continues to stand out to me about this Warriors side is their ability to find different ways to win. Earlier in the season, we saw them dominate teams with their power game and attacking confidence, but this was a different type of victory. They had to grind, stay patient and handle the pressure of a close contest right until the final stages. While they had some calls go their way and could be deemed very lucky, a match like this can be valuable, especially when the intensity rises during finals.

The challenge for the Warriors now is making sure performances like this don't become the standard. The Warriors have shown they are capable of playing some good footy this year, but the gap between a good team and a genuine premiership contender is being able to produce that level consistently. The next month will be important as they continue building towards finals, and with a run of very winnable games on the horizon, they need to find another gear and put in some complete 80-minute performances.

In the end, this was a win that the Warriors will take as a bit of a wake-up call. It wasn't their finest performance, but notching up those competition points is what matters most at this time of year; they just need to learn from this effort, continue to improve, and find that next level. 

If they sharpen up the small details while maintaining the belief they've built, they will give themselves every chance of making a serious impact when finals time arrives.

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

Match Positives

The Warriors were well below their best against the Dragons, but perhaps that's what made this win so important. Every team has games throughout the season where things just don't click, and this was one of those nights. The attack wasn't as sharp as we've become used to, and there were periods where they struggled to turn pressure into points. Despite that, they stayed patient, defended well when it mattered and found a way to get the job done. Premiership-winning teams don't just win when they're firing on all cylinders; they also find a way to win the ugly ones, and this felt like one of those performances.

After struggling with their ball control last week, it was encouraging to see the Warriors reduce their error count down to 10 against the Dragons. While that number is still higher than I would like, it was a step in the right direction after some costly mistakes in their previous match. The Warriors have built much of their success this season on their ability to complete sets and apply pressure, so improving their discipline with the ball will be important as they enter the back end of the season. There is still work to do, but seeing the number move in the right direction is a positive sign.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters on the ladder is getting the two competition points, and the Warriors did exactly that. While the performance wasn't as impressive as some of their efforts this season, they showed the maturity of a team with genuine finals ambitions by finding a way to win. Premiership contenders aren't judged only on their best performances; they are also judged on their ability to grind out victories when things don't go perfectly. This was one of those nights when the Warriors weren't at their best, but they still got the job done.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors got the result, but their attack never really reached the levels we saw earlier this season. Outside of a few individual moments, they struggled to build consistent pressure and looked a little clunky with the ball in hand. The timing and execution that has made them such a dangerous attacking side at times wasn't quite there, with too many opportunities going unfinished. Credit should go to the Dragons' defence, who made life difficult for them, but the Warriors will know they need to be sharper with the ball as they face tougher challenges later in the season.

Once again, the Warriors showed some vulnerability when defending against second-phase play. The Dragons' ability to generate offloads caused problems throughout the match, with Clint Gutherson's try coming after the Warriors struggled to deal with the extra attacking numbers created from broken play. Hamish Stewart's try was also a disappointing one from a defensive perspective, with the Warriors caught out by a simple dummy close to the line. This has become a recurring theme at times this season, and it is something they will need to improve before the finals. The better teams will punish those defensive lapses, and if the Warriors cannot clean up their defence against second-phase football, it could become a weakness opposing sides target.

The Warriors will be happy to come away with the two competition points, but they will know they made life harder for themselves than they needed to. The Dragons stayed in the contest for long periods and, despite the Warriors having opportunities to build pressure, they couldn't create the scoreboard separation that would have taken the game away from the visitors. Against a lower-ranked side at home, the Warriors would have liked to have been more clinical and put the result beyond doubt earlier. While they found a way to get the win, stronger opposition will make them pay if they allow games to remain this close.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to James Fisher-Harris.

Fisher-Harris continued to show why he is such an important part of this Warriors side, producing another strong performance through the middle. The veteran forward was constantly involved, running for 189 metres, including 83 post-contact metres, as he repeatedly looked to bend the Dragons' defensive line and create momentum for his teammates. His effort was also evident in defence, making 24 tackles, although his five missed tackles is an area he will want to clean up. Despite that, his work rate and willingness to keep getting involved stood out, with JFH once again setting the standard through the middle.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Adam Pompey.

Despite scoring the opening try, it was another frustrating night for Pompey, who has become a regular feature in the Warriors' "Players to Improve" section. The centre led the team with three errors and struggled to have a consistent impact, with the Dragons' defensive pressure keeping him on the back foot for much of the contest. A few poorly timed passes also saw the Warriors miss opportunities in attack and nearly gifted the Dragons points at the other end. While his effort can never be questioned, the execution has become a concern, and the pressure will continue to build. If Andrew Webster decides to revisit the Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad experiment at centre, it would not be a surprise, and it is an option worth considering as the Warriors look to find their strongest combination heading into the finals.

Round 21 Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 21, the Warriors are back across the ditch to face the Bulldogs, who defeated the Wests Tigers 32-0 in Round 20.

As for the team I’d pick, the only change I would make is to bring Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in for Adam Pompey in that centre spot. 

The Bulldogs have not quite reached the heights many expected after an impressive 2025 campaign, but they showed signs of building some confidence with a convincing win over the Wests Tigers. While their performances this season have been inconsistent, this is still a side with plenty of quality and one the Warriors cannot afford to underestimate. Their biggest strengths remain their physical defence and their ability to make life difficult through the middle, while players like Matt Burton and Jacob Preston can produce game-changing moments. The Warriors will need to be much sharper with the ball and avoid giving the Bulldogs easy opportunities, because if they allow them to build momentum, this is a team capable of making them pay.

For the Warriors to get the win here, they need to be sharper with the ball and more clinical when opportunities present themselves. Reducing their errors against the Dragons was a positive step, but they will need to complete their sets and build pressure against a Bulldogs side that can punish mistakes. The middle battle will be crucial, with the Warriors needing their forwards to win the ruck while improving their defence around second-phase play and broken-field situations. If they can control field position, maintain their discipline and execute better in attack, they should have enough quality to get the job done. I'm expecting the Warriors to deliver a more complete performance and secure a 12-point victory.

So, that was a too close for comfort Round 20, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Are you happy with the two points, or did the performance leave you concerned?

Would you make any changes to the lineup this week?

What concerned you most about this performance?

What is your score prediction against the Bulldogs?