NZ Warriors 2026 Round 21 Review: Reality Check for the Warriors

After their tense victory over the Dragons, the Warriors returned to Australia to face a Bulldogs side coming off an impressive 32-0 win over the Tigers.

The Warriors were nowhere near their best, suffering an embarrassing 18-6 defeat to the Bulldogs. A disastrous opening 11 minutes left them chasing the game, and despite creating a handful of opportunities, they lacked the execution to ever seriously threaten Canterbury.

What Went Down

The Bulldogs made the perfect start, opening the scoring in the 5th minute. Viliame Kikau somehow kept the ball alive with an offload that initially looked to be heading one way before flicking it back inside, allowing Stephen Crichton to gather and score. The hosts doubled their advantage just six minutes later. After initially looking to attack down the left edge, the Bulldogs shifted back through the middle, where Jacob Preston sliced through untouched to score in the 11th minute. Crichton added the extras to give the Bulldogs a 12-0 lead.

Lachlan Galvin almost created another try just four minutes later, breaking through the Warriors' defensive line, but with no support around him, the opportunity went begging. Despite both sides enjoying periods of possession for the remainder of the half, neither could add to the scoreboard as the Bulldogs took a 12-0 lead into the break.

The Bulldogs thought they had made the perfect start to the second half when Josh Curran crossed just three minutes after the restart, but the Bunker intervened. Wyatt Raymond overturned the on-field decision after replays showed Matt Burton had made contact with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the air without making a genuine attempt to contest the ball. The home side eventually did extend their lead in the 46th minute when a well-executed scrum play sent Jacob Kiraz over in the corner. Crichton was unable to convert, leaving the score at 16-0.

It was a frustrating night for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who was denied on multiple occasions. He was first bundled into touch, then slipped while trying to ground the ball as the Bulldogs' cover defence arrived. His third attempt looked to have finally broken the deadlock for the Warriors, only for the try to be ruled out because of a forward pass earlier in the movement. Moments later, another attacking shift to the right also ended with a forward pass, summing up a frustrating evening for the visitors. The Bulldogs effectively sealed the contest in the 71st minute when Stephen Crichton slotted a penalty goal to stretch the lead to 18-0. 

The Warriors finally got on the scoreboard three minutes later in bizarre fashion. Mitch Barnett produced an unexpected chip kick over the defensive line, which Chanel Harris-Tavita gathered before grounding the ball. Harris-Tavita converted his own try in the 74th minute to reduce the margin to 18-6. Any hopes of a late comeback were short-lived, with the Bulldogs comfortably seeing out the final minutes to secure a deserved 18-6 victory.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a tough watch. Coming into this match, I was already a little concerned after last week's performance. While the Warriors got the two competition points against the Dragons, they were far from convincing, so I was expecting a much sharper response against the Bulldogs. Unfortunately, this felt like a significant step backwards. From the opening whistle, the Bulldogs controlled the middle, won the territory battle and dictated the tempo of the game, leaving the Warriors chasing the contest after just 11 minutes.

Plenty of credit needs to go to the Bulldogs; they seem to have found a blueprint for disrupting the Warriors' style of play. Their aggressive line speed, physicality through the middle and ability to keep the ball alive through second-phase football made it extremely difficult for the Warriors to build any rhythm. Interestingly, Canterbury are also the only team to defeat both the Warriors and Panthers this season, showing they have a game plan that can trouble teams built around power and possession.

What disappointed me most wasn't just the result, but the way the Warriors went about it. A win here would have kept them firmly in the top two and continued to put pressure on the Panthers in the race for the minor premiership, so there was plenty on the line. Because of that, I expected to see more fight and desperation from the Warriors. Losing games is part of every season, but you still want to see your side make the opposition earn the victory. Outside of a few attacking opportunities that went begging, the Warriors never really looked like troubling the Bulldogs. They had moments where they built pressure, but poor execution and a lack of composure meant those chances came to nothing. It was one of the rare occasions this season where the Warriors looked second best for the majority of the 80 minutes, and that is what made the performance so demoralising.

The good news is that this loss has come with time still available to fix the issues. Finals football is still a few weeks away, allowing the Warriors to address the problems exposed by the Bulldogs before the games become season-defining. Good teams don't ignore performances like this; they learn from them. The response this week is now the most important thing; every team has an off night, but the best teams make sure those performances are followed by a response. The Warriors have shown throughout the season that they are capable of competing with anyone, so now they have to show that this was simply a bump in the road rather than the beginning of a ladder slide like we saw from them last season.

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

Match Positives

Despite trailing 18-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining, the Warriors never completely threw in the towel. It would have been easy for heads to drop after such a frustrating night where very little went their way, but they continued to compete until the final whistle. That persistence was eventually rewarded when Mitch Barnett's clever chip kick created an opportunity for Chanel Harris-Tavita to score the Warriors' only try of the night. While it did little to change the result, it showed there was still some fight left in the side. On a night with very few positives, their willingness to keep battling until the end was one of them.

After a disastrous opening 11 minutes, where the Bulldogs crossed twice and put the Warriors under immediate pressure, the defensive effort improved significantly. The Warriors were able to settle into the contest and make Canterbury work much harder for the remainder of the night. The scramble defence was a real positive, with the Warriors repeatedly turning up in support and preventing the Bulldogs from adding further points despite spending plenty of time inside their attacking half. The one major exception was their inability to contain the Bulldogs' second-phase play, with Canterbury regularly finding success through offloads and keeping the Warriors' defence moving backwards. It doesn't take away from the poor start, but the ability to regroup and defend their line under pressure was one of the few positives to come from a disappointing performance.

While it certainly doesn't help in the moment, performances like this can prove valuable if the Warriors can learn from them. The Bulldogs exposed some clear issues in the Warriors' attack, particularly their execution when opportunities presented themselves and their inability to turn pressure into points. Too often, the Warriors worked hard to get themselves into attacking positions but couldn't find the final pass or the right option to trouble the Bulldogs' defensive line. These are the types of areas that need to be addressed quickly, especially with more top-eight opponents ahead. A loss like this can be a good reality check, highlighting the improvements needed before the finals race heats up.

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

Match Negatives

The Warriors couldn't have asked for a worse start, conceding tries in the 5th and 11th minutes to immediately find themselves chasing the game. Against a Bulldogs side that prides itself on its defensive effort and ability to control territory, handing them a 12-point advantage so early made the challenge significantly harder. The Warriors were forced to play catch-up from that point. While they were able to steady themselves defensively, they never looked comfortable trying to break down a Canterbury defence that was able to sit back and defend with confidence. A slow start has hurt the Warriors at times this season, but this was one of the worst examples, with the opening 11 minutes ultimately proving too costly.

Errors were a major reason the Warriors were unable to build any sustained pressure, with the side finishing the night with 14 mistakes and just a 71% completion rate. Against a Bulldogs team that is built around defence and forcing teams to work hard for points, giving away so much possession made life extremely difficult. Too often, the Warriors did the hard work to get themselves into attacking positions, only to undo that progress through poor execution, including forward passes and missed opportunities. Even when they managed to create space and break through the Bulldogs' defensive line, they lacked the composure needed to finish their chances. Against quality opposition, those small errors can quickly become the difference between winning and losing.

One of my biggest concerns, not only from this match but from this entire season, was the Warriors' continued struggles defending against second-phase football. The Bulldogs finished the night with 19 offloads, and every time Canterbury kept the ball alive, the Warriors' defensive line looked uncertain and struggled to reset. It has been an ongoing issue throughout the season, with teams finding success when they can create broken-field situations and force the Warriors to defend multiple phases. While their scramble defence often saves them, relying on desperation plays is not sustainable against the competition's best teams. This is an area that needs urgent attention before the finals, because if the Warriors cannot improve their defence against offloads, it could seriously derail their chances of making a deep run.

The Warriors' inability to break down the Bulldogs' defence was a massive letdown. Throughout the night, they repeatedly looked to move the ball wide, but Canterbury's edge defence handled the challenge comfortably, and the Warriors kept returning to the same approach. With the forward pack being bullied through the middle, looking to shift the ball before earning the right to go wide proved costly, as the Bulldogs were able to slide across and shut down their attacking opportunities. There was very little variation or creativity to challenge the defensive line or create uncertainty. The one moment of unpredictability came late in the game when Mitch Barnett put in a chip kick that led to Chanel Harris-Tavita's try, but by then the contest was already beyond reach. Against quality opposition, the Warriors need to be more patient and build pressure before looking to attack the edges.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Mitch Barnett.

In a game where very few Warriors stood out for the right reasons, Barnett was one of the clear positives. The experienced forward once again led from the front, finishing with a team-high 176 running metres while also making 28 tackles with just two misses in another tireless defensive effort. Barnett wasn't just effective through the middle either, showing his football IQ with the perfectly weighted chip kick that created Chanel Harris-Tavita's try, the Warriors' only points of the night. If the Warriors are to bounce back next week, they'll need more players to follow Barnett's lead. When the forward pack wins the middle and lays a platform, it makes life much easier for the halves to play direct, build pressure and create opportunities with the ball.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve is Te Maire Martin.

It was a tough choice between Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita for this section, but Martin ultimately gets the nod due to CHT scoring the Warriors' only try. To be fair to him, his job was made much harder by a forward pack that spent large periods of the night on the back foot, giving him little time or space to control the game. Even so, Martin looked unusually hesitant with the ball in hand. He ran just nine times for 74 metres and rarely threatened the Bulldogs' defensive line, while his kicking game was also quiet, putting boot to ball only four times compared to Harris-Tavita's 11. I've been vocal about sticking with TMM because, until now, I didn't think he had done much wrong. However, if this performance becomes the standard rather than the exception, the Warriors may have to make the tough call to bring Luke Metcalf back into the side before the finals begin.

Round 22 Thoughts and Prediction

In Round 22, the Warriors remain across the ditch to face the Titans, who defeated the Dragons 38-18 in Round 21.

As for the team I’d pick, we don't know the severity of Taine Tuaupiki's injury, so I would go with the idea that he needs a week off, so Charnze takes the fullback spot. Same goes for Wayde Egan; if he is out, Sam Healey takes the Hooker spot. Those would be the only changes for me; I'm backing TMM to bounce back, which may ruffle some people's feathers, but I would keep Metcalf on the bench if it looks dicey and the Warriors need to add an attacking spark.

The Titans have endured a difficult season so far, sitting on six wins and 12 losses, but they remain a team the Warriors cannot afford to take lightly. While consistency has been an issue, they have shown throughout the year that they are capable of troubling teams when they get their attacking game flowing. With plenty of speed and skill across the park, the Titans can be dangerous with the ball in hand and can punish teams that switch off defensively. Their biggest challenge has been putting together complete performances, but if they are given time and space, they have enough attacking weapons to make the Warriors pay. The Warriors will need to be switched on from the opening whistle and ensure they don't allow the Titans to build confidence.

For the Warriors to get the win here, they need to return to the areas that have made them so successful this season. After a disappointing performance against the Bulldogs, the response needs to start with their effort through the middle. The forwards need to win the ruck, generate quick play-the-balls and give the halves the time and space to control the game. Defensively, they will need to remain disciplined and limit the Titans' opportunities, because this is a side with plenty of attacking talent who can make teams pay if given momentum. With the ball, the Warriors need to be patient, complete their sets and take their chances when they come. If they can control possession, dominate field position and play with the intensity we know they are capable of, they should have enough quality to bounce back. I'm expecting a much-improved performance and tipping the Warriors to get the job done with an 18-point victory.

So, that was an embarrassing Round 21, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Should the Warriors stick with Te Maire Martin, or is it time to consider Luke Metcalf?

Did the Bulldogs expose a weakness in the Warriors' game plan?

Are the Warriors still genuine premiership contenders?

What is your score prediction against the Titans?