NZ Warriors 2026 Finals Week 2 Review: A Frustrating End at Eden Park

After their disappointing loss to the Dolphins in week 1 of the finals, the Warriors remained at home, moving to Eden Park to host the Knights, who defeated the Rabbitohs 20-10 last week.

The Warriors led 6-0 early and fought back to within two points after Leka Halasima's second try, but they couldn't find the score they needed in the closing stages. In a tense and error-filled game at Eden Park, the Knights held on for a 12-10 win to end the Warriors' finals campaign, seeing them exit the Finals in straight sets.

Now, apologies in advance if I mix a few things up; it was a 6pm Sunday night game I went to live, and I didn't get back until late and couldn't stomach watching a full replay, so my thoughts are a bit hazy.

What Went Down

In a tense and error-filled finals battle, the Warriors struck first in the 12th minute. Leka Halasima, who had already appeared to be carrying a hamstring issue, showed plenty of determination to run around Dominic Young and power through Phoenix Crossland to score. Taine Tuaupiki added the extras to give the Warriors an early 6-0 lead.

The Knights thought they had hit back shortly after, but Fletcher Sharpe's try was ruled out after the Bunker found Francis Manuleleua had got a hand to the ball first and knocked it on.

Newcastle eventually got their try in the 28th minute. Bradman Best broke through and got past Jacob Laban before finding Sharpe, who went over under the posts. Sandon Smith converted to level things up at 6-6, and that was how it stayed at half-time. The Warriors had 54 per cent of possession and completed 80 per cent of their sets in the first half, but the Knights had the better of the penalty count, leading 3-0.

Newcastle came out strongly after the break and took the lead in the 44th minute. Young raced down the right side, beating Chanel Harris-Tavita to score in the corner. Smith added the conversion to make it 12-6. Things got worse for the Warriors shortly after, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad leaving the field for a head injury assessment after being hurt in a tackle. He later failed the assessment.

The Warriors thought they had found a way back into the game when Ali Leiataua appeared to score in the 61st minute, but referee Ashley Klein ruled there had been obstruction involving Sharpe, and the Bunker agreed.

Both sides continued to create chances, with Kurt Capewell making a linebreak for the Warriors while Greg Marzhew and Kalyn Ponga threatened for Newcastle. But handling errors continued to hurt both teams and stop promising attacking opportunities from turning into points. By the 65th minute, the Knights had made 15 errors to the Warriors' 11.

The game turned again in the 69th minute when Halasima crossed for his second try of the night. The young forward was left in pain after appearing to be shoved by Young as he went over, but the try was awarded. Tuaupiki's conversion attempt missed, leaving Newcastle clinging to a 12-10 lead. Tuaupiki then left the field for his own head injury assessment, while Ponga would also leave for an assessment in the 74th minute.

The final stages became a real scramble, with reviews and challenges adding even more drama. The Warriors lost a challenge over a Marzhew strip after the Bunker ruled Te Maire Martin's fingers had changed into a stripping motion. With less than two minutes remaining, the Warriors had a decision to make. They needed a try to win the game, or they could settle for a two-point field goal or a penalty to force golden point. Then came the final big moment. With just 52 seconds left on the clock, Tyson Frizell appeared to take out Halasima in the kick chase. The clock stopped while officials reviewed the incident, but Klein and the Bunker found no penalty.

The Warriors felt they had been hard done by, but there was no time left to change it. They couldn't find a way through the Knights' defence, and Newcastle held on for a 12-10 win in a frantic and frustrating finals contest.

My Thoughts

Well, I honestly don't know what to make of that one. Coming into the game, I was confident the Warriors could get the job done, but I was also really nervous because I knew how important it was. After the disappointment of losing to the Dolphins, this was their chance to put that right and keep the season alive. For large parts of the game, I genuinely thought they were good enough to do it.

When Halasima scored his second try to make it 12-10, I thought the Warriors might be about to pull off one of those wins where they somehow find a way. But it just never quite happened. There was always another mistake, another missed opportunity or another moment where they couldn't turn pressure into points. Those final few minutes were incredibly frustrating because the game was there for the taking.

I also have to talk about the Bunker because I thought they got a few of those decisions completely wrong. It really soured the experience for me, especially at a stadium I don't particularly enjoy going to. Those calls could have changed the outcome; there's no doubt about that. But at the same time, there were plenty of other moments where the Warriors had the opportunity to take control of the contest and didn't.

I want the officiating to be better, like everyone else, but as they say in boxing, if you leave it to the judges, you only have yourself to blame. The Warriors had plenty of chances to make their moments count in front of that massive crowd, and unfortunately they didn't. That's what makes this loss so frustrating. They weren't completely outplayed, and they had enough opportunities to win the game, but they just couldn't make those moments count.

It's tough to process because the regular season was so good. Finishing second and earning two home finals put the Warriors in a fantastic position, and I genuinely believed this team could make a serious run at the premiership. Instead, the season ended after two finals losses, and I can't help but feel there was a much bigger opportunity for them.

I'm disappointed; there's no doubt about that, but I'm also proud of what the Warriors achieved this year. They gave their fans plenty of great moments and showed a level of consistency that hasn't always been there in recent years. It's a real shame the season ended before we could see how far this team could have gone. Now the team and coaching staff need to look at what went right, what needs to improve, and hopefully find another level in 2027.

 

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

Match Positives

One thing I can't fault the Warriors for was their defensive effort. For the past month, so much of the talk around the Warriors has been about their edges leaking far too many points, so to see them concede only two tries in such an important game was a real positive, even in such a disappointing loss. They held the Knights to just 12 points and, even when Newcastle got opportunities off Warriors errors, the defence often scrambled and recovered. There were some really good defensive sets throughout the game, particularly when Newcastle were putting pressure on their line. When the attack wasn't clicking, the defence kept them in the contest and gave them a genuine chance of winning. In the end, conceding only 12 points in a sudden-death final should normally give you a very good chance, and the Warriors' defence certainly did its job.

Losing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to a failed HIA disrupted the Warriors' backline, especially in such a tight finals game. Then, with the Knights already holding a 12-10 lead, Taine Tuaupiki also left the field for a head injury assessment, creating another late change when the Warriors were trying to find a way back into the game. Despite those setbacks, the Warriors kept competing and didn't let the disruption completely derail them. They kept working hard, created chances and fought their way back into the contest. In the end, they just needed to ice some of the opportunities they created, and they could have found themselves on the right side of a very tight game. Instead, they couldn't quite find that finishing touch, but they still gave themselves a chance right until the final siren.

The Warriors gave themselves a chance until the end, which matters in a game decided by just two points. They stayed within striking distance in the final minutes and had chances to turn the game around, rather than being comfortably beaten. After Newcastle went 12-6 ahead, the Warriors kept fighting and found a way back to within two points. They also had a few Bunker calls go against them that could have helped swing the momentum back their way, particularly the disallowed try and the late incidents that went against them. While you can't blame the officials for the result, those calls certainly didn't help the Warriors build pressure when they needed it most. They couldn't quite find the play they needed to ice their opportunities, but they were still in the contest right until the final siren. In a game this tight, one good attacking set, a better last-tackle option or one call going their way could have completely changed the result.

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

Match Negatives

The attack never really clicked for the Warriors, and they struggled to turn possession and field position into sustained pressure. They got into attacking territory, but too often came away without really putting Newcastle under pressure. Their last-tackle options were also a real concern, with some poor kicks and decisions letting the Knights off the hook. At times, it felt like the Warriors' only attacking option was to get the ball to an injured Leka Halasima and hope he could create something. While Halasima showed plenty of determination, you can't keep relying on one player, especially when he's clearly struggling physically. The Warriors created opportunities but couldn't consistently turn them into pressure or points, and in a tight finals game, that lack of attacking execution ultimately came back to bite them.

The Warriors left too many opportunities out there, and this was a big reason they couldn't get themselves over the line. They had chances to score throughout the game but couldn't turn enough of them into points, whether it was the final pass, the last play, or simply making the right decision at the right time. Two moments that stand out involved Kurt Capewell, who made two big breaks but couldn't turn either into points. On the first, he probably should have passed to his outside; on the second, he broke through but had no support around him. Against a desperate Knights side, those small moments became costly. In a game decided by two points, making the most of just one or two more chances could have changed the result.

The Warriors went out in straight sets, and after such a strong regular season and securing a top-two finish, that's a really disappointing way to end the year. There was so much talk from the media, and even from me, about how big an advantage it was to have two home finals in New Zealand. The Warriors put themselves in a position to play both games in front of their home fans, but it feels like they've squandered that opportunity. They earned themselves a second chance after losing to the Dolphins in Week 1, but couldn't take it against the Knights. For all the positives of the regular season, the Warriors ultimately finished 2026 without winning a finals match. They never got the chance to play the preliminary final they had worked towards. After putting themselves in such a strong position, that's a tough way to finish the year.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Leka Halasima.

He was called into the side at the last minute despite still clearly being hampered by his hamstring injury, but even at less than 100%, he caused the Knights plenty of headaches all night. He scored both of the Warriors' tries and was one of the few players who consistently looked capable of breaking the game open. He finished with 189 metres, three line breaks and nine tackle breaks, while also making 16 tackles without missing one. Those numbers are even more impressive considering he was carrying an injury and had only been brought into the team late. He did have three errors, but given the circumstances, I thought his effort and impact deserved recognition.

His fitness is one of the biggest what-ifs coming out of this game. If this is what he can do while clearly hampered, how much more dangerous could he have been at 100%? And you can't help but wonder whether, if he hadn't picked up that hamstring issue in the warm-up last week, he could have been the difference the Warriors needed against the Dolphins and perhaps avoided having to play this second-week finals game.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to Improve goes to Chanel Harris-Tavita.

He's been really good for the Warriors this season, but I thought both of his finals performances were well below the level I had come to expect. He did have a try assist and made 22 tackles, but he also led the Warriors with 10 missed tackles, made an error and gave away a penalty.

His last-tackle options were also a real concern and played a big part in the Warriors struggling to get their attack into gear. Too often the sets ended without putting Newcastle under enough pressure, and CHT is one of the players I look to when it comes to making those decisions. This doesn't take away from what has been a very good season for him, but when the big games came around, I expected more from CHT and, unfortunately, he didn't quite deliver.

Seasons done; What's Next for me?

So that’s a wrap on the 2026 season, and what a year it’s been for the Warriors. I came into the season with plenty of hope after what was a pretty inconsistent 2025, but I don’t think many of us expected the Warriors to put together the regular season they did. A top-two finish, plenty of big wins and some really impressive performances showed just how much this team had improved, although there were still some frustrating moments and plenty of what-ifs along the way. The finals campaign didn’t go the way we would have hoped, but that shouldn’t take away from what was a really strong regular season and a year that has given Warriors fans plenty to be excited about. Before we turn our attention fully to 2027, I’ll be back with my 2026 season review, where I’ll unpack the entire year, look at some of the key players and moments, and discuss what comes next for this team.

Then I will take a little break, maybe writing a few articles about the Warriors if the inspiration hits me, and maybe some stuff around the World Cup. I did have an offseason idea last year to compile my favourite players from each season since 1995 and discuss what I liked about them and how they performed in the year they earned the honour of being my favourite player, but I didn't get round to it. However, my partner will be expecting me to give her a bit more attention, with the Warriors not consuming my day-to-day for a few months.

Last but not least, my show, The Stand-Off, will continue to stream live on YouTube and delayed on Facebook every Wednesday at 8pm NZ time; we haven't decided on a season finale time yet, as we will be covering the rest of the NRL season and the World Cup, so come join us there as we discuss the footy.

So, that was a heartbreaking Finals Week 2, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes does Andrew Webster need to make with this team to take it to the next level in 2027?

Does exiting the Finals in straight sets dampen your feelings about the Warriors' 2026 season?

Who has been your biggest surprise from the squad?

Who do you think is going to win the 2026 premiership?