NZ Warriors 2026 Round 27 Review: Warriors Survive Manly Scare in One-Point Win

After a tense win over the Knights in Round 26, the Warriors remained at home to take on the Sea Eagles, who were coming off their second strong win in a row, beating the Dragons 44-10.

The Warriors looked in control at 24-12 early in the second half, only for Manly to fight their way back and take a 30-24 lead with 15 minutes remaining. A frantic finish followed, with Taine Tuaupiki completing his hat-trick before Chanel Harris-Tavita slotted the 77th-minute field goal to seal a dramatic 31-30 win.

What Went Down

Manly struck first in the fourth minute when Reuben Garrick finished off a slick edge move started by Tom Trbojevic to give the Sea Eagles an early 6-0 lead. The Warriors hit back in the 11th minute through Adam Pompey, who found himself on the end of an Eddie Ieremia-Toeava offload to level the scores. Manly responded just five minutes later, with Lehi Hopoate crossing in the 16th minute after Jason Saab picked off an intercept to create the chance.

From there, the Warriors began to take control, with Taine Tuaupiki starting to cause all sorts of problems for the Sea Eagles. The fullback crossed twice in the space of five minutes, scoring in the 20th and 25th minutes to put the Warriors in front. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad then extended the lead in the 30th minute, finishing off a gorgeous cutout pass from Te Maire Martin as the Warriors went into halftime with a 20-12 lead.

The second half was where the game really opened up.

Nicoll-Klokstad grabbed his second try of the night in the 45th minute after chasing down a floating kick from Te Maire Martin, stretching the Warriors' lead to 12 points.

Manly refused to fold, though, and hit back quickly. Josh Feledy crossed in the 48th minute before Hopoate grabbed his second three minutes later to bring the Sea Eagles level at 24-24, with Jamal Fogarty converting both tries. The Sea Eagles then hit the front for the first time since the opening stages when Garrick scored his second in the 64th minute. It was a fitting way for Garrick to finish his final game for the club, with another Trbojevic line break setting up the simple finish.

Just when Manly looked like they were going to complete the upset, Tuaupiki stepped up again.

The fullback completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute, bulldozing his way through several defenders to score under the posts and bring the scores level at 30-30.

What followed was a frantic finish, with both sides having tries ruled out following multiple Bunker reviews. Manly thought they had snatched the lead through Hopoate, only for a Trbojevic obstruction to rule the try out. The Warriors then had a chance of their own when Chanel Harris-Tavita crossed, but an earlier knock-on saw the try chalked off.

Tanner Stowers-Smith then looked to have barrelled over for what could have been the match-winning try, only for the bunker to rule that he had made a triple movement. With the scores locked and time running out, the Warriors finally got the break they needed. A Manly error gave the Warriors possession, with a Captain's Challenge confirming they had the ball.

That allowed Harris-Tavita to step up in the 77th minute, and he made no mistake from 15 metres out, calmly slotting the field goal to put the Warriors ahead 31-30.

Manly's short kick-off attempt failed to go the required distance, and the Warriors were able to close out the remaining seconds to secure a thrilling one-point victory. It was far from comfortable, but the Warriors found a way to get the job done when it mattered most.

My Thoughts

Well, that was one hell of a way to finish the regular season for the Warriors. They looked in firm control at the halfway mark, only for Manly to swing momentum and almost steal it, but thankfully the Warriors held their nerve and got the job done. It wasn't enough to secure the club's second-ever Minor Premiership, but the consolation prize of two home finals more than makes up for that disappointment.

It certainly wasn't the performance I was expecting going into this game. Manly had nothing to lose after falling out of finals contention, and they played like a team with plenty of freedom, but the Warriors should have been able to handle them better than they did. There were too many times when Manly found space and got the Warriors scrambling, and that is something that will need plenty of attention over the next couple of weeks.

At the same time, I don't want to be too negative about a team that has just won its sixth game in a row and finished the regular season with one of the best records in the competition. This Warriors side has spent most of the year finding ways to win, and while this one was far more difficult than it needed to be, they still managed to get the job done when the game was on the line.

Andrew Webster rested Wayde Egan and Kurt Capewell and limited the minutes of James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett and Erin Clark, and you could notice the difference. Sam Healey did plenty of good things, but the attack didn't look quite as smooth without Egan controlling things around the ruck. There were periods where the Warriors had good field position but couldn't quite turn it into the sort of sustained pressure we've become used to seeing from them. That's less a criticism of Healey than a reminder of how important Egan has become to the way this team plays. However, the confidence the younger players should get from this performance could prove vital in a few weeks; they found themselves in trouble and without those leaders out there, they had to dig deep and get it done themselves. That's exactly the sort of experience that could prove useful in the finals, because things aren't always going to go according to plan once the pressure really starts building.

That was really my key takeaway from this match as I made the long walk from the stadium to my car: the Warriors have now had a taste of the sort of pressure they are going to face in the finals. They were in a game that was there to be lost; the momentum had completely shifted, and they still found a way to get themselves back into it and win. You obviously don't want to make a habit of putting yourself in those situations, but having experienced it now could be valuable when the games actually start to matter.

There is still plenty to clean up. The defensive performance was nowhere near good enough, particularly on the edges, and the Warriors will need to be much more consistent with the ball if they want to control games against finals opposition. But that's what the next couple of weeks are for. They have already done the hard work over the regular season by putting themselves in this position.

Now the regular season is done, and the real stuff is about to begin. The Warriors have earned the right to go into the finals with plenty of confidence, but this game was also a reminder that nothing is going to come easy from here. They have shown throughout 2026 that they can handle adversity, win in different ways, and have plenty of attacking weapons. If they can tighten up the areas that let them down against Manly, there's no reason they can't be a serious threat in the Finals.

For now, though, I'll take the win. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't comfortable, and it certainly wasn't the way I expected the regular season to finish, but six straight wins and a trip into the finals with the Warriors sitting where they are is a pretty damn good place to be. Now it's time to see what they can do with it.

 

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

Match Positives

This might sound like an obvious one, but in a game that swung back and forth all night, the Warriors kept finding answers whenever Manly landed a blow. They led 24-12 early in the second half, only for Manly to fight their way back and take a 30-24 lead, but the Warriors didn't let the game get away from them and managed to level the scores again. They kept competing right until the end and eventually found the two points they needed. It wasn't their best performance, but in finals football, staying in the fight and finding a way to win when things look rough can be vital to going all the way.

This flows on from the first point, but rather than simply finding a way to win, the Warriors showed good decision-making when the game was there to be won. With the scores locked at 30-30, they didn't panic or force something; instead, they took advantage of a Manly mistake, used their Captain's Challenge successfully, and created the opportunity for the field goal. Chanel Harris-Tavita still had to step up and nail the kick, but the way the Warriors handled those final few minutes was impressive given how much pressure they were under. Those are the sorts of moments they will need to handle if they want to make a deep finals run.

As frustrating as the performance was at times, this could prove a valuable reality check for the Warriors. They won't get away with conceding 30 points and allowing a 12-point lead to disappear against a finals side, so there are plenty of things for them to take away from this game. It also gave some of the younger forwards the chance to be in the thick of a pressure situation, with Andrew Webster giving James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett and Erin Clark more time on the bench than they would normally get. That meant the younger forwards had to take on more responsibility and help the team through a difficult period, which could prove valuable come finals time. The good thing is the Warriors still found a way to win, so they can learn those lessons without having to deal with the consequences of dropping the two points. I'd much rather the Warriors get this reality check now than have it happen in a finals game when the margin for error is much smaller.

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

Match Negatives

The defence was far too easy to break down, and that's my biggest concern. Conceding 30 points at home against a team outside the top eight isn't good enough, particularly with the finals just around the corner. The edges were massively exposed throughout the game, with Manly finding far too many holes and creating too many opportunities out wide. The defensive line didn't look anywhere near as organised as it has in some of their better performances this season, and that's a massive red flag heading into the finals, where so many teams can spread the ball wide and cause havoc. If the Warriors defend like this against those sides, they could find themselves in serious trouble.

They couldn't capitalise on their periods of dominance, and that was another frustrating part of the performance. There were stages where the Warriors had control of the game and looked capable of running away with it, but they didn't make enough of the opportunities they created. The 24-12 lead should have given them the platform to build scoreboard pressure and take control of the game, but Manly stayed within striking distance. The attack also looked a little clunky without Wayde Egan, particularly when the Warriors had good field position and chances to build pressure. They need to be more ruthless with those opportunities, because finals football won't always give them a second chance.

The performance wasn't at the standard you'd expect from a minor premiership contender, and this is probably the bigger-picture negative for me. The Warriors are putting together a fantastic season and have set a very high standard for themselves, but they didn't show the same level of consistency and control we've seen from them throughout much of 2026. There were too many periods where the game seemed to drift away from them, and they never really looked completely comfortable once Manly got back into the contest. It doesn't change how good this Warriors side has been this season, but with the finals approaching, they need to make sure performances like this are the exception, not the rule. They've worked hard to get to this point, and now they need to maintain those standards as the pressure increases.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Taine Tuaupiki.

After getting the late call-up to return to the starting lineup, Tuaupiki put in a mammoth display.

He led the team with 170 running metres, scored a brilliant hat-trick, made three line breaks and broke eight tackles, constantly giving Manly's defence problems whenever he got his hands on the ball. His third try was particularly important, coming when the Warriors needed someone to step up and get them back level at 30-30. It wasn't a perfect performance, though, with his goal-kicking letting him down at times and a few defensive misreads that will need to be worked on, but those issues shouldn't take away from what was a huge attacking performance. With the Warriors missing some experienced players, Tuaupiki really stepped up and showed he can be a genuine weapon heading into the finals.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to Improve goes to Jacob Laban.

This may be a bit harsh, but I thought Laban was probably a little below the standard I've come to expect from him, although he was by no means bad. He still put in plenty of work, leading the Warriors with 22 tackles while running for 114 metres, making a line break, a line-break assist and a try assist. The problem was that he also led the team with five missed tackles and made two errors, which made his overall performance a little more inconsistent than we've become used to seeing from him. He also seemed to be slipping over more than a few times throughout the game, so maybe it's time for some new boots. There was still plenty of effort and some important contributions, but given the standard Laban has set this season, I thought this was a little below par.

Finals Week 1 Thoughts and Prediction

In the first week of finals, the Warriors remain at home to host the Dolphins, who finished the regular season with a 24-20 win over the Titans.

As for the team I’d pick, Leka Halasima, Wayde Egan and Kurt Capewell all return to their spots. Andrew Webster has hinted that Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is ready for this match, so he comes onto the wing. At the same time, I’d move Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad back to fullback ahead of Tuaupiki, simply to strengthen the defensive structure. Jackson Ford is also meant to be close to returning, but I honestly can’t decide who he replaces. For now, I’m going with Demitric Vaimauga, mainly because I’ve seen more from Tanner Stowers-Smith over the past few weeks. It’s a brutal decision, and one I’m very happy I don’t actually have to make. Jett Cleary and Tuaupiki take up the fifth and sixth spots on my bench, giving the Warriors some cover across the spine and outside backs.

The Dolphins are heading into their first-ever finals appearance with plenty of momentum, having won seven games in a row after suffering a brutal 66-0 loss to the Sharks in Round 19. They are one of the most explosive attacking teams in the competition, with the ability to turn half a chance into points, but they still have some question marks defensively. That 66-0 loss showed how badly things can unravel when their defence isn't functioning, and they've had other games where they've given opponents opportunities they shouldn't have. The seven-game winning streak shows they've found a way to overcome those issues, though, and they'll head into their first finals series full of confidence; for the Warriors, that makes them a very dangerous opponent.

For the Warriors to get the win here, it all starts with the forward pack taking control of the game. The Dolphins have plenty of explosive attacking players, so the Warriors need to win the battle through the middle, build a strong platform and give their halves and backs the space to attack. Defensively, communication will be just as important, particularly on the edges after the issues we saw against Manly. The Warriors can't afford to give the Dolphins easy opportunities out wide, so everyone needs to trust the players inside them and stay connected. If they can control the middle, limit the Dolphins' attacking opportunities and play to their strengths with the ball, I think they have enough experience and quality to get the job done, so I'm going with a Warriors win by four.

So, that was a stressful Round 27, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Are you concerned about that edge defence?

What changes would you make for Finals Week 1?

Do you have a Warrior to improve?

What is your score prediction against the