NZ Warriors 2019 Round 20: Warriors embarrassed in Mount Smart return

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After the controversial game at Bankwest Stadium, the Warriors finally returned to Mount Smart to host the Canberra Raiders.
The Warriors have improved their performances since their last appearance in Auckland, and the 10,395 fans that showed up were expecting a spirited showing if not a victory.
It wasn't to be however as the Warriors delivered arguably their worst performance of the year losing 46-12.

Well, this was not the performance that I expected to see from the Warriors, they have shown improvement and heart for the past 6 weeks, so I thought they had a chance to take the Raiders to the limit, but boy I was wrong.
The Warriors have either won, drawn or lost by slim margins recently, but the reality is that they were against teams stuck in the middle of the ladder like them, but once against a genuine top-four side they were well and truly shown up.
Perhaps after so many close tough games, the Warriors were simply drained, but that just isn't good enough for NRL level.

Right from Adam Blair's dropped ball in the Warriors first set of the match the Warriors fate was sealed, they had no game plan, no heart and no desire and all the fans can hope for is that it was a rude awakening for the side as they embark on a gruelling last five rounds of the season.

There isn't a lot to praise in this performance, but it wasn't all doom and gloom, which leads me to my positives.

The Warriors were able to reduce the number of penalties they conceded, and this was an effort considering the fact that they spent more time on defence compared to the Raiders, making more than 100 tackles than the Green Machine.

The majority of the gameday 17 were well below the level expected in first grade, but it was the youngsters that shown fire.
Chanel Harris-Tavita continues to show the promise he has and needs to be in the Warriors starting side from now on.
Josh Curran had a strong showing in his first hit-out for the Warriors, he did miss the most tackles with 8, but a lot of those were in his first minutes, and I believe nerves were a factor as once he had a few runs, he started to outshine the rest of the second rowers.
I would be looking at Curran to be starting over Isaiah Papali'i this week if I was selecting the squad as Papali'i has been nothing short of ordinary for the majority of the season.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few negatives to go over so I will just get into it.

The forwards were woeful, with only Leeson Ah Mau hitting triple-digit running metres. When the forwards fail to make an impact on the game, the halves and backline really have no platform to build off and in turn, don't have the scoring Opportunites needed to win a game or in the Warriors case get back into the match.

When the Warriors did get into good field position, they delivered poor last tackle options.
Whoever the attack coach is for the Warriors they need to ship up or ship out as their gameplan is schoolboy level and clearly not working and if it down to the halves going off script, then the need to be reigned in or dropped.

The Warriors struggled to get much possession in that first half, but when they did get it, that just gave it away with careless errors.
I have said it so often this season, but if you don't show the ball respect, you will get punished this match was proof of that.

Lastly was the defence, the Warriors missed 58 tackles, 58!
Several of the Raiders tries came after they waltzed through Warriors players feeble attempts that were embarrassing to watch live.
They didn't wrap the ball carrier up allowing the Raiders to offload almost at will and this second phase football destroyed the Warriors chances.

The Warriors have struggled to defend around the ruck area, and the Raiders took advantage of it with Josh Hodgson having a field day running out of dummy half.
The Warriors need to shore up that marker area as they are facing some top tier hookers in the upcoming weeks and they will be targeting this weakness. If the Warriors don't improve, it is going to be a rough ride.

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My Warrior of the match goes to Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Kodi Nikorima's injury was unfortunate, but it allowed Chanel to inject himself into the game and show everyone why he should have been out there from the start.
While the rest of the playmakers have been one-note, Chanel shows creativity and desire. He is the only half that was able to give the Warriors legitimate scoring chances on the last tackle.
Even the tries he scored highlighted his desire with him always hovering around the ball carrier ready for an offload.
He needs to be starting for the rest of the season, and in my opinion, he should be taking the spot of my warrior that needs to improve.

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My Warrior to improve goes to Blake Green.
At the start of the season, I was worried about what would happen to the Warriors if Green was to get injured, but now with the advantage of hindsight. I think the Warriors attack looks better when he isn't there.
Green is an experienced half, but what he has been delivering with his game management has been nothing short of rookie level.
2019 season is over so it's time to get the 2020 halves combination of Kodi and Chanel some game time together so they can gel before next season starts.
If Kodi's ankle injury means that he is out this week, I would reunite Chanel and Adam Keighran in the halves again as Green is stunting the Warriors attack not improving it.

Round 21 has the Warriors at home once again, hosting the Manly Sea Eagles.
Manly looked great against the Knights last week and will be looking at repeating that performance in a bid to secure a top-four spot.
Injuries will not help the Warriors, and it looks like Karl Lawton and Kodi Nikorima may both be out of this match, this leaves a massive hole at hooker and Jazz Tevaga isn't a hooker so the Warriors will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they are to compete this week.
I don't see it happening though, and I feel like it is going to be a long five weeks for Warriors fans, so I'm picking Manly by 18.

So that was my take on an embarrassing round 20 performance, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions?

Do you have a Warrior of the match?
With games against Manly and the Rabbitohs left, will the Warriors win again at Mount Smart?
If Nikorima and Lawton are out, who would be your hooker and halves?
What is your score prediction for round 21?

NZ Warriors 2019 Round 19 Review: Heartbreak at Bankwest

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After last weeks victory in the Cake Tin, the Warriors once again made the journey over the ditch to face the Parramatta Eels at the impressive Bankwest Stadium.
A win here would have kept the Warriors playoff dreams alive, but it wasn't to be as the Eels were victorious here in a match that will, unfortunately, be remembered more for the officiating than the entertaining display that both sides delivered.

What a disappointing game.
On the plus side, it was exciting to watch and felt like it had all the stakes of a playoff match. On the negative side, some of the calls were head-scratching, to say the least.
I don't like talking about referees or their performances. Regardless of how poor they are, you should not leave your fate in their hands (although there will be some more on the officials further below).

I thought the Warriors played well for most of the game, but there were still issues.
The Warriors started 2019, putting it bluntly as a soft team. Opposition teams only had to play 60 minutes, and the Warriors would fold towards the end, however, for the past 6 weeks, the Warriors have shown tremendous heart.
Teams, unfortunately, can still defeat the Warriors but man they have to work for it.
The Match wasn't all doom and gloom though which leads me to my positives from the match.

The back three shone in this performance with all three running over 100 metres.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck lead from the front with 267 metres and Ken Maumalo wasn't far behind with 243 metres.
Sheck is the heart of this team without a doubt when all seems lost, the Warriors can always rely on RTS to turn a half-chance into a scoring opportunity, the rest of the side just needs to move closer to his level.
The impact these two have had this season has been outstanding, and I expect them to finish 2019 strong, Maumalo is still on track to end the season as the leading try scorer if he can keep his strike rate up.

The forward's form continues to improve. Lead by Paasi and Ah Mau the forwards ran hard all night and helped the Warriors surge into the Eels half, they still need to improve their defence around the ruck area, but there's no question that they are improving.
After criticising the Warriors interchange rotation for the majority of the season, I think Kearney has finally got a good thing going.
The Forwards need to keep this level of performance going for the final six rounds if the Warriors are to sneak into the top eight.

Having a 9-2 penalty count piled against them, the Warriors should have not been in this match at all let alone in a position to win it, and that kind of effort gives me confidence that the Warriors can still have a final stab at the top eight.

There were issues, too; however, which leads me to my negatives.

The penalties need to come down, I know many will claim that some of the calls were incorrect, but there were several that were just poor discipline.
If the officials treat the Warriors differently as some fans claim then the Warriors need to ensure they keep their noses squeaky clean, give no reasons to be pinged and watch the penalty count drop.

The Warriors defence has improved, but two of the Eels tries were essentially length of the field tries due to poor defence.
Tightening up the ruck defence is the main priority for the New Zealand side but their second concern will be wrapping the ball carrier up to eliminate that second phase football that continues to hurt them.
With games against the Raiders, Sharks and Roosters coming up the Warriors defence needs to be ironclad.

My last negative is once again the Warriors 5th tackle options, the Warriors last tackle options leave a lot to be desired, but it showed some improvement with the addition of Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Blake Green was hit or miss for me in this match, making some great decisions but then also having some howlers.
However, if the forwards continue charging up the middle and the back three kept doing their thing, then the halves should have plenty of time and space to create scoring opportunities.

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My Warrior of the match goes to Chanel Harris-Tavita.
With Kodi's injury last week, Chanel returned to the Warriors starting line up for the first time since round 8 and did not miss a step.
One of my biggest complaints for the past month has been the Warriors lack of 5th tackle options, and Chanel's presence helped in that department.
His kicking game added dimension to the Warriors attack and his defensive effort was outstanding, after this display you cannot leave Chanel out of the Warriors 17, dare I say 13 for the rest of the season.
This kid is a talent and has shown that he is not overawed by the occasion when playing first grade and I think the Warriors need to start using Chanel and Kodi as their starting halves sooner rather than later.

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I couldn't pick a Warrior to improve this week, so I have gone with the Officials.
At Graham Annesley's press conference today, he acknowledged that there were two incorrect stripping calls, an incorrect bunker call for Sivos 2nd try, Papali'is missed knock-on which leads to Lukes try, and that Tuivasa-Shecks pass was too close to call.
This poor showing has resulted in both the refs and touch judges being relegated this week.

Personally, I felt the Warriors were hard done by in this match, but I watch all the games, and I think that the referees are poor the majority of the time and show no signs of improvement. Dropping these refs will not fix the issues, and the NRL need to look at how they can fix it.
I don't know what they can do either, perhaps move back to having one referee and maybe incorporating a Captains challenge similar to what they have in cricket. Give the Captain's one challenge a half, and if you use it and overturn the decision you keep the challenge, you get it wrong, you lose it.
I'm sure there are brighter minds than mine in the NRL that can bring solutions to the table to fix the officiating and let the football be the topic at the water coolers again instead of the men with the Whistles.

Round 20 has the Warriors finally return to Mount Smart, hosting the Canberra Raiders.
The Raiders have had a great year to date and will be a real challenge.
With Issac Luke most likely missing the next two weeks due to suspension, I personally would move Kodi Nikorima to hooker and keep Chanel partnered with Green in the halves.

I have gone a run picking against the Warriors for the past fortnight, but this week I'm picking the Warriors, the Warriors will be disappointed after Round 19 and will be looking at making a statement, so I'm picking the Warriors to win here by 8.

So that was my take on a heartbreaking round 19, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

If Issac Luke is out, who would be your hooker this week?
How can the NRL fix the Referee issues that have plagued the 2019 season?
Who was your player of the match?
What is your score prediction for Round 20?

NZ Warriors 2019 Round 18 Review: Warriors season still alive after heart-stopping victory over Sharks

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After the disappointing draw in Round 17, the Warriors returned to New Zealand taking their home match to Westpac Stadium, hosting the Cronulla Sharks who after four losses in a row were desperate to get back into the winner's circle.
It wasn't to be as the Warriors came from behind, keeping their season alive with a nailbiting 19-18 victory.

I will admit that I was not confident that the Warriors would get a win here. I predicted the Sharks to win by eight here and on my drive down to Wellington for the match. The news of Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a not being fit to play pushed my confidence down further.
But I have never been happier to be wrong as the Warriors showed determination and a desire to win that has been sorely absent for most of 2019.
Adam Pompey did not disappoint in his debut, Blake Ayshford was also solid in his return. Fans, however, will still be hopeful that Maumalo and Fusitu'a are back for Round 19.

The Sharks have been in a slump for the past month. The frustration within the team was clearly evident as they essentially allowed the Warriors back into this match via silly errors and brain snaps.
The Warriors have lacked confidence this season, but this match should have given that a much-needed boost as they head into the final stage of the season.
There is still plenty of improvement in this side, but they can hold their heads high after this match, which leads me to my positives from the game.

With Maumalo not being able to play in this match, the Warriors forwards needed to pull their weight more than ever. And for the most part, they did with five of the pack running for over 100 metres.
Ken is vital in the start of the Warriors sets but if the pack can continue to perform like this when he returns the Warriors will be in prime position to continue notching up wins.

The Warriors dominated possession and territory, forcing the Sharks to fight out of their own red zone for the majority off their sets. The Warriors didn't convert this dominance into a lot of points (more on that below), but I believe with their confidence returning the points will start to flow if they can keep their opponents camped in their own half.

After their Golden Point defeat in round 15 and last weeks draw. It appeared that the Warriors did not have the playmakers to set up and get those narrow victories. The Warriors were smart in the final stages of this match surging up the field and allowing Blake Green to nail what was unbelievably a career first field goal.
Taking the penalties when on offer was smart even if I wasn't happy about it at the time. In the wet conditions with a Sharks team failing to keep their discipline in check, nailing those penalties keep the scoreboard ticking over and more importantly allowed the Warriors to keep hold of possession.

Lastly, I want to highlight Westpac Stadium, I haven't gone to a league match at the Cake Tin before, and I loved it.
The central location gave plenty of options for a drink both before and after the game (shout out to the View from the East stand lads who I briefly caught up with before kickoff), and despite the weather, my seats were pretty good too.
If the Warriors take a game to Wellington next season, I will be making the trip down once again.

The match wasn't perfect, though, which leads me to my negatives.

My biggest concern was the lack of execution, although the Warriors had the lion share of territory they struggled to convert it into points.
Blake Green was running the ball a lot. But for some reason, he was often doing it on the fourth tackle meaning that Kodi Nikorima had to take control of the last tackle options and as he has done for the majority of his time with the Warriors he chose to run it on the last.
The Warriors need to stop doing this so often as it is not bearing fruit. In the wet conditions, it was the perfect opportunity to either kick the ball high or place grubbers through, putting more pressure on the Sharks and ultimately lead to more tries.

The Warriors defence around the ruck area still needs plenty of work, the Sharks made them pay with sniping runs out of dummy half. Unless they tighten up the middle, you can expect the opposition in the upcoming rounds focus on attack the Warriors straight up the middle.

My last negative is errors. The Warriors completed 83% of their sets, but they still continue to make errors while in scoring positions. Errors on the first tackle of the set or directly off a scrum are coach killers and need to be scrubbed out if the Warriors are to keep their season alive.

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My Warrior of the match goes to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
It was hard this week as Blake Green was key to the Warriors winning this match, but with his constant running on the fourth I had to go with Roger.
Despite the Warrior topsy turvy season, Roger is one of a select few players in the squad that have been consistently performing.
Rogers game stats have been through the roof for the past five weeks and this week was no different with the Fullback leading the Warriors in running metres and line breaks.
The great thing for Warriors fans and the scary thing for the opposition is that at 26 years of age, the best is yet to come from the current Dally M medalist.

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My Warrior to improve was just as hard, but it goes to Isaiah Papali'i.
Unfortunately, Papali'i was guilty of some of those errors mentioned above, and he also made some poor defensive reads, which resulted in scoring opportunities for the Sharks.
He is only in his second year in first grade, and at his young age, this is merely a hiccup. I know he will continue to grow and develop and be a better player for it.

Round 19 has the Warriors heading to the impressive Bankwest Stadium to face the Parramatta Eels.
The Eels have had a good season so far but lost in a high scoring affair in round 18 against the Manly Sea Eagles.
More troublesome for the Warriors is that the Eels have a 6-2 record at Bankwest and will be confident that they can make it 7-2 on Saturday night.

A win here could even see the Warriors creep into the top eight for the first time since round 2.
The Warriors should hopefully see the return of Maumalo and Fusitu'a (perhaps even Patrick Herbert will be back too), which will strengthen the side's attacking ability.
If the Warriors can keep the Eels camped in their own half like they did to the Sharks, then they will be well on the way to victory.
Unfortunately, I don't see the Warriors getting the win here. The Eels will be hurting from their round 17 defeat and will be looking at making a statement in front of their vocal home crowd, so I'm picking the Eels to win by 14.

So that was my take on a heartstopping Round 18, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Now sitting at ninth on the ladder, do you see the Warriors creeping into the top eight?
Who was your Warrior of the day, and your Warrior to improve?
Who has been your Warrior of the season?
What is your score prediction for Round 19?