NZ Warriors 2020 Round 10 Review: Sharks punish lacklustre Warriors

After a disappointing loss to the Titans in round 9, the Warriors returned to their makeshift home on the Central Coast to face the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

I predicted the Warriors to lose their first match at Central Coast Stadium this round, and while I was correct with that prediction I was way off on the margin as the Warriors were soundly defeated 46-10.

Well, Todd Payten called this match the Warriors worst performance of the year and I think it would be hard to disagree.

Watching this match was deflating, It never really felt like the Warriors had what it took to get across the line and it was frustrating.

It only took the Sharks 3 minutes to score their first of 8 tries and simply put it was down to some poor defence from the Warriors.

Despite not playing well, the Warriors had a chance to level it up after some great work by David Fusitu'a but a Patrick Herbert knock-on over the line broke fans hearts and after that, it was pretty much all one-way traffic and the Warriors offer very little to give the fans watching at home any glimmer of hope that they would get themselves into the contest.

Tohu Harris said the Warriors were soft in this performance and with the exception of a select few, you could see that.

I don't like questioning the heart of the players but it looked like they were watching the clock and just waiting for the night to be over, I really hope this isn't the case as they are only at the halfway point of the season and there is still plenty of football to be played.

I know it can't be easy being stuck across the ditch but if they start delivering performances like this regularly them it is only going to get worst for them.

Now there wasn't much to praise, but there was one, which leads me to my positive from the match.

I thought the young forwards performed well in a pack that was outmuscled for the majority of the game. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, Jack Hetherington, Karl Lawton and Eliesa Katoa all stood up and played good but not great. I'm confident that these younger players will only get better as the year goes on and in 2021 the Warriors should have a decent forward pack.

There was plenty to be concerned with, however, which leads me to some of my my negatives from the game.

The Warriors had very little trouble getting down the field but the closer they got to the Sharks line, the worst they got. Their last tackle options left plenty to be desired and it still appears that they are getting lost when trying to score points.

It should not be that hard especially when you have try-scoring machines on both your wings, Todd Payten either needs to update his offensive gameplan or make changes to his team.

The Warriors error rate was too high once again with 14 errors by the time the final whistle blew. I did like that the Warriors were trying to create some second phase football and some of the errors came from them trying things but there were also plenty of times when they just dropped the ball or forced a pass when nothing was on.

Confidence is a big part of playing an expansive style and that is something the Warriors seriously lack but their try in the final minutes showed exactly what they should be doing more of, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the Warriors most potent attacking weapon and he should be running that inside channel ready for an offload, if he hits a ball from that line the Warriors will be able to open up the opposition defence.

The Warriors did themselves no favours on defence missing 37 tackles, at times they made some great defensive plays with my highlight being Agnatius Paasi's hit on Toby Rudolf but unfortunately those great plays are few and far between. Defence comes down to technique, confidence and trust that the men besides you are going to do their job and I feel like the Warriors are failing on all three right now. The technique can be improved quickly but that confidence and trust takes time and I unsure if the Warriors will get that right before the end of the season.

I talked about it last week but the Warriors continue to struggle with defending the ball in their in-goal area.

Shaun Johnson should never have scored his try, I know it's a split decision when that ball is bouncing around behind the try line but the Warriors opposition consistently ensure that ball is out of play, if it looks certain to be going dead they leave it alone but if it's a 50/50 ball they ground it or force it out electing to defend for another set.

This may be down to the Warriors lack of confidence in their own goalline defence but regardless this ploy of their is not working and makes them look laughably inept and they need to stop it immediately.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Jack Hetherington.

In his short spell as a Warrior, I have grown a soft spot for the Penrith forward. In a match where the players appeared to not want to be there or just going with the motions, Hetherington was giving it his all and played with aggression and genuinely looked upset with himself when he made an error. 

Yes, he made a few errors and was put on report (an early guilty plea will see him escape suspension) but his heart and effort made up for it.

My biggest concern right now is that two of the Warriors better-performing players have been the loan players which speaks volumes in how the Warriors have not prepared correctly, or to put it more bluntly have not got the talent required to be competitive in the NRL.

I keep harping on about it and I'm not going stop today, the Warriors need to do everything they can to keep Hetherington on their books long term. Fan's always say the Warriors need a tough Aussie forward in their pack and Jack fits the bill.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior to improve goes to Peta Hiku.

This was a toss-up between Hiku and Patrick Herbert, but since Herbert went off for an HIA and didn't play the whole match, I have ruled him out.

With talks of a Warrior's cleanout, Hiku really picked the wrong night to have an off night.

You come to expect some defensive issues with Hiku but his poor defensive reads in this match made him a liability and while he normally offsets that with his attack, he offered very little on attack.

Instead of trying to put Ken Maumalo into scoring opportunities, Hiku continually drifted towards the edges and took away all the space Maumalo would normally have to do what he does best.

With Maumalo and David Fusitu'a leaving after round 11's match, the Warriors need Hiku to step up and help this backline score points and if he doesn't turn it around soon, he most likely will be on his way to the Super League.

Round 11 sees the Warriors host a Sydney Roosters team hurting from their defeat to the Canberra Raiders.

This match worries me and is the start of a brutal run of games for the Warriors that could be a very rough month for the fans to sit through.

This is the last match for Maumalo, Fustitu'a and Agnatius Paasi and I hope that they give it everything they have in their last match for the year (unless something happens to bring them back into the fold).

The Raiders showed that if you want to defeat the reigning premiers, you need to be physical and play for 80 minutes. If you take your foot off the gas against the Roosters then you will be in trouble.

As much as I would like to see a Warriors win here, I just can't see it happening so I'm predicting the Roosters to win by 30. 

So that was a deflating Round 10, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes you would make to the game day 17?

Do you see the Warriors getting any more wins in 2020?

Who was your player of the day?

What is your score prediction for the Roosters clash?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 9 Review: Warriors blow great start in defeat to Titans

After their much-needed win against the Broncos in round 8, the Warriors made the trip to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast to face the Titans.

Confidence was high that the Warriors would stroll to a victory here despite the Titans valiant efforts in 2020, but it wasn't to be as the New Zealand side squandered a 12-0 lead to lose the match 16-12.

Well, the Warriors rollercoaster continues. The Warriors haven't had back to back wins since round 10 in 2019, so I don't know why the result surprised me. I was about 90% certain that the Titans did not have a chance in this match and after those two tries early on by the Warriors I thought a cricket score was on the way. However, after that first nine minutes, the Warriors just could not get themselves over the try line except for one that I will speak about in a bit more details later on. 

I think the Warriors had the same thoughts as me and when they were up by 12, they relaxed a little and could not get themselves back into the mindest they need to get the win.

It was good to see Roger Tuivasa-Sheck return this week and while he added some dimension to the Warriors attack I kind of feel that at times he was either trying too hard or just not on the same page as the rest of the team. 

It may be down to the side adjusting to Todd Payten's new gameplan or just the side not meshing well, but I'm sure it is something that will be addressed in the upcoming weeks.

I think this match was a bit like last weeks where both sides were desperate to get the win, and it was a messy encounter, but I think when push came to shove, the Titans just appeared to want it more and kept pushing until they finally got the lead and refused to allow the Warriors to steal it back.

There is still a lot of improvement needed in this side, but it wasn't all doom and gloom, which leads me to my positives from the game.

I liked that the Warriors started this match quickly and looked dangerous with the ball in hand. They still need to keep starting the games strong, but they also need to ensure that they stay at that pace for the entire game. As the Warriors showed against the Bronco's when they play that faster style, it is hard for their opposition to keep up.

 

They offload is back! The Warriors finished the match with 17. They have looked a lot crisper since Payten has taken over and they marched up the field with ease and created plenty of opportunities for themselves only to stumble at the final hurdle.

If they can add the finishing touches to their attack, then they have the potential to score plenty of points.

My last positive was loan player Jack Hetherington once again. Jack did not hit the impressive figures that he did last week, but when he was on the field, you definitely knew it. He was always active, and while he plays with aggression, he does it smart, not giving away silly penalties. He chased loose balls with intent, run the ball hard and was tough on defence. I said it last week, and I will repeat it, Warriors do whatever it takes to buy him out of the final year of his contract with Penrith and make him a fulltime Warrior.

There are still concerns; however, which leads me to my negatives from the game.

Like I said above, the Warriors showed they could attack but lacked the polish to turn their attack into points. They still appeared lost on their last tackle plays and reverted to their old routine of just pushing through grubber kicks. This isn't entirely a bad ploy, but when that is all you try, it gets old real quick. Just mix it up a little to keep the defence guessing. 

The Warriors decision making when defending their dead-ball area was mindblowing. Two of the Titans tries came from in-goal taps, the first was a Tyrone Peachy tap back which was a great looking try to watch, but there were no Warriors players nearby. Admittingly it is a hard play to defuse, but we seem team try to tap the ball back just before it goes over the dead-ball line all the time so you should always have a player there to cover that. 

The other try the ended up winning the Titans the match came when Blake Green try to hit the ball over the dead-ball line when he was too far away from it, it required quick thinking. Still, he should have just dived on the ball, diving on it or hitting it out was going to result in a repeat set anyway so he should have gone for the safe bet.

The Warriors error rate was too high with 11 errors recorded, it's the catch 22 though, you want the Warriors to play that expansive style but if that do that you need to expect the errors to creep up.

However, there were a few times where they just forced passes that didn't need to be made. They need to throw caution in the win but don't throw all of it.

As always the Warriors missed too many tackles, they missed 29 which was almost double the amount of tackle missed by the Titans. The next five rounds see the Warriors face some strong teams and unless they improve their tackle accuracy, then it is going to be a long and miserable month and a bit for both the Warriors and the fans.

My last negative has nothing to do with the Warriors themselves but is actually directed towards the referee and more importantly the Bunker. Chris Butler did not have a great night, the Warriors were awarded no penalties for the entire match, I tried to find the record for the last time a team managed to end a game with no penalties, but I could not find it. Despite this, there were several times that the Titans were guilty of infringing, but they managed to avoid getting penalized. 

I am not going to say that this cost the Warriors the match as the side had plenty of chances to win this match themselves, but it must be disheartening to not have any 50/50 calls go their way. 

When Steve Roach is calling out on commentary that the Warriors are being hard done by with the calls, then you know something is wrong.

The Bunker needs to be fixed immediately, Jack Hetherington scored that try in this match, Butler sent it up as a try and then they Bunker took it away. Commentators and former players have come out and chastised the Bunker for this decision, but it isn't the first howler by them, and it wasn't even the last with the Bunker failing once again during the Raiders vs Storm clash.

Graham Annesley continues to come out and say sorry for the Bunker, but he has made no steps to fix it. It makes the NRL look like a laughing stock, and if they have no idea how to fix it, then they should just get rid of it.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the match goes to Tohu Harris.

Harris continues to shine in 2020, he ran for 172 metres and lead the Warriors with 53 tackles.

The Warriors may not be playing consistently this season, but Harris is always top of the class every week. If I can take any positives out of this season, it is that while stuck in camp together, the young Warriors can absorb all the knowledge they can from Harris. How to prepare during the week, how to train, how to convert all that wor during the week into your performance int he weekend. If they can take this opportunity with both hands, then perhaps the Warriors will have a stack of young forwards that deliver each and every week like Tohu does.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warriors to improve goes to Chanel Harris-Tavita.

Last week I said Harris-Tavita looked a little rusty, but this week I feel like he was out of his element.

I'm not sure what happened, but it looked like he was trying to play this match as a second-rower instead of a half.

Instead of trying to direct the team or put up some kicks, he just tried to run the ball into the defensive line or put some shots on when the Warriors were defending.

I like that he is not afraid to do his part on defence and shows no fear when running the ball but he needs to remember that he's a half and needs to pick and choose his battles, you see a hole in the line you take advantage of it or use it to put one of your teammates through.

He is talented and young, and I'm sure this was just an off night for him, and I expect to see him come back stronger this week.

Round 10 sees the Warriors back at Central Coast Stadium to face s Sharks team that was blown off the park by the Panthers.

The Warriors seem to play their best football at Central Coast Stadium so fans will be hoping for a strong outing, but I think the Sharks will be too strong, unfortunately, so I'm picking the Sharks to win by 18.

This match also appears to be the last game for David Fusitua, Ken Maumalo and Agnatius Paasi who are all set to travel back to New Zealand for family reasons.

Opinions are divided on this news, obviously losing your superstar wingers is going to be a massive blow for the Warriors, but I understand the player's decision.

With Katoa due back from injury, Paasi's exit isn't too significant, I would move Katoa into Jack Murchie's spot in the second row and move Murchie back into the prop rotation.

They agreed to travel to Australia on the proviso that their families would be able to come over, this hasn't happened, so they are coming back.

I don't hold anything against them for this, and I hope that the Warriors put on a massive performance for these guys in their last match.

This match also sees the Warriors hosting an event at Mount Smart for members to watch the game and catch up with other members.

I'm unsure of how many people the event is planned for, but I know it was a first in first served kind of deal.

I am looking forward to getting back to Mount Smart and catching up with, members that I haven't seen since last year.

If you are coming to the event come over and say hi to me, I love catching up with Warriors fans and talking football, so hopefully, I will see you there and fingers crossed we will be celebrating a win.

So that was a deflating Round 9, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

With all the bunkers errors recently, do you think the NRL will make some changes?

Are there any changes you would make to the gameday 17 this week?

Who was your player of the day?

What is your score prediction for the Sharks clash?

NZ Warriors 2020 Round 8 Review: Warriors fight back to overcome battling Broncos

After an embarrassing performance in round 7, the Warriors made their way back to their makeshift home ground of Central Coast Stadium to face the Brisbane Broncos.

Both sides came into this match desperate for a much-needed win, and that desperation was evident with the game being a bit messy and not of the same calibre as the top of table clashes we have seen in recent weeks.

Despite being 10-0 down in the dying stages of the first half, the Warriors dominated the second half and came away with a 26-16 victory, handing an emotional Broncos outfit their sixth loss in a row.  

Well, it wasn't pretty, but the Warriors are once again in the winner's circle.

The Broncos have been horrible since the return of the season so I was always confident the Warriors would do enough for the win, but with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck suspended and Kodi Nikorima being flattened by Tevita Pangai Junior, resulting in the five-eight being ruled out of the match left me worried that the New Zealand side would be in for a rough night.

Being 10-0 down just before halftime did not help matters either, but unlike last week the Warriors did not drop their heads and kept themselves in the game and took advantage as the Broncos start to implode.

Now don't go buying tickets to the Grand Final, If the Warriors were playing any side in the top 10 in this match, I think that the result would have been more like the last two rounds, but hopefully, it will give the side some much-needed confidence. They can hopefully build on this performance and try to add some more wins to their tally.

There is still a lot of improvement needed in this side, but it's a step in the right direction, which leads me to my positives from the game.

With Nikorima out and Chanel Harris-Tavita rusty from limited game time, the Warriors needed Blake Green to step up, and in my opinion, he delivered.

Owner of the Warriors Mark Robinson came out during the week and announced that Green and Gerard Beale would not be re-signed for 2021 and it appears to have woken Green up.

He directed the side well, and his kicks were pinpoint, and he constantly had the Broncos under pressure which they could not overcome.

We may see a better, more consistent performance out of the aging half, who is eager to continue his career and hopefully, it means more Warriors wins this year off the back of his boot.

The forwards played well yet again, lead from the front by veterans Tohu Harris and Adam Blair.

Harris has had an outstanding 2020 despite the Warriors poor form, and I hope he is top of the Warriors list of players they need to re-sign with his contract coming to an end at the end of 2021.

Blair was moved to the front row and as he has done every time he has played prop this year he had a great game, running for over 100 metres once again.

Going forward, Todd Payten needs to name Blair in the front row where he is at his best.

In what seems to be an ongoing positive, the Warriors loan players continue to impress, after losing Poasa Faamausili back to the Roosters, the Panthers and Warriors came to an agreement for the borrowing of Jack Hetherington, and he had a great debut for the club.

He ran for 107 metres and lead the team in offloads completing 4 by the end of the match, Hetherington played with aggression. If he can keep this level of performance at a consistent level, then the Warriors should be looking at how they can keep him fulltime as he is off-contract at the end of next season.

Lastly, the Warriors showed heart. Like I mentioned above being 10-0 down 38 minutes into the match would have the end of the night for the Warriors a week ago, but they showed spirit and back themselves to get back into the game, they had scoring opportunities and knew that points would come if they kept pushing.

And once they got ahead it was great to see the side continue to push for more points, Warriors teams in the past have let their foot off once they get a lead which you just can't do in the NRL.

It was good to see the team show some toughness and hopefully, it is a new facet of their game that we will see for the rest of the year.

There are still issues; however, which leads me to my negatives from the game.

The Warriors still lack execution, in the first half they had almost had three tries down the left edge, but two were intercepted (one of those resulting in a 95 metre try in the other direction) and one was knocked on.

The Warriors need to ensure that they get the basics right week in and week out, they did improve in the second half, but against tougher opposition, it may have been too little too late.

Another concern was the Warriors giving away far too many of the 6 again calls, their penalty count was low (only being penalized once). They gave the Broncos far too much possession, and they were lucky that the Brisbane side could not do anything with it. It's not the end of the world, but if the Warriors can clean up their defensive plays around the ruck area, they should be able to cut those repeat sets for the oppositions down.

My last negative is once again missed tackles, the Warriors missed 33 tackles, and that is far too many if they want to be a top-eight side. I'm not sure if it is due to poor technique, a lack of confidence or the players not trusting the man beside them but whatever it is, the Warriors need to fix it ASAP.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior of the game goes to Ken Maumalo.

Big Ken's first try just before halftime kept the Warriors in this match and he dominated the game in the second half.

He was running hard and ensured the Warriors started their sets with intent. 291 Running metres, 2 line breaks, 10 tackle breaks and 2 tries is a great night at the office for the Winger and fingers crossed it's a sign that the 2019 Dally M winger of the year is back in form.

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

My Warrior to improve goes to Gerard Beale.

Beale just isn't the player he used to be and is really struggling in the centres. He was guilty of several handling errors and misreads on defence. 

He was only brought into the match when Tuivasa-Sheck was ruled out of the match, and you would expect to see him dropped out of the side this week when the skipper returns.

I still think he is a handy player to have in your squad when injuries happen, but I would have him play on the wing instead, perhaps moving Fusitu'a into the centres if injuries force Beale to be required.

Round 9 sees the Warriors travel to Cbus Super Stadium to face the Gold Coast Stadium. The Titans may only have two wins so far in 2020, but they have impressed me with their improved performances. They are no longer easy beats and deserve some respect.

If the Warriors show up with the same intent that they displayed against the Broncos, then they should walk away with a win, but I feel that they are going to be working for it.

The Warriors will welcome the return of Tuivasa-Sheck in what I assume will be the only change to the 17, Beale will drop out, and Peta Hiku will move back to the centres.

I feel that the Warriors have the edge in the pack and in the backline so I'm picking the Warriors to win by 14.

So that was a better Round 8, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you think the Warriors can build on this win, or is it a one-off?

What are your first impressions of Jack Hetherington?

Who was your player of the day?

What is your score prediction for the Titans clash?