NZ Warriors 2021 Round 1 Review: Promising Start as Warriors dominate Titans in Gritty Win

After a short preseason, the NRL is back, and Round 1 saw the Warriors return to their foster home on the Central Coast to face the Gold Coast Titans.

With the last encounter between these sides being the 12-All draw in the trial a few weeks back, this match was meant to be close; however, the Warriors, led impressively by their pack, started their 2021 campaign with the right foot forward with a 19-6 victory.

Man, it's great to start my match reviews off talking about a win.

The Titans have been the talk of the 2020 bottom eight sides after the signings of David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleui, and I must admit I came into this match very nervous.

Don't get me wrong, I picked the Warriors to win this match; I just thought that the Titans would bring more to the table. It wasn't a try fest by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a tough, hard-fought victory that has increased my confidence that the Warriors have what it takes to be competitive this season.

Both sides traded blows in the early stages with plenty of big hits, but neither side could get themselves across the line. The Titans gave Warriors fans a few scares, nearly coming close to scoring twice, but the Warriors were able to scramble and keep them out. The scoring drought was finally broken in the 25th-minute when Warriors recruit Bayley Sironen barged over for his first try for the club. That was the only try scored in the first half, but the Warriors just kept plugging away, and it only took them 10 minutes to cross the line again, with Leeson Ah Mau also crashing; they then crossed for their third and final try in the 68th minute when Kodi Nikorima snatched a Bunty Afoa offload to score untouched. This put the game to bed, but the Titans managed to finally get themselves on the board in the 73rd minute when the found the Warriors edge napping for a brief moment allowing Corey Thompson to score in the corner.

It's wasn't pretty, but the Warriors promised that their forward pack would be charging right through the front gate, and they did just that. If the forwards continue to deliver on that promise, then I'm sure that everything else will begin to fall into place.

There was a lot to like from this match, which leads me to my positives from the game.

Firstly the forwards, I talked about it above, but the forwards just dominated the Titans right from the start. They came out strong and never let up, now although three of the pack ran for over 100 metres (Addin Fonua-Blake, Tohu Harris and Jazz Tevaga), the rest of the forwards still find their way to contribute. I was worried that the Warriors would take a backstep when Fonua-Blake went off, but there was no huge difference in how the Warriors charged up the middle. With this performance and how the new rules have changed the game, the Warriors wore the Titans down, which led to some poor defensive reads from the Titans, resulting in the barge over tries. It is a great starting point, but the top tier sides won't fatigue as easy, so the Warriors need to continue growing and developing their playing style.

Next up is the Warriors defence. The Titans only threatened a few times, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck came up trump with two try-saving efforts. With the Warriors winning the middle, the Titans tried to target the edges and were shut down quite well. Euan Aitken and Chanel Harris-Tavita did well keeping Kevin Proctor contained, and Peta Hiku surprised me with how well he defended; I have been highly critical of Hiku's defence in his time with the Warriors, but he stepped up in this match, being a constant nuisance to Fa'asuamaleaui and never letting him get into second gear. There were still a few patches in the match where the Warriors made a few defensive misreads but as far as a first hitout goes, it looks like the coaching staff have worked on a defensive structure that plays to the Warriors strengths, the round 3 clash against the Raiders will be the first true indicator this year on how good this defence actually is.

My last positive is the reduced error rate. The Warriors only made 6 errors, completing 40 out of 44 sets. That's a 91% completion rate. Again not bad for the first game of the year; I think you could put a little asterisk next to this because the Warriors focused on running up the middle, which reduced the chances of errors slightly. The key now is to keep their completion rate up while also increasing their scoring opportunities, simply barging over for tries will not continue to work in the long run.

There wasn't much, but I did have a few issues, which leads me to my negatives from the match.

I thought the backline was still rusty, the forwards set the platform, but the backs just couldn't capitalise on it. It's still hard to gauge due to only being one game in, but I want to see the Warriors get their backs into some scoring scenarios. With players like Fonua-Blake being able to break tackles and get an offload out, the Warriors really need the likes of Tuivasa-Sheck or Nikorima to just hover off his shoulder and make a break. If the Warriors can start to do that, then they will cause defences some headaches.

I thought Harris-Tavita's kicking game was average, it appears like it may have been part of the gameplan, but his kicking in the first half didn't really offer anything substantial for the Warriors backs to latch onto. Harris-Tavita is still not at 100%, and it was his first hit-out after missing the trial, so I'm confident that he will get back into the swing of things. With Fusitu'a back in the line-up, they need to start kicking to him in the corner where he is generally successful in beating his marker for the ball; there are plenty of points just begging to be scored if they bring that play back into the gameplan.

My last negative is the injuries to Wayde Egan and Euan Aitken. Egan went off after failing his HIA, and Aitken injured his ankle but played through the injury to complete the match. There has been no update on if these injuries will prevent them from being available in Round two. I think Jazz Tevaga played well when he had to slot into hooker, so while it is not ideal, he can take that role on without the Warriors losing much. With the news of Karl Lawton's release this week, the Warriors hooker depth is still a huge concern, but I'm sure the Warriors have got something cooking behind the scenes; otherwise, they would have let Lawton go, plus his salary will help the Warriors find an adequate hooker to join the club this season.

With Aitken, I thought he had a great first hitout, and while he didn't get too many chances on attack, he made up for it with the defensive side of his game. He will be a loss if he cannot play in Round two, but if it was me, I would be bringing in Adam Pompey, he impressed me last season, and he deserves to be the first called in as injury cover. The Warriors may have other ideas, but it seems like the logical choice.

Copyright Photo: Stuff.co.nz

My Warrior of the match goes to Addin Fonua-Blake.

Man, what a debut for the Warriors marque signing; playing for 56 minutes, Fonua-Blake ran for 202 metres, broke 5 tackles and had 4 offloads. He also didn't shy away from his defensive responsibilities making 22 tackles and only missing one to end the match with 95.7% tackle efficiency. The Warriors have lacked a metre eater in the front row for some time, and AFB fits the bill perfectly. He was constantly looking for work and, with the ball in hand, was a constant threat of breaking the line; his offloading ability is a fantastic addition; the Warriors just need to take advantage of it.

Another positive is that AFB didn't give away any silly penalties; I mentioned earlier this year that his discipline was my biggest concern, but he appears to be enjoying his new environment, and the extra responsibility of being in the Warriors leadership will help him improve that facet of his game.

I fully expect AFB to feature in this section of my reviews multiple times this season.

 

Copyright Photo: Getty Images

I have no Warrior to improve this week, I thought a few players didn't play to their potential, but they also didn't let themselves down. Fingers crossed for more weeks of no Warriors to improve.

Round 2 sees the Warriors stay on the Central Coast to host the Newcastle Knights fresh of a 32-16 win over the Bulldogs. It's hard to gauge the Knights right now due to them only playing the Bulldogs, but even with Kalyn Ponga still out with his shoulder injury, there is still plenty of danger in this squad. The Warriors pack have another big day ahead of them, and they will need to keep Daniel Saifiti and David Klemmer quiet. With some tough matches against the Raiders and Roosters coming up, the Warriors need to get the result here, and I confident that they will get the job done, so I'm picking the Warriors to win by 10.

So that was a promising Round 1, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What are your first impressions for the Warriors chances this season?
Who was your player of the day?

Do you have any players to improve?

If Aitken is ruled out, who would you bring in?

What is your score prediction for the Knights clash?

NZ Warriors 2021 Season Preview: Return of the Pack

Well, we are finally here, the NRL is back, and the first round is only a few weeks away.

That also means that it's time for me to express how I see the Warriors going in 2021. As I did last year, I will be breaking down my preview into sections outlining my views on the preseason and trial result, my key signing, the 2021 squad, my gameday 17 and then rounding it up with my 2021 prediction.

As always, these are all just my thoughts and opinions, and I'm always interested in hearing your thoughts too, so if you want to share your views, comment below and let me know what you think.

Preseason News: Road Warriors Once Again

2020 was a season to remember; the Warriors had a tough start to the season, finding themselves camped across the ditch for the entire year. They also started the season poorly, with many questioning if not seeing their families would derail their campaign. This horrid start led to Stephen Kearney's firing midway through the season.

I had concerns when Kearney was let go, not because of the decision but the timing, and I was concerned that when he left the camp, the team might just pack it in; however, as the season progressed, the side developed grit, and from Round 11 they started to show that they could compete with the elite teams in the competition, narrowly missing the top eight.

Not making the top eight is still a fail for me, but the way the club ended the season definitely made me feel more confident for their 2021 campaign.

The biggest stories in the Warriors 2021 preseason have been Covid and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's decision to leave at the end of the season.

Covid continues to affect everyone, and for the Warriors, it means that they have had to move back to Australia with the possibility of being there for the entire season again. It's a tough situation for the club and the fans alike, but the Warriors had time to prepare for this situation this time and have really set themselves up for success. They split the team into two camps, one in New Zealand and one in Australia before Christmas and then sent the New Zealand contingent over in January to continue the preseason. Going early is great for the players' preparation, and bringing their families over will make being stuck in Australia easier.

With a recent covid scare in Victoria, it meant the Warriors first trial game against the Storm had to be cancelled; that's a huge blow for the Warriors as it only allows them one trial match to give the squad a run. It's not ideal, but it's the world we currently live in.

With the changes of lockdown levels in Auckland, I grow less confident that the Warriors will be able to play any matches at Mount Smart in 2021; as a season ticket holder, I hope that isn't the case because I miss going to live games but just like the club we need to just wait it out and hope for the best.

Copyright Photo: New Zealand Herald

Rumours started to swirl again about Tuivasa-Sheck leaving the Warriors to go to Rugby Union and push for an All Black's jersey. The club decided to get ahead of the rumours and make a statement advising that RTS would be leaving at the end of the season and that he is solely focused on the Warriors right now.

It's disappointing to see the Warriors skipper leave, but after everything he has done for the club, I fully respect his aspirations and hope he does well in the other code. He has been a truly inspiring leader, and I have no doubts that he will be true to his words about focusing solely on the Warriors this season.

I also commend the Warriors for making the announcement early, it's out there now, and they get back to preparing for the season.

With RTS leaving, it also gifts the Warriors a serious chunk of change in their salary cap to either replace him from outside the club or recruit a marque player in another position.

Every player off contract has been linked with the club, but one player that seems to be a legitimate option is Jahrome Hughes; I like him as a player and think he could be a great addition to the club, but the rumoured price for his services seems a bit high for me. 

He would most likely move into the Warriors halves, which still leaves the fullback position open. Joseph Manu is another rumoured player. He has stated his desire to move to fullback so he could be an exciting prospect. Internally the Warriors also have Paul Turner and Rocco Berry. Depending on how much game time they both get this year, the club may decide to give one of them a chance. I think Berry is still too inexperienced right now, but Turner is almost ready and deserves a first-grade spot, so I would be giving him the first shot.

With the Warriors being in Australia, it has meant that the local fans have not had a lot of chances to be involved with the club as they prepare for 2021. To alleviate this, Cameron George has created a Facebook page called On the Road with the Vodafone Warriors 2021. On this page, he basically goes around with a GoPro and films the facilities, trainings and interviews players and coaches. I love it and think the insight it gives the fans is top-notch, and I look forward to watching more of the videos he uploads throughout the season.

There was also a brief bit of news surrounding Nathan Brown and his decision to pull Tohu Harris, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Kodi Nikorima from the All-Stars match. Some people did not agree with his decision, but I am ok with it; with limited time to prepare for the start of the season, the Warriors could not afford to allow three of their key players to leave the camp for the match. I enjoy the All-Stars game, but I would prefer the Warriors to focus on the upcoming season. The Warriors did allow Jamayne Taunoa-Brown and Joshua Curran to play in the match, and I thought they both played well, which will help their chances of featuring in the gameday 17.

The Warriors also announced their leadership group on one of Cameron Georges video; the players in the group are Tuivasa-Sheck, Tohu Harris, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Ken Maumalo and Elisea Katoa. I think it's a good group of talent, and I hope the extra responsibility they now have will take their performances to another level.

Lastly, let's talk about the Warriors solo trial against the Gold Coast Titans at Oakes Oval in Lismore. Both sides were basically full strength, with the Warriors only having David Fusitu'a, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Eliesa Katoa and Karl Lawton unavailable for the match.

The game ended in a 12 all draw, and both sides looked rusty, which is to be expected, but by the end of the match, I was confident that the Warriors will be competitive this season.

That forward pack is pretty potent, easily marching up the field, led by Fonua-Blake, who was my standout in the forwards. Ben Murdoch-Masila made an impact when he came on with some good runs; I think this forward pack will make all the difference this year, and it makes me really excited for round one. 

Wayde Egan's injury early on was my worst fear realised; it will make things difficult with limited hooking options. Jazz Tevaga and Bayley Sironen filled in for the rest of the match, and while they did a serviceable job, an actual Hooker needs to be used; there have been rumours that Junior Ratuva has been released from his contract due to his injury, which opens a spot in the squad for the Warriors to sign a hooker. Currently, the only hookers that are free that spring to mind are Danny Levi and Issac Luke (not going to mention Cameron Smith because that is not an option); I would be happy with either Levi or Luke, to be honest. Still, we just need to wait and see on Egan's injury first. 

If I had a negative to pull from the trial, it would be that I felt that the backline wasn't meshing just yet; I'm sure once Harris-Tavita returns, the backline will be more cohesive, but the Warriors struggled at times with their attacking options after the pack had got them on the front foot. They did show how good they could be with a few good runs from Tuivasa-Sheck and Nikorima showing some nice short passes; my standout in the backline was Euan Aitken; he made some nice runs and was solid on defence, helping keep David Fifta reasonably quiet. There were a few defensive lapses, but all in all, I think it was a good first hit-out, and it should be a great clash when they have their rematch against the Titans in Round One.

Key Signing: Addin Fonua-Blake

Copyright Photo: Warriors.kiwi

The Warriors marquee signing of 2021. Fonua-Blake comes into the Warriors camp as a top tier front-rower. Voted by his peers as the top front-rower in the NRL Players Poll in 2020, there is plenty of expectation on the 25-year-old, and I have little doubt that he will deliver.

In 2020, Fonua-Blake played 15 matches, averaging 166 running metres per game. The Warriors sorely need this as most of the Warriors other front rowers did not reach triple digits with their average running metres. He also finished the 2020 season with a 93.9% tackle efficiency; with missed tackles being one of my constant bugbears in my match reviews, he should be able to help the Warriors defend the middle.

In my Five Players to Stand Out Article, I highlighted my concerns with Fonua-Blake's discipline and attitude, but from what I have seen so far, he has reduced my worries a bit. He appears to be fitting into the squad well and is becoming a leader in the Warriors impressive pack, his inclusion in the Warriors leadership group fills me with confidence that he is just what this team needs.

I'm biased due to my love of front-rowers, but I truly cannot wait to see Fonua-Blake in Warriors colours.

2020 Squad

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The 2021 squad has changed plenty compared to the 2020 one; gone are Gerard Beale, Adam Blair, Lachlan Burr, Blake Green, Patrick Herbert, Adam Keighran, Taane Milne, Agnatius Paasi, Isaiah Papali'i and Nathaniel Roache. Joining the club are Euan Aitken, Kane Evans, Addin Fonua-Blake, Marcelo Montoya, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Sean O'Sullivan and Bayley Sironen.

I'm a fan of most of the signings, and the Warriors now boast arguably one of the best packs in the NRL. They have recruited plenty of size, but their large players still have a bit of mobility, which is crucial with how the new rules have affected the game. Gone are the days of the big lumbering giants, now replaced with quicker players that can keep up with the newfound pace in the NRL.

It's still early days in the Nathan Brown regime, so I'm not entirely sure what players he has decided will fit his game plan. The only confirmation out so far is the Murdoch-Masila will not be playing in the front row like so many have predicted and would instead be on the edge like he was in the Superleague. It sounds like Peta Hiku and David Fusitu'a are reuniting, which is great news for Fusitu'a, and I expect his tryscoring to start ramping up again. This also means the Euan Aitken will pair up with Ken Maumalo. Both are good runners with the ball in hand, but Aitken sometimes has issues feeding his winger, so we will have to wait and see it's effect on Maumalo's game.

Unlike 2020, the Warriors are relatively injury-free, with the biggest concerns being Karl Lawton's Achilles injury, Wayde Egan's right arm injury and Eliesa Katoa's fractured eye socket. Lawton is set for a late-season return, but Katoa is still a slight chance to make round one, so for the gameday 17 I would pick, I will assume that Katoa is fit.

Egan's injury is a huge concern with the Warriors lack of depth in the hooker department; we are awaiting the outcome of how severe his injury is, but we may see Jazz Tevaga slot into hooker until Egan returns; I'm not a fan of it, but I think he is the best option right now.

For my 17, the backs basically pick themselves. Tuivasa-Sheck, Maumalo and Fusitu'a are my back three. Aitken and Hiku take the centre spots, and Kodi Nikorima and Chanel Harris-Tavita are my halves.

It's the forward pack that is harder to pick with so many players to pick from, but for my pack, I'm going with Addin Fonua-Blake and Leeson Ah Mau as my props; I think that is a great prop tandem to start the match and set the platform. My second row is Ben Murdoch-Masila and Eliesa Katoa; I would have Katoa on the right edge as his combination with Nikorima last year was very effective, then I would have Tohu Harris as my lock. 

For Hooker, I have put Egan in, but if he is not fit to play, Tevaga would move into the starting lineup, and Paul Turner would take his spot on my bench.

Speaking of the bench, I have Tevaga (or Turner), Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, Josh Curran and Bayley Sironen. It's a bit forward heavy, but Tevaga, Turner and Sironen all have the ability to play in multiple positions if required. I originally had Kane Evans in my 17, but Curran's performances in the All-Star Game and the trial moved him up.

My 2020 Prediction

Continuing my season preview trend, I was wrong with my prediction when I said the Warriors would finish 12th last season.

For the first time in quite a while, the NRL pundits across the ditch have not handed the Warriors the title of "most likely to get the Wooden Spoon". 

The new signings and their 2020 late-season efforts have filled plenty with optimism. It's hard to argue against it, the Warriors are better on paper, and from what I have seen so far in the trial and all the footage the Warriors have filmed, it looks like the team is really building towards something. With it being Tuivasa-Shecks last year, I am certain that the team will be striving to send him out on a high note, so I'm picking the Warriors to finish 6th.

So, let's bring on the new season, and I can't wait for Round One. The Warriors get to start their campaign on my birthday, and I can't think of any better way to spend my birthday than watching them play.

Once again, I will be writing game reviews every week throughout the season, and I'm looking forward to discussing the season with all of you.

With the Warriors most likely spending the entire season in Australia again, there will be no members tent to meet up in. Still, hopefully, when the Warriors arrange some fan get-togethers, we can catch up and talk some football.

If you like what I'm doing here, please share my blog around with your friends and leave comments telling me how you think the season is going.

I've been kept on as the Warriors correspondent for Nothing But League this season, so please show them some love by checking out my articles on their page each week.

I'm also continuing to host my show The Stand-Off on New Zealand Sport Radio every Wednesday night at 8PM NZ time, so come join me there as I discuss everything going on in League and answer your questions live.

So that's my take on the Warriors upcoming season, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Are you excited for the 2021 season?

Which signing are you most looking forward to seeing play?

Who would be in your gameday 17?

Where do you think the Warriors will finish in 2021?

Five Players that must Improve in 2021

After last weeks list of players to standout in 2021, it's now time for me to offer my opinion on the five Warriors that I feel have the most to prove those season. Once again the rankings are in no particular order.

 1. David Fusitu'a

Copyright Photo: Warriors.kiwi

The first man on my list is perhaps the most talented out of the five.

David Fusitu'a's form has been on the decline since his outstanding 2018 season, he scored 23 tries that year but fell away in 2019 scoring only 5 tries. 

Fast-forward to 2020, and he only managed to cross the try line once. However, in his defence he only played 7 games and out of those 7 the Warriors only managed 1 win and did not score a lot of tries. 

I'm sure if he had stayed with the side instead of returning to New Zealand, we would have seen his try tally increase when the Warriors started to string performances together.

Lots of fans have been calling for Adam Pompey to get the nod ahead of Fusitu'a this season. 

However, if I was picking the side, I would still have Fusitu'a on the wing. With Peta Hiku moving back to the right edge last season we could see their great combination from 2018 reunited, giving Fusitu'a all the chances he needs to get himself back on track.

2. Leeson Ah Mau

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Leeson Ah Mau's ruptured pectoral ended his 2020 season after only playing two rounds. With this season being the final year of his deal, Ah Mau really needs to deliver if he wishes to extend his stay with the Warriors.

I'm not sure if you could say that Ah Mau is a top tier prop in the NRL. Still, he consistently averaged over 100 running metres from 2015 to 2019, last year his average dropped to 81 metres but again that was only from 2 matches, that consistency is what  Ah Mau needs to bring to the table this year.

With the competition for spots in the forwards, he will need to come out of the gates hard and fast; otherwise, he may easily lose his spot. 

If it was me, he would be one of the starting front-rowers getting the Warriors rolling forward with Addin Fonua-Blake. 

However, with Fonua-Blake, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Kane Evans plus the impressive first-year performance from Jamayne Taunoa-Brown it is fair to say that Ah Mau chances of being re-signed are slim. However, I have hope that he will prove that he still can offer something to the Warriors.

3. Bunty Afoa

Copyright Photo: Warriors.kiwi

The third player on my list that didn't feature much in 2020, in fact, Bunty was ruled out for the season before it even began.

The writing is on the wall for Bunty, the Warriors told him he was free to go elsewhere at the end of last year, effectively telling him that he will not be re-signed, but he rejected jumping ship and wants to prove his worth.

I can't fault him for that, in this day and age, so many players demand releases when it looks like they are going to be on the outer, so it is encouraging to see him decide to fight for his Warriors career.

His run from the back fence style has made him a fan favourite, and I believe he is a player that the Warriors need, I have preached the Warriors need for props that consistently make 100+ running metres, but I believe the Warriors also need a guy like Afoa on the interchange to come out and make some damaging runs much like back in the day when the Warriors had Mr Consistent Steve Price but then brought on Iafeta Paleaaesina (My personal favourite Warrior) to come on and change the tempo.

Much like Ah Mau, there are so many front-rowers in the squad so when (or if) Bunty gets his chance on the field he needs to hit the ground running and never let anyone take his spot again.

I have my fingers crossed for Bunty and hope to see him ink a new deal with the club.

4. Josh Curran

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Last year I had Josh Curran on my list of players to stand out, and I was way off the mark, with Eliesa Katoa and Jack Murchie performing so well Curran had limited opportunities playing only 3 games.

His strongest attribute is his defence, which the Warriors sorely need after some poor defensive displays in 2020. He also has shown a glimpse of what he can offer with the ball in hand.

However, the problem for him is that there are so many players above him in the squad now that I just don't see him making the 17 anytime soon.

I want to see the Warriors and all the players on the roster succeed, and I hope that he proves me wrong, but I just don't see Curran featuring much this season.

5. Kane Evans

Copyright Photo: Warriors.kiwi

Last on my list is new signing Kane Evans.

Another big unit signed by the Warriors standing at almost 2 metres tall, Evans is an imposing figure, but he doesn't always play like one. Last season he averaged 94 running metres and also made 31 offloads. His issue is consistency, one week he will be making all the metres, and then the next he is dropping the ball all over the place.

However, he is a solid defender so I could see him helping to strengthen the Warriors defence in the middle of the park. 

Kane is another player that I want to see succeed, and I think he will walk into a spot in the 17 for Round One, but it will be a case of wait and see on if he can keep it. If he can go out on the park and make 90+ metres, not miss tackles and throw a couple of offloads, then he will be a valuable asset to the side.

So those were my picks for the Warriors players that need a big 2021. Next up is my season preview, but that has to wait until the preseason games have been played at the end of February. I will cover the preseason news, the Roster, who my gameday 17 will be and how I think the Warriors will fare in 2021.

Until then let me know what you think about my choices and who you think needs to improve the most in 2020.