NZ Warriors 2023 Round 15 Review: Warriors Spoil Crokers Celebration with Highlight-Filled Performance

After their big win over the Dolphins, the Warriors headed to GIO Stadium to face the Canberra Raiders, who were celebrating Jarrod Croker's 300th match.

It was a tight tussle in the first half, with the Warriors spending plenty of time under pressure; however, the tables turned in the second half as the Warriors sauntered to an emphatic 36-14 victory.

What Went Down

After a week of wonderful Croker tributes, over 21,000 packed Bruce Stadium to watch his milestone game. An emotional Jarrod Croker ran out as Jason Croker blew the horn to start a special Viking Clap, followed by a minute of applause for Jarrod in the third minute.

But the Warriors – who are enjoying their best season since 2018 – did well to absorb the emotion of the opening exchanges, though Matthew Timoko went close to scoring.

After plenty of possession, the Raiders finally opened the scoring in the 21st minute, Jack Wighton regathering his kick, with Croker converting for a 6-0 lead.

The Raiders got a further advantage when Mitchell Barnett was sin-binned in the 23rd minute.

However, the Warriors held on for the sin-bin period and levelled the scores through a fantastic Dallin Watene-Zelezniak try. DWZ leapt high to take a Shaun Johnson bomb and somehow planted the footy in the right-hand corner.

But Canberra took an 8-6 lead at half-time after a Croker penalty goal.

It took only seven minutes for the Warriors to hit the front when former Raider Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad strolled through. CNK continued the tradition of ex-Raiders excelling against the Milk with 194 All-Run Metres.

That opened the floodgates: Tom Ale, Luke Metcalf, and Wayde Egan scored simple tries in the space of 12 minutes as the Raiders’ defence crumbled to lead 30-8.

But there was a scare for the Warriors when Johnson went off for an HIA, but he would soon pass his HIA and return.

Canberra finally scored through Josh Papalii, but it was way too late.

The Warriors capped a wonderful night when Johnson intercepted a desperate Sebastian Kris pass to score one of the easiest tries of the night. Not even a second sin bin (Marata Niukore) could dampen the New Zealanders’ spirits as they cruised to a 36-14 victory.

My Thoughts

Well, what a performance we got to watch here. I had predicted a Warriors win, but I thought it would be close. Facing the Raiders on a massive occasion with an enormous crowd would always be a challenging environment. Still, the Warriors didn't let the spectacle get the best of them, and when the Raiders started to fade, the Warriors found another gear and left them behind.

As I said last week, the 2023 Warriors outfit is a back-end team; against any team, if they are still in the hunt around the 50-minute mark, you know they have points stored away for that final 30 minutes, which is exactly what happened here.

The first half was brutal; the Raiders had the lion's share of possession and spent most of the half camped on the Warrior's try line, and the Warriors defended fantastically, with the only points conceded being a try of a lucky deflection and a penalty goal. That was a massive physiological win for the Warriors, and it would have frustrated the Raiders to not only have scored only one try but to allow the Warriors to score with only 12 men; it was an impressive try to their defence, but still, you can guarantee that doubt was starting to trickle into their minds as they went into the sheds.

The second half was essentially a Warriors highlight reel; they started to benefit from all their hard work in the first half, with the Raider's defence starting to open up. Including Shaun Johnson's fantastic intercept try from a kickoff which I struggle to remember ever seeing in the NRL before (you are welcome to fact-check that for me).

No player let anyone down, the stars shone, the workers got in the grind and rookie Ali Leiataua had a decent debut, he did nothing over the top, but he showed plenty of potential and looks sure to be a name we talk about for years to come.

I said last week that this season feels special, and this game just intensified those feelings for me; this team has so much self-belief and confidence that I believe they have a great shot at going deep into finals which I haven't said for so long.

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

Once again, that defence was impressive; to hold the Raiders to only one try-a-half is a massive achievement. I saw a stat from Sam Hewat regarding the defensive stats, and this time last year, the Warriors were dead last with 433 points conceded, and this year they are second only to Penrith with 258 points conceded. Their turnaround in only one year is outstanding, and this is without playing teams like the Dragons and Tigers yet. They are fit, trust each other and communicate so well, you see the defensive line moving together, and when things break down, they just clean it up without throwing blame. Defence wins championships, as the cliche goes, but if they can keep this up, I have high hopes for where this season will end.

The forwards had a big battle in the middle against the likes of Joseph Tapine and Josh Papalii, and they dominated. Four of the pack ran for over 100m, led once again by Addin Fonua-Blake (207m), followed by Mitchell Barnett (176m), Tohu Harris (130m) and Jackson Ford (100m). With their heavy lifting upfront, the game opened up, and we saw the backs reap the benefits with some big runs and not to forget the back three's rampaging kick returns, which set the forwards up for success. If the forwards keep this up and the likes of Dylan Walker and Jazz Tevaga return to the fold, it makes the Warriors pack very intimidating.

The attacking shape looked better this week; they were consistently probing the Raider's line and putting their strike weapons into scoring opportunities. We didn't see much of it in the first half, but you just knew that once they got their hands on the ball, the points would come. Shaun Johnson's attacking kicks were pinpoint, and I know the coaching staff mentioned that Johnson, Stacey Jones and DWZ have been working on that crosskick move for some time. It was an amazing display of kick accuracy and spacial awareness from DWZ. The short passing game creates plenty of holes in the defensive line, and it was good to see the Warriors not panic when breaking out into open space; many times in the past, we would watch them break out and then ruin it with a 50/50 pass instead of taking the tackle. A composed Warriors outfit with the ball in hand is a dangerous Warriors team.

However, two things did concern me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

The errors increased, unfortunately, this week, with the Warriors making 12 but the final whistle. Some were unfortunate, but others were from the Warriors trying to force things to happen with quick play the balls. I just don't like seeing the Warriors gift their opposition extra sets, and while their defence saves them in most cases, it would be good to see the error rate return to the single digits sooner rather than later.

Lastly, the officiating, Grant Atkins had a night to forget. I'm not sure if he was getting easily swayed by the boisterous Raiders fans, but he was just getting so many calls wrong, and it felt at halftime that there was no way the Warriors would get an honest attempt at winning the match. However, they took him out of the game by blowing the Raiders off the park. There has been so much talk about the officiating this year, and this was just another performance that wasnt good enough, and it will be interesting to hear Graham Annesley defend his referee this time.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Yet another week where I was flipping a coin between CNK and SJ, but I went with the former Raider in his first clash against his former side. He led the Warriors in running metres with 211m, made 6 tackle breaks (second only to Luke Metcalf's 7) and was consistently busy. With the Warriors down to 12 men in the first half, he had his job cut out for him, ensuring that the Warrior's defensive line was lined up correctly. He plays with heart and is always willing to roll his sleeves up and do extra work; it's no surprise to see him run two times in a set. He has made every post a winner in 2023 and is a key figure in the Warrior's success, and will play a massive part in their playoff aspirations.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Bunty Afoa.

I've gone with Bunty again, I was tempted to pick no one this week, but I am still perplexed with how Afoa is being used. He only got the first 14 minutes in this match and did not return. I think with Mitch Barnett back in the squad, players like Afoa and Ale will get limited minutes now, and while Ale's stats look good for his 12 minutes, Afoa was unfortunately given all his time when the Raiders refused to let go of the ball so his 1 run for 13 metres isn't that flash. However, he had to defend and did a decent job with 13 tackles with no misses. I like Bunty, but with Dylan Walker and Jazz Tevaga returning from injury soon, he sticks out as the player who will drop out. A return to his usual bench spot could see him return to previous years, hopefully. 

I would love to hear the coaching staff's thought process on using him.

Bye Round Thoughts

Round 16 sees the Warriors enjoy their second bye of the season and add another two points to their competition total. A week off after the past two games may not be ideal with the roll they have got on, but it is a chance for the squad to rest up some niggling injuries and give the casualty ward a chance to deplete with most players currently scheduled to be available by Round 17, in time for the Warriors clash with the Dragons.

With no game to review next week, I will write up a mid-season review where I will go over the good, the bad and the ugly of the 2023 season to date and give my thoughts on the Round 17 match against the Dragons. It's a little past the middle of the season, but it fits best here with the bye.

It should be fun compared to the past few seasons, and I am looking forward to it, so look out for it next Monday.

So that was a fantastic Round 15, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you have a theory on what is going on with Afoa?

TMM is slated to return in Round 17. Would you bring him straight back or keep Metcalf?

What rating would you give the Warriors at this point of the season? 

What is your score prediction against the Dragons?

NZ Warriors 2023 Round 14 Review: Warriors turn Black Out into Blow Out with Strong Finish over Dolphins

After their disappointing loss to the Broncos in Napier, the Warriors returned home to the newly named Go Media Stadium to host the Dolphins in their first-ever clash.

The Warriors started slow but grew in confidence as the game progressed, which saw them run in four tries in 18 minutes to walk away with a commanding 30-8 victory.

What Went Down

A dominant second half has seen the Warriors blow the Dolphins away 30-8 in a physical contest at Go Media Stadium in front of over 23,000 fans.

Wearing a heritage jersey, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2003 season, Shaun Johnson wasted no time turning back the clock for the Warriors with a show-and-go to open the scoring in the sixth minute. He converted his try to make the score 6-0.

They went close to scoring again six minutes later, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad stopped just short of the line.

Rocco Berry was forced from the field in the 14th minute after a head clash due to a shoulder charge from Jarrod Wallace.

The Dolphins had their own chances; however, errors prevented them from scoring.

They finally broke through five minutes before halftime when Kodi Nikorima managed to get a pass over to Tesi Niu to score in the left-hand corner, despite a touch by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

A double movement from Luke Metcalf in the dying seconds of the half denied the Warriors their second, leaving the halftime score at 6-4.

A late tackle by Anthony Milford saw him sin-binned early in the second half, with Marcelo Montoya forced off for an HIA.

The Warriors continue to build pressure, being denied when Mitch Barnett was held up over the line. From the next play, Watene-Zelezniak crossed in the right-hand corner, only for the bunker to overturn the try due to an obstruction.

An error by Mark Nicholls in the following set immediately put the Warriors back on the attack, and it was left for Johnson to again rewind the clock with some fancy footwork to score near the posts.

They made it two tries in as many minutes when Marata Niukore broke through and sent Luke Metcalf away to score under the posts, pushing the score to 18-4 in the 58th minute.

Watene-Zelezniak finally got his try in the 69th minute when a quick shift found the winger. Johnson converted from out wide to push the margin out to 20.

An intercept shortly after saw Watene-Zelezniak run 50m to score his second try under the posts before Jamayne Isaako added a late consolation try for the Dolphins, cutting the final margin to 30-8.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a better performance to watch; I was nervous in that first half with the Dolphins hanging in there, but after Luke Metcalf crossed, I took a massive sigh of relief as I couldn't see the Dolphins stringing enough together to make a comeback, perhaps if they had Jeremy Marshall-King and Hmaiso Tabuai-Fidow out there it would have been a different story but I think we all know what having key players out can do as the Warriors have dealt with that almost every round this season.

This side is a backend team; if they are in the hunt for the first 50 minutes, you know they will get some points on the board in the final 30, which is precisely what we saw here. 

They never conceded the lead in this match, but their fitness and self-belief just shined through the further the game went on.

It was hard to pinpoint any player that let the side down; they all made an impact in some form, with some, like Josh Curran having to play out of position in what turned out to be a great showing for the second rower in his stint at centre.  

With injured players starting to return, the Warriors are building nicely; they are still far from the finished product, but with a healthy squad and a decent run home, I am getting more confident of a return to finals football; we just can't get too far ahead of ourselves as there is plenty of work left to be done, but this season feels special.

Before I move on, I want to praise yet another bumper crowd, it's great to see all the support for the Warriors, and if they continue to perform, you know that those massive crowds will continue to march through the gates. The club announced that this match was another blackout, just like the one we had against the Roosters in the 2008 semi-final. It was a great idea, although it may have been better when it was dark as turning all the lights off didn't really have the impact they hoped for.

However, the Warriors came out with new music and fancy lighting in their tunnel, wearing those awesome heritage jerseys. It made for an exciting presentation, so full credit to the club for putting it together, and I hope the new Warriors entrance stays.

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

The forwards continued to earn them keep churning out the metres, with 5 hitting my triple-digit target, Addin Fonua-Blake leading the way once again with 195 metres, followed by Marata Niukore (159m), Mitchell Barnett (147m), Jackson Ford (123m) and Tohu Harris (117m). This saw the side keep the edge during the battle and tired out the Dolphins, which created more opportunities for Shaun Johnson and the backs to make their mark in the second half. If they can keep this up, then the Warriors will be a difficult team to overcome.

Defence was my biggest issue last season, and I seldom mention it now, which shows how much they have improved this season, and this match was no exception; they made 365 tackles, only missed 17 and nabbed 3 intercepts, restricting a strong attacking team like the Dolphins to only 8 was a massive effort. Admittingly the Dolphins were missing some serious firepower, but you can only play the people in front of you, so it was good to see the Warriors not take them lightly. They communicated well and worked together to shut almost all the Dolphin's attacks; when things broke down, they scrambled well to fix their mess. Defence is paramount to NRL success, so long may it continue.

Lastly, the welcome returns of Wayde Egan and Mitchell Barnett. Egan being back in hooker, saw the spine look more dangerous; his delivery out of the ruck was quick; he picked his moments to snipe and kept the Dolphins on their toes. He is a crucial figure in the Warrior's chances of success, so fingers crossed he can stay healthy for the remainder of the season.

Then there was Barnett; after his neck injury, there were rumours that his career may have been over and thankfully, that wasnt the case. After 11 weeks off the pitch, I was expecting less impact from him in his first game back, but he exceeded my expectations with an epic performance, running for 147 metres and making 29 tackles. He will no doubt be moved into the starting 13 this week, and rightfully so.

However, two things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

I'm still not happy with the Warrior's respect for the ball; they made 10 errors which is down from the 13 made in Round 13. Most of them happened when the Warriors started to try and up the tempo, which makes for an exciting game but makes winning more difficult.

As I said last week, every error is a free set given to the opposition and with the ladder being so close this season, you just can't give anyone a leg-up. Playing error-free footy is not easy and not what im looking for, but if the Warriors can reduce the errors to single digits, I will be happy.

I still have concerns about the Warrior's attack when they get into the opposition's red zone, a few individual efforts in that region saw the Warriors get points, but they still seem clunky when trying to set up scoring opportunities closer to the line. It will improve if the Warriors can field the same players week in and week out, but it needs to be a lot better if the Warriors wish to stay in the eight and make an impact in the finals.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Shaun Johnson.

Once again, several players put their hands up for selection this week, but I have gone with SJ. 

When the Warriors were struggling to get themselves on the board, SJ struck, scoring their first two tries with some excellent solo efforts, making me flashback to his younger days. He kicked reasonably well, even if some of his last tackle options were not up to scratch, and he was 100% at the kicking tee. His biggest improvement this season continues to be his defence, ending this game with 27 and only 1 miss. It has been a welcome return to form for the halfback, and it has me wondering if he is giving everything he has this season because he has already decided to hang up the boots at the end of the year? Only time will tell, but I'm hopeful we will see him back on the field in 2024.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Bunty Afoa.

I'm still not sure what Andrew Webster's game plan is for Afoa, but his impact is barely making a dent; this could be due to the game plan or perhaps he is uncomfortable as a starter. Whatever it may be, his hit-ups and running metres have been low for some time, managing only 6 runs for 56 metres in this match; he also made a pretty ordinary error towards the end of the match. On a positive note, his defensive output is still solid, with 22 tackles without a miss in the middle. Maybe his role is to shore up the middle defensively and let the other forwards charge up the field; if that is the case, then I may not be as critical of him in the future.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

Round 15 sees the Warriors head back across the ditch to Canberra to face the Raiders, who defeated the Tigers 20-19 in Round 14 and will be celebrating Jarrod Croker's 300th match.

Regarding the team I would pick, I would keep it the same, except switching Afoa and Barnett around, and if Walker is available, he comes onto the bench for Bayley Sironen. 

Rocco Berry will be sitting out due to his 11-day stand-down, so I would bring Brayden Williame back in for him.

The Raiders have been on a roll lately, winning 7 of their last 8 matches and with it being Croker's 300th, they will be tough to beat, especially at home.

If the forwards can keep their momentum going and have another big night, Johnson and the rest of the backs should be able to get enough points on the board, and I'm expecting a big night from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in his first game against his former club. 

If the Warriors kept the Raiders pack quiet and contain Jack Wighton, then half the battle is already done. I am confident that the Warriors will get the job done, so I am backing them to upset Croker's party and walk away with a 10-point win.

So that was an improved Round 14, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Do you want to see SJ play next season?

How are your confidence levels for a Warriors finals run?

Who would you bring in to replace Berry at centre?

What is your score prediction against the Raiders?

NZ Warriors 2023 Round 13 Review: Warriors lament missed opportunities in Napier Defeat

After their Round 12 Bye, the Warriors travelled to Napier to play host to the Broncos.

The Warriors had plenty of opportunities to start well but shot themselves in the foot, and despite a strong finish and almost stealing the win, they were their own worst enemy as they went down 26-22.

What Went Down

An emotional Māori Welcome to Country kickstarted proceedings in Napier as the Warriors celebrated their Indigenous round. Both sides had opportunities to score, but the dewy surface made execution difficult. Multiple try-saving efforts from the Broncos kept the scores level in the first 20 minutes. Eventually, it was a length of the field try for the Broncos that broke the deadlock. Deine Mariner cleaned up a loose ball and ran 80 metres to score.

Following the Mariner try, there were several close calls for the Warriors as they searched for their first points. The Bronco's defence held firm, but with three minutes remaining in the half, they were finally broken. A backline shift to the right put Dallin Watene-Zelezniak over in the corner for the equaliser. However, an error of the following kick-off gifted the Broncos a late opportunity.

A short ball from Billy Walters put Jordan Riki over for a try of a questionable pass in the shadows of halftime, handing the Broncos a 12-6 lead at the break.

Early in the second half, the Warriors lost Freddy Lussick and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to HIA. Taking advantage of the reshuffle, the Broncos extended their lead when Adam Reynolds made a break and set up Ezra Mam for a try. A penalty right in front added insult to injury as Adam Reynolds converted for a 14-point lead.

In need of points, the Warriors’ energy lifted. Shaun Johnson combined with Marata Niukore, and Johnson batted the return pass out to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for his second try. However, the surge of energy didn’t last. The Broncos forced an error out of the Warriors, and in the next set, Deine Mariner grabbed his second try off a Triston Sailor kick. Despite being down 14, the Warriors refused to give up.

They scored two quick tries to Nicoll-Klokstad and Marcelo Montoya, respectively, cutting the lead back to four points. They almost scored the equaliser through Montoya again in the final minutes, but the bunker denied a grandstand finish. Adam Pompey was penalised for a jersey pull on Deine Mariner, which sealed the game for the Broncos.

My Thoughts

Well, that was a frustrating performance, I can admit that I was nervous about this match, and those nerves didn't go away as I drove down to Napier. Unfortunately, those nerves proved correct, ending my undefeated run of successful road trips. I felt while watching live, and then when I watched the replay, that the Warriors had the edge overall but did not convert their chances, while the Broncos made almost every shot a winner. And on that note, I believe the right team won; if you can't ice those opportunities, you should take the loss and hopefully learn a valuable lesson in the process. It just seemed like the simple game plan that has led the Warriors to so many victories this season was pushed to the side, and the team decided to try and put on a show, spreading the ball wide early without earning the right to do so. This led to more errors and plenty of botched tries; add to that some lapses in their defence reads and some ill-timed poor discipline, and it left the Warriors with an uphill battle that, to their credit, they almost overcame with two tries in the final ten minutes, and then that try in the final seconds that was denied after Adam Pompeys jersey pull.  

I can't speak for the players, but perhaps they took this match too lightly or were overawed by the occasion; however, It was a clunky match for the Warriors and has to be in the discussion for the worst performance this season and with the ladder as tight as it is, losses like this can seriously affect your playoff aspirations, so I am hopeful that Andrew Webster can redirect the players focus and make sure that this type of performance doesn't happen again.

 

There were aspects of the game to smile about, leading to my positives from the match.

Match Positives

There was a significant effort from the starting forwards, with all of them hitting the triple digits, led by Addin Fonua-Blake (264m) and Tohu Harris (212m). Jackson Ford (128m), Marata Niukore (128m) and Bunty Afoa (101m) all played their part, and hopefully, we will see more of this in the future as AFB and Harris cannot do it all on their own. This level of effort made it appear like the Warriors were on a roll, but their respect for the ball ruined it, so if that error rate improves while keeping the middle effort like this, the points will start to flow.

We saw a massive effort from the back three, mainly Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (240m) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (241m). Montoya (163m) had a quieter game, but these three are so crucial in getting the Warrior's return sets starting on the right foot, and how they run that ball back without regard for their own safety makes me wince. If they are playing well, it allows the Forwards more impact for longer periods of the match, which in turn makes getting the win easier, so fingers crossed they all stay fit for the remainder of the season. DWZ and Montoya both had a few missed tries, but they made up for them in the long run.

Lastly, just the Napier experience, there were some things about this game that put Napier in a bad light (more on that later). Still, I loved the road trip, getting to walk around town, seeing other fans enjoying the day and then getting to catch up with other supporters like The Warriorholic, Daniel Wharakura from Warriors Anonymous and Lancelot Muaiava, who is a massive Warriors fan living in Germany who was back in NZ for a few weeks. Doing this for as long as I have, I love getting to meet other people who spend their limited spare time discussing the Warriors and chatting about the team is what I love to do more than anything, so despite coming away with the loss, it was good getting to meet up with some people I have listened to for a while.

However, some things concerned me, bringing me to my negative from the game.

Match Negative

The respect for the ball was severely lacking, with the Warriors ending the match with 13 errors. Every time it looked like the Warriors were getting into the groove, they went backwards with a poor carry or blown try. Every drop is another set given to the opposition, and 13 free sets given to any team in the NRL is a big no-no and sets you up for defeat. This is something that they can fix quickly, just take a breath and don't panic, and the errors will come down.

The attack was out of sync for a large portion of the match; the Warriors were rushing and trying to force things to happen instead of allowing them to develop like we have seen so often this season. Some kicking options left much to be desired, and everything seemed slightly off. However, a positive is that this issue can be turned around quickly, so I expect an improvement to show this week.

Yet another halves combination doesn't help matters, but I think Metcalf and Johnson is a combination that will work it just needs some time; however, I still think SJ and Te Maire Martin is the combo the Warriors need to stick to once TMM is healthy again. 

Lastly, the Pitch Invaders, I can admit that I had a laugh for the first few, but when it kept happening, I got over it quick. It allowed both teams a chance to catch a breather, which helped the Warriors stop some of the Bronco's momentum, but watching back, it messed both teams up, with both sides scoring quite easily after these breaks. Maybe it is me just being a grumpy old man screaming at the sky, but I go to the footy to watch the actual game. I enjoy seeing games being taken to the small sections of New Zealand. But, if this happens when you venture out of Auckland, we will see the Warriors and all other NRL clubs think twice about taking games on the road, hurting the fans who want to enjoy watching live NRL in their hometown. I may be in the minority but I want to see it disappear.

Warrior of the Match

My Warrior of the Match goes to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Was a toss-up between CNK and AFB this week, but I have gone with the gutsy fullback. 

Ran for 240 metres, broke 10 tackles and played a big part in the Warrior's attack, playing his part on Dallin Watene-Zelaniak's first try and scoring one of his own. All this is on top of being taken off the pitch for an HIA. CNK is full of heart and always rolls up his sleeves to do the hard work for the Warriors, with the ability to create attacking opportunities at any time. He is a vital member of this squad, and as long as he stays on the field, I am more confident in the Warriors walking away with the win, just not this time, unfortunately.

Warrior to Improve

My Warrior to improve was Freddy Lussick.

A few players could have gotten the nod here, but the others I was looking at had some positive facets to their performance, which helped them avoid selection.

Lussick had an off night that ended early with a failed HIA, meaning he will miss the upcoming game against the Dolphins. However, his passing out of the ruck was inconsistent when he was on the field, letting the Bronco's defence off the hook with some forward passes. He had a few runs, including being held up over the line and defended reasonably well, but if he can't deliver quality service out of the ruck, it affects the whole attacking structure, so when he returns from his stand-down, that aspect of his game needs to be better.

Next Round Thoughts and Prediction

Round 14 sees the Warriors return to Mount Smart to host the Dolphins, who defeated the Dragons 26-12 in Round 13.

Regarding the team I would pick, Wayde Egan and Mitch Barnett are meant to be ready to go, so I would bring them back, Egan swapping with Lussick and Barnet moving into the Front Row. This sends Afoa back to the bench, with Sifakula dropping out. Everyone else I would keep as is, except perhaps bringing Brayden Williame into the centre for either Rocco Berry or Pompey.

Luke Metcalf didn't have the greatest showing, but the potential is there, so I want him to have another chance to link with Shaun Johnson in the halves.

The Dolphins have exceeded my expectations and have been playing well; I assume that their origin stars will back up for this match, but it will be a difficult encounter even if they don't. The Warriors have done well when they stick to their simple gameplan, so if we see them control the middle, which may be easier with Barnett in the mix and utilise the short-ball game, then they should be able to open up some holes as the match unfolds, allowing SJ to get the backs into scoring opportunities. If they can do that, I see them being able to nail the win, so I am going for a close Warriors win by 8.

So that was a disappointing Round 13, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What changes would you make to the lineup this week?

Do you think the Warriors shot at a top-eight finish is slipping?

What are your thoughts on Pitch Invaders?

What is your score prediction against the Dolphins?