NZ Warriors 2018 Round 18 Review: Redemption at Suncorp

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After round 17's embarrassing performance against the Penrith Panthers, the Warriors made the journey to Suncorp Stadium to face the Brisbane Broncos with both sides needing a win to keep in playoff contention.
In stark contrast to last weeks match, the Warriors came out victors with a comprehensive 26-6 win.

What a game this was, as I wrote last week I was not confident that the Warriors would be able to come away with the win but I was happy to be wrong this week.
The Warriors improved tenfold this week, there is still lot's of things to work on of course but the Warriors bounced back in style, and you could see that they relished the great weather an dry track they were able to play on which leads me to my positives from the game.

The first positive wasn't from the game itself, but the Warriors members function at Skycity, it was the first time I have gone to the Skycity game screening.
It was a great experience, watching the game on a large screen with a bunch of members was an excellent way to watch this game, and winning a prize at halftime definitely sweetened the function for me so thanks to the Warriors team for putting the event on.

But onto to the game.

The Warriors got back on track with what they do best, running those straight lines opening holes in the defensive line for their agile players to take advantage and consistently kept the Broncos defence on the back foot.
The forwards were prepared for the battle up front and delivered one of their better performances as a unit in quite a while.

Players that I have singled out the past few rounds stood up and redeemed themselves in my eyes with the two I want to point out being Peta Hiku and Jazz Tevaga.
I think a big part of Hiku's improved performance was the positional change that was made, moving Hiku out to the wing helped immensely.
He was less of a defensive liability on the wing but was still able to contribute to the match with some solid runs, if big Ken is 100% this week, however.
I would still be cutting Hiku as I liked what I saw in Beale at centre and Ken's hit-ups out of the Warriors own half are so crucial in getting the Warriors sets started strong.

Jazz is just the little engine that could, he just kept going and going and was the Warriors very owner little cleaner, mopping up any loose tackles and restricted a lot of the Broncos attempts at second phase football.

Speaking of the second phase, the Warriors finally brought the second phase back into their arsenal with the return of the offloads, yes they didn't always stick, but man it makes for an exciting watch when they can throw the football around.


Lastly, the improved defensive effort across the park was a sight for sore eyes, after last week were they appeared lost on defence, so it was great to see the Warriors return to the defensive efforts they showed at the start of the season.
Roger showed more desperate try-saving antics and the teams scrambling defence prevented so many of the Broncos last-ditch attempts to get back into the match, the Warriors were very close to being the first team to keep the Broncos scoreless at Suncorp, but the consolation try the Broncos scored wasn't that hard to swallow.

It still wasn't a perfect performance however which leads me to my negatives.

Not a lot of negatives this week but handling errors still need to be reduced, it was a significant improvement from last week though and im confident that they can bring them down some more.
They cost themselves a few more tries with some errors but it's easier to forgive those when they get a twenty point win, but in those tight encounters they will need to convert those opportunities into points.
The style that they play can lead to handling errors, so it does come with the territory, they just need to find that balance.

Penalties also need to come down but again like the errors they did improve from last week so im confident they can reduce it some more.
Restricting the opposition from as many chances with the ball in hand will be essential to how far the Warriors go this season, and I believe they do have the ability to cause some headaches in the playoffs.

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My Warrior of the day goes to Agnatius Paasi.
This was Paasi best performance to date by a landslide, with Bunty getting injured Paasi has stepped up and become the Warriors go to forward.
160metres, three Linebreaks, five tackle-breaks and a try show how devastating he was in this match.
He got more minutes this week, and it really helped the Warriors keep the pressure on, and I can't wait until Bunty returns, and the Warriors have both of them causing havoc up the middle.

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I have no Warrior to improve this week as I couldn't single anyone out that let the side down, so I will give a shout out to Issac Luke.
Issac had yet another excellent performance busting the Broncos wide open with devastating dummy half runs.
He has returned to form this season, and I think the best is yet to come from Issac this year.
Rumours are getting stronger that Issac will not be retained at the club next season but im still hopeful that there will be some way to keep him around next season as I still believe that he is the glue that holds this side together.

Round 19 sees the Warriors return to Mt Smart to host the Melbourne Storm in what is going to be a tough encounter.
After the humiliating Anzac day clash, the Warriors will be looking for some revenge, and the win would help them climb their way back up the ladder.
In the Warriors only Sunday afternoon match at home I'm going for an eight-point win for the Warriors, the Storm are performing well, but if the Warriors can play with the same intensity they did this week, they have a great chance to come away with the two points.

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

Would you swap Hiku for Ken this week?
Do you want the Warriors to pull out all the stops to retain Issac Luke?
Who was your man of the Match?
What is your score prediction for Round 19?

NZ Warriors 2018 Round 17 Review: Night to forget in Penrith

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After last weeks controversial narrow loss to the Sharks the Warriors crossed the Tasman looking for retribution against a Panthers side minus their origin stars.
A win here would see the Warriors return to the top four but it was a night to forget for Warriors and Warriors fans alike as the Warriors delivered arguably their worst performance of the season losing 36-4.

Well, what can you say about that performance?
The Warriors were dreadful on Friday night, this was their chance to make a statement against an understrength side, and they were well and truly humbled.
I'm not sure if it was a case of not preparing correctly or if they took the Panthers lightly, but it was both frustrating and embarrassing to watch.

Nothing seemed to work for the Warriors in this match, and the backlash from the result stirred the murmurs that the Warriors of 2017 had returned.
Now I don't believe this to be the case, yes the match was ugly, but the glaring issues can be fixed, and luckily there is a six-point gap between the top eight and bottom eight, so the Warriors still have a buffer to keep them in the top eight.
However, if they don't fix those issues (more on that in my negatives), they could very well slide out of the playoff race or get eliminated in the first week.

The only positive I have this week and that the match is over and the Warriors have the chance to get back in the Winners circle this week.

Unlike my lack of positives, there were several issues which leads me to my negatives.

I feel like a broken record, but missed tackles and penalties continue to derail the Warriors week in and week out, and the Warriors missed 62 tackles against the Panthers.
There is no excuse for 62 missed tackles, and I'm not sure what the Warriors need to do (bar one change which I will go over in my Warrior to improve) to fix this, but they have to do something.

The Warriors need to reduce their penalty count, in the first half the Warriors were penalised 6 times in a row and were starved of possession as a result.
You cant win games if you just give the opposition the ball, and with 10 errors and 10 penalties that is 20 sets gifted to the Panthers that should not have happened.

When the Warriors did manage to hold onto the ball, they never seemed on the same page, and it showed with forward passes and poor last tackle options.
Shaun Johnson had a quiet game, and the forwards did not do him any favours with the majority of the pack not doing their part in bending the defensive line.
The loss of Bunty Afoa and Tohu Harris was noticeable, and James Gavet, Chris Satae and Ligi Sao need to step up to the plate because Agnatius Paasi cannot do it all on his own.

This leads me to my last point, Stephen Kearney's interchange rotation.
Paasi came off in the twentieth minute and was not brought back on until the final eighteen minutes.
Paasi is head and shoulders above the rest of the front rowers right now, and you could see the Warriors lost a step when he left the field, and it felt like he was forgotten on the sidelines.
Being down 12-0 at the half I would have started the second half with Paasi to really get them back into the match.
Hopefully, the interchange rotation gets fixed, but I'm doubtful as Kearney has always left me scratching my head with his bench choices and subsequent gameday rotation.

I have no Warrior of the match this week.
There were a few players that were trying, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Blake Green, Passi, Issac Luke, David Fusitu'a and Ken Maumalo all played well in a weak side, but the overall performance of the team tarnished all the individual performances for me.

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My Warrior to improve goes to Peta Hiku.
I feel like Peta has been in this section every week and it is always for the same reason, he seems to lack the ability to tackle.
Gerard Beale replaced him in the last 14 minutes, and the Warriors defence improved dramatically almost instantly, and with Beale injury free it feels like a no-brainer to have him start and to relegate Peta to the reserve grade.
I have been of the opinion that Peta would improve as the season progressed and that his combination with Fusitu'a on attack outweighed his defensive frailties, but the final nail in the coffin for me was when he gave up chasing the Panthers players down after a line break in the lead up to Waqa Blake scoring.
Watching the replays after the try was scored you could see that Peta showed no interest in trying to catch the Panthers players and it concerned me to see such a blatant lack of heart.
If Peta is named this week to face the Broncos, I couldn't even begin to imagine how bad a performance he would have to put forth to get dropped.
The business end of the season is upon the Warriors, and they have some tough matchups in the next three rounds with games against the Broncos, Storm and the Dragons, and they can no longer carry players that are not pulling their weight, so he needs to be dropped.

Round 18 has the Warriors facing the Bronco's in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon.
It's a must-win match for both sides, and I'm picking the Broncos's to get the win by 18.
I'm hopeful that the Warriors will get the win here but I think the Forwards will not be able to match the Broncos pack and the backline will struggle as a result.

The Warriors are hosting a members screening of the game at SkyCity on Sunday that I will be heading along to, so if any of you are going, come and say hi and let me know what you think of the Season so far.
I've heard good things about these events in the past, so I'm looking forward to going and watching the game on a big screen and hopefully watching a great game.

So that was my take on an embarrassing Round 17, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

Did you have a player of the game?
What would you do with Peta Hiku?
Where do you see the Warriors finishing on the ladder?
What is your score prediction for Round 18?

NZ Warriors 2018 Round 16 Review:Sharks snatch victory over wounded Warriors

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After what has felt like an eternity the Warriors returned to Mount Smart Stadium on a chilly Friday night to play the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.
A win here would solidify the Warriors position in the top four, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be as the Sharks came out on top with an 18-15 victory.

Ok, first things first, before I start my review I will mention the elephant in the room, yes the last try was scored off a forward pass.
The refereeing in this match was extremely poor, but I do not want to sit here and blame the officials for the results so I will leave that for a discussion in the comments.

The Warriors had plenty of opportunities to win this match and unfortunately could not convert them all.
This match wasn't all doom and gloom though which leads me to my positives from the game.

I don't have too many positives but the Warriors started this match in earnest, making metres at will and forcing the Sharks to make errors, they took advantage of these errors and scored quickly.
They weren't able to keep the pressure on, but I think if they had a few more of their regular side out there it might have been different.

With a 10-5 penalty count, the Warriors were in this match way more than they should have been, the desperation they showed on defence at times must be commended with my highlight being Roger Tuivasa-Shecks try-saving tackle followed on the very next play by Roger throwing himself on a grubber stopping another potential sharks try.

I also liked that the Warriors stayed in the fight, all of the Warriors losses this season have been by large margins and with playoff football looming they need more tough encounters.
Yes, they didn't get the win this time, but I'm hopeful that they will learn from this battle and overcome any adversities they face in the oncoming weeks.

My last positive is that the Warriors will welcome back David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo and Adam Blair for Round 17's must-win clash against the Penrith Panthers.
The Warriors missed Ken's big runs and David's finishing ability and im sure they will be itching to get back out there.

There was a lot of issues I had with this performance though which leads me to my negatives.

After being stuck defending for repeated sets, the Warriors let themselves down by making too many errors or giving away silly penalties.
Every time the Warriors made an error it depleted all their momentum and put them straight back on the back foot.

The gameplan wasn't sound either, too many times the Warriors kicked early and directly to Valentine Holmes who is an excellent counter-attacker.
If kicking early was meant to work they needed to target the open spaces or the sidelines.
At times the Warriors looked lost on attack, shellshocked even, when they had chances to score they failed.
This could just be down to the changes in the backline, and this may all be fixed by next week, so it is just a case of wait and see.

My last negative is more injuries with Bunty Afoa and Tohu Harris succumbing to a dislocated elbow and knee injury.
I am unsure how long Bunty will be out for but word has come out the Tohu may miss up to a month.
Both players will be sorely missed, and I hope they return sooner rather than later.
I assume that Sam Lisone will come in for Bunty and Adam Blair and Tohu will just swap, with Simon Mannering moving out to the edge and Blair moving to lock.

The Warriors can fix all of the issues I have addressed above and im confident that the lessons learned on Friday night will strengthen this side mentally when they return to the playoffs this season.

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My Warrior of the game goes to Agnatius Paasi.
Paasi truly embodied the term Warrior in this match, he ran with intensity and threw himself into all facets of the game, defending well and even charging down Matt Moylan's field goal attempt.
With Bunty getting injured Passi stepped help and carried the extra load.
His kickoff returns were my highlight of his performance.
I was happy with the news of his signing last year, and he continues to impress me each and every week.
If the rest of the prop rotation could bring the same intensity to each match the Paasi does the Warriors will have a formidable pack.

Copyright Photo: Zimbio

My Warrior that needs to improve goes to Jazz Tevaga.
Jazz is always trying when he is out on that field, you can not fault him for that.
However, I feel he is out there for too long and when he is out there for an extended period of time he starts to make more and more errors.
If the Warriors use him in shorter bursts, I feel that he would have a more positive impact on the game.
For a player of his stature he is defensively sound and a solid runner with the football, he just needs a bit of refinement which Im sure will come in time and with some better player management by the coaching staff.

Round 17 will see the 5th placed Warriors travel to Penrith to face the 4th place Panthers.
A win here will see the Warriors return to the top four, a loss could cement the Warriors to the bottom of the top eight for the remainder of the season.
This competition is so tight this season, and every game is indeed a must win.
Losing two of their best performing forwards is not ideal at this time of the season, but the return of their rampaging wingers will make up for that.

The Warriors have suffered defeat 5 times this season, but unbelievably only one of those losses have been on Australian soil.
I think this Warriors luck across the ditch will continue with a win over the Panthers and I'm picking the Warriors to win by 12.

Before I go, I just want to mention Albert Vete's release.
Albert is a talented young prop, and I thought his future with the Warriors was going to be fruitful.
It hasn't worked out that way but im happy that he is getting a fresh start with the Storm and I know that they will bring out the best in him and who knows maybe he will return to the Warriors one day like so many others have.

So that was my take on a disappointing round 16 performance, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.

What is your opinion on this games refereeing?
How do you feel about Albert Vete's release?
Who has been your Warrior of the season?
What is your score prediction against the Panthers?