With the Warriors enjoying a bye in Round 13. I have no match review to write, so like last season. I thought it was the best time to write my mid-season review.
It's fair to say that the first 12 rounds had their fair share of ups and downs for the Warriors and Warriors fans alike. The Warriors have 12 points and currently sit 9th on the ladder with a 5-7 record and a -40 points differential. This season is tight, the Warriors are 2 points outside of the top-eight, but they are also only 2 points above the 14th placed side. It's still hard to judge the home and away record with the Warriors essentially playing all games away, but they have a 3-3 home record (including their "home" loss to Parramatta in the Brisbane Magic Round) and a 2-3 away record. Coming into this point of the season, I had predicted a 7-5 record, so I wasn't too far off; however, the Warriors definitely let a few games slip.
Keeping in the theme I started a few seasons back, I'm going to break my review into what's been good, what's been bad and what's been downright ugly. So let's get it started with the good.
The Good
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The Warriors lead the competition in set completions with 81%. This shows that they are getting rid of the silly errors that sometimes plague their game (although that has crept back in from time to time). The key for the Warriors moving forward is to keep the completion rate high but also to get themselves into scoring opportunities more often.
On that note, the Warriors have shown glimpses of how dangerous they can be on attack; even though they are 12th in running metres with only 19,572 metres, they are near the top with post-contact metres (4th with 6,963 metres). They sit 10th with linebreaks (54), 13th with tackle-breaks (330) and 8th with Offloads (129). If the Warriors can work on fine-tuning their 5th tackle options, they should be able to get themselves into the top-eight.
New recruits Addin Fonua-Blake and Ben Murdoch-Masila have been leading from the front. AFB was instrumental in getting the Warriors on the front foot, and I think we have seen how important he is for the club due to how lacklustre the front row rotation has been since his injury. However, the good news is that AFB should be back this week, and I can't wait to see him bend the opposition line once again; I expect to see plenty of Reece Walsh running off the big props shoulder waiting for the offload.
BMM has been great for the club, I know I got a bit of pushback when I praised BMM and picked him as one of my players to watch this season, but I think he has lived up to my expectations. He is a strong runner that loves the try line, currently sitting atop the Warriors try-scorers with 6 tries. I would still be starting him if I was in charge, but if Brown wants to use him off the bench, he needs to inject him into the action earlier.
The last recruit I want to highlight is Reece Walsh. The news that Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was going to leave the club hit me hard, and the news that an 18-year-old was signed to take his place had me concerned. Then I saw his highlight reel and was intrigued before he won me over when he joined the club early and was given his chance. I have not been so excited about a young player since Shaun Johnson exploded onto the scene in 2011. He has only played 6 games for the club, and his stats are already impressive, scoring 4 tries, making 6 linebreaks, 22 tackle breaks, and 8 try assists. He still has work to do defensively as he has been found out of position a few times, but he is still learning, and I'm confident that that side of his game will improve. The future is bright with Walsh, and I have my fingers crossed that the Warriors can keep him around long-term.
So far, my game of the year is the Warriors round 11 30-26 victory over the Wests Tigers. A few other contenders, including the comeback victory over the Raiders, but I think the Tigers match has been the most exciting Warriors game this year. They showed some great attacking phases, including scoring two tries while having a man in the sin-bin. Walsh was having a field day playing a hand in several tries and scoring one himself. They still had plenty of issues on defence, allowing the Tigers to get back into the match and almost steal it at the death, but those edge of your seat moments make the taste of victory that much sweeter.
Lastly, I want to highlight my current Warrior of the season, Tohu Harris. Harris has been beaten in my Warrior of the match many times this season, but he is head and shoulders above the rest of his team when it comes to consistently. In his 11 games, he has scored 3 tries, made 2 line breaks and 6 line break assists and made 11 offloads. He also is averaging 120 running metres a match and has 93% tackle efficiency. You just know he is going to give it 100% out there, and if the rest of the Warriors pack could get closer to his level, then the Warriors will be a dangerous side to face. The news of Harris extending his stay with the Warriors was fantastic, and with RTS exit, I see no better person to take over as Captain.
The Bad
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The Warriors have let several games slip; their position on the ladder could have been different if they hadn't lost three games that they had put themselves in a position to win, they should have beaten the Knights, Sea Eagles and Cowboys in rounds 2, 5 and 12 but due to the following issues, they didn't get the job done.
When AFB got injured, the Warriors front row took a nosedive; they went from bending the opposition line to barely making a dent. AFB was averaging 140 running metres a game, but the rest of the front-rowers is well below that. Kane Evans is the closest (83), followed by Leeson Ah Mau (76), Bunty Afoa (68) and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (54). I have thrown plenty of criticism at the Warriors halves, but unless they get some decent ball from the big boys upfront, then they're fighting a losing battle. AFB's return will help, but he will need help from the rest of the front-rowers.
Speaking of the halves, I still have concerns about their game management and 5th tackle options. At times the Warriors look lost on attack with players overrunning their lines; the Warriors kicking game still leaves plenty to be desired with Kodi Nikorima, and Chanel Harris-Tavita not really delivering crisp kicking plays other than the odd pinpoint grubber. As mentioned above, they haven't been helped by their pack, but we need to see them step up after the bye if the Warriors are to stay in the hunt. I still think moving Walsh to the halves and Nikorima to the 14 is the way to turn this side around, but I don't see Nathan Brown making the switch.
Next up, my personal peeve missed tackles. The Warriors are by no means the worst in this category, sitting 5th best with 322 (Broncos are the worst with 445). Im not sure if it is a game plan, but the Warriors edges continue to rush in, creating openings on the outside which puts pressure on the fullback to cover. It's not just the edge defence, though, and I'm not sure if the Warriors need to change their technique or if it's merely an attitude or skill issue, but if they don't improve this area of their game, they will be watching the finals instead of playing in them.
Lastly, no games at Mount Smart for the 2nd year running. I know it's hard due to the whole COVID situation, but I just miss getting to live games, and now, with the Trans-Tasman bubble open, I wish I had the money to fly over to Oz and watch some games. The Warriors have decided to remain in Australia for the rest of the season, which I understand. However, I still have my fingers crossed that the Warriors do manage to bring a few games back across the ditch for the local fans desperate to not only see their team live again but also allow us the chance to give RTS the farewell he deserves. No disrespect to the Warriors fans in Australia, you guys have been amazing travelling around to support the side, but at times in the past two years, it feels like the fans in NZ have been forgotten. However, I can't wait for the first game back at Mount Smart; it will be electric.
And now all that's left is the ugly.
The Ugly
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My last ugly is the Warriors mental lapses. Win or lose, the one constant we have seen this year with the Warriors is that there will always be a 20-minute patch where the Warriors just fall apart. Sometimes it comes in the form of a slow start or a poor finish, but it is just a momentum killer that the Warriors need to eliminate from their game. I'm unsure if it is a fitness or confidence issue, but getting rid of the lapses will see the Warriors win more games than they lose, so I have my fingers crossed it has been addressed and worked on during the bye week.
The season so far and what's next
Overall, I would have liked the Warriors to be sitting in the eight at this point of the season but just outside of it isn't that bad. Looking at the rest of the draw, the Warriors still have a strong chance of making the eight but will need to start stringing some wins together. Looking at the 12 games they have remaining, they only have three against the top four sides (Storm, Panthers and Rabbitohs), but the rest are winnable. We are currently heading into the Warriors favourite time of year with the State of Origin period starting now, so it's as good a time as any for the Warriors to start getting those wins.
Next Rounds' thoughts and prediction
Round 14 sees the Warriors head back to their makeshift home on the Central Coast to face the Storm in what will be a tough encounter. The Storm may make the trip minus a few players due to suspension and Origin, but that does not make them any less dangerous. We have already seen them dominate sides with their entire spine missing. The Warriors should welcome back AFB and be well rested after the bye but will have to play the match without Reece Walsh, who is suspended. It will be a tough ask, but the Warriors will put up a better fight than they did in round 7, but I am still predicting a Storm win by 16.
So that was my mid-season review, and as usual, I will leave you with some questions.
Who has been your player of the year to date?
Who is your player that needs to improve the most?
Where do you see the Warriors finishing on the ladder?
What are your best and worst games for the season to date?
What is your score prediction for Round 14 against the Storm?
This post first appeared on Nz Warriors 2017 Season Preview : Above The Line - The Kearney Era Begins, please read the originial post: here
