There was more to smile about this week, which brings me to my positives.
Match Positives
The attack continues to develop; I said there was a link missing, and with the return of CNK, we saw that link return; he is such a valuable asset when he joins the attack, as we saw with some great runs and link plays he was involved in. With the spine almost all back (you could say completely back if you are Team TMM) and CNK, Egan and SJ are combining so well. You know, if they are all out there together, they will get points on the board.
I feel like a broken record, but the forwards killed it again; this Rabbitohs pack is no joke, and the Warriors bullied them with ease; all the forwards, with the exception of Bunty Afoa (who went off injured) and Jacob Laban, cracked my triple digit target. Addin Fonua-Blake (192m), Mitchell Barnett (129m), Tohu Harris (127m), Jazz Tevaga (113m), Jackson Ford (104m) and Tom Ale (100m). It has got to a point where we shouldn't be surprised about how good this pack is, but I still want to see them go toe-to-toe with the Panthers and Broncos packs because then we will know how good the Warriors forwards actually are.
In my preseason review, I praised the Warriors' depth, but man, it is coming in clutch right now to win in this manner with so many players out, which is an impressive statement. To see this side continue to put in good performances regardless of the players in the 17 jerseys is a testament to the coaching staff; the next-man-up approach is working, and when the young guns like Jacob Laban get their chance, they come out looking like they belong which is precisely what you want from your fringe players. While I want to see what this side can do when the best 17 men are out there, it gives me confidence that this side is less likely to be derailed by injuries.
However, I did have some concerns, which brings me to my negatives from the game.
Match Negatives
That right-edged defence looked shocking at the start of this match, I expected it to be messy with RTS on the wing and the combination being new, but as the game progressed, it did show improvement. I can give them some slack as it wasnt the planned edge during the week, but you know, against a better side, that kind of clunkiness will get punished, so hopefully, this is something that is worked on during the week just in case we see that combination on that edge again.
I just praised the squad's depth, but these injuries are soul-crushing. I am concerned with Niukore and his health. He was my guy to replace AFB, but if he continues to struggle to get on the pitch, then that will be almost impossible for him to do. We are five rounds in and have yet to see the main 17 actually play, so hopefully, the injuries will start to slow down, and lady luck will start to be on the Warriors' side.
Warrior of the Match
My Warrior of the Match goes to Wayde Egan.
Egan was a beast in this match, constantly scooting out of the ruck and causing the Rabbitohs plenty of headaches. He was a key figure in most of the Warriors' tries and defended the middle valiantly. I have mentioned the depth, but I think Egan is the only player the Warriors cannot play without. He works so well with the halves, and with the forwards rolling forward, it makes his job much easier. He has had his fair share of criticism from fans, media and me, but he is making us all eat our words. I believe he hasn't hit his best yet, so I look forward to seeing how much more he can grow.
Warrior to Improve
My Player to improve is Jazz Tevaga.
I feel like I'm being a bit harsh here as I thought that all the players did well, and Jazz had great stats, running for 113 metres and making 15 tackles, but his two errors (it felt like more) really stuck out for me. When everyone is healthy, the competition for spots is fierce, and if he doesn't sort his hands out, he may struggle for game time, which he desperately needs with no contract signed yet for 2025 if he wants to stay in the NRL with the Warriors or another club he needs to show how good he can be and reduce the schoolboy's errors, he has already improved his discipline, so I know he can sort the rest.
Next Round Thoughts and Prediction
In Round 6, the Warriors return to Go Media stadium to host the Sea Eagles, who bounced back in Round 5 with a 32-18 win over the Panthers.
Regarding the team I would pick, I would just bring back any players that missed this match with injury, so DWZ, Capewell and Walker come back if fit, replacing Pompey, Tevaga and Laban.
The Sea Eagles have been up and down this season, winning over the Rabbitohs, Roosters, and Panthers but also losing to the Dragons and Eels. So it is hard to say what Manly will show up. They have superstars who could cause havoc and a pack that could humble the Warriors if they are not in the right mindset.
However, if the Warriors' forwards do what they have done every week so far, they will control the middle, which will unleash the Warriors' spine. We can finally see if CNK can unleash RTS as a centre-attacking weapon. Add to that their strong defence and a win should almost be in the bag.
I am feeling confident, so I am going with a Warriors win by 12.
So, that was a great Round 5, but as usual, I will leave you with some questions.
What changes would you make to the 17 if the players missing here return?