NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League

Rugby league: Ugly scenes as Warriors end season on miserable note

Michael Burgess
By Michael Burgess
Senior Sports Journalist·NZ Herald·
5 Sep, 2021 06:10 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A miserable Warriors season has come to a thoroughly miserable end, with a 44-0 loss to the Gold Coast on Sunday. Video / Sky Sport

A miserable Warriors season has come to a thoroughly miserable end, with a 44-0 loss to the Gold Coast on Sunday.

It was an ugly performance, made worse by a crazy meltdown in the final quarter, which saw the Warriors down to 10 players, with Jazz Tevaga, Matt Lodge and Kane Evans all sinbinned.

It was one of the Warriors' worst efforts of the year, with poor execution compounded by a staggering lack of discipline.

Lodge seemed to lose his head in the second half, while Evans has learnt nothing from his previous indiscretions, throwing more punches.

Jarrod Wallace of the Titans and Matthew Lodge of the Warriors grapple late in the second half of their NRL clash. Photo / Getty
Jarrod Wallace of the Titans and Matthew Lodge of the Warriors grapple late in the second half of their NRL clash. Photo / Getty
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Titans needed to win by an 11-point margin to confirm a finals spot, but any tension for the home side evaporated quickly, with two tries in the first quarter.

The Warriors had nothing to play for – which is never easy – but also no pressure.

A similar situation in 2019 saw a rousing and unexpected win over the Raiders, but that never looked likely on Sunday.

It was a muddled, messy effort full of mistakes, with passes constantly hitting the ground, and they were opened up through the middle with ease.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It means the Warriors finish with just eight wins from 24 games, their worst record since the forgettable 2017 season (seven victories).

Their string of close losses have been well documented, but it's still an awful return, considering the strength of their roster.

Nothing worked in the first half.

They completed at only 59 per cent, and the Titans made hay, with five line breaks and more than twice the amount of yardage, and the 16-0 halftime score probably flattered the visitors.

Discover more

Warriors

'It wasn't acceptable': Warriors coach offers no excuses as team self-destructs

04 Sep 05:00 PM
Sport|rugby

'It's what we need': Rennie positive despite Bledisloe whitewash

05 Sep 11:00 PM

The Warriors showed more spark early in the second half, but it was too little, too late, before the dismissals capsized the contest.

Tevaga was a late inclusion, preferred in the No 14 role to Kodi Nikorima. It ends a strange season for Nikorima, after starting the year as the first choice halfback.

The Warriors had an early chance, with Euan Aitken dropping the ball over the try line in the first minute, after Marcelo Montoya leapt high to take a Reece Walsh bomb. Aitken looked set to score, but the ball was dislodged by a defender's knee.

The Titans made the most of that let off, with teenager Jayden Campbell scooting over with a nice solo effort in the seventh minute, while only a last ditch tackle stopped Tyrone Peachey soon afterwards.

The home side had all the momentum, and Mitch Rein dived over from dummy half. Rein is a clever poacher, but he took advantage of some weak defence.

The Warriors couldn't get anything going, undone by constant mistakes, with nine errors in the first 30 minutes.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Campbell was a constant menace, and his break led to David Fifita crossing minutes after he came on. Aside from Aitken's effort – and Matt Lodge spilling the ball near the line early – the Warriors didn't look like making a dent in the scoreboard.

They were unlucky just after halftime, with a Dallin Watene-Zelezniak try scratched for a forward pass which looked parallel at best, but Fifita's second touchdown, as he barrelled over from close range scotched any chance of an improbable revival.

Brian Kelly finished off a good backline move in the 53rd minute, before the game went a bit nuts, as the Warriors lost all their discipline.

Tevaga (late shove), Lodge (late tackle) and Evans (punching) were all sinbinned within two minutes, as tempers frayed, with two separate melees.

It was poor self control from the trio, while Jarrod Wallace was also dismissed.

Late tries to Patrick Herbert, Campbell and Moeaki Fotuaika added to the scoreboard carnage and confirmed a NRL record margin for the Titans.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Warriors 0

Titans 44 (Jayden Campbell 2, Mitch Rein, David Fifita 2, Brian Kelly, Patrick Herbert, Moeaki Fotuaika tries; Jamal Fogarty 6 goals)
Halftime: 16-0

Save

    Share this article

Latest from League

Warriors

'I'm probably on': Inside Warriors rookie hooker's last-minute call-up

10 Jun 06:00 AM
League|nrl

'Earned his opportunity': Warrior Capewell recalled for Queensland

09 Jun 02:37 AM
Warriors

'Only scratched the surface': Webster highlights leadership for Warriors success

08 Jun 03:19 AM

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from League

'I'm probably on': Inside Warriors rookie hooker's last-minute call-up

'I'm probably on': Inside Warriors rookie hooker's last-minute call-up

10 Jun 06:00 AM

Healey looks one to watch; part of a cohort of young Warriors turning heads.

'Earned his opportunity': Warrior Capewell recalled for Queensland

'Earned his opportunity': Warrior Capewell recalled for Queensland

09 Jun 02:37 AM
'Only scratched the surface': Webster highlights leadership for Warriors success

'Only scratched the surface': Webster highlights leadership for Warriors success

08 Jun 03:19 AM
Dominant Warriors make statement against Sharks

Dominant Warriors make statement against Sharks

07 Jun 09:27 AM
How one volunteer makes people feel seen
sponsored

How one volunteer makes people feel seen

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP