League: New Zealand Warriors slump to embarrassing defeat

Nathaniel Roache (left) and Simon Mannering (right) of the Warriors. Photo / Photosport

Knights 26 Warriors 10

It's hard to see where the Warriors go from here in 2017. They are on a road to nowhere, and this was the latest ugly turn. This 26-10 defeat to the Knights was surely their worst of the season. It wasn't just that they lost to a team that are heading for their third consecutive wooden spoon, but they never really looked like winning.

They trailed 12-0 after 10 minutes with some awful defensive work, and the Knights carried that momentum to the finish.

This was all about desire. The Knights left nothing in the tank, while only a handful of Warriors could hold their heads high, while the rest looked like they had racked their cue for the year.

The Warriors' attack was mostly predictable and easy to read, with a lack of second phase or invention. There was mistakes, and they were always followed by soft penalties. And perhaps worst of all, there was a distinct lack of urgency in the defence.

The Warriors are on a five game losing streak - their last win came in round 16 against the Bulldogs - while the Knights achieved consecutive wins for the first time since the 2015 season, and just their fifth victory in the last two seasons. The referees didn't cover themselves in glory with some strange calls, but not enough to change the fate of the game.

This was the dance of the desperates. The Knights started the season as wooden spoon favourites - and will finish last place - after another brutal season for Nathan Brown's rookie dominated roster. But there is a sense of optimism around the Hunter region, a knowledge that things are heading in the right direction. The same can't be said for the Warriors; while everybody hopes that next year will be better, there is also now a sense of dread about what might unfold in 2018.

Jazz Tevaga was brought in at lock forward for the Warriors, with Mannering shifting to the second row while new Knights recruit Shaun Kenny-Dowall was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

The Warriors made a poor start. They had the first opportunity of the game - after the Knights knocked on from the kick off - but did nothing with it and then went missing for the next 10 minutes, unable to defend errors and penalties. Coach Stephen Kearney again made the strange decision to leave Ben Matulino on the bench from the start, and Sam Lisone did nothing to justify that, giving up a cheap penalty and part of a bad miss for Barnett's second try.

In the first quarter the home side were all intensity and urgency, while the Warriors looked nervous, hesitant and confused. Foran took the kicking reins for most of the first half but struggled to find his range, invariably under pressure as the Warriors go forward lacked punch.

Fusitua ended his nine game try scoring drought to get the Warriors on the board in the 25th minute, after some momentum provided by Matulino, but it couldn't last. The mistakes continued - the worse a kickoff over the sideline - and the Warriors went into halftime with their lowest first half points tally of the season. That was always going to be a bad omen, as the Auckland club hadn't been able to overhaul a first half deficit in 2017.

They showed more intent early in the second half, with a Fusitua effort ruled out for a marginal forward pass. Issac Luke came on for a groggy Fusitua moments afterwards, and made another crucial mistake, as Lachlan Fitzgibbon crossed after a clever offload. Nathaniel Roache's 68th minute try gave the New Zealand side some hope, but the Knights fourth try sealed the result.

Newcastle 26 (M Barnett 2, L Fitzgibbon, B Lam tries; T Hodkinson 5 goals)
Warriors 10 (D Fusit'ua, N Roache tries; I Luke goal)
Halftime: 16-4