Every defeat hurts in the NRL – but this one will be more painful than most.
Not only will the Warriors rue their poor execution and indiscipline, which was ultimately costly, but they could also face more casualties, with both Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Luke Metcalf leavingthe field with knee injuries.
In many ways, it was an awful Saturday afternoon at Suncorp Stadium – where almost nothing went right for the visitors – as the Broncos continued their recent surge with a 26-12 victory.
Against tremendous odds, the Warriors showed great courage to stay in the contest, with a series of try saving tackles, as Brisbane completely dominated possession and territory for most of the match. The Warriors even threatened a late comeback, from seemingly nowhere, and fans will wonder what might have been if Ed Kosi had been able to reel in a long pass from Te Maire Martin, at 20-12 with 10 minutes to play. But time always looked against them, before Gehamat Shibasaki’s 75th minute try ended any doubt.
Luke Metcalf of the Warriors is helped off the field after an injury, Brisbane Broncos v NZ Warriors, round 17 of the Telstra NRL Premiership at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia on Saturday 28 June 2025.
Photo: Tertius Pickard / Photosport
However, the Warriors had no right to be so close. For much of the match the Broncos resembled the outfit that had begun the 2025 season so well, with heavy artillery through the middle, as the Warriors were pinned in their own half. But the Auckland side didn’t help themselves, with plenty of momentum killing penalties, mistakes and clunky attack, especially in the first half.
The problematic right edge also struggled defensively, with both Rocco Berry and Ed Kosi caught out more than once. It’s the first time the Warriors have lost consecutive matches in 2025, as the chasing pack circle below them, while Nicoll-Klokstad and Metcalf will wait on scans.
Their absence forced a reshuffle, with Tuivasa-Sheck ending the game at fullback and Te Maire Martin halfback. Suddenly next week’s bye feels sorely needed, before a stretch of games against teams outside the top eight.
The first half was a hard watch. There was no lack of effort or intensity – but poor execution, dumb decisions and pure bad luck meant almost constant pressure. They only completed eleven sets – defending 20 - and struggled to do much with what they had. They tried to go too lateral, too early, without bending the line, while the Broncos defence was punishing. Their attacking ills were epitomised by two plays that saw winger Kosi bundled over the sideline – once on the first tackle, the other on a tiny blindside – that were never really on.
And the frazzled decision making shown by Jackson Ford’s needless escort penalty. It may have been a tough call but was right in front of the referee Adam Gee and resulted in more sets of energy burning defence, while Egan also left the field for his HIA during that phase. The visitors also conceded a rare scrum penalty.
Erin Clark of the Warriors, Brisbane Broncos v NZ Warriors, round 17 of the Telstra NRL Premiership at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia on Saturday 28 June 2025.
Photo: Tertius Pickard / Photosport
Brisbane made hay with their first opportunity, with Kotoni Staggs anticipating a perfect Adam Reynolds grubber in the third minute, after an early Warriors error. There was a chance to reply almost straight away, with repeat sets but not enough polish. The Warriors weren’t asking questions with their attack but had plenty of defending to do. Josiah Karapani went over untouched down the left wing – as Berry and Kosi couldn’t align – but the damage had been done through the middle.
A brilliant try saving tackle on Shibasaki felt like a possible turning point, particularly when Chanel Harris-Tavita appeared to score minutes later. But his effort was scratched by the bunker and mistakes continued.
It felt like the Warriors were going to hang on until halftime – especially after a desperate Adam Pompey save – so Shibasaki’s first try, seven seconds before halftime was a hammer blow. It was doubly costly, with Nicoll-Klokstad wrenching his knee awkwardly in the attempt to stop him.
Former Warrior Reece Walsh was prominent but held up brilliantly by Martin just after the break, before Tuivasa-Sheck’s 45th minute try – after a long period of pressure gave some hope. But Ford was pinged for another escort penalty (this one seemed harsh), while a head scratching call to penalise Egan after a solo break was a back breaker.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck of the Warriors scores a try ahead of Adam Reynolds of the Broncos during the NRL Round 17 match between the Brisbane Broncos and the New Zealand Warriors at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt/Photosport) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY
They dodged a bullet with Shibasaki’s stone cold drop of a Reynolds grubber, before Leka Halasima continued his happy try scoring knack, storming through to take a Chanel Harris-Tavita bomb in the 65th minute. But Metcalf was smashed by Brendan Piakura in the same sequence, limping off.
Still the Warriors found something, thundering up the field and putting Brisbane under severe pressure, with Kosi just failing to take Martin’s cut out ball from Martin, with the corner open. Tuivasa-Sheck then rolled back the years to bundle Karapani out in the corner but a second Shibasaki try sealed the match.
