Warriors’ fullback Taine Tuaupiki feels responsible for Friday’s last minute loss to the Dolphins, claiming he let the team down.
It’s a brave admission, though not really warranted as the 25-year-old had an overall excellent match, on his return to the custodian position.
But it summed up the level of his despondency - echoed across the team - about the crazy final play, where the Dolphins scored a try from nowhere to steal an improbable victory.
Trailing 18-16 with less than 90 seconds to go, they only had one more chance, after Kurt Campbell pinned Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 20 metres out on the right edge of the field on the fifth tackle.
But they spread the ball east to west - and then back again - desperately keeping the movement alive and evading defenders, before space was created for Jamayne Isaako to dive across in the right corner.
The sequence encompassed 10 passes and almost 20 seconds and left the Warriors and the home crowd stunned.
The team paid the price for a passive defensive line, which was also staggered, failing to pressure the Dolphins and allowing them to eventually work the opening.
But Tuaupiki was shouldering most of the blame, as he got dragged too far across to one side of the field, then couldn’t get back to cover the other.
“Oh, just moments, bro,” Tuaupiki told the Big League Podcast, as he reflected on the final play.
“I should have been there. It’s burning me - I should have been there in the corner. All good fullbacks are and I thought that was definitely my moment missed and I let the boys down with that.”
As he stood outside the dressing room, holding his boots, a gear bag and some post match food from sponsor Wendys, he couldn’t disguise his disappointment.
“Anytime you lose on the hooter it pretty much sucks,” said Tuaupiki.
“I’m a bit gutted. It felt like it was right there for us, but obviously it wasn’t. I don’t really have words for it.”
But Tuaupiki was proud of the team’s performance, as a depleted line-up came back from 16-6 down, then dominated the second half.
Despite a number of changes there were good signs - with smart attack and spirited, energetic defence - which gives hope for this week’s daunting assignment against the Bulldogs in Sydney on Saturday (9:30pm).
“We are pretty keen to go away this week as a group,” said Tuaupiki.
”We’re going a couple of days earlier and we’re taking a whole squad so it should be good for us."
Friday’s match was another reminder of Tuaupiki’s ongoing value and growing importance.
It was his 12th appearance of 2025, after five and six respectively across the last two seasons.
Eight games have been on the wing - where he acquitted himself well - but fullback is his calling card.
He looked sharp on Friday - injecting himself into the line to help create both of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s tries, while also making some key defensive plays, including a try saving tackle on Jake Averillo.
Most tellingly, Tuaupiki has the knack of evading potential tacklers and puts defensive lines in two minds.
He has thrived on the first grade opportunities this year and is adapting more and more to the challenges of the NRL. While he prefers being fullback, he retains a healthy respect and strong friendship with incumbent Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
“I wouldn’t say I’m at home [at fullback] - it’s mine and ‘Nug’ [Nicoll-Klokstad’s] position,” said Tuaupiki.
”We share it and he’s really good for me."
“He still helps me out throughout the week, tells me what I need to know, tells me what I need to get good at and he makes it easy for me, bro. He is such a genuine guy.”
Tuaupiki’s move to fullback was a late switch ahead of Friday’s match, with Nicoll-Klokstad deployed to centre for only the second time in his NRL career, as coach Andrew Webster looked for answers among his injury hit team.
Tuaupiki said he only found out “towards the end of the week.”
“We didn’t know what was happening with the team,” said Tuaupiki.
“Webby just said ‘everyone be ready’ and that’s how it is.”
Tuaupiki is likely to be retained, with Nicoll-Klokstad needed at centre in the coming weeks, to give him more chances to press his case.
“I love playing first grade and I want to be in it as much as I can,” said Tuaupiki. “I just hope the coach picks me more.”
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.