The Warriors suffered a shock 26-16 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.
The defeat has resulted in rival teams closing the gap on the Warriors’ top-four position.
The right-edge defence struggled once again.
All the stats pointed to a Gold Coast Titans win, but that didn’t stop everyone from backing the Warriors on Sunday.
But how foolish we were. The last-placed Titans, who have now won six of their last seven against the Warriors, stunned the Auckland crowd with a composed24-16 victory. They completed 40 of 44 sets in arguably their best performance since last year’s 60-point demolition.
Much of that came down to two familiar names: coach Des Hasler and five-eighths Kieran Foran – both notorious Warriors tormentors. Hasler now boasts 24 wins from 33 games against the Aucklanders, while Foran has only lost four times in 19 appearances.
The Warriors, meanwhile, must face the music. This was a big opportunity missed – but maybe the wake-up call they need to get their campaign back on track and prove they deserve to compete against the big boys.
Here are five questions from the defeat.
A golden opportunity gone begging?
After the Broncos were stunned by the 16th-placed Eels on Friday night, Andrew Webster’s men had the chance to capitalise and open up a three-win buffer over fifth place with six rounds remaining.
Instead, the door is now wide open and the gap between them and the fifth-placed Penrith Panthers – now on a seven-game win streak – sits at just three points, with the Broncos a further point behind. Cronulla also lurk dangerously, with a bye still in hand, which theoretically puts them one win behind the Warriors.
The bad news? It includes rematches against the Titans and Eels (who’ve beaten the Warriors in five of their past six) and a tough trip to Manly – a ground they haven’t won at since 2020.
As Saturday proved, nothing can be taken for granted.
Chanel Harris-Tavita. Photo / Photosport
The reality check they needed?
Let’s be honest. The Warriors are in a slump.
Alarm bells must be ringing at Warriors HQ. Beating the Titans was a must-win, and they fell flat.
Without Leka Halasima’s late-game heroics against the Knights, the Warriors would be staring at a 1-4 stretch from their past five games. They were edged by a Panthers side missing its Origin stars, outclassed by the Broncos, and who only just got over the line against the Tigers and Knights.
The gap to ninth is just six points. If things don’t improve, finals footy could slip out of reach.
The message is simple. The Warriors need to start winning, and convincingly, to prove they’re contenders, not pretenders as many people would have put the red pen through them after that performance.
The Warriors are missing the leadership of Mitch Barnett. Photo / Getty Images
Changes needed to face Dolphins?
Wayde Egan will miss Friday’s game against the Dolphins after failing his HIA, likely paving the way for Sam Healey’s third start.
When Egan left the field, the Warriors suffered a drop-off in play, but there has been one lingering issue for several weeks: the right-edge defence.
The experiment playing Kurt Capewell at centre simply isn’t working. His combination with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has been consistently exposed, and something has to give. Some of that has to do with his lateral speed and agility, but Watene-Zelezniak is often guilty, caught out in no man’s land.
Capewell, a natural second-rower, is clearly a stopgap, and Webster himself acknowledges he wants the Queensland Origin representative playing his natural position. With Rocco Berry still sidelined and Ali Leiataua picking up a fresh calf strain, options are limited.
One option would be to move Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to centre and start Taine Tuaupiki at fullback. CNK offers more defensive solidity on the edge, where he’s previously played for the Kiwis, and Tuaupiki is too good not to be in the 17.
Whatever Webster decides, the Warriors can’t afford another defensive collapse, especially against the Dolphins, who have the best centre in the NRL in Herbie Farnworth. The Englishman could have a field day against the Warriors if things don’t improve.
Kurt Capewell and Tanah Boyd tackle Phillip Sami. Photo / Photosport
Should Te Maire Martin start at five-eighths?
Desperate to spark the attack, the Warriors interchanged Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita between five-eighths and hooker midway through the second half.
It paid off immediately, as Martin sent Roger Tuivasa-Sheck through for their third try, and the side looked their most dangerous at any point since taking an early 10-0 lead, when the wheels fell off.
Martin is seen as the Warriors’ Mr Fix It, with the ability to cover multiple positions, and that versatility does make him effective coming off the bench.
But you can’t look past his pedigree as a playmaker in his preferred position. His efforts wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. It’s worth remembering he played a key role at six to lead the North Queensland Cowboys to the 2017 grand final.
Te Maire Martin. Photo / Photosport
What’s happened to fortress Mt Smart?
Once a stronghold, Go Media Mt Smart Stadium no longer strikes fear. That’s a problem.
The Warriors’ 6-3 “home” record includes wins in Christchurch and Brisbane. Strip those out, and they’re just 4-3 in Auckland.
Worse still, they’ve lost three of their past four there.
With home games remaining against the Dolphins (eighth), Dragons (12th) and Eels (14th), the Warriors have a great chance to restore their fortress – and they need to take all of those games.
If the season ended today, they’d be heading to Canberra for week one of the finals. A loss there would send them home for a sudden-death semifinal, possibly against the Broncos or Panthers. A win could lock in a Mt Smart preliminary final.
The stakes are clear. If the Warriors want to be taken seriously and gain a mental edge heading into the playoffs, they need to make Mt Smart feared again.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
