The Warriors celebrate their stunning win over Penrith. Photo / Photosport
Chris Rattue has been a journalist since 1980 and is one of the most respected opinion writers in New Zealand sports journalism.
OPINION
WINNERS/LOSER: The Warriors/Shaun Johnson’s contract prospects
Prediction: The Warriors won’t make the top four this season, and so they have little chance of contesting the title (famous last words).
This, despite one of the great days in the club’s history.
The victory over a scratchy Penrith side in Brisbane was a watershed moment, although it won’t be enough to lift them into the contenders’ bracket.
Still, what a match, and an important one.
Just when you thought all the great stuff from 2023 was going down the drain, a remarkable afternoon at Suncorp Stadium showed why the crowd keeps coming back for more with this club.
And what a crowd.
The Warriors have always had decent support in Australia, but the magical 2023 season seems to have turned them into a major clarion call for many with Kiwi connections across the ditch.
That amazing crowd in Brisbane should take a bow. They inspired the impossible.
Ravaged by injury and with weeks of poor form, the Warriors toppled the mighty Panthers outfit (minus Nathan Cleary, it has to be said) who are gunning for a fourth straight title.
Veteran forwards Mitch Barnett, Jazz Tevaga and Dylan Walker were fantastic, while Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad made a great fist of playing in the halves and boom prospects Tane Tuaupiki and Ali Leiataua had significant roles.
Speaking of the future...
This performance emphasised there is life without Shaun Johnson, and if the revered – currently injured – playmaker was considering another season, his chances of winning a 2025 contract have suddenly dipped.
Te Maire Martin stepped up, injured Luke Metcalf has already been marked for a big role and Nicoll-Klokstad brought energy to the halves that Johnson lacks.
Without Johnson, the Warriors’ match control in the halves was a very long way from perfect against Penrith.
But Johnson, who soon turns 34, is struggling physically and this victory against Penrith emphasised that it is time for the club to move on after this season.
Johnson will not only be feeling the physical toll of his long career, but reading the room.
He will go out on his terms – a retirement announcement in the not-too-distant future would not be a surprise.
LOSER: Wayde Egan’s tackling technique
The Warriors hooker suffered another head knock, early against the Panthers. He has been re-signed long-term but Egan is so injury-prone that he is becoming a liability. Said it before, will say it again. Egan needs to study tapes of Cameron Smith, the legendary Storm hooker who made a zillion tackles safely. Courage is to be lauded, but the situation with Egan is reaching a crisis point in terms of his health and the club’s game strategies.
LOSER: Rugby
The national sport should be embarrassed by the lack of crowd and atmosphere at Eden Park, where a rejigged Blues team annihilated the Highlanders.
Rugby has been spoon-fed advantages – including a fawning school system and compliant tax and ratepayers.
Hey rugby. We want our money’s worth.
WINNER: Black Ferns reality check
There was a large slice of luck involved with the Black Ferns even making the World Cup final in 2022.
Yes, it was a fabulous tournament victory in the end. But the prior problems also needed remembering.
Now the Ferns have been beaten by Canada for the first time, in the Pacific Four decider, while top players are considering switching to the Warriors NRLW team.
Women’s rugby is finding out what the men took way too long to understand. World Cup success is not a panacea for a sport that is stuck in a bad rut.
WINNER/LOSER: The Wellington Phoenix
The A-League surprise packages couldn’t turn home advantage into victory, with Alex Rufer failing to score a penalty as they fell to the Melbourne Victory in the two-leg semifinal.
But a record crowd of over 33,000 turned up, which is some achievement.
It’s been a great season, with coach Giancarlo Italiano deserving a special place in Kiwi sporting hearts.
But the club faces an uncertain future.
By its own reckoning, and complaints, the Phoenix struggled to draw much attention during a very successful season.
And they must go head to head with a new Auckland franchise that has significant advantages through being in a much bigger market and backed by American billionaire Bill Foley.
WINNER: Sam Cane
He’s been getting a lot of warm coverage since announcing his pending All Blacks retirement, in contrast to the often cold reception he got when leading the national side.
WINNER: “Super” Sid Going
The passing of the legendary All Black was sad news indeed.
For my money, Northland’s favourite sporting son is still the greatest All Blacks halfback, even though Aaron Smith is almost certainly the best we’ve ever had.
Sid Going had an incredible aura.
Low to the ground and incredibly strong, he was a running No 9 without compare.
By reputation, he was a poor passer of the ball to his first five-eighths, and faced accusations – or maybe they were compliments – of inventing nine-man rugby.
He was also central to a golden period for Northland rugby, under the coaching of Ted Griffin.
Sports memories don’t come any better than those generated by Super Sid.
WINNER: Manchester City
Won a record fourth consecutive English Premier League title. Some will claim it is down to money. They would be wrong.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s feat of six titles in seven years is beyond extraordinary. Juggling egos, keeping the energy going, being tactically aware, rejuvenating the squad... look how tough the much-lauded Jurgen Klopp has found it at Liverpool. Money helps. But it is often misspent at the highest football levels.
WINNER: Dene O’Kane, but...
The tributes have been generous for Kiwi snooker ace O’Kane, who passed away at the age of 61.
He reached a world ranking of 18 and made two world quarter-finals during the sport’s glory days in the 1980/90s.
To this day, he is the only Kiwi snooker star. Some tributes described him as a trailblazer, but no other New Zealand managed to pick up the cue.
WINNER: Scott McLaughlin
More history making from the Kiwi super driver... McLaughlin set the fastest-ever pole time for the Indy 500, to be raced next Monday. McLaughlin is a quick learner – his previous best Indy qualifying time was 14th.
WINNER: Bayer Leverkusen
A candidate for the most surprising sports result of 2024.
Bayer Leverkusen not only won the German football title, they became the first team to ever complete an unbeaten Bundesliga season with a 2-1 victory over Augsburg.
Bayern Munich went into the season heavily favoured (again), with Leverkusen only fourth favourites.
One leading sports analyst firm put their chances of winning the club’s first premier title at less than 1 per cent.
Manger Xabi Alonso has worked a miracle – and a desperately needed one for the overly predictable German league.
WINNER (but not totally): Nelly Korda
The American won her sixth LPGA golf title in seven starts. Remarkable. Some sports observers are wondering why this incredible run of golf victories isn’t drawing more attention.
LOSER: Scottie Scheffler
The arrest of the world’s best golfer just before the second round of the PGA Championship – charges include the alleged assault of a police officer - has to be the weirdest story for a long time.
Scheffler then had a great round, but couldn’t keep it going.
Scheffler will defend the three driving and one assault charges. Stay tuned.
WINNER: Ukraine (I think)... boxing
As a Tyson Fury fan, I was still delighted that Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk won the undisputed heavyweight boxing title against the Brit.
Ukraine needs any lift it can get, stuck as it is in a horrific war against evil Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
But Usyk has a complicated image in his homeland, being accused in the past of having Russian leanings linked to his religious beliefs.
Still, there appears to be huge national pride in his achievements and he has acted far more patriotically in recent years. This includes joining a territorial defence group.
The giant Fury and undersized Usyk appear headed for what will be a huge rematch, although one media outlet suggested Fury will consider retirement.
It feels like a cheap line for now.
Fury has talked about the highs and lows he goes through as part of his mental health issues. He’ll be back.