The Warriors’ season hinges on Friday’s match against the Dragons, crucial for playoff chances.
Injuries and missed opportunities have plagued the Warriors, who have won only two of their last seven games.
A win could revitalise their season, while a loss might lead to a downward spiral.
For the Warriors, it now all comes down to one game.
The result of Friday’s night match against the Dragons (8pm) will shape their season – for better or for worse. It is their moment of destiny – like Luke Skywalker jumping off the Death Star at theend of The Empire Strikes Back, or Indiana Jones cutting the rope bridge in the Temple of Doom.
It might sound far-fetched, but it feels like everything rests on Friday’s outcome. If they win, they will solidify their playoff chances and will be confident of banking at least one more victory in the regular season, as they regain some momentum. Lose – and all bets are off. They could be sucked into a downward spiral that will be hard to escape, as everything they have already achieved this season fades into the background.
Dejected Warriors after a loss. Photo / Photosport
The past 10 weeks have been an unfortunate period. When the Warriors smashed the Sharks in round 14, in early June, anything seemed possible. In their first match without co-captain Mitch Barnett, after he did his ACL the week before, it was a performance for the ages.
It felt like a turning point and it was, though not in the way we expected. That was the high point of the season – so far – and things have never been that good again. It was the end of an extraordinary phase, as they had won seven of eight matches for a stunning 10-3 record and sat in second place.
After the subsequent bye came the fateful Panthers match. It was all set up for a party – with Penrith missing their five State of Origin stars as they came to Auckland for the first time since 2019 – but never got going, with the Sydney team prevailing 28-18 in a major surprise. The Warriors were missing key men too – including Rocco Berry, Kurt Capewell and Barnett – and lost Marata Niukore (HIA) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (ankle) in the first half.
Penrith brought Warriors dreams to an abrupt halt. Photo / Getty Images
But it was still an ambush that never should have happened and had longer-term ramifications. It added pressure and dented confidence before what became a disastrous trip to Brisbane the following week, where Metcalf’s season was ended.
Since then it has been a struggle, with the only high points being the patchy win over the Tigers and the spectacular finish to beat Newcastle. The Warriors have won just two of their past seven matches, including three defeats at Go Media Stadium. Each setback had added a bit more heat, making it harder to return to the “flow” zone they enjoyed for most of March, April and May.
Injuries have been the biggest factor. Barnett is their most effective forward and best leader, and the fact that the NSW pack fell apart without him sums up the void he left. Metcalf is similarly irreplaceable, both for the playmaking ability and the X-factor. They’ve had to do without Berry for most of the campaign, who is the rock of their kick chase game and Ali Leiataua, their best try scoring weapon close to the line. There have been other casualties – too numerous to list – which has stretched the “next man up” policy to the limits and forced so much chopping and changing.
The other critical factor has been the inability to seize the moment. Losing to the Broncos and Bulldogs away from home was probably expected, but the matches against the Titans and Dolphins were there for the taking.
Which brings us to Friday. A fifth home loss in six Auckland matches would be unfathomable and could drain all the oxygen out of the season. Home defeats always hurt more – given the buildup and anticipation – and another could be extremely damaging. But a win will change everything, and suddenly the run in (Titans away, Eels home and Manly away) won’t look so daunting.
The challenge for Andrew Webster’s team on Friday is to ignore all the potential consequences and follow the process, minute by minute, until the outcome is achieved. It won’t be easy, but there is no other choice.
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.
