The verdict on the Warriors' 2023 season so so far. Photo / Photosport
The verdict on the Warriors' 2023 season so so far. Photo / Photosport
Surely nobody saw this coming.
There was always going to be a change under new coach Andrew Webster, along with the arrival of some well chosen recruits and the return to Auckland, after the crazy Covid years.
But few outside the club could have predicted such a transformation. The Warriorsare sixth on the NRL ladder — and good value for being there.
They have recorded eight victories, including impressive wins in Townsville, Cronulla and Canberra. They have made a contest out of every game, a stark contrast to 2022 where they conceded more than 30 points eight times and suffered numerous heavy defeats.
Even during the three-match losing streak against the Storm, Roosters and Panthers, they maintained a positive performance benchmark. Injuries and suspension have tested their depth with the loss of important personnel, including Mitch Barnett, Te Maire Martin, Marata Niukore, Jazz Tevaga and Dylan Walker.
No club in the top eight has used more than their 29 players and across the competition only the Cowboys (30) and Bulldogs (33) have dug deeper into their squad.
Almost without exception, every player has improved. Shaun Johnson is the best example but there are many others. No one is talking about Reece Walsh, given the impact of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, but it’s not just the marquee men as the young and unheralded players have stepped up.
Perhaps most importantly, they have their identity back, as a tough, rugged team, with flair and spirit.
They now have a platform to launch. Five of their last 10 matches are at Mt Smart, along with the Tigers clash in Hamilton. After nine games in Australia, they only have four more trips across the Tasman (Dragons, Eels, Titans, Dolphins).
Nothing can be guaranteed in the NRL but it’s hard to see the Warriors missing the playoffs, if they remain on the same trajectory.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster and captain Tohu Harris. Photo / Getty
Critical success factors
1. Take a load off Tohu
What we said (pre round one):
“Since 2019 Tohu Harris has often carried a ridiculous match day burden which can’t continue. The captain needs to be able to focus on his core role, while everyone else pitches in with theirs.”
What has happened:
Harris is still a massive presence but others have stepped up. Addin Fonua-Blake is having a career-best season and the pack is working well as a unit, especially defensively. That has allowed Harris to widen his brief and his ball playing has been a feature of the attack.
“This has been the major theme from coach Andrew Webster. It’s not just about winning games; it’s about becoming much harder to beat. The team needs much stronger defensive foundations, as well as being able to complete the tough yardage sets out of trouble.”
What has happened:
Webster’s pre-season promise has been delivered. This Warriors team has refused to buckle, whatever the circumstances. The first half effort against Canberra was the most recent example but there have been numerous others, right from the edgy round one win over the Knights in Wellington to the Anzac Day effort in Melbourne, in the face of an awful injury toll and a sin bin.
Rating: A
3. Variation
What we said:
“The Warriors aren’t going to instantly transform into a freewheeling offensive team, but more variation on attack is imperative. Too often last season the plays were easy to read.”
What happened:
The Warriors are no longer a one-dimensional team. They have become unpredictable on attack — in a good way — and more potent down both edges. There has been more use of plays up the middle and inside channels, while the ball playing among the forwards has been highly effective. There is still a heavy reliance on Shaun Johnson (15 try assists) — but it’s working — while other have chipped in, including Nicoll-Klokstad (seven), Harris (three) and Walker (three).
Rating: A-
Shaun Johnson of the Warriors celebrates his try against the Bulldogs. Photo / Getty
4. Defend errors
What we said:
“Mistakes are part of the game, but it’s what happens next that counts.”
What happened:
Over the previous two seasons, the Warriors often fell in a hole when things went south. This has been rectified, with the team able to ‘hold their gloves up’ — as Webster likes to say — and take the hits. There is still work to do but it’s a profound leap.
Rating: B+
5. Fifth tackle options
What we said:
“If there has been an enduring frustration over the past few seasons, it has been the last tackle plays in the opposition half. It’s not an exact science but too often we have seen either wrong options taken, or poor execution.”
What happened:
The Warriors have clearly defined patterns at the end of a set. Opposition teams know that a lot flows through Johnson but it has still worked, with an impressive understanding between him and Wayde Egan. The disruption at five eighth, thanks to Martin’s injury, hasn’t been ideal.
Rating: B
6. Bench impact
What we said:
“Changing the flow of a match through interchange players is vital and it rarely happened for the Warriors last season.”
What happened:
Walker has been a revelation in the middle while Tevaga has reprised his 2018 impact. The ‘bald brothers’ were central to the early season fizz — especially the Townsville and Cronulla victories — before Tevaga’s injury.
Rating: B+
7. Cohesion and edge defence
What we said:
“With eight new recruits, there might be times when wires are crossed and plans don’t work. But hopefully not too many. Clearer patterns, better communication and a more unified approach with and without the ball are imperative.”
What happened:
Compared to last season, it’s night and day. The Warriors are much harder to penetrate. They have conceded an average of 18 points (the third-best in the NRL) after shipping 29 last season (the worst). They can still be vulnerable but opponents have to work a lot harder. With and without the ball the team have looked in sync.
