New Zealand Warriors coach Andrew Webster laments lack of quality in frustrating NRL defeat to Brisbane Broncos

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak after the NRL round 13 match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Brisbane Broncos at McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Copyright photo: Aaron Gillions / Photosport

If the reaction of Warriors coach Andrew Webster is a barometer for the team’s performance, then Saturday’s loss to the Broncos is up there with the worst of the season.

So far in 2023 Webster has been able to accentuate the positives after most defeats, given the team has generally performed to a decent benchmark.

But he was clearly fuming after the 26-22 loss in Napier, in a strangely disjointed display from the Warriors.

They were meant to be fizzing after a long-awaited bye but were instead just a little flat. Though they managed a remarkable comeback at the death – and might have stolen it in the 79th minute but for Adam Pompey’s indiscretion – it couldn’t disguise an off-colour performance against a depleted Brisbane team.

Webster didn’t want to highlight Pompey’s unfortunate brain fade where he pulled back a defender, with his jersey tug on Deine Mariner leading to Marcelo Montoya’s try being scratched - but admitted it was symptomatic of a frustrating night.

“That sums us up,” said Webster. “I’m not throwing it all on that moment, but we had a million of those moments that we didn’t own and that just summed us up I thought. The last play wasn’t the biggest moment but it was just one of many.”

The Warriors were ahead on several key statistics, including yardage, post-contact metres and tackle busts, but couldn’t make that dominance pay. There were fine margins – as they went close on numerous occasions in the first half – but there was always a feeling of unease, a sense that something wasn’t quite right.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster. Photo / Photosport

That was shown by the fumbles that led to the first Broncos try, then the soft concession just before halftime after Tom Ale knocked on from the restart.

“Our DNA has been all year that we defend those and we didn’t,” said Webster.

Across the night the Broncos looked a little hungrier, a bit more desperate, especially with their scrambling defence in the first period. The Warriors never stopped coming, with huge workloads shouldered by the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake, Tohu Harris and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, but couldn’t prevail in the key moments.

“The effort was still there but we don’t just want to be a team that has effort,” said Webster. “Effort will get you in the contest at the end of the game but it doesn’t guarantee you wins. You have got to combine it with detail because it is such a hard and close competition, you have to get it right.”

There were big mistakes at crucial times, with the rare sight of Harris missing Adam Reynolds, before the halfback set up Brisbane’s third try.

Shaun Johnson had a mixed night while Luke Metcalf struggled with his timing and looked short of a gallop. The Warriors also couldn’t count on the usual bench impact, without the injured Dylan Walker and Jazz Tevaga, while the loss of hooker Freddy Lussick to concussion didn’t help their structure, though Bayley Sironen did well as a stop-gap.

Webster was miffed by the forced withdrawal of Nicoll-Klokstad, with the independent doctor directing the fullback to the sideline in the second half, before he returned after passing his HIA check.

“He stayed down for knees in the back,” said Webster. “I’m all for player safety but it wasn’t a head knock.”

But Webster made no excuses. He also had no complaints about the decision to scratch Montoya’s late effort, even if rival coach Kevin Walters conceded it was a close call.

“It was a lucky one for us, I didn’t really see too much in it,” said Walters. “The rules are the rules – it probably could have gone either way.”

Both teams were frustrated by a series of pitch invasions that caused multiple stoppages in the final 15 minutes, which arrested the Warriors’ momentum.

“It gets really annoying, especially when we are trying to build ourselves back into the game,” said Harris. “It just burns knowing the other team is getting a rest when we just want to keep going at them.”

Despite the result – which had spoiled his homecoming – Harris said it had been a special time in the Hawke’s Bay, with an huge reception from the local community.

“It’s been amazing to come back and seeing all these people throughout Napier wearing Warriors jerseys,” said Harris.