Marks out of 10 after the Warriors’ nail-biting, scrappy but much-needed 24-20 win over the Titans.
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c): A tremendous bounce-back from a couple of uncharacteristically quiet games from the skipper. Brilliantly laid on the first try, backed up to score the second, was faultless at the back and racked up 201 metres, seven tackles, five tackle-breaks and two offloads. 8.5
2 DAVID FUSITU’A: Recovered from an early handling error with a solid performance. The ball still isn’t finding its way to his wing, so he went looking for plenty of midfield work and finished with 124 metres on 16 carries. 7
3 PETA HIKU: Quality last-pass work for Maumalo’s second try, had another line-break assist and looked dangerous running the ball, but a couple of errors. Decent enough defensively. 6.5
4 PATRICK HERBERT: Had a torrid time with opposite Brian Kelly in the first half and was unlucky to have a knock-on call go against him after the break. Solid presence who always looks likely to spark something, but needs to involve himself more in attack – had only six runs. 6
5 KEN MAUMALO: Should be one of the first picked in next week’s Kiwis starting line-up. An absolute beast again with a game-high 287 runs from 24 carries – including a massive 116 post-contact metres – and backed that up with a superb double, particularly impressive with his airborne putdown for a crucial 73rd-minute score. Now that he’s scoring tries on the reg (10 from 13 games in 2019), Big Ken is genuinely one of the NRL’s best wingers. 9
2 – Ken Maumalo make it 2 doubles in 5 games now. And moves to 10 tries for the season. #NRL #NRLTitansWarriors https://t.co/SFcwpLhqQW
— NZ Warriors Stats (@NZWarriorsStats) June 14, 2019
6 KODI NIKORIMA: A nice hand in both of Maumalo’s tries and was a lively ball-runner with 80 metres, but still fairly erratic and missed four tackles. Struggling to recapture the highly encouraging form of his first two games in Warriors colours. 6
7 BLAKE GREEN: Pedestrian kicking and passing game for the first 50 minutes, but produced some massive plays thereafter. Bundled Dale Copley into touch (and came up with another big tackle later), laid on Tuivasa-Sheck’s go-ahead try with a last-tackle line-break and had a key hand in Maumalo’s second. 7
Blake Green with the gas!
— Nu Zillunder (@Nu_Zillunder) June 14, 2019
8 AGNASTIUS PAASI: Led the Warriors’ forwards with 122 metres and made 24 tackles in a solid night’s work. He’s not quite the front-row leader we’re craving, but no complaints about Iggy as a competitor and wouldn’t look out of place in a Kiwis jumper next week. 7.5
17 KARL LAWTON: Got the start and sneaked the first try from dummy-half. Came off after half an hour and only received four minutes on the paddock after that. Finished with 22 tackles (no misses). 6
10 LEESON AH MAU: Strong effort from the Kiwi Test incumbent with 116 metres, five tackle-breaks and 21 tackles (no misses). Had the ball nicked off him in the dying minutes, which almost proved very costly. 7
11 ISAIAH PAPALI’I: Has gone off the boil a little bit, but contributed 78 metres and 27 tackles in an OK 80-minute outing. Classy grubber-and-chase forced the repeat set that led to Maumalo’s vital late try. 6
12 TOHU HARRIS: Apparently his knee is not up to playing for the Kiwis next week (his fourth straight withdrawal from national squad consideration), but it held together enough to put up 115 metres and 39 tackles in 68 minutes. Ran very strongly but couldn’t quite find the rhythm to link with his outside supports on the right edge. 7
13 ADAM BLAIR: Huge in defence with a game-high 47 tackles, but a pretty ordinary late shot on Tyrone Roberts in the final minute saw him sin-binned to leave the Warriors guard their try-line with 12 men. Some would say it was a fitting way for him to mark his 300th game. Made six runs for 43 metres, a pretty standard return for the polarising veteran. 6
In his 300th game, Warriors forward Adam Blair was sin-binned for a late hit in a crazy final minute against Gold Coast.https://t.co/iAic4CB2gY #NRL #NRLTitansWarriors pic.twitter.com/z4bFkYlptl
— Sporting News Australia (@sportingnewsau) June 14, 2019
14 JAZZ TEVAGA: His energy and passion is exactly what the Warriors need, but Tevaga endured a horror second half with a bad offload, cheap penalty and handling error before the hour mark. Got through a power of work, though, making 11 runs for 100 metres and 42 tackles in 57 minutes on the park. 5.5
15 BUNTY AFOA: Only give 16 minutes off the bench, making two hit-ups and 13 tackles. Deserves to be a bigger part of the Warriors’ game-plan, particularly when Paasi and Ah Mau aren’t exactly dominating. 4
16 LACHLAN BURR: Busy in 42 minutes with eight carries and 29 tackles. A low-percentage offload near the Titans’ line fortunately resulted in a penalty (and two points) for the Warriors. 5.5
9 ISSAC LUKE: Relegated to the bench but responded well. Made five searching dummy-half runs, reeled off 24 tackles without a miss and kicked three goals – including a vital late sideline conversion. Well below his 2018 standards, but giving his all. 6
Categories: Previews + Reviews, WARRIORS NEWS
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