Evaluating the individuals after one of the biggest collective bed-shits in Warriors history.
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c): If they’d won the game, we’d be lauding another huge RTS performance – game-high tallies of 25 runs, 267 metres and 10 tackle-breaks, as well as a line-break, a kick to force a line dropout and some big defensive plays. Hard to blame him after getting pinned in-goal from a try-line hit-up with a minute to go, but his leadership seemed lacking as his team imploded around him in from the 70th minute. 7.5
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: Strong club debut, carving off 174 metres from 17 runs and five tackle-breaks. Looked hungry. Opposite Ramsey’s last-second try was scored on his wing but the inside men were more to blame for that. More than happy if that’s the base performance level from DWZ. 7
3 ADAM POMPEY: Best performance for some time…which isn’t saying much. But ran for over 100 metres and racked up 22 tackles, just doesn’t have the creativity or attacking awareness to be a quality centre. Still destined for a wing. Kosi’s wing. 5.5
4 MARCELO MONTOYA: Starting to warm to this guy, despite the fact he has a low ceiling and is still destined to lose a game in Jonathan Wright-esque fashion. But his effort and work-rate is quite admirable, this week making 120 metres on 15 carries and reeling off 25 tackles. Defensive read in Ramsey’s decisive try wasn’t great. 6
5 EDWARD KOSI: I don’t like to keep bagging him, because he’s a lovely kid – but I can’t recall a less competent first-grader who keeps getting picked. Kosi was Greg Smith, Paul Carige and Steve Mavin rolled into one during the last 10 minutes of regulation, making a terrible read as Beale strolled over and getting shouldered aside like he was a balloon animal when Bird scored. But the coup de grâce was a bumbling effort to clean up a kick with a minute to go, instead kicking it back towards his own tryline and barely staying in the field of play. RTS gets smashed on the next play, Saints score from the line dropout and win it in GP. Some of this could be somewhat tolerated if he had any redeeming features, but a return of 14 runs for 85 metres (20 post-contact) for a 107-kilo winger smacks of a young fella who is just not up to NRL standard or is seriously battling confidence-wise. 2
22 SEAN O’SULLIVAN: Coming off one of the worst displays ever by a Warriors half against Newcastle, SOS was a bit better after being called in late for Nikorima – but still wasn’t good. Two errors, two penalties, poor option-taking and missed six tackles (though made a mammoth 30). A capable fill-in at his best, a reserve for reserve grade at his worst. 4.5
7 CHAD TOWNSEND: Tremendous courage to play on with what turns out is a reasonably nasty shoulder injury, kicking well throughout and laying on Katoa’s try. Great effort coming into a new line-up, but his game will forever by remembered for the ill-fated field goal attempt that channelled Terry Lamb and Greg Inglis. 6.5
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: Much more like the marquee man we hoped we were getting – 192 metres (82 post-contact) from 19 runs and 38 tackles with a miss. Elite in both departments. But a tide-turning offload that just was not on blotted his night. 7.5
9 WAYDE EGAN: Dazzling solo try, key hand in both other four-pointers and made 58 tackles without missing one. Up there with his best displays in a Warriors jumper until a bad pass in golden point inexplicably handed the Dragons possession and his lack of direction was a factor as the team fell apart in the latter stages. 7
10 KANE EVANS: Has to be on the block following Lodge’s arrival. Just eight runs for 65 metres in 31 minutes on the paddock. On a positive note, good run and play-the-ball in the lead-up to Afoa’s try and 25 tackles without a miss. 5
11 ELIESA KATOA: The rookie version of Katoa returned in emphatic style after a largely underwhelming 2021 to date. Made 12 runs for 133 metres, five tackle-breaks, 35 tackles without a miss and scored a great try. The Warriors’ best. 8
12 BEN MURDOCH-MASILA: Form and involvement has fallen off a cliff since coming into the starting pack on a regular basis. Just five runs in 54 minutes of game-time. Made 30 tackles and missed three. Might need to go back to the bench. 4.5
13 TOHU HARRIS: Departed due to an HIA just 23 minutes in, after which stage he racked up 20 tackles but had run the ball only once. Missed. 5
14 JAZZ TEVAGA: A real Jazz-like display (in the good way), helping change the momentum in the Warriors’ favour when he came on initially and finishing the match with impressive stats of 12 runs for 104 metres and 41 tackles in 52 minutes. Should start with BMM reverting to the bench. 7.5
15 LEESON AH MAU: One of the veteran’s most industrious performances of the season with nine hit-ups for 104 meters and 32 tackles. Hard to envisage a situation now where Ah Mau is offered another contract by the Warriors but has been one of the most consistent forwards in 2021. 7
16 BUNTY AFOA: Worked hard in a modest 26 minutes of game-time with 11 runs for 93 metres and 26 tackles, but a strong try in the second half perhaps made his contribution look a little better than it was. 6.5
17 BAYLEY SIRONEN: After a string of pedestrian-at-best, ghostlike-at-worst outings, Sironen had one of his best games as a Warrior. Ran for 107 metres (more than 40 metres better than his previous 2021-best) and toiled for 36 tackles. Genuine positive. 7
Categories: Previews + Reviews, WARRIORS NEWS
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