Some individual plaudits – and a couple of brickbats – from a valiant collective effort against the Roosters on Saturday afternoon.
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: Solid under the high ball, strong bringing the ball back (12 runs for 114 metres, 31 post-contact) but none on the high points that marked his maximum-Dally-M-vote showing last week, whle an HIA ended his afternoon in the 53rd minute. A non-factor in the attacking part of the field and came up with an error on the ground in front of the posts in the second half. 5.5
2 ED KOSI: Some really good points from Big Ed – a workhorse out of the Warriors’ end with 145 metres (including 59 post-contact) on 15 carries, a line-break, faultless under the high balls and a few good defensive decisions. Gave away a penalty, had an error and arguably a rush of blood to harry a ball dead, but overall pretty sound from the tyro. 7
3 BRAYDEN WILIAME: Worked hard as a ball-carrier (104 metres from 12 runs) and largely did a good job opposite Joey Manu, but made two errors, gave away a penalty and generally looked a bit off the pace after a stellar club debut. 5.5
4 ADAM POMPEY: Nothing too bad in a tough match-up with Joseph Suaalii, but a characteristically unispiring showing from Pompey. Eleven ambling runs for 96 metres, OK defensively, an error and a penalty conceded. Possibly to blame for the non-existent dummy-half debacle. 5
5 MARCELO MONTOYA: Led the team again in the running metres department (151 metres on 15 carries) and produced some good defensive efforts. Probably the biggest takeaway – which we got a glimpse of last week – is how much he hurts guys running the ball. Brandon Smith exited courtesy of a clash with Montoya and some other Roosters came off second best. 6.5
6 TE MAIRE MARTIN: Some nice touches – particularly in the Egan try – and again defended stoutly, but the Warriors needed much more from him on attack, while he seems far too comfortable letting Shaun Johnson run the show in every aspect. Pitched into fullback after CNK’s injury and did fine without making the impact we saw from him in the same role at the Broncos last season. Work to do. 6
7 SHAUN JOHNSON: Some cynics will probably find a way to pick holes in his performance, but SJ was his team’s best by a margin and should get Dally M points after his best display in a Warriors jersey since 2018. Defensively sensational (21 tackles, no misses) with a goal-line, ball-and-all try-saver on Lindsay Collins the highlight, while he had a huge hand in both tries and couldn’t have done much more kicking-wise in a team that was pumped in the yardage department. Could have chance his arm a bit more after he’d helped reduced the gap to six, but was slick all day in the ball-playing department and the bottom line is you’re a jerk if your takeaway from this game is yet another SJ whinge. 8
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: A big day out for AFB with 10 runs for 131 metres (53 post-contact), plus a massive 32-tackle contribution and backing up heroically to run away for a memorable try. One of the few that improved on Round 1. 7.5
9 WAYDE EGAN: Eventful afternoon for TWL‘ Round 1 man-of-the-match, scoring a try and having two touches in the trick play that created it, came agonisingly close to levelling up the game late with a sizzling line-break, and reeled off 45 tackles. Combination with Johnson has gone up a notch on 2022. Off for 21 minutes after copping another knock. 7
10 MITCHELL BARNETT: One of the stars of the brilliant first-half defensive effort and unveiled a massive motor to play 72 minutes in an injury-hit pack and make 55 tackles. A modest nine runs for 63 metres, which is forgivable given his hurculean efforts on the other side of the ball. 7
11 JACKSON FORD: Big blow as one of the breakout performers of the Knights win left the field after one run and two minutes. 5
12 MARATA NIUKORE: Another to go off with an HIA early. Returned to make a sizeable impact during his time on the paddock, though. A workhorse and an enforcer on defence with 39 tackles (no misses), while much much prominent in attack with 97 metres on nine carries – including a great line inside off Johnson and an even better pass in the tackle to send Fonua-Blake away for the try. 7.5
13 TOHU HARRIS (c): Wow. Seriously. Another 80-minute effort in a pack that was under the pump, carting it up 15 times for 144 metres (including a team-high 62 post-contact) and making an outrageous 60 tackles. Still had enough energy to feature heavily on attack with 19 passes, having a key hand in both tries. Amazing. 8
14 DYLAN WALKER: Got 64 minutes of game-time in the back-row and at dummy-half due to injuries but it was a mixed bag from the veteran. Constantly involved (nine runs for 80 metres and 27 tackles) and was the first player this season to chime in and help Johnson in the kicking department, but a heavy grubber and a cold drop when the Warriors were threatening to square up the game late were the unfortunate lingering reminder’s of the utility’s arvo at Allianz. 6
15 BUNTY AFOA: Only 22 minutes this week but toiled hard in defence with 20 tackles and made four strong runs for 46 metres. Not overly noticeable. 5.5
16 JOSH CURRAN: Revelled in early entry to the action after Ford’s exit, playing 58 minutes before being forced out of the game with injury. An absolute terrier in defence (34 tackles) with several important stops and some hurtful efforts with his shoulder, while he looked a threat on the right edge and had nine runs for 94 metres (44 post-contact). 7
17 TOM ALE: Played 31 minutes but was less prominent than during his late cameo last week. Had only three runs and 12 tackles. 5
18 BAYLEY SIRONEN: In the thick of the action after being activated, backing up Egan’s break only to be pulled down just short of the line. Four runs for 44 metres and six tackles. Will be happy to get a run in the NRL…even if the refs mistake him for a Parramatta winger (top marks to the Warriors comms team for the burn). 6
FYI Bayley Simonsson is on the field
— One NZ Warriors (@NZWarriors) March 11, 2023
Categories: Previews + Reviews, WARRIORS NEWS
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