TWL RD 14: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW WARRIORS PLAYER RATINGS
No Barnett, no Egan…no fucken worries for the Wahs.
The Warriors have produced some iconic victories at Pointsbet Stadium over the past couple of seasons: the comeback from 20-0 down in 2023, and Shaun Johnson’s final NRL act to steal a win on the buzzer in their last outing of 2024.
But tonight’s 40-10 rout of would-be top-four hopefuls Cronulla may prove the most significant of the treble of Shire upsets, signifying the Warriors’ mouth-watering potential for the next half-decade – and their genuine capacity, in an unpredictable and staggeringly even 2025 NRL premiership with few real standouts, to do some dark-horse damage this September.
Mitch Barnett’s devastating ACL rupture dominated the build-up, while the match-day withdrawal of Wayde Egan – the premiership’s form No.9 – seemed an insurmountable setback. But this was a dominant performance spearheaded by the exuberance of youth, while galvanised by the guidance of a few old hardheads.
Catching up with teenaged freak Leka Halasima, the penny apparently dropped for Demetric Vaimauga and Jacob Laban, who fulfilled their game-changing promise in breakout performances. Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita raised their bar to another level to utterly outplay high-profile Sharks halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall. Sam Healey looked superb in his first run-on game in the top flight. Jackson Ford continues to stand tall off the bench.
The acronym brigade – RTS, CNK, JFH – and the similarly experienced likes of Kurt Capewell, Erin Clark and Marata Niukore filled in the gaps.
A fast Warriors start was pegged back by a Sharks side that went into halftime 12-10 behind but running downhill. The second stanza started in dream-like fashion for the visitors, though – and the remained of the match could be excused for pure fantasy as the Warriors carved out a 28-0 half and notorious skeptic (and the club’s first-ever No.7, it’s always worth remembering) ‘Brandy’ Alexander even started giving the team its dues.
The upshot is the Warriors are 10-3 and, at worst, equal-second on the ladder just on the other side of the regular season’s halfway mark, heading into a bye and then a home clash with an Origin-burdened Penrith team just three days after game two in Perth.
As everything stands, we’re in this title race up to our eyeballs. Now feast your eyes on some Kingz Container Crew player ratings – here’s to feeling good all the time!
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: Another massive shift from the workhorse custodian just six days after one of his best ever (yeah, yeah – I should’ve given him at least a 9 last week, gimme a break). Game-high tallies of 242 metres and six tackle-breaks, a brilliant try-saving play on halftime (making up for the six-again he gave away in the lead-up to the Sharks’ first) and a massive line-break in the opening set of the second half, plus the customary steadiness at the back. 8
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: Started this game in much the same way as the last, producing a magnificent grab of a Metcalf kick to score the opening try. Still off the pace in general, though, making three errors and managing just 69 metres on 10 carrries. Looks kinda…slow even. Couple of handy plays under pressure and good takes at the Warriors’ end. 6
3 ADAM POMPEY: Followed through on a fumbled kick to score a try in the first half. Three runs for 31 metres is a pretty ordinary return, but that can happen with Pompey when there’s so many other teammates in a dominant ball-carrying mood. Opposing centre Jesse Ramien made 144 metres, but our Adam pegged some bragging rights back by picking him up and dumping him (one of only seven tackles for the match) late in the second half. 5.5
4 KURT CAPEWELL: Set the tone from the outset with his kick-chase enthusiasm and line-speed, finishing another fine gap-plugging stint at centre with 24 tackles, along with seven runs for 59 metres. Did a good job against Sharks danger-man KL Iro. 7
5 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK: The tryscoring run dried up but RTS was immense again with 22 carries for 203 metres (including a game-high 70 post-contact), with five tackle-breaks and a strong defensive showing. Has well and truly found a home on the flank after last year’s failed centre experiment and has been one of the team’s most consistent contributors. 7.5
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA: What a night for CHT. Excellent bombs produced tries for Pompey and Halasima, before scoring the last two tries of the match from a show-and-go on the last tackle and a 90-metre intercept run – accounting for the bulk of what sure was a career-high 150-metre performance. Otherwise kicked very well and came up with some big stops among 23 tackles. 8.5
7 LUKE METCALF: One of the novice No.7’s most complete displays yet. Great kick for Dallin’s fifth-minute opener, but his outstanding long kicking game – doing pretty much all of it on the night – was superb. Took the line on regularly and produced a sizzling second-phase break to set up Vaimauga’s memorable try. Some solid defence and a better day off the tee with six-from-eight. 8.5
8 JAMES FISHER-HARRIS: First try for the club – running a good line off a Vaimauga short ball – was an obvious highlight, but stood up to the Sharks’ vaunted middles. Racked up 12 runs for 109 metres and 34 tackles, but AFB’s uncharacteristically meagre return of 126 metres from 64 minutes on the paddock might be JFH’s most impressive statline on the night. 7.5
20 SAM HEALEY: Incredible occasion for the game-day inclusion, making his first NRL run-on appearance against his former club, which his old man played 222 games for. Looked the absolute goods during his first-half stint, troubling the Sharks and playing a key hand in the Warriors’ first try. Finished a 47-minute performance with eight runs for 71 metres and 27 tackles. Healey’s dummy-half class and dynamism made a strong case for a permanent bench spot ahead of TMM’s versatility. 7
12 MARATA NIUKORE: Great move from Andrew Webster to shift the veteran to the middle for the opening exchanges. Enjoying a form renaissance after an underwhelming start to the season (and a so-so 2024), Niukore felt more impactful than his nine runs for 74 metres and 24 tackles in 59 minutes suggest. 7
11 LEKA HALASIMA: Thrust back into the starting line-up and revelled in playing 80 minutes again, reeling off 38 tackles and making 10 runs for 73 metres, as well as leaping to snatch a try from a kick that broke the Sharks’ back. And sill only 19! 7.5
15 JACOB LABAN: Started in an NRL match for just the second time (and in only his 13th top-grade appearance overall) and produced the sort of performance we’ve been waiting for. Started the game on fire on both sides of the ball and got through 10 runs for 77 metres and 33 tackles – including some hurtful stops – in playing the first 50 minutes of the game. 7
13 ERIN CLARK: Webby wound back his minutes a bit – playing 50 – but Clark was an influential as ever with a mighty contribution of 18 runs for 162 metres through the Sharks’ middle, along with making 25 tackles. Tremendous offload in the lead-up to Vaimauga’s try and always found his front and a quick play-the-ball. Just superb again. 8
10 JACKSON FORD: Bumped back to the bench again but is rapidly becoming as integral to the Warriors as any starting forward. Another colossal performance in 54 minutes off the pine, churning through 18 runs for 159 metres and 39 tackles and was error-free yet again (though gave away a couple of penalties). 8
14 TE MAIRE MARTIN: Came on at hooker for 35 minutes in the middle part of the match and did a decent job, giving good service and making 18 tackles. Offers next to no spark in the role though. 5.5
16 DEMETRIC VAIMAUGA: Wow…that was special. A deft short ball to put JFH away for a try and backed up to streak off for his own four-pointer were searing moments, but was impactful throughout his 40 minutes on the paddock with 11 runs for 106 metres and 21 tackles. A 200-game Warrior if he wants to be. 8
17 TANNER STOWERS-SMITH: Great numbers for 21 minutes on the field – five runs for 53 metres and 14 tackles without a miss – in just the Canterbury product’s second NRL appearance. 5.5
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