TWL RD 22: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW PLAYER RATINGS
Well, we’re unquestionably into mathematical territory now. But at this point, could you even be bothered with watching this side bumble around for one week longer than is mandated by the NRL regular season?
The Round 27 bye is starting to feel like getting an extra week’s leave before the Xmas break.
The Warriors marked their 11th consecutive Mt Smart sell-out by producing one of the most insipid, passive, fan-spirit-sapping performances in 30 seasons (and there’s some rich soil in that vast paddock) when so much was on the line – a 30-20 defeat to a Parramatta team sitting second-last on the ladder.
A Parramatta on a six-match losing streak with one win from their last 12 matches. A Parramatta team missing their best player, who was replaced in the No.7 by a Warriors utility discard. A Parramatta team that sacked their 10-season coach and has one of the NRL era’s least successful coaches win-percentage-wise as a caretaker. A Parramatta team that had scored more than 28 points in just one other game in 2024. A Parramatta team that had not won a game away from CommBank Stadium this season.
A Parramatta team that had just 48 percent possession, completed at only 75 percent (to the Warriors’ 82 percent) and ran for 263 less metres.
And the final scoreline was massively flattering, with the Warriors running in three inconsequential tries (the latter two against 12 men) in the last 10 minutes – after 70 minutes of the most pedestrian attack imaginable, despite fielding arguably their most dangerous line-up of the season. The only aspect worse was a flaccid defensive effort that haemorrhaged missed tackles, line breaks and offloads to practically beg the Eels to cavort to a 30-4 lead after 63 minutes.
Even Jason ‘Mr. Brightside’ Paris’ Twitter page has tumbleweeds rolling through it after that one.
Let’s get real: I’ll probably be back on the NRL.com Ladder Predictor by Tuesday, figuring out the permutations that would allow the Warriors to sneak through to arguably the least deserved Top 8 berth of all time. But while this white-hot rage is still bubbling away, it’s an opportunity to lay bare some uncomfortable truths about a season that is looking likely to sit alongside the likes of 2012, 2016, 2019 et al.
The much-talked-about heavy injury toll is a mirage, a convenient excuse for a unit that is not a shadow of its previous calendar year version. The reality is that aside from big away wins over Souths and North Queensland, and back-to-back backs-to-the-wall victories over Penrith and the Dolphins, Webby’s Warriors have been nowhere near good enough to come close to replicating last year’s heroics…and it’s not because of who has or hasn’t been on deck.
As for the ongoing subpar showings at packed home grounds, that’s a riddle that would send B.F. Skinner and Sigmund Freud mad. At least the Warriors didn’t blow a big lead in front of an adoring throng this time.
Let’s make like Kingz Container Crew and pack it up for the night and try to enjoy the rest of the weekend…after some spite-tinged player ratings, of course.
This was so bad that the eventual grand final triumph will be 2% less enjoyable.
— This Warriors Life (@thiswarriorslyf) August 2, 2024
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: A rare silver lining, picking up the abundant slack with a colossal 308 metres from 23 runs and eight tackle-breaks. He was rewarded with a 30-metre solo try when the game was already out of reach. Didn’t feature in a ball-playing capacity as hoped. 7.5
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: Not DWZ’s night after arguably a season-best showing last week, despite again topping 200 metres from a hearty 21 runs. Didn’t get the expected silver service on the right edge with SJ and CNK back on deck, and came up with three errors. Grabbed a late try from a kick after badly bombing another. 5.5
3 ALI LEIATAUA: Slick try assist for RTS, 13 runs for 114 metres and 17 tackles with one miss. Nothing too horrific (though the goal-line attempt on Joey Lussick was less than impressive) unless I missed it while texting Brad about the rest of them. 5.5
4 MOALA GRAHAM-TAUFA: A bad night for mine and Brad’s boy. Excellent on the carry (14 runs for 154 metres, six tackle-breaks) despite getting few decent attacking chances, but produced three errors and some horror moments in defence – most notably a cold miss as opposite Blaize Talagi blazed away for the first try of the second half. 4
5 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK: A fine finish for the Warriors’ only try of the first 69 minutes and a thirst for work (18 runs for 154 metres) was juxtaposed against some clumsy moments, including two errors. I stand by the notion that RTS is not this team’s best option at fullback…but the excruciating fact remains it’s the only position he’s come up with an above-par display since returning from union. 5.5
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA: A lively running game during the first half and a key hand in RTS’s try was totally overshadowed by arguably the worst defensive display of his career. CHT’s miss on Dylan Brown in the lead up to Gutherson’s match-sealer was as straightforward as it gets, while he made two errors and gave away a penalty. Maybe it’s tough to criticise on a slippery night, but the optics of getting manhandled back into the in-goal by Brendan Hands was poor. 4
7 SHAUN JOHNSON: If you showed the highlights out of order, you could be forgiven for thinking SJ had a strong offensive game, silkily laying on three tries…in the last 10 minutes when Parramatta had put the cue in the rack. Also kick-started the movement for the only try of the first half, but needed to be far more authoritative near the Eels’ line during that opening stanza. Made 17 tackles but also some poor defensive decisions. Spare me the kicking-game criticism routine, though – it wasn’t particularly good, but it was also off a platform made of soggy chipboard, and would not have even rated a mention if the Warriors were up comfortably. But yeah, overall, a fizzer – and that goalkicking was ordinary (though why would you give the duties to a guy coming off a six-week Achilles injury absence when you have an 80 percent kicker in CHT to call on?). I bet part of him is wishing he hadn’t started a podcast…I know the feeling. 5
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: Yikes. I mean, 17 runs for 135 metres doesn’t exactly scream lack of effort…but when we’re used to AFB bending the line back at will – and after his menacing performance last week – a return of 43 post-contact metres, along with four missed tackles, was one of the disappointments of the night. Phoned it in. 5
14 FREDDY LUSSICK: Catapulted into the starting side in something of a shock, which initially seemed to pay off with some lively runs…and petered out with some ugly options near the Eels’ line. Made 21 tackles but was not sighted after the 23rd minute. 4.5
10 MITCH BARNETT: No surprises that the stand-in skipper was by far the most impressive starting forward, spelled for a mere nine minutes and getting through 20 runs for 167 metres and 38 tackles. Must be wondering what he’s done to deserve his breakout, historic NSW Origin selection year coinciding with his club falling off a cliff when they were touted as premiership contenders. Could leave the field in the first minute of all four remaining games with explosive diarrhea and still easily win the Simon Mannering Medal. 7.5
11 MARATA NIUKORE: Pretty much his best stats across the board of the season – 80 minutes, 14 runs for 122 metres, 36 tackles without a miss, and a try – but an advertisement for why he was initially steered into the middle-forward contingent for 2024. Looks too big and cumbersome on the edge these days and the stark reality is, with injuries and suspensions factored in, Niukore’s value-for-money ratio is at the lower end of the Warriors’ scale from the start of 2023. 6
12 KURT CAPEWELL: Belatedly won the fanbase over with some outstanding efforts based around his ability to cover the backline and back up from Origin, then undid most of it with a bludger of a game. Seven runs for 32 metres, 36 tackles but four misses, and an utterly inexcusable second-tackle drop on attack when the Warriors were still a chance of clawing back into it early in second half. Seems timely to note that Capewell turned 31 last month and is contracted to the end of 2026 when folk are saying “well, he is getting on” about the unwanted, 28-year-old Jazz Tevaga. 4
13 DYLAN WALKER: Has been immense since taking on the starting lock role but succumbed to injury after 23 minutes in a big blow. He’d made four runs and 17 tackles by that stage. Unwelcome timing just a day after strong rumours that he wants out of Auckland for family reasons. 4
Match Highlights
The Parramatta Eels have broken their six-game losing streak with a 30-20 win in a spirited showing against a Warriors side that needed to win to mount a strong case for finals football. pic.twitter.com/lHBSvFhdFX
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2024
9 WAYDE EGAN: Surprisingly benched for the first 22 minutes, and while he didn’t exactly play like he was sulking about it after he came on, he didn’t exactly look like he was desperate to prove a point – or underline his top-five hooker in the NRL status. Five runs for 52 metres and 39 tackles, but Brendan Hands was clearly the standout rake on the night, with Joey Lussick second. 5
15 TOM ALE: Diabolical error under the Eels’ posts not long after entering the fray, which he sort of made up for with a desperate save at the other end seconds later. Good energy and work-rate with 11 runs for 85 metres and 19 tackles in 33 minutes. 5
16 JAZZ TEVAGA: Oh, the irony…or does it make complete sense in a roundabout way? The only guy without a contract for 2025 – the longest continuously-serving Warrior in the club, who they couldn’t scrape together a decent offer for – looked to be one of the only fellas having a proper dig, while a bunch of his buddies went about stealing this week’s wage. Played 37 minutes across two stints and chewed through 13 runs for 124 metres and 24 tackles (worth mentioning, too, no errors and no penalties), all of it backed up by energy and desire. A smart club will pick him up and be rewarded with the best footy of his career. For shame, Warriors. 7.5
17 LEKA HALASIMA: Not the easiest circumstances for a rookie to come on and shine – and didn’t. Nothing too bad, but three runs and 16 tackles in 34 minutes with an error. 4.5
At the very least the club owes my traumatised pooch an apology pic.twitter.com/STVAppN2rq
— This Warriors Life (@thiswarriorslyf) August 2, 2024
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