TWL RD 25: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW WARRIORS PLAYER RATINGS
The lump-in-the-throat moments pre- and post-match made it an occasion to remember fondly, but the footy produced by the also-ran Warriors in a 34-18 loss to Canterbury Bulldogs at a jam-packed Shaun Johnson Stadium harboured many of the hallmarks that have rendered 2024 a bitter disappointment on the paddock.
For the fourth time this season, the Warriors made a rousing 12-0 start (or better) at home and lost…go on with the job in those games and you’re in the thick of the finals mix.
They did well to regain the halftime lead, but with rain again proving this team’s Kryponite, clumsy errors began to pile up and the Warriors’ attack became increasingly predictable and unimaginative in the face of a swarming Canterbury defence.
Notwithstanding the fact the Bulldogs should have had a player binned twice in the second half, the visitors showed why they are knocking on the door of a top-four finish. Much like the Warriors of 2023, they were able to put a dusty start behind them and get home comfortably by getting on top physically, and utilising their superior fitness and poise to ice opportunities.
Overarching positives in the confines of the 80 minutes were hard to come by for the Warriors, so for now let’s just remember the mighty contributions to the club of Shaun Johnson, Jazz Tevaga and Addin Fonua-Blake on better days than this one, and get into the penultimate Kingz Container Crew player ratings of the year.
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: A team-high 136 metres, a sensational try-saving tackle on Jacob Kiraz and some tidy clean-up work at the back in difficult conditions were juxtaposed against one diabolical turnover pass and a general lack of effectiveness in attack in the Bulldogs’ half. Solid but not his best. 6.5
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: The ball rarely made it to his flank in the wet, while he finished with a very modest 72 metres on nine runs following a super-quiet first half. Five tackle-breaks but three errors and was beaten by a sensational Matt Burton 40/20. 5
3 ADAM POMPEY: Lasted only 22 minutes, during which time he made one run, four tackles and gave away a penalty. 4
4 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK: Another underwhelming night in the centres for Toa Samoa’s latest recruit, struggling a couple of times in defence and coming up with an error before a head knock ruled him out early in the second half. Five runs for 42 metres. 4.5
5 MARCELO MONTOYA: Barged over for the first try (effectively running as a centre, where he is arguably better suited) and was the Warriors’ only starting back besides CNK to top 100 metres, doing so from 13 tough carries. Six tackle-breaks, one error. 6
6 LUKE METCALF: Sizzling start with two try assists (albeit one from a forward pass) but couldn’t impose himself on the contest from that point. Took the line on fairly regularly to finish with 82 metres on 13 runs but had the left-side attack going a bit sideways. Bad night in defence, making 12 tackles but missing seven – and getting torched by Stephen Crichton for Kiraz’s match-sealer. 5
7 SHAUN JOHNSON: Certainly not the fairytale performance we were trying to manifest for the great man. Coughed up the ball in the first set and threw at least a couple of dusty passes, before turning the ball over with his last touch at his beloved home ground. In between, produced some glimpses of trademark class with a lovely hand in the first try, some hot-stepping runs (12 runs for 80 metres, six tackle-breaks) and overall a good night with the boot (two forced dropouts, three-from-three off the tee). But in a familiar 2024 tale, there was no plan B when the right-edge sweeps weren’t working and SJ seemed unwilling to try anything else against a superb Bulldogs defensive unit. Luckily we’ve got a million other magic memories from a one-of-a-kind player. 5
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: Led the Warriors’ pack with 13 runs for 125 metres (60 post-contact), three offloads and an outrageous 49 tackles without a miss, appearing hellbent on trying to swing the game his team’s way. What a servant he’s been over four seasons. 8
9 WAYDE EGAN: Negated his miss on Kikau in the lead-up to Morrin’s try by dummying through for a try from acting half on the stroke of halftime. Otherwise a fairly understated display, gilded with the slight lack of trademark crispness that has unfortunately become a common factor as the Warriors’ season has imploded. Made 35 tackles before leaving the field with 19 minutes left. 5
15 JAZZ TEVAGA: Promoted to the starting side for his last home game and played an uncustomarily high 61 minutes, ripping in on both sides of the ball as you’d expect. Eleven runs for 99 metres and 39 tackles – all of it with typical vigour and aggro – while an error in the tackle during the first half was the only downside. 6.5
10 MITCH BARNETT: Switched to the second-row in the run-on team and played the full 80. Like Fonua-Blake, seemed perpetually involved whether it was from a rollicking carry (nine runs for 97 metres) or smashing a Bulldogs at the end of a kick-chase (finishing with 31 tackles). The only player in the starting side not to give up an error on penalty, though was responsible for a couple of six-agains. 7
12 KURT CAPEWELL: Ran a superb line (off a slightly forward pass) to score his fourth try in six games, then switched to the centres yet again following Pompey’s injury. Unable to handle a high ball as Crichton scored but otherwise did a decent job against the game’s best centre, winding up with 15 runs for 134 metres and 21 tackles. 7
13 DYLAN WALKER: An 80-minute trojan once again with 94 metres from an equal-team-high 16 runs and a huge defensive shift of 41 tackles, including some excellent stops near the Warriors’ line. Ball-playing hasn’t quite hit the mark in recent weeks. 6.5
11 MARATA NIUKORE: Bumped to the bench in a late switch but ended up playing 59 minutes due to Pompey’s injury exit. Made only four runs and had two errors in another forgettable outing of an subpar individual campaign, along with 22 tackles. 4.5
14 FREDDY LUSSICK: Came on for the last quarter of the match and did his job adequately, making 17 tackles without a miss, zero runs and an error. Hitting Walker for a one-out play under the posts on the last tackle in what was effectively their last chance to set up a grandstand finish was a moment he’d like to have over. 5
17 DEMETRIC SIFUKULA: If you’re looking for a silver lining from this performance for 2025, Sifakula provided it in arguably his strongest NRL game to date. Incredibly hard to handle in 32 minutes on the park, with 10 runs for 116 metres and five tackle-breaks, along with 13 tackles. Big future and may have pushed his way back to the front of the queue of hulking tyro Warriors forwards. 7.5
18 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA: An interesting late change with Tom Ale dropping out, but CHT’s versatility came in handy when RTS was rubbed out, spending the last 35 minutes at centre. Looked to get involved and had some genuinely nice touches among eight runs for 41 metres, popping a couple of offloads. 5.5
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