TWL RD 5: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW WARRIORS PLAYER RATINGS
After a largely encouraging but overwhelmingly patchy first month of the season, the Warriors laid down their widely-touted 2024 premiership credentials in emphatic fashion at the expense of bogey team South Sydney in Round 5 – snapping an eight-match losing streak against the Rabbitohs via a 34-4 beatdown.
The Warriors hit back immediately after conceding an early try and grinded out the ensuing arm-wrestle, then exploded late in the first half to take an 18-4 lead back into the Accor Stadium sheds.
The second stanza was a lesson in control and pressure, barely giving an increasingly exasperated Souths outfit an inch on defence and picking their moments offensively in a complete team performance. Running in six tries in total and keeping their line intact for the last 75 minutes, it was easily the Warriors’ best performance on either side of the ball so far this year.
One of the most pleasing aspects was such a display came despite the unavailability of five first-choice players – Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marata Niukore, Luke Metcalf, Kurt Capewell and, the only one who didn’t play against Newcastle last week, Dylan Walker – with each of the replacements enjoying a big day out at Homebush and in the Kingz Container Crew Warriors Player Ratings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1m1PtgbRxI
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: A dusty start to his first game since a man-of-the-match performance in the Kiwis’ demolition of the Kangaroos as he was wrong-footed by Souths’ try-scorer Izaac Thompson, but it was all gravy from that point. Ran for a mammoth game-high 260 metres from 23 carries, made a searing break to send SJ away for his first and produced a second assist for RTS to score. Four tackle-breaks and safe as at the back, despite a couple of errors. Definitely our man for the No.1 jersey. 8.5
4 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK: I was a tad skeptical about the call to shunt Rog to the wing and was actually looking forward to seeing how Pompey went there, but the call proved the correct one. Got through plenty of grunt-work with 15 runs for 162 metres and had two huge second-half moments, cutting down Thompson and putting him into touch then scoring in the corner with little room to move. One error. Great way to bring up 200 appearances in the NRL. 8
3 ROCCO BERRY: Ran a great, hard line to storm over for the Warriors’ rapid reponse in the eighth minute. Looked a bit indecisive on defence during the first half as the Rabbitohs troubled the visitors’ right side, but much more comfortable after the break to play a big role in shutting down Souths’ danger edge. Finished with 19 tackles, including a couple of superb stops on opposite Jack Wighton. Very quiet afternoon on attack (five runs, 38 metres) besides the try – but that was a huge moment. 7
18 ADAM POMPEY: Got another late call-up and justified the decision to keep him at left centre. Similar to last week: hardworking on both sides of the ball (13 runs for 114 metres, 14 tackles) without any big highlights but no real cock-ups either, though credited with one error. Maybe could’ve slipped a pass to an unmarked Montoya in the first half after beating a couple of defenders. 7
5 MARCELO MONTOYA: One of the Warriors’ best during an evenly-fou.5ght opening half-hour, turning up with a string of trademark tough carries. Few real opportunities to thrive on attack but finished with 153 metres from 21 industrious runs. 7
6 TE MAIRE MARTIN: Got the nod as Metcalf’s replacement and will be impossible to dislodge if this is his standard. Arguably his best performance as a Warrior and certainly his most impressive from a ball-running perspective, finishing with 97 metres and four tackle-breaks from eight runs. Backed up Egan’s brilliant break to set up Johnson’s second and iced the game with an outstanding solo try – his first for the club (and first in the No.6 at NRL level since the opening round of 2019). Typically strong defensively with 22 tackles. 8.5
7 SHAUN JOHNSON: Vintage SJ with magnificent ball-playing guile to set up the Warriors’ first two tries, pushing up in support to score their next two and having a key hand in RTS’s four-pointer. Landed five goals, kicked flawlessly in general play beside one that hit the corner post, ran for 111 metres and passed Ben Matulino to become the fourth-most-capped Warrior with his 213th appearance to boot. 9
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: Back to his best, leading all forwards on the field with 178 metres from 16 runs with four tackle-breaks. Got the footwork, fend and offload going during a big second-half stint and made 24 tackles without a miss in a season-high 62 minutes. 8
9 WAYDE EGAN: If I wasn’t 100% convinced before, I am now – Wayde Egan is the Warriors’ greatest-ever hooker. Put the NSW selectors on notice by thoroughly outplaying Damien Cook in an 80-minute example of dummy-half wizardry. It’s hard to choose between his deft play to put CNK through a hole in the lead-up to SJ’s first try or his weaving break and wonderful flick offload to lay on his second as the standout moment, while Egan’s silver service featured in all four of the Warriors’ other tries. Reeled off 39 tackles as well and finished with 91 dummy-half running metres. There’s a tiny chance the 2020 no-look pass criticism was off the mark… 9.5
16 BUNTY AFOA: Thrust into the starting line-up and impressed in his opening stint. Racked up six runs for 61 metres and 17 tackles in total before a hamstring injury cut short his second shift after just seven minutes. 6.5
11 JACKSON FORD: Combination with Johnson continues to flourish, making a line-break off the halfback for the third straight game and scoring for the second consecutive week. A bit quieter on attack as the game wore on and finished with 104 metres from 14 runs – though had an equal-team-high four tackle-breaks – while a handling error and a penalty would have frustrated the rangy unit after a mistake-free showing last week. Topped the Warriors’ tackle count with 41. 7.5
10 MITCH BARNETT: Moved to the edge to start and had a go in the middle, playing all but six minutes of the match in another bumper effort. Chewed through 13 runs for 129 metres and made 34 tackles, all of it laced with aggression. Just a mongrel – and a vital component of the Warriors machine. Blues Origin chances continue to rise. 7.5
13 TOHU HARRIS: Played the full 80, toiled for 117 metres from 16 runs and 32 tackles, and the ball-player’s 19 passes included a key hand in Ford’s try. Another prominent feature of the incomparable skipper’s performance was at least three desperation clean-up efforts on the deck to secure possession for his side. 8
15 TOM ALE: Had 24 minutes off the pine and made the most of it with nine runs for 101 metres – a timely display with injuries starting to bite among the Warriors’ middle forward contingent. 6.5
17 JAZZ TEVAGA: Seemed to be constantly in the frame during his 33 straight minutes on the park, getting through 12 runs for 103 metres and 15 tackles in a typically high-energy performance. A couple of blips with two handling errors – one of which saw a try go begging – but Jazz continues to prove his worth enthusiasm-wise whenever he gets his chance. 6.5
20 JACOB LABAN: Freshly anointed as Warrior #286 and looked every bit the first-grader on debut. Modest stats of five runs for 38 metres and seven tackles in 31 minutes, but looked dangerous with each touch and forced an error with a strong front-on tackle on Latrell Mitchell. Will be tempting to try and squeeze the 19-year-old (he turns 20 later this month) into the 17 each week. 6
21 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA: Spelled Johnson for the last nine minutes and didn’t get much of a chance to make an imprint, but made his presence felt on defence. 5
The post TWL RD 5: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW WARRIORS PLAYER RATINGS appeared first on This Warriors Life.