TWL RD 8: KINGZ CONTAINER CREW WARRIORS PLAYER RATINGS
Can’t pin that one on an ill-equipped bench.
Don’t let the hot start and frantic finish placate you – the ‘worst under Webster’ belt the Warriors earned for getting pumped by St George Illawarra in Round 7 was surrendered in their first defence to their Round 8 line-up, courtesy of a repugnant 45 minutes or so that gifted the previously winless Gold Coast Titans a deserved 27-24 Anzac Day result.
The Warriors’ threadbare discipline, intensity, goal-line resilience and attention to detail belied the sense of occasion and spine-tingling build-up at a sold-out Mt Smart Stadium, blowing a 12-0 lead after seven minutes into the atmosphere like dandelion spores. The Titans posted 27 unanswered points with disturbing ease and pluckily held onto their slender lead after the hosts woke from their slumber.
This is a fascinating juncture for Webster and his charges that were feted as genuine premiership contenders by some of the most curmudgeonly Australian pundits only a couple of weeks ago. Horrendous back-to-back losses leave the Warriors in the red after eight rounds, looking far more like a team that will be scratching and scrambling for a Top 8 spot than powering towards top-four status if they can’t find some rapid solutions…against much more formidable opposition.
Warriors enhancing their reputation probably could be counted on one hand of a double-amputee, which brings us to another teeth-pulling edition of TWL’s Kingz Container Crew player ratings.
Match Highlights
Des Hasler’s Titans dug deep in Auckland to come up with their first win of 2024 by downing the Warriors! pic.twitter.com/EYYShU5TPn
— NRL (@NRL) April 25, 2024
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD: Up there with the best in a bad team performance for the second week in a row, slicing through for an early try and producing some inspiring runs among 262 metres from 24 carries, along with some classy clean-up at the back. 7
2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK: Much busier from a ball-carrying perspective than last week (18 runs for 192 metres, five tackle-breaks) but was otherwise horrific. Shocking (but not surprising) defensive decision to come off Khan-Pereira as his opposing winger set up the Titans’ first try, then came up with a similar – maybe slightly less jarring – effort when SJ was mopping up Berry’s miss straight after halftime. Then an unbelievably bad offload under pressure that gave the Titans the possession for Brimson’s second. Bulldogs-era DWZ. 4
3 ROCCO BERRY: A terrier on defence throughout the first half (16 tackles) and a sensational grab of a high ball to put the Warriors on the cusp of completing the comeback with this second try of the season. But those positives bookended a diabolical 12 minutes on his own goal-line in the second half where he missed Brian Kelly cold for Khan-Pereira to score, and a big contribution to Brimson bagging his second. Just six runs for 43 metres and a penalty into the bargain. 5
4 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK: To me this felt like RTS’s best game as centre to date. Much of his tally of 176 metres from 16 runs was from incisive or adlib runs inside the Titans’ half, making some mediocre ball-playing inside him look much better than it was on multiple occasions, while Egan’s dummy-half gaffe robbed him of a superb aerial try. A couple of big tackles, too, while an error out wide was essentially due to Martin painting him into a corner on the last. 6.5
5 MARCELO MONTOYA: Some worrying similarities to last week’s Barry Crocker. Started well under the high ball then put a tough one down in-goal, before throwing away the Warriors’ Captain’s Challenge on halftime when he failed in the air again. Made a decent 146 metres from 16 runs but a non-event at the attacking end. Getting harder to justify his spot on the right flank with a stack of talent bubbling away on NSW Cup duty. 4.5
6 TE MAIRE MARTIN: Some genuinely good touches mixed in there, but got worse as the game went closer to the wire. A succession of poorly executed kicks and dud options on the last tackle inside the final 20 minutes did not bode well for his prospects as the permanent No.6 answer in a three-horse race. Dangerous when he took on the defence with a line-break among 77 metres from 10 runs, plus 20 tackles, but his diagonal ball-play can get in the bin. 5
7 SHAUN JOHNSON: Another dazzling start with two deft try assists inside seven minutes, a third from the boot in the second half (should have been four but, yeah, Egan) and a pinpoint kicking game throughout. But indecisiveness on attack as the Warriors chased a go-ahead try proved crucial (including a couple of miscued decoy mix-ups that meant he had to take the tackle on the fifth), shelved his running game (37 metres) and probably had his unhappiest defensive game since the start of 2023 (17 tackles, seven misses). 6
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE: A runaway winner of the Warriors’ MVP gong, running great lines to score a try in each half and rumbling for 222 metres (107 post-contact) on 19 carries, breaking six tackles and racking up 27 tackles. A poor forward pass was a rare negative. On the paddock for a more palatable 61 minutes this week. 8
9 WAYDE EGAN: The chances of having to replace Wayde while he’s on NSW Origin duty are lengthening by the week. Gave away a crucial high-tackle penalty in the first half, vetoed a try to RTS with a dummy-half bobble, threw a couple of loose passes to stunt the Warriors’ red-zone attacking momentum, running dabs were rare and a game-high 49 tackles were tempered by seven misses, including getting shrugged off on the goal-line by David Fifita. 4.5
10 MITCH BARNETT: A typically gritty, grafting performance from the hard nut, chalking up 17 runs for 164 metres and 25 tackles, and popping a good offload. 7
11 JACKSON FORD: An admirable and much-needed bounce-back after a very unhappy fortnight. Played the full 80 minutes, made 13 tough carries for 130 metres and hurled his rangy frame into 43 tackles. And no errors, penalties or infringements, but caught out a bit as Fifita scored. 7
12 JACOB LABAN: A harsh lesson in the talented rookie’s first run-on match. Two bad penalties, stood up by Tanah Boyd as the Titans equalised at the half-hour mark, and just 30 metres from five runs in 46 minutes on the park. Made 17 tackles. A great prospect who will be better for the run, but an easy call to send him to NSW Cup to keep honing his craft when players come out of the casualty ward. 3.5
13 TOHU HARRIS: Looked uncharacteristically worn out, which statlines of 13 runs for 92 metres and – to a lesser extent – 38 tackles back that up. Plenty of passing but timing seemed a bit off. Great try-saver on Kleese Haas in the first half but otherwise a rare forgettable outing for the skipper. 6
14 DYLAN WALKER: Great return overall, though cheap penalty interfering in the play-the-ball was very ordinary and costly. Eased the load on the middle starters with aplomb, making 12 runs for 106 metres and 37 tackles in 54 minutes, while his busy playmaking produced AFB’s second try that kick-started the comeback. Crucial to the team’s pending improvement. 7.5
15 TOM ALE: Played 32 minutes, made four runs for 42 metres and worked hard without the ball for 20 tackles. Not outstanding but no complaints. 5.5
16 ZYON MAIU’U: An eye-catching debut cameo of 12 minutes, coming on when his team was 27-12 down and helping turn the momentum with four rollicking runs for 53 metres. Not sure why you’d pull him off. 6
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