Warriors freeze in straight-sets Knightmare

Some controversial late calls can’t distract from an overall Warriors performance that was excruciatingly subpar as the gritty Knights advanced at Eden Park.

A record-breaking season that seemed likelier than any other before it to deliver a maiden premiership has ended via the agony of back-to-back home finals losses.

The Warriors crashed 12-10 to a brave Newcastle outfit in front the biggest rugby league crowd in New Zealand’s history (48,511), falling devastatingly short in so many of the fundamental areas that carried that team to 18 regular-season wins.

The superhuman efforts of late inclusion Leka Halasima, who was still clearly hampered, kept the Warriors in the contest — but an erratic display from the home side’s halves and a catalogue of last-tackle atrocities will come under a harsh microscope.

Meanwhile, as expected, the Knights’ lethal back-five caused sufficient havoc to deliver two tries from the six line-breaks they produced between them. Conversely, a welter of Warriors good-ball possession went to waste via a lack of attacking impetus and variety, and some appalling option-taking.

Though the better side on the day undoubtedly advances to a prelim against Penrith, a trio of Bunker howlers cruelled the Warriors after Halasima’s heroics reduced the deficit to two points with 10 minutes left. The term ‘conclusive evidence’ went out the window as the Knights won a challenge, while the Bunker used an equally dubious interpretation to deny the Warriors’ challenge against a stripping penalty.

The match ended in controversy with Halasima escorted off the chase of a bomb in front of the Knights’ posts with a minute to go.

Ultimately, though, the Warriors have to look inwardly for the reasons they were bundled out by the 2025 wooden spooners — who finished seventh after winning only three of their last eight games and lost their two starting props on the eve of the playoffs.

One of the worst straight-sets exits in finals history leaves Andrew Webster with an unflattering 1-5 finals record in charge of the club. Unlocking another gear in September is imperative if they want to avoid becoming another Cronulla — and more than ever the lack of a marquee type that doesn’t play prop was frighteningly glaring.

The Warriors dodged a major bullet early on after Kalyn Ponga made a blistering, terrifying break from his own half. Fletcher Sharpe tripped over with the tryline wide open, while a shift on the next play that put Dom Young in was foiled by a forward-pass call.

The Warriors’ early attacking forays were too tame, but they got on the board first in the 13th minute through Leka Halasima’s tackle-busting, hot-stepping class.

Subsequent chances went begging with the Knights holding strong on their line and the Warriors running out of ideas with the ball.

The Knights’ resilience was rewarded 11 minutes out from halftime as Bradman Best palmed off Jacob Laban and made a long break. This time, Sharpe kept his feet in support and streaked away to score.

The second half couldn’t have started much worse for the hosts. An ill-advised Dallin Watene-Zelezniak offload handed cheap possession to the Knights, who torched the Warriors’ left edge far too easily as Young blazed in to score.

Charzne Nicoll-Klokstad was injured in attempting (poorly) to defend the tryscoring movement, failing an HIA with Alofiana Khan-Pereira entering the fray.

The second half was largely an exercise in frustration for the Warriors. In a match where possession finished even and the Knights made more errors, the Warriors made 300 more run metres and averaged an imposing 46.63 metres per set to the Knights’ 39.66.

But a plethora of attacking chances failed to produce a result. Chanel Harris-Tavita’s last-tackle kicking near the line was shambolic and Mitch Barnett inexplicably ended up with the ball on the final tackle on multiple occasions. Ali Leiataua had a try correctly denied by Eddie Ieremia-Toeava’s clumsy obstruction.

A short-side gamble from Kurt Capewell — who had a mighty game — and Wayde Egan saw Halasima superman over in the corner, but Tuaupiki’s sideline conversion was just offline.

An outrageous overturning of a Knights knock-on by the Bunker, who then ignored Greg Marzhew’s loose carry and instead pinned it on a Te Maire Martin strip, made for a wild, controversial closing period. A limp last throw of the dice could easily have produced a penalty goal to send the semi into extra-time, but Tyson Frizell wasn’t pinged for what has been ruled an escort more often than not in 2026.

Again, the Knights deserve all the plaudits for a titanic defensive display and their superior poise. The Warriors didn’t make their own luck or do enough to control their own destiny, which perhaps makes the aforementioned officiating disgraces a little easier to stomach.

This finals failure is red raw right now for every Warriors fan. It feels far too soon to reflect positively on the immense progress this group made in 2026. The pain from this defeat won’t subside until they go deeper…and it seems like an excruciatingly long 12 months until the team gets another opportunity to do so.

NRL — FINALS WEEK TWO: Newcastle Knights 12 defeated Warriors (Leka Halasima 2 tries; Taine Tuaupiki goal) at Eden Park, Auckland.