Warriors NRLW side cop Canberra reality check
The Warriors wāhine conceded eight tries in a jarring Round 2 loss to the Raiders.
After a big season-opening statement in Hamilton, the Warriors’ NRLW side has been dragged back to earth via a 42-16 defeat to a rampant Canberra Raiders outfit in Sunday afternoon’s Round 2 encounter.
The Raiders scored four tries in each half, initially stretching the Warriors out wide on both edges before exposing some disappointing defence through the middle.
The late withdrawal of gun five-eighth recruit Gayle Broughton — so dominant last weekend against Canterbury — with a quad injury proved a devastating blow for a Warriors side that consequently looked rudderless at times.
Veteran skipper Apii Nicholls shifted to fill the gap at pivot, which saw Emmanati Paki move from centre to fullback, Shakira Baker go from second-row to centre, 2026 newcomer Christabelle Onesemo get promoted from the bench to second-row and reserve Ocean Tierney come onto the wing for an NRLW debut.
Conceding four tries in the opening 20 minutes to trail 18-0, the Warriors stemmed the flow of points against them and got on the board through a try from dummy-half to Capri Paekau.
But any notion of a second-half comeback was dispelled when winger Mackenzie Wiki (daughter of Raiders and Warriors icon Ruben Wiki) scored her second try, before second-rower Jordyn Preston’s barnstorming solo effort and a strong try to Raiders centre and experienced Kiwi Ferns rep Leianne Tufuga. The latter two tries came while Warriors second-rower Maarire Puketapu was in the sin-bin for a hip drop.
The highlight of a tough afternoon for the Warriors was undoubtedly Tierney’s double in the last 15 minutes, both tries coming after latching onto clever kicks from halfback Patricia Maliepo.
But some of the statlines made for ugly reading for coach Ron Griffiths: the Warriors had just 43 percent possession after losing the penalty count 10-3, contributing to the Raiders running for over 500 metres more than the Warriors and making 10 line-breaks to one.
Ivana Lauitiiti returned from suspension to make a team-high 98 metres from nine runs, along with 21 tackles, in 41 minutes off the bench. Fellow interchange Harata Butler racked up 10 runs for 87 metres in just 25 minutes. Hooker Paekau topped the tackle count with 35.
Meanwhile, crosscode winger Stacey Waaka made 86 metres and a game-high seven tackle-breaks from her 12 runs on club debut.
The Warriors host the winless North Queensland Cowboys next Saturday at Go Media Stadium.