Warriors’ season all but over after defeat
The Warriors’ playoff hopes were left in a perilous state after being beaten 42-6 by the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.
It was always going to be against the odds for the Warriors to win this one and despite a good start they never looked like causing an upset.
The result leaves the Warriors three points outside the top eight, with tricky games against the Sharks, Rabbitohs and Raiders to finish off their regular season fixtures.
Even if they win those games, it probably won’t be enough to make the playoffs, but really, playing against a top team like the Roosters, the Warriors looked second rate.
This loss wasn’t caused by a poor attitude, but was more a case of them being outclassed.
Kodi Nikorima, who when he moved to the Warriors midseason from the Broncos, probably thought his days as a hooker were over, but found himself being exactly in that position in this game.
Nikorima missed last weekend’s win over the Sea Eagles with an ankle injury, but has found his
return to the No 6 jersey blocked by the rapidly improving Chanel Harristavita, who had been the club’s best player the past two weeks.
It took just two minutes for Roger Tuivasa-sheck to score against his former club, winning the race to ground a grubber kick from Blake Green in goal. But it was all downhill after that.
Six minutes later Warriors centre Gerard Beale hurt a knee colliding with Jared Waerea-hargreaves in a tackle and needed to go off in a medicab.
Initial reports were that he had patella tendon rupture, which means he’s done for the season.
The Roosters started to look threatening as the half went on, while Lachlan Burr didn’t do any favours by dropping the ball in a tackle 10m from the Warriors’ line. However, Victor Radley lost the ball just a metre from the line, following a bit hit from Jazz Tevaga.
But it did seem almost inevitable that the Roosters would score soon and it came with a try from Latrell Mitchell, who fooled Ken Maumalo with a big sidestep, then dived over.
In the 28th minute Joseph Manu snuck in for the Roosters’ next try to put them in front.
Then just before the break Adam Blair conceded a penalty for a high, but try saving, tackle on Radley and Mitchell kicked the goal to make the score 12-6 at the break.
Five minutes into the second half Luke Keary instigated, then finished off an attack for the Rooster’s next try and by this point, the Warriors looked a team that didn’t have the ability or confidence to win.
James Tedesco ran through a dreadfully slack Warriors defence for the Roosters’ next try and Brett Morris scored soon after.
Then in the 61st minute Tevaga put in a late shoulder charge on Cooper Cronk, which resulted in him spending 10 minutes in the bin and possibly more time on the sidelines.
Mitchell Aubusson, Mitchell and Daniel Tupou scored further tries for the Roosters as the Warriors looked a broken team.
At least there is only another 240 minutes of this season to go.