Warriors running on empty
The Warriors have got enough going against them after the chaotic start to the season, but unless they fix their misfiring attack it is only going to get worse.
After being shut-out against the Knights last week, the Auckland club were kept scoreless for 74 minutes against Canberra before finally breaking their drought with a late penalty try in the 20-6 defeat on the Gold Coast.
It’s not like they didn’t have their opportunities in the hot and dry conditions, particularly in the first half when the Raiders completed at just 50 per cent.
The Warriors actually had the better of the opening quarter, with a try ruled out by the slimmest of margins, while rookie back-rower Eliesa Katoa, who had another impressive performance, was held up in-goal.
But again they struggled for timing on attack, with passes regularly missing the mark, and let the Raiders off the hook with several poor errors.
Last year’s beaten grand finalists were well below their best but still led 6-0 at halftime. And after scoring two tries in three minutes early in the second half, they never looked like losing.
Given the extraordinary circumstances heading into the game, with the squad having to remain in Australia for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as being down on troops, the Warriors were always going to be up against it against one of the competition favourites.
But they didn’t do themselves any favours, finishing the game with 12 errors and a whopping 51 missed tackles.
Watching Roger TuivasaSheck and co run out in front of empty stands in their temporary home of Cbus Super Stadium may take some getting used to, but this is the club’s new normal.
It didn’t get off to a good start – prop Leeson Ah Mau lost the ball on just the second tackle of the match.
But the Warriors withstood the early defensive pressure and marched upfield, only to be denied a try when Raiders centre Jarrod Croker, who fumbled Chanel Harris-Tavita’s kick, was ruled to have been tackled in the air.
Canberra continued to invite them into their territory with mistakes and penalties. After a couple of near misses from the ‘home’ team, they eventually worked their way back into the Warriors’ red zone, and Croker set up Elliott Whitehead for the game’s first points in the 23rdminute.
The Warriors’ failure to capitalise on their possession advantage in the first half came back to bite them shortly after the break as Iosia Soliola pounced on a deft grubber kick by Josh Hodgson.
Another Raiders error in the next set gifted the Warriors a chance to hit back. But a simple dropped pass by Adam Blair saw
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad race clear, before fellow Kiwi Bailey Simonsson crossed in the lefthand corner.
Canberra were always in control from that point, despite not running away on the scoreboard, with two tries called back for forward passes.
With five minutes to go, the Warriors finally opened their scoring for the season when Kodi Nikorima was ruled to have been taken out chasing a Wayde Egan kick in-goal.
But it was the Raiders who had the final say as Curtis Scott won the race to the ball to complete a comfortable victory.
The Warriors are scheduled to face Manly in Sydney next Friday and may be without forward Lachlan Burr, who didn’t take part in the second half after failing a head injury assessment.
‘‘It’s been a challenge ... but that’s no excuse for coming up with some of those errors inside good ball.’’ Coach Stephen Kearney