The New Zealand Warriors have moved down to third place on the NRL ladder following an 18-6 defeat against the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sydney. The match saw the Warriors struggle to find their rhythm, particularly in the first half, against a strong Bulldogs side.
The home team started the game with significant momentum, scoring two quick tries within the opening 11 minutes. Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton and second-rower Jacob Preston were the try-scorers, putting the Warriors under early pressure. Despite their efforts, the Warriors were unable to respond in the first half, going into the break trailing 12-0.
The Warriors needed to score first in the second half to turn the tide, but repeated mistakes hindered their attempts to threaten the tryline. The Bulldogs further extended their lead when winger Jacob Kiraz scored in the corner, increasing their advantage.
Match Details and Key Moments
Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had opportunities to score, eventually crossing the tryline, but his effort was disallowed due to a forward pass. The team remained scoreless for much of the game, with only six minutes left on the clock before they finally registered points.
The breakthrough for the Warriors came when front-rower Mitch Barnett executed a kick on the last tackle, and five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita gathered the bounce to score a try. This brought their total to six points, but it was not enough to overcome the Bulldogs‘ lead.
The Bulldogs had entered the round in winning form, securing four victories in their last five outings, including a 32-0 win over the Wests Tigers. They were positioned just one game outside the top eight prior to this match. The return of skipper Stephen Crichton, who had been rested the previous week after an injury scare in round 19, provided an additional boost for the Bulldogs.
The Warriors, on the other hand, had narrowly defeated the Dragons in Auckland in their previous match, bringing them within one game of ladder leader Penrith as they pursued their first minor premiership since 2002. However, the loss to the Bulldogs, combined with the Roosters‘ 23-22 win over Newcastle, resulted in the Warriors slipping to third place.
Team Line-ups and Injury Concerns
The Bulldogs made no changes to their 1-19 lineup in the 24-hour update before the match. Sean O’Sullivan moved to the bench after his performance in Crichton’s absence. Star back-rower Viliame Kikau returned to the starting side after recovering from injury, with Josh Curran moving to the interchange. Jed Reardon was a new addition to the bench.
For the One New Zealand Warriors, a change was made to the bench in the 24-hour update, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad coming in for Marata Niukore. Prior to this, there were no changes to the starting side after their win against the Dragons. Marata Niukore had initially been added to the six-man bench in place of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who was not used in the previous week’s match. Centre Rocco Berry was also omitted at the 24-hour mark.
The match also brought concerning news regarding injuries for the Warriors. Fullback Taine Tuaupiki was forced to leave the field during the first half due to a foot complaint, adding to the team’s challenges.
The team lists for the match included:
- Bulldogs Fullback: Connor Tracey
- Warriors Fullback: Taine Tuaupiki
- Bulldogs Winger: Jacob Kiraz
- Warriors Winger: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
- Bulldogs Centre: Matt Burton
- Warriors Centre: Ali Leiataua
- Bulldogs Centre: Enari Tuala
- Warriors Centre: Adam Pompey
- Bulldogs Winger: Jethro Rinakama
- Warriors Winger: Alofiana Khan-Pereira
- Bulldogs Five-Eighth: Stephen Crichton
- Warriors Five-Eighth: Chanel Harris-Tavita
- Bulldogs Halfback: Lachlan Galvin
- Warriors Halfback: Te Maire Martin
The forwards for the Bulldogs included Max King (Prop), Bailey Hayward (Hooker), Leo Thompson (Prop), Viliame Kikau (2nd Row), Jacob Preston (2nd Row), and Jaeman Salmon (Lock). For the Warriors, the forwards were James Fisher-Harris (Prop), Wayde Egan (Hooker), Mitchell Barnett (Prop), Kurt Capewell (2nd Row), Jacob Laban (2nd Row), and Erin Clark (Lock).
Interchange players for the Bulldogs were Josh Curran, Harry Hayes, and Lipoi Hopoi, with Sean O’Sullivan and Jed Reardon as reserves. The Warriors‘ interchange included Tanner Stowers-Smith, Demitric Vaimauga, Leka Halasima, and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, with Sam Healey and Luke Metcalf as reserves.
Statistical Context
The Bulldogs have a recent history of success against the Warriors, having won their last three encounters. The last time these two teams met, in round 23 of the previous year, the Bulldogs also secured a victory over the Warriors. Additionally, the Bulldogs have shown strong form at Accor Stadium, winning four of their last five games played there.
For the Warriors, winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira has been a notable performer, scoring 12 tries in 10 games this season. The team has also demonstrated strength against teams outside the top eight, winning eight out of nine such matches. Bulldogs winger Jethro Rinakama has also been in good scoring form, with six tries in his last six games.
The match officials for the game included referee Adam Gee, touch judge Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, and senior review official Wyatt Raymond. The defeat means the Warriors now sit third on the NRL competition ladder.
Source: rnz.co.nz
