Round 21: Warriors v Wests Tigers preview
The Warriors have been away from Go Media Stadium for the last month and will be keen to satisfy the hunger of the locals as they host the Wests Tigers for Friday night footy start to round 21.
The Warriors scored more tries than their opposition last round, but the Raiders beat the visitors 20-18 after the visitors missed some vital conversions. But coach Adam Webster is adamant this was not the issue; it was down 14-0 until the last minutes of the first half, which was the problem. Webster said it would never be easy when they were playing a game of catch-up. Webster was also critical of the team not putting the Raiders on the ground enough in tackles, allowing the green machine to continue momentum against them and be on the front foot.
The game was challenging for the Warriors, who lost Taine Tuaupiki and Adam Pompey from the game. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a beacon for hope, running over 250 meters and pushing through the defensive line to create opportunities. Even though Chanel Harris-Tavita could not add points while on conversion duty, he still played a solid game in the middle, taking on the bulk of in-game kicking from Te Marie Martin. Addin Fonua-Blake, Dylan Walker and Wayde Egan lifted where they could in the middle, keeping the Warriors in the game till the end. It was also an inspiring game from Mitch Barnett, who said it never crossed his mind not to back up for the boys after a breakout Origin series from him.
Adam Pompey will be sidelined due to a knee injury, and Moala Graham-Taufa will move to replace him in the centres. Taine Tuaupiki will miss a game through concussion protocols, and this sees Roger Tuivasa-Sheck move into fullback, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad still out till round 21 with a calf injury.
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall conceded his team was far better this round to last; even though they lost, there was still plenty to take out of the game. After the 42-28 beating at the hands of South Sydney in Gosford, Marshall said an excellent performance from the young guns of Lachlan Galvin, Tallyn Da Silva and Jahream Bula gave him hope the team is building to be more competitive for next season. Marshall said it was disappointing that they could not finish it even though they were leading at stages during the game. Turing over easy errors at critical parts of the game gave away any momentum they were trying to foster, as well as letting Cody Walker and Jack Wighton have too much room to move in the middle.
Adam Douehi is being rested, which will welcome the return of Starford To'a to the centres. Aidan Sezer has taken a two-match suspension and will be replaced by Latu Fainu. A boost for West's is the return of their skipper Api Koroisau from a calf injury, pushing young gun Tallyn Da Silva to the bench. David Klemmer will sit out this round due to an ankle issue and will be replaced by Founa Pole. John Bateman is off to the Super League in England for the rest of the year and will be replaced by Reuben Porter this round, while Wests will also welcome back to their forward pack Isaiah Papali'i and Alex Seyfarth.
Last meeting: Round 24 2023 - Wests Tigers 22 Warriors 30
Who to watch: The Warriors are upfront and clearly present danger. The Warriors lead the premiership in post-contact meters, and Addin Founa-Blake and Mitch Barnett are the top 4 players for post-contact meters. Watch for these two to lay a foundation in the middle that Wayde Egan will take advantage of with dummy half-runs. Kurt Capewell and Dylan Walker will be the ones to watch as they play well on the edges, and Walker is as dangerous as any half with his skills in kicking and guiding play.
The more ball in hand RTS got, the better the Warrior's attack looked. If the halves combo for Martin and Harris-Tavita can click as they did against the Broncos in round 17, it will open up the floor for RTS to get involved. And it was Martin's kicking game in round 17 that stood out, while in the last round, it seemed to go missing.
With Api Koroisau back, the Wests will gain some experience and stability in the middle. Api is a born competitor and will undoubtedly lead the team through the middle. Wests also gain some strike power in the forwards, with Alex Seyfarth returning to the bench and Isiah Papili'i returning to the run on side. Seyfarth is explosive off the bench and must bring the fire to help contain the Warrior's ferocity in the middle.
The young guns did shine last week, and as their experience grows, so will their chances of finishing off games at critical moments. Lachlan Galvin loves to engage the line, and the more he does, the more he will likely expose some gaps in the Warrior's defence, which was asleep early last round. Jahream Bula is among the top five best support players in the premiership; he has his team's back. But it's just getting him into those positions of opportunity at the end of a set that would help Bula press the attack and cause doubt in the opposition's defensive lines.
FAVOURITE: Leaking on an average of 45 points in their last four games, the Wests are not looking to cause an upset in this round. In addition, they will be without some key players due to injury. The Warriors still seem able to bring the fire and will be hungry to win for the home crowd.
MY TIP: The Warriors won't be letting the home crowd down after such a long hiatus from home. Their halves have shown they can direct the play and have a kicking game that can use robust outside backs like Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. Wests may have played better last round, but they still lack the fire that needed to be a threat.
