The New Zealand Warriors will have to turn around a horrendous record in Townsville, but still go into their Round 15 clash with the struggling North Queensland Cowboys as slight favourites. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 6pm (AEST).
The Auckland-based club have been one of the genuine surprise packets this year, spending most of it in the top four. They were widely tipped for the wooden spoon this year, but their energy and tenacity on defence has led a revival for the club.
While the wheels have at various times looked like they were going to fall off for a club you can never be quite sure what to expect from, they have recovered well each time and continue to win, even if inconsistently now.
Their forwards have been the most important asset to the club. When they perform and muscle up in defence, few teams have been able to put points on them, and with attacking weapons like Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Shaun Johnson, as well as Issac Luke in career-best form, it’s little wonder the Warriors have had such a strong start to the season.
They beat the Sea Eagles comfortably in Christchurch last week, but three heavy losses to the Roosters, Rabbitohs and Storm in the last six weeks shows they are not far ahead of the chasing pack.
The only other factor going against the Warriors ahead of this clash is their terrible record in Townsville. They have won just five of 18 matches in Northern Queensland, with four of those being before 2002.
North Queensland have had the season from hell. With returning stars, they were tipped to beat the top this season, but how quickly the mighty have fallen.
Their shambolic loss to the Parramatta Eels in Darwin last week was about as bad as it gets. In conditions which should have suited them, they put on a boring and predictable display in attack – something not exactly associated with Johnathan Thurston previously – as they stumbled from error to bombed opportunity to poor defensive read.
It would almost be fair to say the loss, with their season virtually on the line, was one of the worst in the club’s history.
While the season and chance of making the top eight is all but gone for the Cowboys, they need to start restoring some pride in the jersey. On top of that, some of these players will be playing for contracts and spots in coming years.
They have swung some changes this week, with Paul Green desperate to try and have a good second half of the season. Kane Linnett, Javid Bowen and Ben Hampton will all get a run, but unless they can turn things around in the coming weeks, the boys from Townsville could swing a heap of other changes as well, so it’s a case of pressure on and trying to please the home fans this week.
Prediction
I’m foolishly on a hunch the Cowboys will win this. The Warriors have been terrible in Townsville and their inconsistency might suggest they turn out a pretty poor performance here. I might be clutching at straws, but the Cowboys have to be due for a win at some point.
Cowboys by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this match from 6pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Aem
Guest
Depends what he said... And those calls went both ways - refs invented two knock ons aginst the Warriors (Beale in first half, leading to that try, and Green in the second) where there clearly wasn't any. Refs were pretty bad IMO, just in both directions. Some ugly incorrect calls - typical of a Perenara game.
JVGO
Guest
Cause it was blatantly rigged.
Stu
Guest
Yeah. Cowboys got so many rub of the green calls with knock ons today - couldnt make it count though
R N
Roar Rookie
Cows need to play a bit more footy! Too many one out hit ups in their 20. Good effort tonight but, especially in the 2nd. Pity they couldn’t get away with one.
Griffo
Guest
Terrible defence in the middle of that first half cost us. Late in the game I thought we could get back and win but we left ourselves too much to do.
Fish
Guest
But Scott that penalty on Feldt right in front of the sticks for doing what every player does was questionable. Given that at 90% of players playing the ball in this game did the same thing before him, and then most did the same thing after the fact without penalty. I think it was a poor penalty at a very fortuitous time for the Warriors. Pretty much snuffed a win out in regular time. Cowboys had their chances though.
Rob
Guest
Courages effort by the Cowboys afterl losing Morgan and being down 18-6. I don’t know what is happening with the rules anymore.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Full report will be up on site soon. Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 NRL season as the New Zealand Warriors got the job done against the North Queensland Cowboys. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. Right now, it's time to switch across for David Holden's coverage of the blockbuster between the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers. I'll be back at 10pm (AEST) for Match 2 of the FIFA World Cup as Egypt play Uruguay. In terms of NRL, I'll see you on Sunday at 2pm (AEST) for the Storm and Knights. Bye for now!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Sorry to burst your bubble but the refs were pretty good tonight.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME A short kick-off, but it's all null and void at this point. The Warriors play down the clock and that's going to do it in Townsville. The Warriors hang on for the victory. They have had no fun in Townsville previously, but the Warriors do the damage with 18 straight points in the first half and manage to hang on all the way to the finish line. Excellent game really, back and forth and the Warriors really making their case known as a top four hopeful with more excellent defence - and lots of it - during the second half. Shaun Johnson's kicking game was probably the difference between the two sides in the end. Cowboys 16 Warriors 23
Blake Standfield
Roar Guru
Great effort from the Cowboys. If the refs are gonna kill your momentum every time you look like getting in front you can’t win that battle.
Scott Pryde
Expert
80' - FIELD GOAL WARRIORS, SHAUN JOHNSON The Warriors away from the scrum through Aofa and Luke out of dummy half, before Afoa goes again. 90 seconds left with three plays for the Warriors, before Mannering has it on the right-hand side. Blair up the middle and he is ten out. Last play and Johnson is set out the back. Great pass from Luke, the defence not really privy to it and Johnson splits the sticks. That puts the game away. The Warriors have tried to lose this one with errors and the sort, but they get away with it in Townsville. Cowboys 16 Warriors 23
Scott Pryde
Expert
79' - The Warriors away through their outside backs, but they are under heavy fatigue here. Just searching for fulltime now. Great run from Afoa as he gets up towards halfway before they look to run it on the last for some unbeknown reason. Harris looks to kick then, but Thurston has played at it, the ball then going over the sideline. Warriors scrum feed near enough to halfway. Cowboys 16 Warriors 22
Scott Pryde
Expert
77' - The Cowboys work it up the middle through their forwards, with Taumalolo going inside 10 metres. Three plays left and it's right from Thurston to Hess who is stopped by two just a metre out. Left from Granville to Martin and Thurston who finds Hampton. He shows it, goes and is tackled. Great work from the defence for not rushing up and in. Thurston to Martin on the last, the grubber isn't played at and the Warriors come up with it. Cowboys 16 Warriors 22
Scott Pryde
Expert
76' - The Cowboys battling out of their own end now, before Thurston goes left to Linnett who goes within ten metres of halfway. Back up the middle for Cooper before Martin is allowed to run and bombs from 45 out. It's shallow, Felft bats it back and the Warriors have knocked on trying to pick it up. Looks like Hess knocked it back, Martin didn't touch it because he was offside and Green knocked on. 4:09 left and the Cowboys have a scrum 35 out. Cowboys 16 Warriors 22
Scott Pryde
Expert
75' - The Warriors struggling for metres here, but Issac Luke has kicked it 65 metres, getting the ball to sit up in the in goal! What a kick. Cowboys 16 Warriors 22
Scott Pryde
Expert
74' - The dropout rolls towards halfway with Feldt fielding it and handing off to Bolton. Taumalolo has the next, then it's Granville to Thurston and Hess who was almost over. Markers out of position there and Granville runs again, finds Taumalolo and he is stopped a metre out. Two plays left and they come back to the left with Martin passing to Cooper who has dropped it in the line. Cowboys 16 Warriors 22
Renegade
Roar Guru
Warriors causing themselves pain with those mistakes.... all they’ve done is defend this half and they are almost out of gas. Possession is 60/40 to the cowboys now in this game.
Scott Pryde
Expert
73' - The Cowboys away to the left from the scrum through Hampton, before Linnett takes it away from dummy half. Taumalolo an offload to Thurston now before Tuala takes a tackle. Thurston to the middle and he shifts it back the other way for Hess who is tackled. Granville runs and is tackled, burning a play. Last play and it's Thurston with a grubber at the posts. There is a race for the ball. Tuivasa-Sheck reckons he grounded it, Hampton reckons he scored and Perenara agrees with the Warriors fullback. Bunker called in. Tuivasa-Sheck got enough on it. Another dropout. How much defence can the visitors do? Cowboys 16 Warriors 22