The Warriors have rained on Jarrod Croker’s 300th game parade with a stunning 34-10 win that catapults them to underlines their case for finals football in 2023.
While all eyes were on the veteran centre’s milestone match, the star was another Raiders legend, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who ran his heart out in attack and produced polish in good ball.
Between CNK and Shaun Johnson, who was exceptional again, it was a comfortable second half for the visiting Kiwis. Both scored tries and created them, with the fullback shading the man of the match through sheer effort.
Having been ditched by Ricky Stuart last year, he played like a man intent on making a statement for his new club.
Yet for the opening 40 minutes, nothing went right for Andrew Webster’s Warriors. The Raiders, inspired by Croker’s 300th, flew out of the blocks and dominated, but lacked any nous in attack and failed to cash in on the mountains of field position and possession they generated.
Though the Warriors had Mitch Barnett sat down for a high shot on Jordan Rapana, they scored one of the most spectacular tries of the year through Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and never looked back. Tom Ale, Luke Metcalf and Wayde Egan would all add to the total after the break.
“Two points are up for grabs and the only thing we want to celebrate is to play in big games,” said Webster.
“If you handle these occasions well, and then you get yourself to the playoffs, in the big games you’re going to be in better shape to handle those moments.
“We were excited about the full house, excited about the occasion. We didn’t use (the milestone) as motivation. We knew we were going to have to weather the storm early because there’s a lot of emotion.”
The only dark spot for Webster was the hit from Barnett and a late one from Marata Niukore – also on Rapana – that will likely incur the wrath of the Match Review Committee.
Stuart had promised an emotional homecoming for Croker – and rested him last week to ensure it happened – but Raiders seemed like it was all too much for them.
Croker entered the field in tears, and the energy early on backed up their willingness to do it for their mate. But it was never backed up on the scoreboard and, by the end of the half, they already looked drained.
“What this club is about is blokes like Jarrod, that’s why we’re so proud of him,” said Stuart.
“I’d rather have this week and lose the two points than have a shitty week for Jarrod promoting his 300th and winning two points.
“If that costs us at the end of the year in the top four or top eight — so be it, that’s our fault. But I’d much prefer the week we had.”
The Raiders came out fired up, but fired up doesn’t get you much against this Warriors team. Canberra threw the kitchen sink at it, but played with little guile or creativity.
The enthusiasm and aggression was enough to get them field position, because the Kiwis could barely get out of their end, but the Raiders did next to nothing with the piles of good ball that they got.
At one point it was 19 sets to 11 in favour of the Green Machine, but they’d accrued one try from it, and that a lucky bounce from a kick. Beyond that, nada.
Plenty of that can be attributed to the superb defence from the Warriors, but in truth, not enough questions were asked.
This was an issue last week too: all three tries Canberra scored were from kicks and that was against a Wests Tigers defence who are far from the best defensively.
As much as Sticky loves a power game, there’s a line at which battering down the front door turns into banging your head off a brick wall. Subtlety was not a strong point.
27 tackles inside 20, with the opposition down to 12 for ten minutes, for one try off a kick is not great going for a side with halves as good as Jamal Fogarty and Jack Wighton.
Notably, Canberra trailed the Warriors for support runs at half time despite have 50% more ball and thus twice as much opportunity to run supports.
The Raiders are middling for supports in general and among the worst for decoys, and for the first half, looked like it. It was pure barge and bash, and the Warriors were more than a match for it.
The Warriors have been a masterclass in make-do-and-mend in 2023. They have far from the best roster – indeed, on paper, they’re close to the worst – and a rookie boss in charge, not to mention 25 years’ worth of dubious results.
Yet they are right up there with the best in the league, especially in the intangible areas. In a league where plenty of teams put the cart before the horse, they know exactly what their priorities are.
They might not be the most entertaining, but they work. The defensive resolve is superb and their attacking enthusiasm the same.
Check the support numbers listed above for proof: it costs nothing to run them, other than a bucketload of effort, and the Warriors are among the best.
Even better, check the Luke Metcalf try, where Johnson picked him out from four potential runners. Only one got it, but the other three helped to confuse the defence.
New Zealand have the second best completion rate in the comp: it isn’t necessarily a good thing, but it certainly tells you how they go around their business. It’s fairly low risk, high effort stuff, willing to make their tackles, get to their kick and wait for mistakes from their opponents.
This wasn’t a banner night for that style of footy. The Warriors made plenty of unforced errors in attack and invited their opponents in, but were able to defend their mistakes.
At the other end, the Raiders were unable to do the same. The first try, to Watene-Zelezniak, was truly exceptional, but the next two were softer than soft. The late clincher for Wayde Egan was even worse.
This game, writ large, was one side that had a really defined way of playing and one that was making it up on the fly. It’s no surprise at all that the Warriors won.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
I remember that game. I actually support both teams so it was a tough one to watch. I reckon if not for that kick, the Bulldogs would have won the comp in 1999.
Bloke7
Roar Rookie
It's more my animosity to Ricky...ever since he grubbered straight to Matt Geyer who ran 90m to knock the dogs out of the 1999 major semi I've enjoyed watching his mouth ruin things for other teams.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Too much was made of Croker's 300th game for mine. I reckon the players didn't handle it well despite what Ricky said. The crowd was turning their back on the team's pathetic performance. And Ricky seems to be hiding behind the occasion rather than fess up to his coaching inadequacies. The attack and defence was putrid last night - to borrow a Bellamy adjective. Can't believe he said - "I'd rather have this week and lose the two points, than have a **** week for Jarrod promoting his 300 and winning two points." What utter garbage.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Those supporters who left early are being shamed in the media this morning. Ricky was all about the occasion and unusually unconcerned about the loss. Quite refreshingly enlightening from a coach who gave us the ‘wgd’ not too long ago.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
I can tell you most of the supporters weren't up - embarrassed and disappointed more like it. It was like sitting at a funeral in that second half rather than a celebration. Dreadful performance.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Ricky has a lot of work to do with his squad. Still shaking my head that he came into the season with only three back rowers – one of whom is past his use by date in Elliot Whitehead – and another in CHN who is out indefinitely after his on ground seizure {and Ricky appeared reluctant to pick him anyway) – and Hudson Young who appears to have lost all confidence after being benchedin Origin. But he has 7 front rowers in Paps, Taps, Guler, Horse, Saulo, Mariota and Mooney. How was that allowed to happen? Shocking recruitment and squad management. And Ricky also only had one full back in Savage in the squad after he let CNK go who is now starring at the Warriors. After a pre season injury Savage can’t get a game and Ricky is persevering with Kris at full back – who tries hard but is playing out of position and struggles to get involved in attack or know where to go to defend. This squad imbalance is all Ricky’s making. The team badly needs some pace but he continues to pick plodders in the backline and leaves Savage out. Something needs to change – quickly. Its obvious the team is struggling in both attack and defence – the stats don’t lie. Its a miracle that they’ve managed to eke out a few close wins in the past two months. Which comes down to grit, determination and resilience. But you can’t rely on that forever. They were exposed last night against the Warriors, As they were against Manly and Penrith. The coaching staff need to start earning their keep.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Arthur Beetson, Les Mara... But I had to draw the line somewhere, and I was taking aim that the flood of playing talent lost and coaching turnover under the recent Tigers administration.
WithTheDawn
Roar Rookie
I would have thought the comments here are as good a place as any? All good, I’m glad we got a good win. More trying to make a point of not ignoring the bad calls just because we won.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Luciano Leilua. Anthony Laffranchi . Scott Prince
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Still garbage - you have little to complain about - but still found a way.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Pity they played like cr@p. To put in such a listless boring unimaginative performance like that was an insult to the supporters who made the effort to turn up - 21,500 of them - apart from about 200 Warriors supporters in the visiting supporters bay. I hope they apologised in the presser coz I know I didn't want to watch it.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
Then you are smarter than me, mate.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
I've never seen Ricky so 'up' after a loss like he was with the media after the game. He and Jarrod did the club proud.
Bloke7
Roar Rookie
Really? After Ricky's silly Croker circus I dropped a bit of cash on the warriors. Seemed absolutely certain to backfire. Not big money nor a big payout but after his presser last week I had to do it.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Get yourself on the YouTube match highlights comments section if you want to cry victim. Every club gets calls go against them. Every club. Every club at every level in every sport in the world.
WithTheDawn
Roar Rookie
I don’t know why the site won’t let me post my thoughts. No swear words, nothing insulting…needless to say I think we won despite some very poor calls tonight, and honestly it’s worse if I only call them out if we lose, surely?
WithTheDawn
Roar Rookie
Plenty of nonsense calls against us tonight, and I don’t only call them out when we lose. Against a better team tonight we would have lost due to two nonsense sin bins and a bunch of other nonsense calls. It’s surely worse if I’m only on here spitting sour grapes after loses? I call them as I see them, and we were absolutely shafted tonight despite the result.
WithTheDawn
Roar Rookie
Id argue it’s more meaningful that I call out the nonsense calls (2 ridiculous sin bins, a raft of other nonsense calls) despite the win quite honestly. Surely it’s more sour grapes when I just call it out when we lose? That was one of the worst games in terms of calls for the Warriors this season - the fact we ran away with it shouldn’t take away from that. I’m glad we won, but against a better team those calls would have robbed us. I’ll back off the calls when we start getting a fair shake…
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
21,000 people in the crowd would have agreed with you. Thank God I don't bet either as you would have thought the Raiders would have got up for this one given the occasion. Maybe all the build up got to them. The Raiders seem to play better when they are not expected to win. They had all the ball in the first 30 minutes but couldn't crack the Warriors defence. Terrible attack - they don't seem to have any set plays with decoy runners - the one try they did get was a fluke kick that bounced off a defender - and the Raiders defence was probably worse.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
You are getting really tiresome with your moaning and whinging about the refs. The penalty count was 5 all and the ref had no influence on the result. Enjoy the win which was thoroughly deserved but can you spare us the continual whining?