The Warriors have made their biggest statement yet for a top four finish with a stunning 44-12 win over the Cronulla Sharks, with two old boys pulling the strings.
Andrew Webster’s revolution in Auckland has turned this team from one of the league’s easybeats to a genuine Finals contender, with this their fifth win in seven.
Shaun Johnson, naturally, was the star, but his new halves partner and Sharks reject Luke Metcalf was equally as impressive. Wayde Egan in the 9 jumper and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at the back were also excellent.
“Our forward pack and our outside backs lay the platform for our clever players,” said Webster.
“I thought Wayde Egan, Shaun, Luke, Charnze – our spine, off the back of them, were unbelievable.”
This was a huge test, too, and one that they passed with flying colours. The same could not be said for Cronulla, who backed up their reputation as flat-track bullies by capitulating under a first half onslaught.
The Sharks have put plenty of scores on poor sides – thrashing the Tigers, Dragons and Bulldogs in consecutive weeks – but once again, when faced with live opposition, they folded.
Craig Fitzgibbon will look at his side’s defence, in particular, and wonder if changes might not be in order.
“Our edge defence just wasn’t good enough,” he said. “We were comfortable trading sets early but it felt like for the majority of the game we were defending our tryline because we gave them the opportunity to do that.”
He might be forced to make changes, too. They lost Teig Wilton early and Jesse Ramien late, both to potentially long-term injuries, while Nicho Hynes ended the match in the bin after a professional foul.
The Warriors had concerns of their own following a Shaun Johnson injury that saw him also depart early, but it did appear he could have carried on if required.
The central tactical battle going into this clash was simple: both sides attack in roughly similar ways, so the result would largely come down to who could better defend their own style. Conclusively, that was the hosts.
Both sides attack towards the corners with deception, allied to sideways ball movement, with a target set on the corner post. It’s no surprise that the wingers score the bulk of the tries in both sides, disproportionately higher than the rest of the NRL.
The difference has been that the Warriors are more happy to play conservatively until they get into good positions, while the Sharks will go wider earlier and create from deep.
That was a major factor today: Cronulla were unable to get momentum into their shifts and thus lost the field position battle, which gave NZ more scope to put on their plays in good ball.
When in position, the Warriors were far too good. Their first, for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, was a masterpiece in support play.
The men ran straight – two decoys – and the ball went sideways, and if you execute that kind of move, the defenders have to stay inside to cover for the dummy runners, creating the numbers wider out.
First Egan, then Johnson took the ball to the line, which keeps the inside narrow, before playing out the back behind the decoys, who keep the outside in. Nicoll-Klokstad had the easiest pass in the world to get DWZ over.
For the second try, it was the same shape – but they hit the decoy, Rocco Berry. It’s real chef’s kiss stuff.
The execution is important, and that comes from the men inside who have to play close to the line. Egan has blossomed into one of the best hookers in the comp, especially in straightening up the ruck, and Johnson is back to his best. All the good stuff outside comes from that.
For Webster, it’s a triumph because it’s exactly where his side have suffered in the past this year. Against the best, their attack has let them down. No chance of that today.
Any discussion of the Warriors’ attack comes, however, with the dissection of the Sharks defence. It’s not great and hasn’t been for a while.
As mentioned above, the difference between the two attacks is when they put their plays on, with Cronulla looking to use their back three to start sets and save their forwards’ legs for off-ball work, whether in defence or support play.
The stats bore this out: the Warriors had two of their top three metremakers as forwards, while the Sharks were all backs.
That should have resulted in a more equitable contest in the middle, and it might just be that the Warriors were near-perfect with the ball – completing north of 90% – and Cronulla simply didn’t get a sniff.
A period of six consecutive sets late in the first half, in which the Warriors scored twice, was the crucial time of the match.
It’s also true, however, that there are glaring issues in the line that haven’t gone away. All of the best teams have run all their traffic at Matt Moylan, who is increasingly a liability in the defensive line.
Some of the shapes that were run were exceptional, but others weren’t. The five eighth now sits atop the NRL for line break causes among halfbacks.
Lots of teams can carry a poor defender in their lineup – Daly Cherry-Evans and Scott Drinkwater spring to mind – but it’s debatable whether Moylan has enough upside to merit that, especially with such a strong back-up in Brayden Trindall.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
THAT'S a vent ! At least the coach has finally worked on the 2 major problems, he'll get there.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
That's not a vent.
Tetley
Roar Rookie
I don't reckon that's the criteria for playing state of origin. Plenty of origin players are in teams that are nowhere near a grand final. Look at Ben Hunt. Big Tino. JAC. Bradman Best. Ponga. The list goes on. When was the last time Chez took Manly to a GF? The criteria is how good a player you are. Any way you cut it Hynes is one of the premier halves in the comp and should be in the origin mix based on that fact alone.
mushi
Roar Guru
Warriors have one of the better adjusted F/A. Sharks.... Not a top 4 version of that stat. Raiders also are rubbish on that front but should have the bye tail wind. Warriors fans should have hope, but unfortunately the death star basically laps the field
The Wollongong Ocean
Roar Rookie
You are right…. But the reality to prove yourself you’ve got to get a team close to a GF as a half to play half for NSW
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
And one more thing. Fitzgibbon's decision to let Johnson go and keep Moylan was another ripper. Johnson's defence isn't great but it's heaps better than Moylan's. Clever again.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
As I have written before here there is something deeply wrong with Cronulla and it's not just their defence though that's a huge part of it. This side went from a top defensive side before the finals last year to a team that can't handle it when good, hard teams turn the blowtorch on them. They lack grit and toughness and application. They are exemplified by the muglair on the wing, Mulitalo, who finds new and inventive ways to butcher tries so often because he is chasing a starring role in highlight reels. The pack, even at full strength which it wasn't yesterday (Hunt, Finucane and Hamlyn-Uele all out) is soft and often as bad as the worst in the comp. The recruitment by Fitzgibbon is questionable - he lost two big men in Fifita and Tolman and replaced them with one - Kaufusi - he's paying the price now. I pointed out they needed a big man in a previous post. That didn't happen but they did shell out big money for a player in Finucane who is well past his best and spends plenty of time off the field due to suspension and injury. Clever. Another factor is Fitzgibbon refusing to change the team no matter how bad the losses - he's got Tracey, Trindall, Stonestreet etc playing lights out for Newtown but they rarely get a call-up. Clever. All that does is make them want to leave the club perhaps in search of regular first grade footy while non performers in the first grade get a lifetime selection pass it seems. It's impossible to get dropped it seems. Clever. I think his reluctance to drop attack magnet Moylan is due to how well he combines with Nicho in attack - he sure does. But - there's no point in them scoring a couple of tries in a breathtaking attacking movement while Moylan lets in four. Poor Teig Wilton having to stand next to him in the line. Well, he's going to have to make changes now surely - injuries to Wilton and Ramien for a start. Then there's the defensive liability that is Talakai when fast centres exploit his poor movement. It's a mess. Defence wins matches - it's been true since league began - and Cronulla's defence is pathetic. It won't change - if floggings at the hands of the Cows and Souths in the finals and the Storm, Warriors and Dolphins in Magic Round - Magic Round! - against a tough but less than stellar attacking side - hasn't fixed it then it won't be fixed. Can't be. Fitzgibbon said after the Dolphins debacle that the players "had missed the jump" and lacked enthusiasm. How a team can lack enthusiasm in Magic Round I have no idea. But it was more of the same from him after yesterday's disaster while he also promised a week of defence at training. Oh yeah? It will fix nothing - not if it hasn't been fixed by now. The warning light has been flashing red since last year's finals embarrassment but it's clear the coaches and players are colour blind. I wrote here after their last humiliation at the hands of the Storm that there is no hope of a short term fix with this team. I argued that the club's re-signing of these no hopers to long term deals meant that we are stuck with them - the players who can't or won't tackle, dig deep, or fight out tough games like the Cronulla side of 2016 for instance. And we're stuck with the coach for half a decade more too. With little room in the cap to bring in new blood due to all that assiduous re-signing. Yikes. A poster took exception to my pessimism, wrote that I was being extreme - oh yeah? Wonder how he's feeling now. Pretty bad I expect if the latest disaster has somehow pierced his sunny view of the mess at Cronulla. But maybe in his world it's all good. It sure isn't but I look forward to his arguments that it is. PS. This is not Nicho's fault. Try playing behind a pack getting badly beaten and a defence leaking points. He is one bit of light in a very gloomy picture. So are Kennedy and Nikora with honourable mentions to Brailey and a couple of others. But the rest - get rid of them - ASAP.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Their record against top 8 sides says it all really. This year they have beaten just one top 8 team and that was Parramatta early, before they got firing. Last year they won 4 of 11 matches against top 8 sides. In the coming 5 weeks they have away games against Penrith, Souths & Cowboys which will determine their finals chances.
Randy
Roar Rookie
The Sharks are easily the weakest team in the top 8 and I would put the Cowboys, who are just outside the 8 ahead of them as well.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Love Fitzy’s Twitter fan nickname ‘Baldylocks’.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
It’s not his actual tackling technique that’s unquestionable, but he truly has a reading problem that opposing edge runners will often target.
Tetley
Roar Rookie
Nah that’s kicking the wrong guy when the sharks are down. He did his bit in that game. They got serious D issues that you definitely can’t pin on Nicho.
Tetley
Roar Rookie
Man, Luke Metcalf is sharp. I bet the Sharks are wishing they had him instead of Moylan in the 6 jumper.
The Wollongong Ocean
Roar Rookie
Agree in part, I like the guy but it was premature to rush him into Origin after one great season… DCE, Moses and Walker have all made a Grand Finals. His time will come….
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Based on today's game ? After 20 rounds his side is in front of Mitchell Moses', Cody Walker's and Cherry Evans' sides. They mustn't be up to it either. The same bloke who won the game's best player award last year in a cakewalk is not up to the Warriors level ? He's not the reason the Sharks lose games.
The Wollongong Ocean
Roar Rookie
And the Hynes not ready for an Origin start justification grows stronger. Not being harsh, but he is not up to the level required yet. Not to say he can’t get there in time..
Great summary on warriors attack - and it helps to have the vids right there. Don't know about the DCE liability on D, to me guys Ken if his strengths.
Nambawan
Roar Rookie
Cherry-Evans a 'poor defender' are you serious? Factually he is a superb defensive player - never shirks taking on much bigger players, has correct technique, and finally has great anticipation and skill in anticipating ball movement so that he is always there to clean -up potentially desperate situations. Remember the tackle he made on Chriton in SOO2?
jdoodle
Roar Rookie
Our left side defence is terrible. Once Wilton went off and Graham came on we were stuffed. Moylan is a liability in defence and too easy to target. Fitzy needs to make changes; Tricky needs to come in for Moylan.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
So was Andrew Webster an assistant coach .