Editorial: Warriors’ NRL playoff dreams teeter after narrow loss to Canberra Raiders

Editorial

EDITORIAL

Regardless of a lack of silverware in the cabinet, the 2023 NRL season was a triumph for the Warriors and their die-hard fans.

A top-four finish was a well-deserved reward for a year of grit and determination, but the highs of last year now feel like a distant memory as the Warriors find themselves in the depths of a dismal 2024 campaign. Their recent 20-18 loss to the Canberra Raiders has left any playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Against the Raiders, the Warriors displayed a performance emblematic of the clunky, chaotic nature of their season. The game itself was a tale of two halves. The Warriors’ slow start was unforgivable, with the Raiders capitalising on early mistakes and taking a commanding lead. Hudson Young’s early tries, followed by Jamal Fogarty’s successful conversions and penalty, left the Warriors scrambling.

Yet, the Warriors showed resilience as they clawed back into the match. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, despite an injured ankle, managed to score before halftime, and Kurt Capewell and Mitch Barnett added further tries in the second half despite having played State of Origin two nights earlier.

Despite an admirable fightback from a 14-0 deficit, their season-long issues were glaringly evident. The most glaring of these was Chanel Harris-Tavita’s inability to convert crucial tries. His struggles with the kicking tee – most notably his missed attempts after Addin Fonua-Blake’s late try – cost the Warriors dearly. Harris-Tavita’s last attempt, a wayward kick that sailed past the right upright, was symbolic of a season plagued by missed opportunities and poor execution.

Taine Tuaupiki’s early exit and a knee injury to Adam Pompey forced a reshuffle in the backline, which added to the team’s disarray but Tuivasa-Sheck looked as good as ever after he replaced Tuaupiki at the back. With Shaun Johnson also sidelined, Harris-Tavita’s role as the makeshift kicker became even more critical, and his failure to deliver only compounded the Warriors’ woes.

Looking ahead, the Warriors face a critical juncture with back-to-back home games against the lowly Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels. These are not just games; they are must-win encounters if the Warriors hope to salvage their season. The reality is stark: failure to secure victories in these fixtures could effectively end their playoff aspirations.

For fans, the glimmer of hope is dimming with each passing week. The excitement that marked their top-four finish last year has given way to growing despair. The frustration of watching a once-promising season deteriorate into a mess of missed opportunities and unmet expectations is palpable.

The Warriors now stand at a crossroads. Their playoff dreams hang by a thread, and only a drastic turnaround in form will see them clinging to the faint hope of a finals berth. The road ahead is treacherous, but the time for hand-wringing is over. It’s time for the Warriors to muster every ounce of resolve they have left and fight for their season as if their very future depended on it.