Whatever happens on Friday night against Manly (8pm), the Auckland club have to show what they are made of. While it is still so early in the NRL season, there are alreadyquestions. What kind of team are they going to be in 2025? And how badly do they want it?
After all the positive vibes emanating from pre-season – and a thorough build-up to Las Vegas that seemed to tick all the boxes – the performance there was a shock. The mission to North America turned out to be a bit of a disaster, on the biggest possible stage, in front of legions of fans. Last year, Brisbane and South Sydney also struggled with the occasion in the Nevada hotspot, but they were at least competitive for a much longer period.
Friday’s assignment for the Warriors is to erase the bitter Las Vegas memories as soon as possible. Not only to get some momentum but also to prevent the Nevada experience overshadowing the start of the season. Fans will be wary, as in recent years the performance in round one has often set the tone for the campaign, even becoming a theme as the season progresses.
Look at 2023, the first year under coach Andrew Webster. The opening game was in Wellington, where the Warriors withstood tremendous late pressure from Newcastle to bank a 20-12 win. That victory was built on gritty defence and a never-say-die attitude. That became the template for the year – as they prevailed in a number of tight games – to reach the preliminary final, after a remarkable 17 regular-season victories.
Last year’s season-opener was also eerily prescient. The Warriors sprang out to a 12-0 advantage – after a hot start – before being hauled back by Cronulla. They had several opportunities to win late but were squeezed 16-12 in front of a huge crowd. That became a pattern; in 2024, the Warriors lost seven games by a margin of six points or less, often unable to build on early leads.
The 2018 season provided another pointer. There weren’t high hopes after a difficult 2017 campaign, where the team had won just seven matches to finish 13th. But they came out of the blocks in spectacular fashion, with a historic 32-20 win over the Rabbitohs in Perth. Inspired by captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, it was their first win in Western Australia (from 10 attempts) and ended a six-game losing streak against South Sydney. It was the start of a surge, as they won six of their first seven matches, setting up a return to the finals after seven years, while Tuivasa-Sheck was honoured with the Dally M medal.
Wayde Egan acknowledges the fans after the loss to Canberra in Las Vegas. Photo / Photosport
So what happens in 2025?
Optimists will hope that the miserable performance in Las Vegas comes to be seen as an outlier, a product of a weird week in a weird place, where the team’s preparations were affected by the sights, sounds and strangeness of the Nevada hotspot.
It was a night where everything that could go wrong did – especially in the first half – which gave the Raiders plenty of momentum, though the Warriors’ flimsy defence was a concern. The Auckland club were always going to have teething issues in 2025, with a reshaped backline and the loss of their marquee prop – but most of all, a new halves combination that needs time to gel, though Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita will have to adjust quickly.
If Las Vegas was an aberration, Friday needs to prove it. It won’t be easy – as Manly started with a 42-12 smashing of the North Queensland Cowboys and seem to have built on last season, when they made the second week of the playoffs. But the Warriors have to demonstrate what they can do, back at home. If they can, then Friday might come to be seen as the real round one.
Webster has been pleased with the response since Vegas. There was an “honest” review session, while the team have been “unbelievable” in training, having had the extra Thursday, Friday and Sunday sessions last week.
“But the real actions have to be on Friday night,” admitted Webster. “That is where it matters, we will find out our reaction then.”
There was plenty to examine in the review but the coach and players stressed that they have tried to move on quickly, despite the painful experience in the US.
“We can’t change the past ... it is already behind us,” said second-rower Kurt Capewell.
The final word went to co-captain Mitch Barnett.
“We obviously didn’t handle Vegas [well] because of the scoreline,” said Barnett. “It was a wake-up call and there are no excuses. Manly will be extra motivated. It is going to be a tough challenge and we are looking forward to it.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. He has also reported on the Warriors and NRL for more than a decade.
