The Warriors were beaten 34-24 by the Newcastle Knights in Newcastle. Photo / Getty Images
Warriors 24
Knights 34
After the highs of a miraculous comeback effort last weekend, the Warriors came crashing back to earth with a 34-24 loss to the Newcastle Knights.
On a day where it seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong, it started early for the Warriors.
Penalties inside Knights territory allowed the hosts to get great field position to begin their sets, before Dominic Young scored for the hosts five minutes into the contest.
It followed a key theme of the Warriors’ season to date. For those keeping track at home, that’s the sixth time this season the Warriors have conceded the game’s opening try within the first 10 minutes in as many matches.
While the sides finished with a similar penalty count, the trend of the Warriors committing pressure-relieving penalties was constant throughout the match.
Outside of their performance issues, the Warriors added another two players to their casualty ward too. Wayde Egan left the field in the final minutes of the first half after suffering a head knock and ultimately failed a head injury assessment. It’s the second time in the last month that Egan failed a HIA, after being concussed in the team’s round three win over the North Queensland Cowboys.
Five-eighth Te Maire Martin, who missed last weekend’s match due to concussion, looks set for an extended injury layoff after suffering a leg injury. The Fox Sports commentary team indicating it was feared he had a fractured fibula.
Even in scoring their points, things got sketchy at times. Centre Adam Pompey came uncomfortably close to scraping the dead-ball line in scoring his first try of the night, while Ed Kosi was inches from the sideline when he scored the Warriors’ third.
The match wasn’t without its bright spots, though. Shaun Johnson continued his resurgent form as he set up tries and kicked to the corners well, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad got involved well to create some problems for the Knights’ defence.
The result sees the Warriors’ record drop to 4-2 for the season as they continue to look for a full 80-minute performance.
After last weekend’s heroics, it almost looked like the Warriors were on track to repeat the dose in Newcastle.
For much of the first half they put themselves under pressure through their discipline and paid the price. But in the second half, they looked like the team that opposition outfits have struggled against throughout the season.
Tries through Pompey and Kosi in quick succession saw the Warriors close what was a 16-point halftime deficit to just four points and their tails were up.
But an error from Marcelo Montoya opened the door for the Knights to take a hold of the game again, and they did so through Kurt Mann, before a second to Greg Marzhew pushed that gap out.
The Warriors crossed again through Jackson Ford, but it was mere consolation as they fell to their second loss of the year.
Warriors 24 (Adam Pompey 2, Ed Kosi, Jackson Ford tries; Shaun Johnson 4 cons)
Newcastle Knights 34 (Greg Marzhew 2, Dominic Young, Tyson Frizell, Phoenix Crossland, Kurt Mann tries; Lachlan Miller 5 cons)
HT: 6-22
Kath Wharton died on Thursday, aged 41.