A Historic Win for the Warriors
After finally breaking their 17-match losing streak against the Melbourne Storm, the New Zealand Warriors are looking to build momentum for the rest of the NRL season. Their 38-14 victory at AAMI Park marked their first win in Melbourne since 2014, and coach Andrew Webster believes this could be a turning point for the team.
“I think it could be a springboard,” Webster said following the win. “We’ve got high standards, we want to win every week … so what it does for us, this win, will only tell in the coming weeks. But we should certainly leave here with confidence that when we play the game that we want to play, in the style we want to play, and turn up for each other like that and have your mates’ back, then we’re going to get what we want most often.”
This win not only ended the Warriors’ long drought against the Storm but also saw the Storm suffer their fourth consecutive loss, continuing their slide down the league table. For the Warriors, it was also a much-needed end to a two-game losing streak.
Webster confirmed that the team didn’t focus on the historical significance of the win during their preparation. “There was a lot of chat that they were going to come out firing because of the way they’d been going, but we had two performances that we weren’t really proud of. We wanted to get back to playing the way we wanted to and if we got rid of the streak … then that’d be a bonus.”
A Dominant Performance
While the final scoreline was impressive, it was the manner of the victory that stood out. The Warriors dominated the match from start to finish, using their physicality to impose themselves on the home side. They even managed to deny the Storm any points after 25 minutes, showcasing strong goal-line defence as the clock ticked down.
James Fisher-Harris, the team’s spearhead forward, highlighted the importance of their physical approach. “I think that’s just our game, really, like we get good when we’re physical. Especially as forwards, but I think as a whole team that’s our mentality.”
Players like Jackson Forde, Erin Clark, and veteran outside back Roger Tuivasa-Sheck all contributed to the team’s success, showing that the Warriors’ physical style is a collective effort rather than just the work of the forwards.
Injuries and Travel Plans
Despite the positive outcome, there was one concern for the Warriors: a hamstring injury to hooker Tanah Boyd. However, Webster remained optimistic about the severity of the injury. “I don’t know yet but I just know that we didn’t need him to go back on so we put him on ice.”
Meanwhile, the team was expected to return to New Zealand on Sunday, despite the North Island bracing for the arrival of Cyclone Vaianu. The Warriors will now look to carry the momentum from their historic win into the next phase of the season, aiming to build on their recent performance and maintain their upward trajectory.
