The Warriors’ bad luck with injuries this season reached a new low against Penrith, as they fell to their sixth straight NRL defeat.
The Panthers won 30-16 at Suncorp Stadium, but the Warriors did incredibly well to keep it close after losing key trio Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (head knock), Tohu Harris (knee), and Wayde Egan (shoulder) inside the first quarter, as well as young centre Rocco Berry (hamstring).
Harris had only recently returned from a shoulder injury when he twisted his knee in the 12th minute.
After the game, coach Nathan Brown reported that Harris had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, which would keep him out for the remainder of the season.
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Tuivasa-Sheck might be out for at least a week after taking a devastating head injury when tackling Penrith playmaker Matt Burton.
We hardly got to witness the skipper combining in the halves with Chas Townsend, as his injury came only three minutes after Harris’ exit.
Despite the devastation, the Warriors lead 10-4 at the half. The Premiership heavyweights finally grabbed control, putting another nail in the coffin of the Kiwis’ playoff ambitions.
Even before the slew of injuries, there were hints that this would be a forgettable day for the Warriors.
Viliame Kikau of Penrith scored inside the first two minutes after charging down a Townsend kick.
However, the Warriors replied well via Egan.
After throwing the prop through a space to touch down beneath the posts, the former Panthers hooker finished what he started.
But the contest turned dramatically when Harris and Tuivasa-Sheck were knocked out in rapid succession.
Coach Nathan Brown’s worst-case scenario was losing probably his two best players so early in the game.
As if that weren’t enough, Egan was pulled off the pitch seconds later, his shoulder injury thought to be season-ending. Despite this, the Warriors extended their advantage after a flat Reece Walsh cut-out pass sent Berry over.
They were unlucky not to go up by more points when a Josh Curran try was ruled off for a forward pass. That’s when the Penrith comeback began.
The Warriors have made significant investments in developing a powerful front pack, and there is no doubt they have some good foundations, with Addin Fonua-Blake (260 metres) and Lodge both outstanding in the middle.
However, Penrith demonstrated the all-around standard that the club should strive for.
The likes of James Fisher-Harris, Isaah Yeo, and Kikau eventually began to dominate the ruck and wear down the defence, while NSW forward Liam Martin came off the bench and had a game-changing impact.
This set up back-to-back tries by Brian To’o and Kikau, giving the Panthers a 16-10 lead at the interval.
To their credit, the Warriors refused to surrender.
Penrith’s poor ball management allowed them to score early in the second half. The Warriors, on the other hand, were not clinical enough to profit on their offensive field position.
With exhaustion playing a key role, it was evident that when Panthers winger Charlie Staines extended the Panthers’ lead to 10 points off a Stephen Crichton flip ball, the Warriors would always struggle to come back.
While Penrith scored two more tries in quick succession, it was the Warriors’ Walsh touchdown that sealed the deal.
The fact that they persevered in the face of adversity would have given Brown something to hold onto, but he now has another difficult week ahead of Saturday’s meeting with the Rabbitohs.
Panthers 30 (tries by Viliame Kikau, Charlie Staines, Brian To’o, and Liam Martin; Stephen Crichton 3 goals) Warriors 16 (tries by Wayde Egan, Rocco Berry, and Reece Walsh; Walsh 2 goals). HT: 16-10.
