NRL: Warriors in disarray after record loss to Titans
The New Zealand Warriors have sunk to a new low in 2024, losing 66-6 to the Gold Coast Titans in Robina on Saturday afternoon.
The loss equals New Zealand’s worst-ever defeat in the NRL and means they slip to 12th place on the ladder with eight losses for the season.
“It’s amazing, you can’t take anything for granted in this game,” said Warriors coach Andrew Webster after the defeat.
“You think you’re going well… I didn’t see us complacent or anything like that.”
Ahead of the match, the Warriors seemed to have turned their season around.
The side won three in a row between rounds 11-14, and were competitive in defeat to top-placed Melbourne last week.
“We were confident, not over-confident, but if you take things for granted, you can get kicked in the face pretty quick.
“It’s why this game is so good, because it’s not easy.”
Bookmakers lengthen Warriors’ odds after big loss
Heading into the 2024 season, NRL bookmakers were high on the Warriors’ chances of making a deep run.
The New Zealand franchise had a strong season in 2023, finishing fourth before making the penultimate week of the playoffs.
Bookmakers put them at the sixth line of betting pre-season, behind the Storm, Panthers, Roosters, Rabbitohs and Broncos.
Now, odds have blown out for the Kiwis to win the title this year. Marked at a whopping $67 to win.
As recently as a fortnight ago, the Warriors still paid a respectable $21 to claim the Premiership in 2024.
Is Shaun Johnson the problem?
Playmaker Shaun Johnson was one point away from winning the Dally M Medal last season, and much of the Warriors’ success pivoted around the flyhalf.
This year, it seems he may be part of the problem for New Zealand.
The team haven’t won with him on the field since round five. Recently, Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita have formed a more effective pairing in the halves instead.
Will coach Webster have the stomach to drop Johnson?
“I think if we had turned up today and we were physical, and we really went after the opposition and wanted to win that battle, you might have seen the best of Shaun today,” Webster said on Saturday.
“At the end of the day, we got rolled completely down the field, and every single player was accountable for that.
“If we had heaps of ball and go-forward, and our defence was amazing, we could start talking about halfbacks, fullbacks, and hookers, and how could we improve things and change things.
“Today, we weren’t there physically, and we were absolutely dominated.
“To be talking about those things off the back of that, I just think it’s the wrong day for it.”
Next up, the Warriors face a tough challenge in the form of the ninth-placed Brisbane Broncos, who they’ll play at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
