3. Ali Leiataua – 5
Made some strong carries with the ball and even came up with a big intercept. Was rarely tested defensively.
4. Adam Pompey – 6
After some challenging weeks, including missing a game-tying penalty against the Sharks last week, Pompey looked decent and claimed a morale-boosting late try. Kicked well off the tee and made 17 tackles for his efforts.
5. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad – 7
Marked his first start on the wing since 2017 with a career-first hat-trick in the first half, eventually finishing with four tries. Could have had a fifth which was ruled out with a forward pass in the lead up. Was busy with the ball, finishing with 187m and while on attack, he was sensational, his communication with Tuaupiki and Pompey on his inside was below par which led to some poor defensive decisions.
6. Chanel Harris-Tavita – 6
Continued to shoulder the majority of the kicking and most of them were on point. Appeared to pick up an injury niggle but battled through. Otherwise quiet.
7. Te Maire Martin – 10
The halfback earns just the second perfect score this season with a mesmerising display. The dry track under the roof gave him the chance to put his footwork on show and he didn’t disappoint with 14 runs. Some of his passing was world class, claiming three line-break assists and three try assists. He also came up with some big plays on defence. Maybe having Luke Metcalf on the extended bench lit a fire under his belly.
10. Jackson Ford – 6
Absolutely heartbreaking for the 28-year-old who sustained a pec injury. At this stage, the severity is unknown, but worst case he could miss the remainder of the season. At the time he left the field, he had already run for 58m and made 11 tackles.
9. Wayde Egan – 9
Another one who benefited from the dry conditions, finishing with a season high 118m with the ball and throwing some crisp passing from the ruck, including a mesmerising pass for Nicoll-Klokstad’s second try. Hope New South Wales coach Laurie Daley was watching.
22. Mitch Barnett – 7
His presence in the pack was massive for the Warriors, and played a key role in their win. Considering he played State of Origin on Wednesday, albeit 25 minutes, he was immense, with 24 runs for 191m and 23 tackles.
Warriors captain Mitch Barnett. Photo / Brad Roberts
11. Jacob Laban – 6
Was heavily involved in the opening exchanges but seemed to fade as the match progressed. Had some nice runs, even as a decoy. Finished with 23 tackles, but had eight misses and three errors, although one of them was a little harsh. His impacts didn’t go unnoticed.
12. Marata Niukore – 6
Without question this was his best performance of the season. Impressive on both sides of the ball, highlighted by 22 tackles without a miss.
13. Erin Clark – 6
While the eye test would suggest it was a quiet night for Clark, he got through plenty of work, including 133m and 27 tackles
Interchange:
8. Tanner Stowers-Smith – 7
Getting the chance to play in front of his home crowd, Stowers-Smith didn’t disappoint with another strong contribution, especially after Ford’s injury. Had 180m with the ball, including 67 post contact, while claiming a team-high 32 tackles.
Tanner Stowers-Smith. Photo / Photosport
15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava – 5
Got through plenty of the dirty work in another big shift. Finished with 25 tackles but was quiet with the ball.
16. Demitric Vaimauga – 5
Brought plenty of impact from the bench, but it felt like the dominance of the other forwards saw Vaimauga take a backseat.
21. Makaia Tafua – 5
In just his second NRL match, the hometown hero was solid in his limited minutes on the field, with his passing crisp as ever.
Interchange players not used: Luke Metcalf, Kayliss Fatialofa.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.