There were questions before the finals about whether the combination had enough creativity and game management to take the Warriors deep into the playoffs.
Chanel Harris-Tavita of the Warriors looks on during the defeat to the Knights at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport
It would be unfair to pin the entire exit on the pair, but their inability to take control of either final when the games were there to be won will inevitably raise those questions again.
In both matches, the Warriors did much of the hard work by creating attacking opportunities, but they struggled to produce the decisive pass, kick or play that could turn pressure into points.
The Warriors scored just three tries across their two finals after crossing the line 127 times during the regular season – the second-most in the NRL.
Against the Knights, they had 26 tackles inside Newcastle’s 20m zone but could only turn that pressure into two tries.
When the game was in the balance, they needed Martin and Harris-Tavita to execute their last-tackle options better.
Harris-Tavita’s kicking game was wayward at best, while Martin either decided to run or give the ball to somebody else who shouldn’t have had it in that moment, as the Warriors repeatedly struggled to come up with the play that would unlock the Knights’ defence.
It is also worth remembering that Newcastle were without their regular halfback Dylan Brown, yet still found a way to control the crucial moments and get the job done.
The same issue was evident the previous week against the Dolphins, when the Warriors lacked a genuine long-range kicking option and were unable to find a way to close out the game after building a lead.
Ultimately, the lack of a natural No 7 has been an issue for the Warriors for much of the season, and it came back to bite them when the pressure was at its highest.
Tanah Boyd is currently the only recognised halfback on the Warriors’ books for 2027, and his return, and fitness, will be crucial if they are to take that next step.
Did Taine Tuaupiki speculation hurt the Warriors?
In the build-up to the semi-final, reports from the UK and Australia emerged claiming Taine Tuaupiki had sought an early release from his Warriors contract to head to the Super League, despite re-signing with the club earlier this year.
The reports centred around a clause in Tuaupiki’s contract that enables him to pursue a move to the English Super League for the 2028 season, although Code Sports reported that the Warriors had rejected the request.
The speculation was unusual, considering the 27-year-old has a young family and had established himself as the Warriors’ long-term fullback following his breakout season.
Despite the untimely speculation swirling around him before the match, it was difficult to ask for much more from Tuaupiki as he tried to help the Warriors secure a win.
Tuaupiki produced a monumental performance against the Knights, running for 208m from 23 carries and making 16 tackle breaks – all game-high figures.
There were some errors, but overall he was one of the Warriors’ best players and arguably their standout performer across their two finals matches.
That makes it difficult to argue the speculation affected Tuaupiki himself. In fact, he appeared to respond to the noise in the best way possible – by producing his best when his team needed it most.
The bigger question is whether the reports created any unease around the wider playing group at a time when the Warriors needed complete focus.
Taine Tuaupiki of the Warriors in action against the Knights. Photo / Photosport
It is also worth taking any NRL contract speculation with a grain of salt. Players and clubs agree to deals all the time, only for circumstances to change, with releases, upgrades, extensions and transfers becoming a regular part of the game.
It is possible the reports were also being used by Tuaupiki’s management to try to secure a better deal for their client, particularly given he was not the Warriors’ first-choice fullback when he signed his current contract.
What is clear, however, is that the timing was far from ideal, and it will be interesting to see what happens with Tuaupiki in the off-season.
Blame the referees, but it’s not why the Warriors lost
It is disappointing to be writing that much of the discussion around the game has centred on the bunker and a series of controversial calls late in the match.
There were three decisions that all went against the Warriors in the closing stages, with the most contentious coming when referee Ashley Klein opted not to award a late penalty after Leka Halasima leapt to contest a high kick and was impeded by Tyson Frizell.
Instead of the focus being on an injury-ravaged Knights side travelling to Auckland and claiming their first win in New Zealand since 2019, much of the post-match discussion has centred on the officiating, which inevitably takes some of the shine off what was a remarkable result for Newcastle.
The other two contentious moments came when Martin was ruled to have stripped the ball after falling off a tackle, while Ali Leiataua was ruled to have touched the ball with his thumb while attempting an intercept.
The Warriors have every right to be frustrated by those decisions, and chief executive Cameron George has gone to the NRL for a please explain, as one of those calls could have changed the outcome of the game considering how close it was.
But it is also fair to acknowledge that calls go both ways over the course of an NRL season. On this occasion, the crucial decisions simply did not fall the Warriors’ way.
The controversy will once again raise questions about the role of the bunker and the extensive technology available to officials. If those tools are there to help referees make the correct decisions in crucial moments, there will inevitably be frustration when supporters believe they have not been used effectively.
Whatever your view on the decisions, nothing will change the final result, and the Knights will be playing the Penrith Panthers for a spot in the NRL grand final, their first preliminary final since 2013.
They deserve a big thumbs up, but those who decided to throw cans and bottles at the referees after the game, a big thumbs down. They shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a game in the future.
Klein was in the middle, refereeing a high-pressure game under intense circumstances. Referees make mistakes but the bunker, which was being controlled by Chris Butler, is meant to help prevent them. Klein has been dropped by the NRL for the rest of the finals, who deemed the non-call on Halasima was wrong, however it backed the other two decisions, which they deemed 50/50.
At the end of the day, the Warriors had more than enough chances to win the game, they just didn’t take them.
You can look at many moments from Tuaupiki’s missed conversion, to nobody supporting Kurt Capewell when he made his three linebreaks or Mitch Barnett going for the hero plays by going down the shortside instead of making the smart team play.
No matter who you point the finger at, the Warriors only have themselves to blame.
The Warriors’ loss to the Knights was marred by three controversial refereeing decisions late in the match. Photo / Photosport
History made at Eden Park as finals woes continue
Finals football was played away from the Warriors’ spiritual home at Go Media Stadium and instead took place across town at Eden Park, with a record 48,511 fans packing into the stadium to watch the match – making it the most attended rugby league game in New Zealand history.
There were mixed views about the decision to take the game there, with diehard Warriors fans understandably wanting their team to play at its traditional home, but the NRL opted to capitalise on the opportunity to create a major event at Eden Park, particularly with the venue set to host two NRL games and a State of Origin match in 2027.
It was the Warriors’ first game there in 12 years, or 4516 days to be specific and, overall, it probably helped the Knights. While the stadium is bigger, fans are farther away, which makes it less intimidating compared to Mt Smart, where fans are within touching distance of the field.
Would the result have been different had the game been played at Mt Smart? It is impossible to know, but the Warriors’ record at Eden Park certainly doesn’t compare with their record at their spiritual home. They now have just one win from seven games at the venue.
For all the disappointment of the result, however, the occasion itself was a significant positive. It shows the interest in rugby league and the Warriors and everyone involved will be hoping they continue to carry the momentum into coming years.
But the defeat also brought another unwanted statistic into focus – the Warriors’ recent record in the finals.
They have now lost four consecutive finals matches, their longest losing streak in finals history, while they have won just one of their past eight finals matches dating back to their 2011 grand final appearance.
Ironically, that one win came against the Knights at Mt Smart three years ago.
Making for even more uncomfortable reading, the Warriors have not won their opening finals match since 2008, when they became the first eighth-placed team to defeat the minor premiers, which was the Melbourne Storm that year.
After Andrew Webster guided the Warriors back into the finals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2010-11, the challenge now is to turn their regular-season success into more when the pressure rises in September.
The Eden Park crowd showed just how much interest there is in this Warriors team. The next step is giving those supporters a finals performance to remember for the right reasons.
Warriors head coach Andrew Webster. Photo / Photosport
The big questions facing the Warriors ahead of 2027
With the Warriors’ campaign now over, attention quickly turns to 2027 and how they can build on a record-breaking campaign in which they claimed 18 wins during the regular season.
There will be plenty of interest around the squad, with Mitch Barnett, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Luke Metcalf among those moving on, while the Warriors have recruited Grant Anderson, Will Warbrick and Sam McIntyre as their marquee signings, alongside several players receiving upgraded deals.
As things stand, the Warriors have 27 contracted players for next season, although there could still be some movement before a ball is kicked, with Adam Pompey among those who have reportedly been told they are free to look elsewhere for a new deal.
There will also be plenty of interest when players become free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1 for the 2028 season, including Wayde Egan and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
The edges, particularly in the centres, have been considered an area of weakness, and the signing of Anderson should help address that. Warbrick, who will provide impact on the wing, is expected to miss a significant portion of the season due to an Achilles injury.
The return of Boyd from an ACL injury will give the Warriors that genuine halfback that they missed later in the season, although it will take some time for him to settle back into the NRL after a lengthy lay-off.
How the Warriors replace Barnett will be another major question, with Jackson Ford the obvious candidate to take on a bigger role, while Riley Price has demonstrated he can step up if required.
There will also be interest in how Webster uses Halasima and Nicoll-Klokstad. Both spent significant periods of the season playing out of position, and finding the right roles for them could be important as the Warriors look to take the next step. In saying that, Halasima has proven his worth as a strike centre and could be an option to stay in that position moving forward, particularly with the depth at second row.
Hopefully they don’t have the same injury toll that saw them forced to continually switch players and have guys out of position.
Ultimately, the Warriors have plenty to build on after a record-breaking regular season, but this finals campaign has also highlighted areas that need to improve.
They now have an entire off-season to address those issues, and based on Webster’s body language and tone after the match, expect there to be plenty of fire in the belly as the Warriors look to respond.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.