Warriors v Manly: Five takeaways from final NRL regular-season match

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad celebrates a try against the Manly Sea Eagles. Photo / Photosport In terms of being ready to strike, this is the best-positioned New Zealand Warriors team of the Andrew Webster era. It's an obvious point – but also one that needs to be made. The current team come into the finals on a high, off the back of a six-game winning streak. That's a welcome scenario. In 2023, the Warriors had a similar run – but were less convincing – before a 34-10 final-round defeat to the Dolphins, albeit with six front-liners rested. They then faced a virtual mission impossible, away to the Penrith Panthers in the first week of the finals and without Shaun Johnson, who had a calf strain. Last year, the Warriors lost their way completely towards the end of the season, with four losses in their last six matches. Three of those defeats were close but it was a disturbing pattern and the home elimination final against Penrith always felt like a bridge too far – though the match was much closer than the 24-8 scoreline indicated. Saturday's 31-30 victory over Manly exposed defensive issues, similar to the preceding weeks against the Newcastle Knights (particularly) and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. But that is a side issue. The Warriors again found a way, against a Sea Eagles side who were up for the contest and had nothing to lose – and they will lift markedly for what is coming on Saturday (6.05pm). Of all the outcomes from Saturday's match, the most pleasing was the sight of halves Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita getting through the game. Both had their left thighs heavily strapped – after the recent injuries – and hamstring strains are always a tricky proposition. But neither held back and both got a thorough test, in a physically demanding match. After giving up the intercept to Jason Saab in the first half, Harris-Tavita was the player racing back trying to stop Jason Feledy scoring in the opposite corner, while Martin was fully involved throughout. Although the pair would have been rusty, they will be better for the run. Martin had some brilliant touches, indicating his residual confidence, while Harris-Tavita struggled for the same impact but didn't shirk involvement. Their presence is vital, as the prospect of going into a NRL finals match without experienced halves would be scary indeed. The Warriors' biggest issue isn't hard to spot. They have been porous down both edges over the past three weeks, conceding a total of 88 points to the Rabbitohs, Knights and Sea Eagles, an average of 29 a match. While they were open contests, it won't be good enough in a finals game. Webster is aware but unconcerned. 'No, I'm not worried,' he told the Herald in the post-match press conference. 'Like, I'm not stupid, I know we've got to clean some stuff up but I know what sort of week we're going to have this week.' The return of Wayde Egan and Kurt Capewell (both rested) will make a difference but the Warriors also need to rediscover their defensive confidence and instinct which served them so well earlier this season. 'We are just missing that last little bit of detail defensively,' Webster said. 'They're little things and they're simple things that can have a big impact and we'll get that right, we'll be fine.' Webster has more inside knowledge than anyone else and as coaches always like to point out, problems and spaces on the flanks are often symptomatic of work not being done further inside. But it will be the greatest source of angst for fans on Saturday night, as the Warriors' centres and wingers will have big assignments to fulfil and the likes of Ali Leiataua and Alofiana Khan-Pereira will be undoubtedly targeted by the Queensland team. After a trying week – where he was dropped then recalled – Taine Tuaupiki managed a brilliant display. He ran for 170m – more than any other Warrior - and looked a constant threat, with eight tackle breaks. Most importantly, he scored three tries, including the stunning solo effort which turned the contest with 12 minutes to play. He may still miss out to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad this week, as Webster seemed to indicate his fullback preference with his selection for the Manly game, but it would be a tough call, as Saturday's result would probably have been different but for Tuaupiki's interventions. During the most important phase of Saturday's game, Webster trusted his young forwards like never before. In all the drama of the last few minutes, when the Warriors found a late, late field goal from Harris-Tavita after coming back from a 30-24 deficit, it was easy to miss that the team's three most important middle forwards – James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett and Erin Clark – were all off the field. Barnett was replaced in the 66th minute, with the Warriors still behind. Fellow co-captain Fisher-Harris missed the last eight minutes while Clark – who had a mighty game in his 50th NRL match for the club – was subbed off with five minutes to play, with the scores still level. It was a vote of confidence in the likes of Tanner Stowers-Smith, Demetric Vaimauga and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava – and they came through. 'We had our young [forwards] on at the end of the game and it was terrific,' Webster reflected. 'They did a really good job and learned a lot.' Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America's Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast . The Warriors have suffered a cruel run of injuries this season, testing their depth.