{"id":19609,"date":"2025-07-17T08:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T20:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tab.co.nz\/punters\/?p=19609"},"modified":"2025-07-17T09:45:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T21:45:39","slug":"nz-warriors-stat-chat-round-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tab.co.nz\/punters\/2025\/07\/nz-warriors-stat-chat-round-19\/","title":{"rendered":"NZ Warriors Stat Chat | Round 19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Warriors are back in the winning groove after sandwiching back-to-back losses between their Round 15 and 18 byes, improving to an 11-5 record with a 34-14 defeat of Wests Tigers on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spine back-ups Tanah Boyd (four try involvements) and Taine Tuaupiki starred as the Warriors moved on seamlessly from Luke Metcalf\u2019s season-ending injury and the short-term absence of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors made 10 line-breaks to the Tigers\u2019 three, but perhaps the most telling statistical advantage was yardage-wise \u2013 completely dominating the visitors through the middle of the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors led the run metres (1,739 to 1,341), post-contact metres (562 to 422), average set distance (38.65 to 36.25) and metres per run (9.66 to 7.93) counts in a game where possession was evenly split.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tigers tamed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors\u2019 ongoing dominance of the Tigers has lifted this current run to second on the list of the club\u2019s longest rivalry winning streaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARRIORS\u2019 LONGEST RIVALRY WINNING STREAKS<\/strong>
12 matches \u2013 v South Sydney Rabbitohs (1999-2007)
8 matches \u2013 v Wests Tigers (2020-25)
8 matches \u2013 v Gold Coast Titans (2011-14)
6 matches \u2013 v Gold Coast Titans (2015-18)
6 matches \u2013 v Canterbury Bulldogs (2019-23)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ladder of success<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors have spent 14 weeks in the top four this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That represents a hefty proportion of just 81 weeks of the 772 the Warriors have been in the premiership that they have occupied a top-four spot on the ladder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club has only sat atop the competition ladder at the end of a weekend four times \u2013 one of those being when they collected the 2002 minor premiership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boasting a four-point buffer in fourth spot, the Warriors are on track for just their fourth top-four finish ever \u2013 after 2002, 2007 and 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tryscoring race wide open<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Luke Metcalf\u2019s season-ending injury has left the door ajar for some unlikely top tryscorer candidates. The halfback crossed for eight tries in 15 games before suffering his ACL setback \u2013 and now Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Leka Halasima are just one four-pointer behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harris-Tavita\u2019s previous best season total was the four tries he scored in 2024, while back-row sensation Halasima had not scored an NRL try before this year. Tuivasa-Sheck, whose tally has come in only 10 games, is also on track for a career-best haul \u2013 his highest total was 12 tries for the Roosters in 2015, while he managed 10 for the Warriors in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARRIORS TOP TRYSCORERS 2025<\/strong>
8 \u2013 Luke Metcalf
7 \u2013 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Leka Halasima
5 \u2013 Adam Pompey
3 \u2013 Rocco Berry, Jackson Ford, Ali Leiataua, Marata Niukore, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hunted in the Hunter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors will be striving to end a six-year drought at McDonald Jones Stadium this Sunday, having lost their last four away matches against Newcastle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their only victory over in their last seven clashes with the Knights in Australia was a memorable 36-6 win in Tamworth in late-2020, suffering losses at temporary homes Gosford and Redcliffe during their COVID odyssey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Warriors have won four of their last six against the Knights overall, however, including a 26-12 Anzac Day result in Christchurch in Round 8 this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, at least one Warriors interchange player has scored a try in the club\u2019s last four encounters with Newcastle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number crunchers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No shortage of statistical standouts from a handsome win over the Tigers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n