Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Poching: Warriors' balanced aggression is staying onside with referees
Sport Nation • July 20th, 2026 4:00 pm
Wayde Egan and Kurt Capewell | Photo: Photosport
After years of feeling like the big calls rarely went their way, the Warriors are now finding themselves on the other side of the ledger, with most recently the Dragons leaving Mt Smart Stadium furious.
In a post-match press conference on Saturday, St. George Illawarra captain Damien Cook said he believes his side deserve better.
"We're not getting rewarded for the effort we're putting in.
"It's not right, I feel sorry for the fans that have to watch that but it's happening too many times to us and I don't know if its because we're sitting down the bottom and its an easy one to throw off because the Warriors should win today.
"I think its unfair and we deserve better moving forward."
Despite only winning two games so far in 2026, the Dragons have had many close games that have slipped through their fingertips.
But according to Willie Poching, the Warriors shift is no accident.
The former Kiwis international told Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy the Warriors’ improved discipline, physicality and position near the top of the table have played a major role in why more decisions appear to be falling in their favour.
“The team and the aggressors usually get things going their way and sometimes you walk close to the line but more often than not they go your way and that's where the Warriors have been very, very good.”
Match referee Chris Butler, NZ Warriors v St. George Illawarra Dragons | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Poching said the Warriors have managed to strike the balance between playing with aggression and staying on the right side of the officials.
“They've not given a lot of penalties away because their tackle technique has been correct, not a lot of high shots but they've carried hard, they tackled hard and more often they're not being the more aggressive team than their opponents and hence why they sit where they are.”
For a club that has often felt hard done by in the past, the change has been noticeable but Poching said teams near the bottom of the ladder often feel the weight of those decisions more heavily.
“It's tough when you're at the bottom because you feel like the world's against you a little bit and the teams at the top get things go their way but I tend to think that that's why they get the calls that they do.”
Listen to the full interview below:
