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Warriors' top-four dream on tilt with loss to Bulldogs
Jasper Bruce, AAP • August 10th, 2025 12:35 am
Photo: James Gourley/Photosport
The NZ Warriors' top-four dream is threatening to slip away after a 32-14 loss to Canterbury continued their disastrously timed form slump ahead of the NRL finals.
Saturday night's loss in rainy Sydney caps a tough month for the depleted Kiwi side, who will finish a weekend outside the top four for the first time since round six.
Now in fifth, the Warriors' top-four hopes have been left to rely on red-hot Penrith losing once on the run home - assuming they win all four of their own remaining games.
That is easier said than done for the Warriors, who have lost their last three matches and have watched the Panthers, 17th after round 12, jump into fourth.
"Everyone wants to be a top-four team. It gives you a really good shot at the end of the season," said Warriors coach Andrew Webster.
"But tonight won't define us. We've got a lot of football to play at the back end of this year.
"No one is happy in there (in the dressing room). We wish we were winning each week at the moment. But there's a lot to build off and a lot of spirit in that group. We'll keep fighting."
To make matters worse, Te Maire Martin will join an already busy casualty ward after a head knock 23 minutes into his first game replacing Tanah Boyd at halfback.
Boyd is set to replace Martin for next week's clash with giant-killers St George Illawarra, who could leave the Warriors as low as seventh on the ladder by the end of round 24.
The Warriors are still not guaranteed to play finals but will finish the season with a winning record if they can snatch one more victory.
Canterbury's three biggest losses this season have all come in the wet, but the Bulldogs finally mastered the slippery conditions before 25,377 home fans.
"I woke up and read in the paper today that we couldn't play in the wet. It was nice to prove that one wrong," said coach Cameron Ciraldo.
They remain in the hunt for a top-two spot, only behind second-placed Melbourne on points differential.
After three early penalty goals between the sides in the driving rain, the Bulldogs began to control territory on the back of Matt Burton's boot.
Bailey Hayward replaced North Queensland-bound Reed Mahoney at starting hooker as a possible glimpse into the Bulldogs' future.
Mahoney only made it on in the final 16 minutes when the result appeared beyond doubt, with Ciraldo indicating Hayward would remain at No.9 next week.
"He's earned the right to start the game through his performances. That's really hard on Reed, because Reed's been doing a lot of good things for us," Ciraldo said.
"It's not so much about him, it's more about Bailey."
Enari Tuala scored two tries for the Bulldogs in their 18-point win over the Warriors | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Hayward sent a short ball from dummy half for Viliame Kikau to score the Bulldogs' first try, the big man slipping over attempting a left-foot step and sliding to the tryline.
Errors hurt the Warriors and put the Bulldogs in position to score their second on the left through rookie winger Jethro Rinakama.
On the back of two repeat sets, Enari Tuala dived over on the right in the final 90 seconds of the first half to lift the scoreline to 20-2 and leave the Warriors at sea.
A crisp pass from Jacob Kiraz helped Tuala to his second as the final 10 minutes approached.
In his fourth NRL game, Sam Healey had his first try with a kick for himself out of dummy half, before a late Roger Tuivasa-Sheck intercept try put some respectability on the scoreboard.
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