NZ Warriors women learn on fly in NRLW homecoming
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
After six years away, NZ Warriors wāhine gave home fans a glimpse of their future, as they continued their rugby league education with a first NRLW win at Mt Smart on Sunday.
The inexperienced roster that looked lost at times against defending champions Sydney Roosters seven days earlier, seemed far more connected in a 14-0 victory over Parramatta Eels.
To coin an old phrase, the penny dropped for the 10 players who had never stepped out at this level before - including a handful of rugby converts, who had never even played the game before.
"From our performance from last week to this week - without a trial game, we were in freefall at times last week, but we kept going for each other," Warriors coach Ron Griffiths observed.
"Today, we were in freefall, but because we had that run under our belt, we understood how to win moments back."
The Warriors returned to the Aussie women's competition after the Covid-19 pandemic forced a five-year hiatus, but only seven had previous NRLW experience and only one - captain Apii Nicholls - had worn the jersey before.
Michaela Brake scores her first NRLW try against the Eels.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
The rest have been either plucked from domestic club footy or raided from the other oval-ball code.
They also took on the titleholders without a pre-season game and that lack of cohesion showed in a 30-6 defeat at Sydney.
"If you watched Shak's performance last week [former Black Fern Shakira Baker], it was immense for a lady that had only played limited rugby league games," Griffiths said.
"When you watched her again today, you could see those moments she missed last week, she got them right."
With their performance against Parramatta, in their first home game since 2019, the Warriors seemed far more at ease in their unfamiliar surroundings.
Asked which aspect of the scoreline pleased him most, Griffiths had no hesitation.
"Definitely the zero," he said. "There's lots of pleasing moments to come out of that, but one thing we've spoken about from day one was having a team full of defensive resolve.
"Putting the layers on top in attack will come and we've seen a vast improvement today in that - but definitely the zero."
Given her impressive sevens pedigree, most attention will naturally centre on winger Michaela Brake, as she tries to master a new skillset, and she took a huge step forward in her development.
The nuggety speedster known as 'Mini' scored her first NRLW try in the opening minutes against the Eels, and tormented them throughout with her willingness to run in the open field and from dummy half.
"Last week, Michaela had 10 carries and they were all powerful, but we've been talking to her about when she needs to run," Griffiths said. "We've only given her fleeting bits of information.
"Her ruck recognition today, and understanding when to follow the ball and run, was self-taught. She's been watching the game and thinking, 'I need to improve from last week and that's when I need to chase these moments in time'.
"She did that exceptionally today."
Tysha Ikenasio scores a try against Parramatta Eels.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
The next step in that evolution will come when Brake's teammates recognise she's about to run and then follow.
One try went begging against the Eels, when Brake scampered clear from her own half, but ran out of support with just the fullback to beat.
"We need to anticipate that and it's up to us as coaches to put them in those scenarios where they see that picture - 'What are we seeing right now, we need to be on that play'."
Some of that learning happened in game. In the first half, halfback Emily Curtain rolled a kick to the tryline, but centre Tysha Ikenasio - another sevens exponent - slightly mis-timed her chase and couldn't control the bounce.
When Curtain repeated that kick in the second half, Ikenasio was on the spot to score.
Perhaps the play of the game came from Nicholls herself. As Eels counterpart Abbi Church counterattacked from her own goal-line, the field suddenly opened up with teammates around her.
Nicholls stood her ground on halfway and dumped Church in a crucial one-on-one tackle that's sure to feature in this week's game analysis.
"Her career is littered with moments like that where, when the break's made, she makes a decision," Griffiths said.
"She doesn't always get it right, but her application to go and make that tackle is important.
"One thing I noticed today, when that break was made, I could see her and Mini communicating.
"Last week, if the break was made, we went to that player. This week, I could see them communicating amongst each other."
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