Warriors coach Stacey Jones knew how crucial the second half start against the Storm would be.
He told the players about it while they were in the barn 10-8 down at half-time but still they let Jahrome Hughes score a try two minutes into the second period and immediately the Storm had some breathing room and went on to win 24- 12.
It was one of the Warriors’ biggest problems this season and memories are still fresh of the Raiders scoring right after the break last weekend and then winning comfortably.
“We’re tackling it, we’re talking about it. They just got some ruck speed on us and got another six,” Jones said afterwards.
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“We couldn’t stop them. Disappointing. We say the right things in the locker room about coming out and starting quickly after the break.
Brett Phibbs/Photosport
Chanel Harris-Tavita will undergo scans on Monday to determine the extent of his latest injury.
“For the past two weeks, that’s been part of our game that’s been a problem.”
Once again the Warriors showed that they can play nice football and in the first half there was little between them and one of the best teams in the NRL.
But the thing is, they can’t play at a high level long enough.
“It seems to change in several weeks, but those mental breakdowns are certainly not helping,” said Warriors captain Tohu Harris.
“We tried to deal with that by coming out with intensity in the second half, but they got ruck speed and gave away a set of seven tackles, then gave them a full set on our line. It’s little mistakes like that, small discipline areas.”
One of the positives of the game was winger Ed Kosi’s hat-trick. He had a nightmare against the Storm when these teams last met on Anzac Day and he was relegated to the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup to work on his game right after.
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A good crowd of 18,395 people came out to watch the Warriors take on the Storm at Mt Smart Stadium.
But he got the chance to prove himself again on Friday night and grabbed it with both hands, with a performance that changed the direction of his career.
“Ed was excellent tonight, the way he bounced back,” Jones said.
“Not only his three tries, but he caught some really good high balls, he carried the ball strong.
“From where he was when we last played him, he’s come a long way. He’s worked hard on his game, he’s played well in the reserve class.
“He played well against Parramatta when he had another chance, so hopefully this is the start of something good for Ed and the club.”
But while it was a pleasant night for Kosi, it was not for Chanel Harris-Tavita, who had to leave the game with an injury and may have made his last appearance for the Warriors before leaving the game. “We think it’s an MCL,” Jones said of Harris-Tavita’s injury.
“So however long that is, we’re not so sure. He’ll have scans and we need to see the extent of the injury.
“Losing Chanel was a bit of a disruption for us, he played pretty well until his injury. We had to slide a bit and I thought Wayde Egan did a pretty good job (at five-eighth).
“It’s hard for a player who plays in the middle to have to defend on an edge. That lead became a little visible at times, but not through Wayde’s fault.”