Star half Luke Metcalf is gone for the season—and there are growing fears his club’s finals chances might be next.
For the first half of 2025 the New Zealand Warriors were the hunters of the NRL, riding high on the ladder with ten wins and just three losses after 15 rounds.
Suddenly, however, they’ve become the prey, dropping their past two games against Penrith and Brisbane—two of the sides now eyeing off their prized spot in the NRL top four.
Heading into their Round 18 bye this weekend, the Warriors still sit outright fourth, holding a two-match cushion over the Broncos and Roosters, with the resurgent Panthers a point further back.
MORE: New Zealand Warriors 2025 NRL draw, bye schedule and results
But the picture has been muddied considerably by a brutal run of injuries to key players in recent weeks.
First it was NSW representative forward Mitch Barnett and now Dally M front-runner Luke Metcalf has been ruled out with a season-ending ACL tear suffered in last weekend’s loss to Brisbane.
Meanwhile, Kiwi international outside backs Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (ankle) and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (knee) are also set to miss significant game time, threatening to derail the season for Andrew Webster’s men.
One glimmer of light for the Wahs is the NRL draw, with the Auckland-based outfit set to enjoy one of the friendlier runs into the 2025 finals series.
Games against the Tigers (14th), Titans (17th) and Eels (15th) at home await the undermanned Warriors, together with a second clash with the Titans, away.
Between now and the finals, the Warriors play just a single match against another top-four side, away to the Bulldogs in Round 23.
Formed in 1995, the Warriors have never won an NRL premiership.