Adam Doueihi upstages Luke Metcalf comeback as Warriors suffer first defeat of the year to Wests Tigers

Friday, 27 March 2026

At Go Media Stadium, Auckland: Warriors 14 (Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 10’, 69’, Jacob Laban 16’ tries; Tanah Boyd goal) Wests Tigers 32’ (Faaletino Tavana 33’, Kai Pearce-Paul 36’, Royce Hunt 40’, Jahream Bula 60’, Jock Madden 74’, Sunia Turuva 80’ tries; Madden 4 goals). HT: 10-16.

Tigers halfback Adam Doueihi didn’t read the script. Luke Metcalf’s return from a long-term injury for the Warriors was supposed to lift the early NRL leaders to new heights.

It wasn’t to be because the Warriors were brought crashing back to earth with a 32-14 defeat to Wests in Auckland on Friday night.

Andrew Webster’s men were flying high after three consecutive wins, but their first loss of the season left the 24,246 inside Go Media Stadium bewildered and frustrated.

Webster was feeling the same. As for Tigers coach Benji Marshall, a Kiwis icon, this was a victory to savour. They hadn’t beaten them since 2019 but, inspired by Doueihi, snapped a nine-match losing streak against the Warriors with a second win from their three fixtures.

The Warriors coach said simple mistakes cost them on a night they “missed the mark”.

“We went away from trying to earn everything really well. We had the right things at the front of our mind, then I think we conceded a try, kicked off, forced an error and didn't get to dummy half,” Webster said.

“Those type of things. Concentration, discipline in the first half, then second half, I thought we were winning field position with our defence going after them.

“Then someone would miss a simple tackle or a bad defensive decision, and they were scoring long range tries and executed really well.”

While Leka Halasima might be the Warriors’ hot prospect, he had a quiet match. His fellow second row Jacob Laban continues to shine. Big carries, big hits and a brutal try ensured the 21-year-old was a bright spark on a poor night.

Tanah Boyd did have another strong game at halfback with his kicking and direction, although he, too, was fazed out by the resurgent Tigers.

His delayed pass for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s late try was perfect, but his shanked conversion was not and denied the home side any chance of a late fightback.

The Warriors were sloppy, lethargic and ran out of ideas as the Tigers’ defence shut down their crash plays. Their attack, which fired in the opening weeks, was erratic.

There was so much attention on Metcalf’s comeback from an ACL injury. Big screens beforehand showed replays of his best moments from his terrific form last year. There were glimpses on his return.

However, he was off the pace — understandable given he hadn’t played in almost nine months — and he was brushed off by Doueihi in his tackle attempt as the Tigers roared into the ascendancy.

Webster said the five-eighth “did some really good things”.

“Like every player tonight, I reckon he's got some things that he wishes he could have his time back, but I think everyone's in that boat tonight,” he added.

Summing up Metcalf’s return was a botched pass when the crowd had stirred following James Fisher-Harris’ massive tackle. It was one of the final chances the Warriors had to create pressure.

Co-captain Fisher-Harris said their resilience was “pretty good for a while”.

“Then we just started to crumble, a little bit, piece by piece,” the Kiwis prop said.

“We just went away from what we know in attack. We did some good things, we went after it, physically, then we just switched off mentally in our defence.”

The Tigers’ superstar halfback Jarome Luai was absent with injury, but Doueihi defied concerns about his groin to form an effective pairing with five-eighth Jock Madden.

They rattled the Warriors with their speed through the middle. The hosts missed too many tackles and the likes of props Mitch Barnett and Jackson Ford struggled to get them rolling.

Another Doueihi burst for Jahream Bula’s try on the hour, leaving Adam Pompey flailing, gave the Tigers a handsome lead and Madden touched down to begin the mass exodus of disgruntled fans around Mt Smart. Sunia Turuva had the final say to rub salt into the Warriors’ wounds.

Madden, playing his first match for the Tigers since 2022, kicked astutely to trouble the Warriors’ back three. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who confirmed he would be departing the club at the end of the year earlier on Friday, wasn’t his assured self on the left wing.

The Warriors were cruising at 10-0, rampaging through the Tigers.

Their ruck speed, handling and intent was looking good. With Taine Tuaupiki retained at fullback after a late change and running at the line at pace, the Tigers were on the back foot.

Their captain Apisai Koroisau was fortunate to go unpunished for catching opposing hooker Wayde Egan around his head — the first moment that went their way.

When Dallin Watene-Zelezniak almost collected a trademark intercept try, momentum shifted drastically.

Three tries in seven minutes put the Tigers in front. Mt Smart was silenced, wondering where the Warriors’ control had gone.

The Tigers lost early momentum with loose passing when the hosts were scrambling on their own line, with 12 men, too, after Pompey’s careless sinbinning.

When the Warriors were restored to their full compliment, the visitors stormed into their stunning half-time lead.

Debutant Tigers winger Faaletino Tavana, a late change, was looking especially shaky under Boyd’s exquisite, spiralling bombs, but he brought them back into the game.

Converting Doueihi’s brilliant break, his leap unsettled Tuivasa-Sheck under a high kick and Kai Pearce-Paul brought the Tigers level in a flash. Royce Hunt’s determined drive caught a tiring Warriors defence sleeping.

Laban’s first powerful charge had got them going, then Tuaupiki’s sharp pass to Nicoll-Klokstad cut the Tigers apart.

The Warriors had struck from their opening attack and led 10-0 when Laban went over. Looking in imposing form and punishing the Tigers’ poor discipline, they faded before the break.

They didn’t improve in the second half and the Tigers were comfortable, in the end, for their first win at Mt Smart since 2016.

What’s next

The Warriors head back to Australia to face the Cronulla Sharks next Sunday afternoon. The Tigers are away to the Parramatta Eels at Sydney’s Commback Stadium that same night.