‘Gutted’: Chanel Harris-Tevita’s ‘devastating’ image as Warriors season in tatters

The New Zealand Warriors have suffered another heartbreaking loss as the 2023 preliminary finalists’ season appears on life support.

That one hurts a lot. Photo: Fox Sports

The Warriors have shown once again just how crucial goalkicking is in the modern NRL, falling 20-18 to the Raiders in Canberra.

Despite scoring four tries to three, the Warriors fell to a two-point loss after an injury to Adam Pompey left Chanel Harris-Tevita needing to kick for the extras.

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Having given the Raiders a 14-0 lead after just 18 minutes, it was always going to be difficult as the Warriors only scored in fours rather than sixes.

After losing Pompey in the first half, Harris-Tevita’s first attempt was the hardest, coming from the left touchline.

The Warriors five-eighth did bend the attempt but started outside the far post with the ball landing on about the 10m line.

Harris-Tevita had a slightly more generous chance after Mitch Barnett capped off a huge week where he had his Origin debut with a try in the 59th minute.

It was a little closer for Harris-Tevita, but he bent it just outside the far post.

“It’s a little better but it’s still no good,” Fox League’s Dan Ginnane said.

The Raiders were next to scored, with Jamal Fogarty remaining perfect from the tee on the night.

But a big charge from Addin Fonua-Blake not far from the posts looked to have given Harris-Tevita the chance to be the hero.

However, he pushed that across the post too.

They were tough scenes post-match. Photo: Fox Sports

“You wouldn’t believe it, you would not believe it,” Ginnane said.

“That’s a devastating blow.”

Cooper Cronk said: “I don’t want to hit him while he’s down but that was a poor kick.

“When the season is on the line, that could be absolutely costly for the Warriors’ finals chances.”

After the match, Harris-Tevita was quickly into the rooms and cut a devastated figure.

Fox League’s Greg Alexander pointed out that the half had kicked 54 goals in the NRL in his career, having come into the match with an 84 per cent success rate.

Social media piled on Harris-Tevita but plenty more fans pointed out the Warriors were their own worst enemies.

CEO of the Warriors major sponsor One NZ Jason Paris tweeted: “No one will be more devastated than CHT (so let’s support him️) Ultimately we should have been better early and put the game away so we didn’t need to get the kick to go to golden point. We need an 80 min performance.”

Warriors coach Andrew Webster summed the feelings of the team up in one word: “Gutted.”

“We started poorly, didn’t give ourselves a chance early,” he said.

“A lot to love but we just can’t start like that.”

The fans' faces say it all. Photo: Fox Sports

Year two is a lot harder for Webster. Photo: Fox Sports

But Webster refused to blame the goalkicking.

“We’d love to be 100 per cent on our goalkicking every week but there’s plenty of other things to put it down to other than goalkicking,” Webster said.

“There’s lots of injuries and other things going on but goalkicking is not the thing that defined us tonight.

“We’ve got to start better — 14-0 is not good enough.”

Talking after the press conference, Greg Alexander said: “But... when you miss a kick that close to the posts with a couple of minutes left in the game... it’s hard.

“The coach doesn’t want to hammer Chanel Harris.”

Yvonne Sampson added: “He’s already in a lonely enough place.”

 

Originally published as ‘Gutted’: Chanel Harris-Tevita’s ‘devastating’ image as Warriors season in tatters