Metcalf injury worry overshadows Warriors’ emphatic victory over Broncos

Warriors 40

Broncos 6

What is it about Warriors halfbacks and Suncorp Stadium?

While the Kiwi club will bank two crucial points from victory over a Brisbane Broncos side desperate to avoid the worst defence of an NRL premiership, coach Andrew Webster will be counting the cost of Saturday’s 40-6 win.

On the same ground that saw Tanah Boyd suffer a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury earlier this year, the Warriors will now wait with bated breath over the fitness of Luke Metcalf, who pulled up with a hamstring concern midway through the first half.

That’s not even counting the fact that Metcalf also suffered a season-ending ACL injury at the same ground in 2025.

Now, with Te Maire Martin still at least two weeks away from returning after a hamstring injury of his own, and with Jett Cleary having requested a release from the club at the end of the year, the Warriors’ No 7 cupboard looks bare at best.

Luke Metcalf limps off the field after suffering a hamstring injury against the Brisbane Broncos. Photo / Photosport

Yet, even without a recognised halfback on the night, the Warriors’ “next man up” mentality proved worth its weight in gold – as only missed kicks denied the chance to run up their highest score of the season.

Even without their chief playmaker, the Warriors still comfortably had the better of the Broncos, albeit they did fall short of the 44 point winning margin needed to leapfrog the Penrith Panthers into second on the NRL ladder.

In Metcalf’s absence, Chanel Harris-Tavita proved more than able in shifting from five-eighth into halfback, scoring one try, assisting another, and kicking for more than 500m. That came in a new-look halves pairing with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who moved from fullback into five-eighth.

Jacob Laban also had another standout showing after sealing a spot as a starting second rower, scoring one try, making 41 tackles, breaking four of his own, to go with a linebreak.

Nicoll-Klokstad and forward Tanner Stowers-Smith also face nervous waits, though, with both being placed on report for separate indiscretions.

Returning to Suncorp Stadium, and enjoying a raucous local support, the Warriors started exactly like a team hunting a top two finish and pounced on Broncos’ mistakes in their own territory.

Reece Walsh spilling a high kick saw Wayde Egan send Laban over, once he’d flattened Brisbane’s Ezra Mam, before a Deine Mariner penalty for escorting ended with Harris-Tavita beating five defenders to dance in and score the second.

But from 10-0 up, the Warriors suffered two hammer blows in less than five minutes. A mistimed tackle on Walsh saw the visitors reduced to 12 when Nicoll-Klokstad was sent to the sin bin and placed on report for a hip drop.

While Walsh bravely played on for one more set before hobbling off injured, his last act of the night was throwing an intercept pass for Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who scored to extend the Warriors’ lead to 16-0, as Metcalf pulled up lame after adding the extras.

Despite their clear advantage, Brisbane continued to be their own worst enemy, as two separate penalties to Harris-Tavita saw the Warriors enter the break 20-0 ahead.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad celebrates his try against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. Photo / Photosport

As rain started to fall after the break, more Broncos ill-discipline opened the door for the Warriors. A penalty against Billy Walters gave the Warriors another attacking set, finished when Harris-Tavita kicked for Nicoll-Klokstad to score the fourth of the night.

Six minutes later, the Broncos allowed another Harris-Tavita bomb to bounce, as the Warriors regained possession before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak produced a trademark finish in the corner for his 78th try for the club, moving past Stacey Jones into third on the all-time list.

And when Josiah Karapani knocked on in front of his own posts, the following set saw another try on the Warriors’ right, this time through Ali Leiataua.

A linebreak from future Warrior Grant Anderson helped create the Broncos’ first try, finished by Kiwis forward Xavier Willison. The Warriors appeared to have another, when Nicoll-Klokstad freed Sam Healey to race away and score, only for the Bunker to pull the play back for obstruction against Laban.

But with time almost up, Leka Halasima was on the end of another move that saw him barge over on the left to complete proceedings.

The Warriors will return to Sydney next weekend, where they’ll meet the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday night, before closing out the regular season with back-to-back home games against the Newcastle Knights and Manly Sea Eagles.

Warriors 40 (Laban, Harris-Tavita, Khan-Perieira, Nicoll-Klokstad, Watene-Zelezniak, Leiataua, Halasima tries; Metcalf 2, Harris-Tavita 2 conversions; Harris-Tavita 2 penalties)

Broncos 6 (Willison try; Duffy conversion)

H/T: 20-0

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.