The Warriors made the finals for the eighth straight year but statistically it was their worst season in the NYC. They finished one spot higher than they did a year earlier but won their lowest amount of games in a regular season, with 11, and lost 11 eleven games for the second straight year. Under the helm of new coach Kelvin Wright, the Warriors got off to a bad start, with a 25-point loss to Newcastle in Round 1. They followed it up with three straight wins but that would be the last time they would win back to back games until the finals. While they teetered on the edge of the eight for most of the season, the Warriors never really looked like missing out. They secured their spot in the finals with a 16-all draw against the Tigers in Round 25.
They went into the finals looking to emulate 2014’s premiership winning feats and looked in good form, knocking out the Roosters and Broncos in consecutive weeks. In the preliminary final, they met a red hot Panthers side. After five straight away games, the Warriors’ season ended with a 50-16 loss.
Standout Players
Lock Jazz Tevaga was a consistent presence for the Warriors. He made 800 tackles and 3,162 metres at an average of 142 per game. Brad Abbey was dangerous as always from the back, he had 244 supports in 2015. Half Mafoa’aeata Hingano was missed when he was on NSW Cup duties. The five-eighth had 20 try assists and 18 line break assists in 17 games.
Top Pointscorer
Hingano topped the Warriors pointscoring list in those 17 games. In his second year of NYC and still just 18, Hingano scored 4 tries and kicked 66 goals for 148 points.
Top Tryscorer
Another junior Warrior to benefit from time in the NSW Cup, winger Tomas Aoake scored 19 tries in 22 games. He scored hat tricks in Round 6 and Round 26.
Best Win
Round 4 – defeated Brisbane 40-14 at Mt Smart Stadium.
After their first round loss, the Warriors went on a three game winning streak that concluded with a big win over the undefeated Broncos. The Warriors spine of Abbey, Hingano and Erin Clark all set up tries, with Abbey and Hingano running for over 100 metres.
Graduates
Raymond Faitala-Mariner (2012-2013 – 25 games, 7 tries, 28 points)
A member of the Warriors 2013 Grand Final side, Faitala-Mariner made his NRL debut in Round 8 after spending 2014 in the NSW Cup. He played 11 games in his rookie season.
Solomone Kata (2013-2014 – 26 games, 19 tries, 28 goals, 92 points)
2014’s Jack Gibson Medallist, Kata burst into first grade this season, playing every game and scoring 12 tries. The bustling centre was rewarded with a spot in New Zealand’s train on squad.
Mason Lino (2012-2014 – 62 games, 16 tries, 221 goals, 3 field goals, 509 points)
Lino was on his way to France this season before an injury saw the premiership winning half return to the Warriors. The club’s all-time leading NYC point scorer, Lino made his NRL debut in Round 24.
Sam Lisone (2013-2014 – 50 games, 16 tries, 64 points)
Co-captain of the Warriors’ 2014 premiership winning side, Lisone had a standout rookie year in 2015 in which he played 19 games, becoming a regular in the Warriors’ pack.
Ken Maumalo (2013-2014 – 28 games, 11 tries, 44 points)
Maumalo came off the bench in the Warriors’ Grand Final win in 2014. He made his NRL debut in Round 10, playing eight games on the wing in 2015.
Nathaniel Peteru (2011-2012 – 21 games, 1 try, 4 points)
Started his career and the Broncos before moving back to New Zealand to join the Warriors NYC side. Joined the Titans in 2015, where he made his NRL debut.
Albert Vete (2012-2013 – 36 games, 14 tries, 56 points)
A try scorer in the Warriors’ Grand Final loss in 2013, Vete became a first grade regular in 2015. The prop played 21 games, scoring two tries,
Player to Watch in 2016
17-year old winger Lewis Soosemea played 11 NYC games in 2015, scoring four tries, and looks set for a big year in 2016. Currently representing New Zealand under-18s on their tour of Australia, Soosemea is a dangerous ball runner with pace to burn, as show in this brilliant try against the Roosters in Round 19.
Representative Honours
Fabien Kiri – New Zealand under-18s
Tyrone Nathan – New Zealand under-18s
Marata Niukore – Junior Kiwis
Chris Sio – New Zealand under-18s
Toafofoa Sipley – Junior Kiwis
Lewis Soosemea – New Zealand under-18s
Jazz Tevaga – Junior Kiwis
18TH MAN 