The Warriors displayed immense heart to almost make the finals in exceptional circumstances last year, but their power game seemingly took a nosedive.
At least in the form of tackle breaks, that is, with the New Zealand team ranked 14th in the category with 24.35 averaged per match.
In 2019 and 2018 – the latter being the last time they qualified for the playoffs – the Warriors averaged 28.6 and 28.4 tackle breaks per game respectively and were ranked eighth for tackle breaks each season.
The losses of hulking wingers Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a, who both returned home to New Zealand after round 11 in 2020, looks to have been a key reason for their drop in tackle busts.
Before departing, Maumalo recorded 33 tackle busts in just eight games at an average of 4.1 per match. Fusitu'a, meanwhile, managed 16 busts in seven outings (2.2 per match).
Despite not featuring in the majority of the second half of the 20-round campaign, Maumalo finished the season with the second-most tackle breaks at the Warriors behind captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (84 from 18 games).
Only the Bulldogs, who finished 15th on the ladder, and North Queensland (14th) ranked below the Warriors for tackle breaks, averaging 21.4 and 18.95 per match respectively.
Sydney Roosters averaged the most tackle busts per match in the regular season with 32, and seven of the 2020 finalists were ranked inside the top eight for this statistic.
Newcastle (28.35 TBs per game) were the exception.
