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Dominant Display Sees New Zealand Warriors Reserves Clinch Historic State Championship Title Against Burleigh Bears The New Zealand Warriors Reserves have secured the club's first-ever NRL State Championship, defeating the Burleigh Bears with a commanding 50–20 victory at Accor Stadium in Sydney. The match, played ahead of the senior NRL Grand Final, showcased the superiority of the Warriors’ pathways development system against the Queensland Cup champions, capping what the club has described as its most successful season in its history. The decisive win, which saw the Warriors run in nine tries, concluded a remarkable two-week run for the New South Wales Cup (NSW Cup) winners, who had claimed their local premiership just seven days prior. The inter-state final, an annual fixture pitting the champions of the NSW Cup against the Hostplus Queensland Cup (Hostplus Cup), quickly turned into a comprehensive display of attacking prowess and discipline from the Auckland-based side. The Burleigh Bears, making their third appearance in the fixture, were unable to contain the Warriors’ experienced spine, resulting in a scoreline that reflected a significant gulf between the two state winners. The Contrast in Experience The contest was billed as a clash of the two most successful reserve-grade teams of the 2025 season, but an immediate disparity in experience quickly became apparent. The Warriors’ roster boasted considerable first-grade quality, with 13 of the 17 players named for the final having recorded at least one NRL appearance. This contrasted sharply with the Burleigh Bears, who fielded a side with a lesser cumulative total of top-tier matches. This imbalance was visibly leveraged by the Warriors’ halfback, Tanah Boyd, who was instrumental in the early dismantling of the Bears’ defensive structure.
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Boyd, a standout performer throughout the NSW Cup season, commanded the contest, contributing 18 individual points through a try and flawless goal-kicking, alongside providing four decisive try assists. His precision kicking game and tactical control were pivotal in maintaining pressure on the Queensland champions, particularly during a blistering first half that ended with the Warriors leading 32–6. “The level of composure shown by players like Boyd and [Taine] Tuaupiki, who have NRL minutes under their belt, was the defining difference,” stated analyst Michael Ennis during the broadcast, commenting on the early momentum. “They exploited the slightest hesitation in the Bears’ line and were ruthless in converting opportunities. They simply tore them to shreds in that first half. ” Bears’ Defensive Struggles and Moments of Spark While the final score indicated a heavy defeat, the Burleigh Bears displayed resilience, particularly following the half-time interval. The Queensland side struggled with errors and missed tackles, conceding five tries in the first 29 minutes, which proved to be an insurmountable deficit. Their inability to match the Warriors’ completion rate—which was consistently above 80%—allowed the momentum to spiral away from them quickly. The Bears did, however, show glimpses of their championship-winning quality in the second half.
Following a half-time address from coach Luke Burt, the team’s defensive efforts improved, led by fullback Nicholas O’Meley, who made several crucial tackles to deny further Warriors scores in the corners. On the attack, five-eighth Josh Rogers orchestrated some of the team’s best movements, including a well-executed chip-and-chase that led to a try for second-rower Ewan Moore. Late tries to Rogers and Mitchell Watson added respectability to the scoreboard, preventing the final margin from becoming the largest in the State Championship’s history. For the Bears, this result marks a third unsuccessful attempt at the State Championship trophy, following losses in 2016 and 2019. The team, which relies heavily on developing local talent, will now face a period of reflection regarding how to bridge the gap in quality when facing opponents bolstered by NRL-contracted players on the cusp of first-grade selection. The Long-Term Impact on the Warriors’ System Beyond the silverware, the victory holds significant long-term implications for the New Zealand Warriors club, validating their substantial investment in developing their pathways system. This success comes after the club faced considerable challenges during the pandemic, which necessitated the temporary dismantling of its feeder teams. Warriors Reserves coach David Tangata-Toa highlighted the importance of the club’s development infrastructure in the aftermath of the win. “This success is a direct credit to the entire club for investing in our pathways, from the Harold Matthews Cup right up through to the NSW Cup,” Tangata-Toa reported.
“It is not cheap to run all those teams, but we are now beginning to see the rewards of that investment. The system that [Head Coach] Andrew Webster and the staff have built, where everyone buys in, means we have a constant supply of prepared players ready to step into the NRL team when needed. ” The inclusion of promising young players, such as Jett Cleary, the younger brother of Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary, who came off the bench late in the second half, further underscored the depth being cultivated. Cleary’s late appearance drew a notable cheer from the crowd, signaling the excitement surrounding the club’s future prospects. Outlook and Reflection The 50–20 victory in the warriors-vs-bears State Championship confirms the New Zealand Warriors Reserves as the undisputed premier reserve-grade team in Australasian Rugby League for 2025. While the Burleigh Bears showed spirit, their defeat highlights the challenge facing state-level champions when they encounter clubs fielding sides with significant NRL depth. For the Warriors, the victory places an exclamation mark on what has been their longest and most successful season across all grades, generating significant optimism for the future of their senior side. The performance of Tanah Boyd and others suggests that the pipeline supplying talent to the top level is now functioning robustly, providing the club with the competitive depth required to sustain long-term success in the National Rugby League competition. The focus will now shift to how many of these championship-winning players can successfully transition to the NRL in the upcoming season.
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