The Warriors look to maintain their top-two position on the NRL ladder as they face home favourites Brisbane on Sunday afternoon at Magic Round.<\/p>\n
New Zealand have exploded out of the blocks in 2026, winning seven of their first nine games and sitting second on the ladder behind Penrith.<\/p>\n
The Warriors enter Magic Round off the back of a bye, having won four consecutive matches beforehand.<\/p>\n
Brisbane have been more inconsistent, losing their last two against the Roosters and Sea Eagles after previously winning four of five.<\/p>\n
The Warriors are built around a forward pack capable of grinding teams down defensively.<\/p>\n
James Fisher-Harris, Mitchell Barnett and Jackson Ford have helped turn New Zealand into one of the competition\u2019s toughest defensive outfits, with only three Warriors games exceeding 50 total points this season.<\/p>\n
Brisbane have shown similar trends, with just three of their 10 matches crossing this total in 2026.<\/p>\n
This shapes as a physical contest rather than a shootout.<\/p>\n
Walsh thrives in big moments, and Magic Round against his former club certainly qualifies.<\/p>\n
The Broncos fullback has scored five tries in his last six appearances and boasts an outstanding record at Suncorp Stadium with seven tries in his last seven games there.<\/p>\n
With the Warriors missing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Walsh should find opportunities around the edges and through broken play.<\/p>\n
With several Warriors stars sidelined, expect Watene-Zelezniak to become even more heavily involved.<\/p>\n
The winger has scored eight tries in his last five matches and hasn\u2019t gone tryless since Round 4.<\/p>\n
New Zealand will continue to rely heavily on his finishing ability, and he rarely disappoints.<\/p>\n