Warriors Suffer Setback as Marata Niukore Exits with HIA After Heavy Friendly-Fire Head Collision

The Warriors faced a significant setback in the first half of their encounter against the Panthers, as both Marata Niukore and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak were sidelined due to separate incidents.

Niukore was the first to exit the match after failing a head injury assessment following a forceful head clash with his teammate Moala Graham-Taufa.

The two were attempting to tackle Panthers half Blaize Talagi when they collided head-to-head.

Niukore appeared visibly dazed, and footage showed blood streaming from his nose.

There were audible gasps from the crowd and commentators as the replays played on screens around the venue.

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“It looks like we’ve got two players… both might be pulled from the field,” Andrew Voss noted during his commentary for Fox Sports.

“It’s rare to see two players taken out of the game at once; I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what happens now.”

In an unexpected turn, only Niukore was subjected to a HIA, which he unfortunately did not pass. Voss noted that Graham-Taufa also appeared “dazed” following the collision.

The tension among Warriors supporters heightened again when Watene-Zelezniak was seen leaving the field limping just before halftime, having sustained a knee injury from a tackle by Scott Sorensen.

At the break, it was confirmed that he would not return, and Sorensen was subsequently reported for a hip-drop tackle.