Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 15 Match Report: Warriors 6 Panthers 40

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 6

Tries: Josh Curran 75

Goals: Reece Walsh 75

Penrith Panthers 40

Tries: Moses Leota 14, Dylan Edwards 20, Taylan May 38, Brian To'o 45, 79, Isaah Yeo 61, Liam Martin 64

Goals: Nathan Cleary 15, 21, 39, 62, 65, Stephen Crichton 80

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

A large and vocal crowd showed up for the Warrior's final home game on Australian soil, the home side will want to end their three years away from their local fans on a high note, but it would be a massive task against the reigning premier Panthers.

The Warriors looked up to the challenge, completing their first two sets before earning another when Brian To'o dropped a Ronald Volkman bomb. The New Zealand side had a few runs at the Panther's line but could not get through, Volkman put another kick through, but Penrith caught it in the in-goal.

The Panthers showed how dangerous their attack is, making easy work of the Warrior's defensive structure and strolling the field's length, but could not convert it into points.

After a few penalties against the Panthers, the Warriors were back in the visitor's red zone, but they continued to struggle to break through the goal-line defence; a Shaun Johnson grubber did not bounce in their favour, going over the dead-ball line. Penrith once again surged up the field and looked to have scored in the corner via To'o; however, the bunker took the try away, deeming that Liam Martin had lost possession into Volkman when passing the ball.

Minutes later, the Panthers would not be denied; after some strong runs up the middle on the back of a six again call, Api Koroisau spied a hole in the Warrior's defensive line and threw a short ball to Leota went over untouched for the first try of the night. During the drive, Adam Pompey suffered an injury and left the field.

Jesse Arthars kept his side in the fight with a big tackle on Viliame Kikau to force a knock-on; however, a few plays later, the Warriors handed the ball back after Jack Murchie threw a wayward pass to Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak.

After another error from the Warriors, the Panthers had a scrum inside the Warrior's half. They showed great execution as Nathan Cleary shifted to the left before flicking and ball back on the inside for Dylan Edwards, who ran twenty metres to the try line with ease for the visitor's second try, pushing their lead out to twelve after Cleary nailed the conversion.

The New Zealand side found themselves back in the Panthers ten metres but struggled with their finishing ability, with Bayley Sironen losing the ball as he crashed over the line. After another let-off, the Panthers were away down the field again. They looked to have scored again when Stephen Crichton offloaded the ball to To'o, who finished the play by diving in the corner. Still, Walsh did enough defensively to push the winger closer to the sideline, which worked as To'o touched the line before attempting to put the ball down.

The Warriors had several chances to get on the scoreboard in the final stages of the first half, earning repeat sets and regather short drop-outs, but the closest they got was when Walsh was held up after catching an inside ball from Volkman. They had another attempt when Johnson pushed a grubber through, but Josh Curran was beaten to it by Cleary; the Panthers attempted another short drop-out, and this time, they were successful, keeping the home side searching for their first points of the night.

The visitors were in the Warrior's Half once again, and Cleary broke the line and looked sure to score but slipped over. The New Zealand side scrambled to stop Penrith, but they were not quick enough as the Panthers quickly shifted the ball out to the left edge for Taylan May to score in the dying seconds of the first half, seeing the visitors go into the sheds with an 18-0 lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 0 Penrith Panthers 18

Second Half

The Panthers wasted little time adding to their score tally, taking only five minutes to break Warriors fans' hearts again. Playing simple draw and pass football when Crichton put To'o over untouched in the corner.

The Warrior's lack of execution continued to haunt them; after a few promising runs, Johnson kicked early on the third tackle, but none of his teammates were chasing it, allowing the Panthers to clean it up easily.

The Panthers may have let the lead go to their heads a little as they started to make silly errors, one of these errors led to a brief bit of excitement for Warriors fans as Tohu Harris offloaded to Walsh, who darted through a hole in the defensive line and ran forty metres before losing the ball as he neared the Panthers try-line.

After absorbing several attacking sets from the home side, the Panthers got back into action with Isaah Yeo finishing off a strong set with a devastating run, breaking multiple tackles on the way to score his side's fifth try on the night, displaying the excellent Panthers attack as well as the poor defensive effort from the Warriors.

Penrith continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded when Walsh dropped a kick defusal. Seeing the home side was on the ropes, the Panthers got back to work with Edwards throwing a short ball to Martin, who burrowed his way over the try-line.

To'o was almost over again after another break from Penrith, but the Warriors held on; the New Zealand side successfully regathered their short drop-out and got themselves into good field position when Chanel Harris-Tavita kicked a 40/20, playing for nothing but pride at this stage, the Warriors showed some excellent structure and finally managed to break through the Panthers wall when Walsh sent a short ball to Josh Curran to score.

An error from Dunamis Lui after scoring handed the ball back to the Panthers with time running out; the Warriors used their Captains Challenge but were unsuccessful. Penrith could not find a way forward, so Jarome Luai resorted to running sideways, skipping from left to right before spying an overlap and getting the ball to Crichton, who then showed his team first mentality, shifting out one more to To'o for the wingers second try of the night and the final play of this game.

A well-deserved win for Penrith but a disappointing loss for the Warriors, who will now be counting down the days until they can return to NZ soil.

FULL-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 6 Penrith Panthers 40

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Reece Walsh,  2 Pts - Josh Curran, 1 Pt - Jazz Tevaga  

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 14 Match Report: Sharks 38 Warriors 16

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 16

Tries: Reece Walsh 6, Wayde Egan 11, Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak 52

Goals: Reece Walsh 7, 12

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 38

Tries: Sione Katoa 14, 33, 76, Siosifa Talakai 17, Ronaldo Mulitalo 23, 58, Matt Moylan 33, William Kennedy 62

Goals: Nicho Hines 23, 33, 64

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

After yet another turbulent week which resulted in Nathan Brown leaving the Warriors midweek, the coaching role being handed to Warriors legend Stacey Jones, the home side had an arduous task ahead of them if they wanted to get his head coach career started on a positive note against a dangerous Sharks outfit.

An incorrect play the ball from Jesse Ramien handed the Warriors a scrum on the halfway line. The New Zealand side had a few attempts at the try line but were held out by some tough Sharks defence.

The tough defence continued when Ramien cut Marcelo Montoya in half, but the visitors gave away a penalty for an illegal strip which handed the ball back to the Warriors. The home side showed some promise with solid runs up the middle before Reece Walsh sold a dummy pass and crossed for the night's first try.

Walsh was involved again moments later, deciding to let a Sharks kick go over the dead-ball line before a rough bounce forced him to grab it and dive into the field of play. Another Cronulla penalty got the Warriors out of their half, and they were over for their second try when Wayde Egan spied some slow markers and sniped out of the ruck before reaching out and touching the try line.

After the slow start, the Sharks got back into the contest after surging up the field before Nicho Hines kicked to the right edge; Ramien tapped the ball back to Briton Nikora, who quickly shifted it to Sione Katoa to score in the corner.

Adam Pompey was penalised on the next play for his kickoff going over the dead-ball line on the full, which saw the Sharks in the driver's seat once again, and they wasted little time moving the ball from right to left before Siosifa Talakai took Rocco Berry on and bashed his way over the line. Hynes missed his second conversion attempt, which saw the Warriors hold onto a 12-8 lead. Chanel Harris-Tavita was taken to the sidelines with an HIA after a head knock in the leadup to that try.

The Sharks looked ready to scorch up the field again, but a forward pass let the Warriors off the hook, but it wasnt without a price as Ben Murdoch-Masila was carried to the sidelines after injuring his arm in the tackle leading up to the forward pass.

The sides traded knock-ons; however, the Sharks challenged the call but were unsuccessful, but it didn't matter as they got the ball back on the next play when Jack Murchie was penalised for an incorrect play the ball. With momentum firmly on their side, Cronulla sent the ball to the left, spying an overlap that saw Ronaldo Mulitalo cross untouched for the visitor's third try and the lead.

After another penalty against the Sharks, the Warriors started to show some attacking threat again, and Walsh put a kick into the in-goal but could not get to it before it dribbled over the dead-ball line.

Another error from the Warriors deep in their half when Euan Aitken offloaded the call to Chanel Harris-Tavita, who could not secure it. Cronulla went to the left again before Matt Moylan took the line on and got across the try line for the Shark's fourth try in a row, extending their lead to eight.

A crusher penalty against Wade Graham saw the Warriors get to start a set inside the Sharks half, and after some promising runs from the forwards, the New Zealand side showed off some fair with a few offloads, but Cronulla's scrambling defence kept them out. Shaun Johnson kicked to the right edge on the last, but Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak tapped it back, but it went over the sideline. The Warriors followed that up with a penalty which saw the Sharks surge up the field before sending Katoa over in the corner for his second try as the half-time siren sounded, with the visitors going into the sheds with a twelve-point lead.

HALF-TIME: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 New Zealand Warriors 12

Second Half

The second half did saw the scoring slow down; the Warriors looked sure to score after the Sharks gave away two penalties and a six again call on the same drive; the New Zealand side's attack started to ask questions of the Sharks defence, and they had a numbers advantage on the right edge, but Rocco Berry decided to keep hold of the ball on the last tackle instead of passing to his unmarked winger, the Sharks wrapped the centre up in another display of their excellent goal-line defence.

The home side was back at it again a few moments later, making some in-roads with some second-phase football before quickly heading to the right edge again; Bayley Sironen skipped Berry this time and sent it straight to Watene-Zeleaniak who showed some tremendous acrobatic skills as he flipped his way over the try-line.

The Warriors made another error but regathered the ball back after the Sharks also dropped the ball; the official called the playback due to no advantage being played. The Warriors challenged the original knock-on but were denied by the bunker. Cronulla got themselves back on track and sent the ball to the left for Mulitalo, who dived over in the corner. The decision was sent up to the bunker, and while it looked close, they deemed that the winger managed to keep in the field of play, and he was awarded his second try of the night.

The Sharks kept the pressure on, and Ramien pushed through a quick which went directly to Walsh, but he could not contain it, juggling the ball several times before losing it. William Kennedy lept at the loose ball, grounding it for Cronulla's seventh try of the night.

Mulitalo made an error which saw the Warriors get some favourable field position, but they struggled to get through Cronulla's defence; Josh Curran put a grubber through, and despite being hit without the ball, the Warriors did not get another penalty, and the Sharks got themselves quickly towards halfway.

The Warriors had a scrum at halfway in the final minutes of the pass, and a wayward pass from Walsh went to the ground before being scooped up by Katoa, who ran fifty metres to dot down for his third try and the Shark's eighth for the night.

The home side had one last attempt, and getting points on the board, Walsh threw an offload to Watene-Zeleaniak, who then kicked it towards the corner, but it went out before he could get to it. That would be the match's final play as the final whistle was blown with the Sharks winning in comprehensive style.

FULL-TIME: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 38 New Zealand Warriors 16

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Wayde Egan,  2 Pts - Reece Walsh, 1 Pt - Jazz Tevaga 

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 13 Match Report: Sea Eagles 44 Warriors 12

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 12

Tries: Jack Murchie 53, Bunty Afoa 75

Goals: Reece Walsh 53, 75

Manly Sea Eagles 44

Tries: Toafofoa Sipley 4, Haumole Olakau'atu 10, Martin Taupau 25, Josh Schuster 28, Reuben Garrick 61, 72, Jason Saab 77

Goals: Ruben Garrick 5, 12, 19, 27, 44, 63, 73, 78

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

In a must-win match for both sides, the game started with some intense running which saw Tolutau Koula floored by a rampaging Marcelo Montoya and sent off for an HIA. An escort penalty against the Warriors on their try line handed Manly the chance they needed, scoring via former Warrior Toafofoa Sipley, who burrowed over the line at the four-minute mark.

The Sea Eagles looked dangerous with the ball in hand, and after a strong run from Haumole Olakau'atu, which saw the second rower fend Chanel Harris-Tavita off his feet, they earnt a repeat set and were over for their second try moments later when Olakau'atu crashed over after Lachlan Croker faked to the left and threw him a short ball on the right.

The Warriors were being starved of possession, but when they finally got their hands on it, they did themselves no favours with Jack Murchie dropping a Shaun Johnson short ball. Manly looked to have dropped it a few plays later, but successfully, Captain Challenged the call; they kicked towards Montoya on the last and were penalized for contacting the Warriors winger in the air.

The Warriors made another error on the first hit up after the penalty, with Euan Aitken losing the ball in the tackle. Manly was back in the hunt, and Olakau'atu was damaging again, flattening Montoya in a hit that saw the winger sent for an HIA. The New Zealand side gave away an escort penalty which saw Ruben Garrick extend his side's lead by two with a penalty goal.

Manly's dominance continued with another surge up the field before Garrick put a grubber through that he attempted to dive on but was just beaten by Wayde Egan. The bunker took a look and deemed that Bunty Afoa had held onto Garrick, which saw the front rower sent to the bin. On the very next play, Martin Taupau took a simple hit up and found himself on the try line for Manly's third. The Bunker was called upon again, and while it looked like the front rower had not got there, they advised that there was not enough evidence to take the try away. They continued to twist the knife, running the field's length with a nice display of second-phase football on the next set and scoring another try when Josh Schuster crashed over in the corner.

The Warriors found themselves in Manly's half with the ball in hand for the first time but gave away another penalty, this time for obstruction. Nothing was going the New Zealand's side's way, and it finally started to show some effect as the half came to a close with Montoya starting a push fight with Sean Keppe before another scuffle started in the final seconds between Morgan Harper and Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak, seeing the half end with Manly well in front with the Warriors needed a massive effort to get back into the contest.

HALF-TIME: Manly Sea Eagles 24 New Zealand Warriors 0

Second Half

The Sea Eagles continued to manhandle the Warriors straight out of the gates in the second half. Their forwards were causing plenty of headaches, and Olakau'atu carried multiple defenders for four or five metres before the Warriors illegally stripped the ball; Garrick took a penalty goal to increase the home side's lead to 26.

The Warriors started to show some life, managing to cruise up the field with the assistance of a six again call. Wayde Egan sniped out of dummy-half and was close to scoring before the Warriors put a kick up on the last, which Murchie caught, but he was prevented from scoring in a valiant effort from Harper, keeping the visitors scoreless. Harper got involved again on the Warrior's next set, preventing another try when he stopped Rocco Berry in the corner on the last tackle.

A Reece Walsh linebreak sprung the Warriors into life when he was able to shift the ball to Murchie, who made up for his last effort by grounding the ball. Getting points on the board added a bit more sting into the Warrior's defence, and they managed to force a Manly error and get back into a scoring position with Walsh causing plenty of problems for Manly. A Shaun Johnson grubber earned a repeat set, but a miscommunication saw them unable to convert it into points when Johnson threw a wayward pass to Watene-Zelezniak.

Momentum swung back to the home side when Harper bolted into open space after spying Johnson napping at marker; the centre drew Walsh in before sending Garrick over for their fifth try of the night. After marching up the field, the Warriors showed some fight and spent several sets on Manly's try line, but the defence was too strong, and eventually, the Warriors made an error when Watene-Zeleaniak dropped a Walsh pass.

The pain for Warriors fans continued when Croker put a kick up, which hit Berry in the head before being dived on by Garrick for his second try of the night; after his conversion, his 22 points became the record for most points scored by a Sea Eagle in a match against the Warriors, and there was still five minutes to go.

Josh Schuster made an error, handing the ball back to the New Zealand side, and after a strong run from Ben Murdoch-Masila, Afoa crashed over for the Warrior's second try. They were right back in the thick of it, going all the way up the field before earning a penalty when Pompey was tackled without the ball; this saw them in great field position to add another try, but that was extinguished when Jason Saab snatched a Walsh pass, and no one was going to stop the speedster as he strolled down the field for the home sides seventh try.

With time running out, Walsh attempted a kick and chase; however, it was defused by Manly, who took the tackle as the final siren sounded, seeing the home side break a three game losing streak with a well-deserved win but see a fifth loss in a row added to the visitors in what was a poor performance.

FULL-TIME: Manly Sea Eagles 44 New Zealand Warriors 12

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Reece Walsh,  2 Pts - Tohu Harris, 1 Pt - Chanel Harris-Tavita

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Indigenous Round Match Report: Knights 24 Warriors 16

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 16

Tries: Adam Pompey 4, Viliami Vailea 8, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 50

Goals: Reece Walsh 6, 19

Sin Bin: Marcelo Montoya 58

Newcastle Knights 24

Tries: Tyson Frizell 23, Edrick Lee 28, Enari Tuala 53, 68

Goals: Jack Clifford 24, 29, 53, 70

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

After a turbulent week, the Warriors showed positive signs early, taking advantage of an Anthony Milford forward pass with strong runs up the middle before scoring back to back tries via centres Adam Pompey and Viliami Vailea. There was a comical moment after Vailea's try when Reece Walsh slipped when attempting the conversion.

The Knights showed a lack of cohesion after getting good field position when Shaun Johnson kicked the ball out on the full. They looked to second-guess themselves, and despite earning a repeat set, they threw away their chance when a wayward Kalyn Ponga pass went to the ground before going over the sideline.

The Warriors continued to look more threatening with the ball in hand, asking plenty of questions of the Knight's defence and were close to scoring again when Johnson scooped up a Chanel Harris-Tavita grubber but lost possession in the action of grounding. The Warriors earnt a penalty after the referee ruled that Johnson was hit high by Daniel Saifiti; Walsh kicked the penalty, pushing the New Zealand side's lead to 12. To make the visitor's day worse, Saifiti injured his knee and would be ruled out for the rest of the contest.

With momentum heavily in the home side's favour, it appeared that the Knights were staring down the barrel of another devastating loss. However, multiple errors from the Warriors, including another kick over the sidelines and a kickoff that sailed over the dead-ball line, were jumped on by Newcastle, scoring tries in quick succession via Tyson Frizell and Edrick Lee.

The Warriors tried to get back into the contest with Walsh hitting the line at pace, but he was put to the ground with a monster tackle from Milford. Walsh shook it off, continuing to threaten with the ball in hand, and got close to the try line before attempting a flick pass.

Newcastle attempted to end the half on a high with a field goal from Jake Clifford, but he shanked it to the left, ending the half with the scores levelled and plenty to work on in the second half from both sides.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 12 Newcastle Knights 12

Second Half

Warriors started the half strongly again, making dents in Newcastle's defensive line, but an error from Johnson saw the home side let another opportunity slip. If Nathan Brown had any hair, he would have started pulling it out.

A high shot by Milford gave the Warriors another chance, and after a few probing runs, Johnson kicked early and earnt his side a repeat set. A few plays later, he kicked a pinpoint ball to the corner for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to score in the corner.

The Knights bounced back immediately when Chanel Harris-Tavita dropped the kickoff, scoring a try directly off the scrum after Ponga did a nice wrap around play before throwing a short-ball to Enari Tuala handing Newcastle the lead for the first time in the contest.

Marcelo Montoya was sent to the bin in the 58th minute after hitting Dominic Young high, despite being similar to the Saifiti tackle from the first half. The Knights had good field position but made a poor pass from the ruck, which was kicked on by Jack Murchie, letting the Warriors off the hook. The New Zealand side kicked early again, earning another repeat set but could not convert it into points with Harris-Tavita kicking to Pompey in the corner, but the centre tapped the ball over the sideline.

There was some friendly fire in the final 15 minutes with Warriors forwards, Jazz Tevaga, and Murchie clashing heads in a tackle; seeing both go off for an HIA, they would not return to the match.

It looked like the visitors were not going to score any points while having a one-man advantage, but the pressure they were heaping on the Warriors finally got rewarded when Milford pushed a kick through for Tuala's second try of the day.

Some poor discipline from the Knights saw the Warriors assisted in their length of the field march; however, despite earning two repeat sets, they were their own worse enemy, derailing the drive with a forward pass from Harris-Tavita to Ben Murdoch-Masila.

Time was running out, but the Warriors earned another penalty from a scrum but looked completely lost with the ball in hand; they were held up over the line on the fourth tackle before kicking the ball out on the full on the last to end the match, handing them their first loss in Redcliffe.

FULL-TIME: Newcastle Knights 24 New Zealand Warriors 16

Warrior of the match Points

No players rated at the time of writing.

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 11 Match Report: Dragons 24 Warriors 18

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 18

Tries: Viliami Vailea 10, 34, Shaun Johnson 24, Dallin Watene-Zelaniak 43

Goals: Reece Walsh 26

St George Illawarra Dragons 24 

Tries: Zac Lomax 1, 51, Cody Ramsey 31, Michael Molo 47

Goals: Zac Lomax 3, 32, 48, 70

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

Before the match got underway, the stadium had a moment's silence for the late John Raper. Then the Dragons kicked off and found themselves right in the hunt, with Shaun Johnson dropping the kick. After a few attempts at the Warriors line, Talatau Amone pushed a grubber towards the try line; Euan Aitken failed to ground the ball, which saw Zac Lomax continue his chase and dive on the ball for the first try of the afternoon. The sides traded sets, with both clubs putting big kicks up in the hopes that they could force an error in the wet weather, but Reece Walsh and Cody Ramsey were up to the task. St George looked to threaten down the left edge, but Ramsey slipped and slid over the sideline letting the Warriors off the hook with some good field position. The New Zealand side tried a similar approach going down their left edge, but Adam Pompey was dragged over the sidelines himself. A handling error by the Dragons saw the Warriors dive on the loose ball; after earning a six again call, the visitors started to threaten the Dragons goal line, with Jazz Tevaga almost getting across in his 100th match. Johnson kicked to the corner on the last tackle, and Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak tapped the ball back inside to Viliami Vailea to score the Warrior's first try. Johnson would not be so lucky on the next set, kicking the ball out on the full on the fifth tackle. The Dragons could not convert that opportunity into points and gave away a penalty when Francis Molo hit Watene-Zeleaniak high; Walsh almost broke through the line but attempted a flick pass which hit Ben Hunt before going over the sidelines. The Dragons used their Captain's challenge but were unsuccessful. Walsh was threatening with the ball in hand again, and the Warriors were close to scoring when Johnson put another kick up; Walsh tapped it back, but Ramsey slapped it out of the field of play. The New Zealand side battered the home side's goal line and earnt a repeat set when Freddy Lussick darted out of dummy half and kicked into the in-goal before stopping Moses Suli from escaping. An error from Daejarn Asi let the pressure off the Dragons, and Ben Hunt attempted a 40/20, but the bounce did not go his way. The match looked to settle into another battle in the middle, with both sides trading sets until Tevaga broke the line and ran 20 metres; with the Dragon's defensive line back peddling, the Warriors looked in control, and Johnson made up for a patchy start took the line on himself and got across for his first try of the season. The New Zealand side received another penalty on their next set and put a big kick down the field, putting pressure on Mathew Feagai, but the young winger did well returning the ball, evading and knocking over several defenders. They completed their set and put another big kick down to Walsh, who defused it. A handling error from Pompey was challenged unsuccessfully by the Warriors, seeing the Dragons get a scrum deep in Warrior's territory, and moments later, Amone shifted the ball to Ramsey, who crossed the try line untouched. St George followed the Warrior's form when Jack De Belin lost possession on the return set; this saw the visitors back in the hunt; another Johnson kick to the corner was not claimed by Feagai, and Vailea managed to scoop the ball up and score his second try for the day. The Warriors completed their next set and delivered some strong defence which saw the Dragons make another error through Jack Bird. The New Zealand side looked sure to score, but Walsh had his kick deflected, and the Dragons attempted a counter attack but time was not on their side as the Warriors scrambled and tackled them as the siren sounded, seeing the visitors go into the sheds with a 14-12 lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 14 St George Illawarra Dragons 12

Second Half

The Dragons had a less than stellar start to the second half, giving away a penalty for having a player on the last tackle in front of the kicker. The Warriors looked strong with the ball in hand and earnt a repeat set after kicking into the in-goal, which Ramsey had to kick over the dead ball line. After a few runs up the middle, the New Zealand side shifted to the right with some quick passes, sending Watene-Zeleaniak over in the corner. After a solid return set, the Warriors let themselves down, giving away a penalty. Hunt booted the Dragons into the Warrior's half, and after some strong runs from the pack, they were deep in the Warrior's RedZone; and after a few half breaks, Hunt handed debutant Michael Molo the ball five metres from the try line, and he did the rest, bulldozing his way over the line. The Warriors had the next attacking opportunity when Johnson put another kick up. Watene-Zeleaniak tapped it down. It went between a handful of players before the Dragons jumped on it. The home side quickly shifted the ball out to the right to Ramsey, who found open space, running 40 metres before passing inside to Amone, who was dragged down. Ramsey took advantage of the quick play the ball, darting out to the right edge before sending Lomax over for his second try. St George looked threatening again a few sets later, kicking on the fourth into open space for Mikaele Ravalawa, but an untimely bounce saw the large winger go to the ground; the ball ended up with Bird on the last and the second rower put a kick through which contacted a Warriors before being regathered by the Michael Molo seeing the home side get a six again call, but the young forward lost possession in the tackle.

The sides traded sets for a spell with some messy plays from both clubs, a wayward pass from Hunt saw the ball go to the ground before being knocked over the sideline; the referee called that Hunt touched it before it went out, so the Dragons skipper challenged that decision and was successful with the ball deemed to have contacted Jack Murchie before going out. St George looked in complete control, marching up the field with ease and, after spying an overlap, flung the ball to the left edge where Vailea valiantly made a try saver. Hunt out his kick through on the fifth tackle, but the Dragons could not convert it into points. There was a bit of a pushing party between Lussick and Lomax, but it was defused quickly. The New Zealand side had a strong set and looked to have a certain repeat set when Johnson dropped a grubber into the in-goal; Feagai secured the ball but put his side under pressure when he passed to Lomax, the Warriors swamped the centre before both sides created an impromptu scrum as the Dragons pushed their way out of danger. The home side got their second wind after that brave display and had the Warrior's defence in tatters with quick dummy-half runs before Amone broke the line and looked to be away, scorching up the field before being caught by Walsh. The Warriors fullback held onto the leg for too long, giving away a penalty but lucky to not be sent to the bin. The Dragons extended their lead by two after that penalty and were ready to get back to work with a strong run from Suli, but he lost the ball. The visitors got themselves back into good field position but made a poor decision from Johnson on the last tackle and saw the Dragons survive. The Warriors were not punished for this mistake and, after defending a set, found space down the left edge until Pompey was tackled over the sideline by Tariq Sims. The sides went set for set before Pompey found space down the left side again before throwing a no look pass that went over the sideline. The Dragons looked dangerous with some strong runs and, after earning a repeat set, saw the match stopped when Shaun Johnson was hurt in a tackle; when play got underway, Hunt attempted a field goal, but it missed to the right. Time was running out, and the Warriors created some excitement as they tried to go the field's length in the final thirty seconds with plenty of passing and offloads, but the Dragons did not panic and eventually stopped the New Zealand side for a well deserved 24-18 win.

FULL-TIME: St George Illawarra Dragons 24 New Zealand Warriors 18

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Tohu Harris, 2 Pts - Jazz Tevaga, 1 Pts -  Addin Fonua-Blake

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Magic Round Match Report: Rabbitohs 32 Warriors 30

 

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 30

Tries: Marcelo Montoya 39, 78, Adam Pompey 63, Jazz Tevaga 68, Daejarn Asi 74

Goals: Reece Walsh 40, 64, 69, 75, 79

South Sydney Rabbitohs 32

Tries: Taane Milne 6, 13, Alex Johnston 16, Blake Taafe 23, Damien Cook 30, Lachlan Ilias 49,

Goals: Blake Taafe 17, 24, 32, 50

Sin Bin: Damien Cook 73

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

The Warriors and Rabbitohs got day two of Magic Round underway with conditions less than ideal. The New Zealand side got the ball rolling, earning several repeat sets by kicking into the in-goal early but were unable to convert them into points. Souths looked threatening the moment they got the ball in their hands and strolled up the field before scoring the afternoon's first try after a cut-out pass saw Taane Milne go over in the corner. The Warriors had a few chances to get back into the contest but were undone by handling errors, and they were punished for it when Souths cruised up the field again before throwing another big pass for Milne's second try of the day. An injury to Jazz Tevaga saw the early entry of new Warrior Freddy Lussick, who only joined the club at the start of the week. The New Zealand side continued their lacklustre defence as the Rabbitohs had no resistance as they added to their score tally, this time by throwing the ball out to the left for Alex Johnston, who crossed untouched. An error from Jack Murchie put the Warriors on the back foot again, and moments later, Souths were over again when Blake Taafe cut the defensive line up the middle for the fourth try of the afternoon. The Warriors managed to finish a set, but they struggled to make any metres, and Souths were right back in the Warrior's RedZone, but the New Zealand side was able to stop them from scoring, forcing an error which was scooped up by Daejarn Asi who ran for 40 metres before passing to Adam Pompey who was dragged down, Johnson decided to kick early in the tackle count, but Dallin Watane-Zeleaniak was unable to outrun Johnston who did well to get himself out of the in-goal. Souths then surged up the field, making a mockery of the Warrior's defence before Damien Cook crashed over for his side's fifth try of the day. The game settled down for a spell with the sides trading sets in the middle of the pitch; the Warriors made several poor last tackle options and never looked like scoring. Souths looked to have scored again when Lachlan Ilias dived over the line, but the Bunker deemed that he lost control, letting the Warriors off the hook. With the first half winding to a close, the Warriors finally arrived at Suncorp, sending the ball to the left edge for Marcelo Montoya to score their first try in the 39th minute, seeing the Rabbitohs go into the sheds with a massive 26-6 lead. 

HALF-TIME: South Sydney Rabbitohs 26 New Zealand Warriors 6

Second Half

The Warrior's defence looked better as the second half started with Johnson forcing an error out of Cody Walker. The New Zealand side made some string runs before Reece Walsh sniped out of the ruck catching some defenders napping. The Warriors got close to the try-line on a few attempts before kicking to the corner for Watene-Zelaniak, who could not keep hold of the ball over the line. Souths continued to look strong with the ball in hand but let themselves down with some silly errors. The returning Tohu Harris out Bunty Afoa into a massive hole, and the front rower charged up the field; off that run, the Warriors looked to have scored when Eliesa Katoa barged over the line, but he lost the ball over the line, so the scores remained the same. Souths managed to hold onto the ball for an entire set and were back into their tryscoring ways when Walker flung a cutout pass to Johnston, who passed back inside to Ilias, who, after a wrestle with Tevaga in the in-goal, managed to get the ball down for the first try of the second half. The sides traded sets again for a spell before the Warriors managed a repeat set from a Johnson grubber, but they struggled with cohesion, and a wayward pass found grass before being picked up by Campbell Graham, who sent Johnston scorching down the park, evading Warriors defenders with ease. The New Zealand side survived the set and got their fans out of their seats when a Matt Lodge offload found its way to Johnson in open space; he zigged and zagged before being dragged down; the ball was fired to Walsh, who put a kick to the corner which was tapped back to Pompey for the Warriors second try of the day, the conversion also by Walsh was highlight worthy as he hit both posts. On the next drive, Walsh was back in the hunt again, leaping for a bomb unsuccessfully before a Rabbitohs error handed the makeshift home side the ball again. Asi earnt the Warriors a repeat set when Taafe could not control his grubber in the in-goal, and after a strong run from Aaron Pene, the Warriors were over again after Tevaga snuck over from dummy-half. The Warriors kept momentum on their side and looked close to scoring again when Johnson pushed a grubber through but could not ground it; the bunker deemed that Cook had impeded Walsh's path to the ball, and he was sent to the bin; the Warriors wasted little in taking advantage, with Asi running against the flow of play and scoring under the posts. Rabbitohs fans breathed a sigh of relief when Walsh lost possession on the next set, but it didn't last long as Souths coughed the ball up a few tackles later. A penalty against the Rabbitohs handed the Warriors excellent field position, and they were over once again when Montoya crossed over in the corner. With less than a minute on the clock, the New Zealand side needed a miracle, but it wasnt to be as Johnsons two point field goal was charged down before both sides traded knock-ons. The New Zealand side challenged the call, and the bunker advised that the Rabbitohs were accidentally offside, but it wasnt enough to give a penalty, so the Rabbitohs managed to hold for a tight victory. 

FULL-TIME: South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 New Zealand Warriors 30

Warrior of the match Points

3 Pts - Reece Walsh, 2 Pts - Matt Lodge, 1 Pts - Marcelo Montoya

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 9 Match Report: Sharks 29 Warriors 10

 

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors 10

Tries: Dallin Watene-Zeleniak 17, Viliami Vailea 21

Goals: Reece Walsh 22

Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 29

Tries: Nicho Hynes 7, Teig Wilton 29, Connor Tracey 46, 66, Jesse Ramien 76

Goals: Nicho Hynes 7, 30, 68, 76

Field Goal: Nicho Hynes 73

Red Card: Will Kennedy 16

Sin Bin: Jesse Ramien 53

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

The Warriors started the match with enthusiasm and after earning themselves, a penalty, barged up the field deep into Sharks territory. Some slick passing almost sent Euan Aitken across the try line, but some solid defence stopped him in his tracks. The Warriors had another shot when they put up a kick, but it was defused safely by Sione Katoa. The sides traded error-free sets for a spell until a poor defensive read by the visitors saw Jesse Ramien get a half-break before shifting the ball to Katoa, who then got it to Nicho Hynes, who ran the remaining 40 metres to score the first try of the afternoon. The New Zealand side fought back with a robust set and earnt themselves a repeat set after Shaun Johnson pushed a grubber into the Deadball area, which Katoa had to bat over the sideline. The Warriors had a few attempts at getting across the line, but the Sharks goal line defence held firm and forced an error from Matt Lodge. The home side looked ready to get themselves out of trouble but made an error themselves, handing the ball back to the New Zealand side in great field position. Reece Walsh made a little break before getting clotheslined by Will Kennedy; this saw the fullback getting his marching orders with a red card. With a one man advantage, the Warriors wasted little time and shifted the ball quickly to the right edge for Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak to score. A few moments later, the visitors were over again after Walsh spied a gap and darted away before flicking a pass to Daejarn Asi, who punched a kick through for Viliami Vailea to score. An error on the next set handed the Sharks the let off they needed, and they piled on the pressure, earning several repeat sets before finally getting across the line when Teig Wilton crashed through the tackle of Johnson; Hynes converted to hand the Sharks back the lead. The Warriors looked sure to score again but looked lost on the fifth tackle with the ball switching to several players before Watene-Zeleaniak finally put a wayward kick through, which Katoa quickly scooped up. The Sharks got themselves all the way down the other end of the paddock again and almost scored via Wilton again, but he was deemed to have lost the ball, letting the Warriors off the hook. The sides traded a few more sets before Hynes attempted a cross kick for Katoa; as time was running out, the ball did not stick and bounced over the sideline as the siren sounded, seeing the home side go into the sheds with a two point lead.

HALF-TIME: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12 New Zealand Warriors 10

Second Half

The Warriors looked threatening right out of the gates but lacked polish, Johnson put a kick up on the fifth tackle for Adam Pompey, who managed to catch it and flick it back inside for Vailea, but Hynes managed a huge try-saving effort, forcing an error out of the young centre. The New Zealand side were asking questions again a few sets later, but an unforced error by Johnson handed the ball back to the home side. Cronulla had a solid set earning themselves a repeat set, and they wasted little time, moving the ball out to the left before Siosifa Talakai sent Connor Tracey over in the corner to push the lead out to six. The sides went set for set with neither able to gain the upper hand until Jesse Ramien was sin-binned for a high shot on Aitken. With a two-man advantage, the Warriors made it hard for themselves with some poor attacking plays and handed the ball back to the Sharks with a wayward pass. The Sharks marched up the field with ease but could not convert it into points; the New Zealand side surged up the field with the aid of a penalty but once again looked lost with the ball in hand and made a poor last tackle option. Cronulla dominated this game despite the circumstances and had several sets camped on the Warrior's line. The visitors were scrambling, but eventually, the Sharks were over again when Tracey dotted down for his second try after a massive cutout pass caught the Warriors napping. With a 12 point lead, the Sharks looked unstoppable and continued to charge up the field, and it looked like Tracey was over again, but the pass was deemed forward. After several horrible attacking sets, the Warriors managed a more balanced set and completed it only to give away a penalty, allowing the Sharks to stride up the field before Hynes pushed his side's lead out to 13 with a field goal. Cronulla were not finished yet, moving up the field with ease, Hynes put a kick up, which was tapped back, and the Warriors looked to have wrapped the ball carrier up but gave up on the tackle, which saw the ball offloaded to Ramien, who crossed for the Sharks fifth try of the night. The Sharks were penalised deep in their own half, handing the Warriors ideal field position; however, they continued to look clueless on attack, shifting the ball from left to right and back again before Daejarn Asi dropped the ball, seeing the final whistle blow has the Sharks end a dominate display winning 29-10.

FULL-TIME: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 29 New Zealand Warriors 10

Warrior of the match Points

No players that I can pick right now.

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 8 Match Report: Warriors 21 Raiders 20

Scoreboard

New Zealand Warriors

Tries: Adam Pompey 24, Viliami Vailea 31, Euan Aitken 63

Goals: Reece Walsh 25, 31, 65, 79

Field Goals: Shaun Johnson 82

Canberra Raiders

Tries: Matthew Timoko 6, Hudson Young 27, Jack Wighton 34,

Goals: Brad Schneider 7, 15, 34

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

A new look Warriors outfit got the match underway but loss the ball on their first set when new recruit Daejarn Asi knocked the ball on; the call was initially called a Raider's knock-on, but they successfully challenged the call. Canberra followed that trend a few plays later when they also lost possession. Both sides traded sets back and forth before the Raiders, on the back of a penalty, surged up the field with ease before sending Matthew Timoko across for the first try of the afternoon with some excellent ball play, shifting quickly to the left edge. Jesse Arthars sparked the Warriors back into action with a strong kick return minutes later and earnt the home side a penalty, but they let the opportunity go begging when Addin Fonua-Blake lost control of the play the ball; the visitors were handed back-to-back penalties after this error but could not turn them into points after Jordan Rapana was tackled with the ball on the last tackle. Shaun Johnson tried a 40/20 but could not get the angle right, and Canberra surged up the field after Matt Lodge was penalised for a high shot, Adam Elliott found open space and was close to scoring, but the Raiders were given another penalty after Lodge tackled a player without the ball, Brad Schneider pushed the visitors lead out with a penalty goal. The Warriors were given a penalty after Jack Wighton was put on report for a dangerous tackle on Reece Walsh, but they made another error when Johnson threw a wayward pass that sailed over the sideline. Canberra looked close to scoring minutes later when Elliott fumbled a loose ball near the try line, letting the Warriors off the hook. The home side had an improved set and got to their kick which was caught by Jordan Rapana, who quickly passed to Nick Cotric, who dropped it; the Warriors promptly took advantage, shifting the ball out to Adam Pompey, who dotted down for the Warrior's first try. After getting themselves back into the contest, the New Zealand side let themselves down when Fonua-Blake dropped the ball on the first run after the try. The Raiders wasted little time taking advantage of this mistake, sending Hudson Young across for Canberra's second try. The Warriors responded quickly when Asi chipped a kick through, which was sure to be collected by Rapana, but the fullback slipped, which saw Viliami Vailea scoop it up to score the first try in his NRL career. It was groundhog day for the home side as they lost possession via Eliesa Katoa on the return set and could not contain the Raiders, who shifted to the left again, sending Wighton across to score. With the first-half winding to a close, the Warriors kicked early to try and catch the Raiders off-guard, but Rapana latched onto it; Canberra had a few half-chances with some nice offloads but could not turn them into points as the siren sounded, seeing the sides go into the sheds with the Raiders holding onto a decent lead.

HALF-TIME: Canberra Raiders 20 New Zealand Warriors 12

Second Half

The Raiders started the second half in the manner they ended the first, running at will and almost getting into a scoring situation again when Young pushed a grubber through for Xavier Savage but Walsh was able to latch onto it and keep the Warriors out of trouble. The sides started trading errors for the following few sets. The only notable aspect of play was Lodge was penalised and placed on report for raising his elbow when running into Corey Harawira-Naera. Canberra tried another grubber which Walsh once again defused. The run of errors continued for both sides, Walsh attempted to insert himself into the Warrior's attack and looked threatening, but a forward pass stopped any chance of adding to the score tally. Tempers started to flare when Ben Murdoch-Masila entered the match and had a push fight with Joseph Tapine, which saw the Warriors earn a penalty; Tapine would have the last laugh, though, when he forced an error when tackling Murdoch-Masila on the next set. Despite the mistakes, the home side was building momentum, keeping the action in the Raider's half and eventually scoring the first points of the half when Asi put Euan Aitken into a hole to cross the line untouched reducing the deficit to two. The New Zealand side kept the pressure on and moments later looked to have taken the lead for the first time in the match when Johnson hopped and skipped his way across the line; however, the bunker deemed that Tom Starling was impeded from being able to tackle the halfback. This kicked the Raiders into action, and they barged up the field and piled the pressure on the Warriors, forcing the New Zealand side to try and run the length of the field for the victory. Asi attempted a 40/20 to get the Warriors into great field position, but it sailed out on the full. Time was running out, and the Warriors got the ball to Johnson, who put up a bomb which Schneider dropped before being knocked on by Walsh. The home side had a few attempts to break the Raider's defensive line from the scrum but had no luck until they were given a penalty for an apparent high shot on Lodge, which saw Walsh level the scores to send the match into Golden Point.

Golden Point

The Raiders received the ball first, but the Warrior's defensive effort was up to the task, and they forced an error when Starling threw a forward pass from the ruck. The home side played it safe with some one-out running to set up Johnson for the field goal, which he nailed, handing the Warriors a much-needed come from behind victory.

FULL-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 21 Canberra Raiders 20

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Euan Aitken, 2 pts - Daejarn Asi , 1 pt - Wayde Egan

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 7 Match Report: Storm 70 Warriors 10

 

Scoreboard

Melbourne Storm 70

Tries: Jahrome Hughes 8, 72, Xavier Coates 22, 60, 66, 68, Nick Meaney 26, 50,  Ryan Papenhuyzen 47, 52, Harry Grant 58, Jesse Bromwich 77, Justin Olam 78

Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen 27, 40, 41, 48, 51, 59, 67, Nick Meaney 74, 78

New Zealand Warriors 10

Tries: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 12, Wayde Egan 29

Goals: Reece Walsh 30

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

After a fantastic prematch ceremony, both sides showed they were here to perform. The Warriors showed some spark with an early run from Wayde Egan but could not convert it into points. Melbourne returned the favour with a strong set of their own before the clubs started to trade sets, with neither gaining an advantage. The New Zealand side surged up the field after earning a penalty and looked sure to score when Reece Walsh fired a cutout pass to Ed Kosi, but the young winger dropped the pass, and Ryan Papenhuyzen scooped it up before getting it away to Jahrome Hughes who ran 60 metres to score the first try of the night. The Homeside looked ready to pounce again on the next set, breaking the visitor's defensive line apart before being dragged down by the scrambling defenders. After surviving that scare, the Warriors found themselves back in the Storm half and then over the try-line when Chanel Harris-Tavita threw a skip pass out to Dallin Watene-Zeleaniak to see the scores levelled. The match settled back into an even contest with both sides trading errors for several sets before a Hughes grubber was not cleaned up by Kosi and then dived on by Xavier Coates for the Storms second try of the evening. Melbourne added to their lead a few minutes later when Nick Meaney latched onto a Shaun Johnson pass to run 70 metres to score. Everything appeared to be going the Storms way, and the Warriors needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they wanted to get themselves back into the contest, and that came from a Johnson kick on the second tackle that had a fortunate bounce that found its way to Egan for a much-needed try for the visitors. With halftime edging closer, we did see too much more happen in the first half; the Warriors gave away a few silly penalties, which gave the Storm a chance to end the half with a penalty goal pushing their lead out to six as both sides entered the sheds.

HALF-TIME: Melbourne Storm 16 New Zealand Warriors 10

Second Half

Melbourne started the second half strong, surging up the field before the Warriors forced an error on the last tackle. The Storm challenged the call, and the bunker ruled in their favour, giving them a penalty for a Warriors player tackling Harry Grant before he grabbed the ball. Papenhuyzen pushed the lead out to eight. After a few errors riddled sets, the Storm were deep in the visitor's half on the fifth tackle when the ball ended up in the unlikely hands of Nelson Asofa-Solomona. He put up a kick that found its way into the hands of Papenhuyzen for another try. The play was stopped for a brief spell after a scary incident where Watene-Zeleaniak was knocked unconscious when his head collided with Asofa-Solomona's knee, which saw the veteran winger stretchered off the field. The New Zealand side did themselves no favours when the game restarted when Walsh's kickoff sailed over the dead-ball line, gifting the Storm a penalty at halfway. Moments later, the Storm were across the line again when Melbourne targeted the Warrior's reshuffled left edge, and Meaney crossed for his second try of the night.  This saw the floodgates open up as the Storm continued to punish the New Zealand side, scoring back-to-back tries via Papenhuyzen and Grant before twisting the knife further with three more tries to Coates in quick succession, who would make the most out of Kosi having a bad night. The visitors were getting frustrated and started getting a bit niggly, with Matt Lodge getting penalised and put on report before the home side added more points to their tally and set a new record for most points scored by Melbourne at AAMI Park when Hughes, Jesse Bromwich and Justin Olam and scored in the final ten minutes to end the match with a massive sixty-point win, handing the Warriors the biggest defeat in their history.

FULL-TIME: Melbourne Storm 70 New Zealand Warriors 10

Warrior of the match Points

To be determined, right now, I could not pick anyone.

My official review will be out on Tuesday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.

Ingers League Wrap-Up 2022 Round 6 Match Report: Roosters 22 Warriors 14

Scoreboard

Roosters 22
Tries: Daniel Tupou 28, Kevin Naiqama 52, Sam Walker 60
Goals: Sam Walker 29, 42, 54, 61, 70

Warriors 14
Tries: Ed Kosi 15, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 64
Goals: Reece Walsh 10, 16, 65

MATCH REPORT 

First Half

It was a gruelling start to the match, with both sides trading error-free sets; the Rooster's defence was relentless, which saw the Warriors struggle to play attacking football outside of their own half. A penalty against the home side handed the Warriors the chance they needed, and they took it with both hands. A break from Jesse Arthars and the returning Dallin Watene-Zelezniak saw the visitors in excellent field position.  A strong run from Addin Fonua-Blake broke the defensive line apart, and he looked certain to score before James Tedesco stopped him metres from the try line; the fullback held on for too long and was penalised, which saw the New Zealand side take the penalty kick and an early 2-0 lead. The Warriors dropped the ball on the next set but were let off when Drew Hutchison knocked on directly from the following scrum. The visitors surged up the field and forced a dropout after Shaun Johnson pushed a kick into the in-goal that touched Daniel Tupou before going over the line. The Warriors looked to have the Roosters back peddling and shifted the ball to the left to Adam Pompey, who passed to an unmarked Ed Kosi to cross for the afternoon's first try. Another error from the Warriors on their first set after scoring points put them under pressure again, but an error from Victor Radley gave them a reprieve. The match started to get sloppy with both sides swapping errors and penalties with neither able to create any more scoring opportunities until the Roosters kicked to the corner for Joseph Suaalii; he outleaped Pompey for the ball but could not grasp it; however, Pompey touched it and knocked on. The home side shifted the ball left from the scrum and found Tupou open in the corner for their first points of the game. The errors continued after that try as the first half started to wind to a close; Radley found himself on report after hitting Kosi high as the winger was running out his in-goal; it was a tough situation for Radley as Kosi was low to the ground as he scooted into the field of play. It was the last play of note in the final stages of the half as both sides found themselves in a battle in the middle of the pitch fighting for territory as the siren blared, seeing the Warriors go into the sheds with a two-point lead.

HALF-TIME: New Zealand Warriors 8 Sydney Roosters 6

Second Half

The Warriors had a shocking start to the second half when Reece Walsh's kickoff attempt sailed over the dead-ball line; the Roosters charged up the field before earning another penalty when Wayde Egan illegally stripped the ball; the Homeside elected to take a penalty kick, and level the scores. The New Zealand side gave away another penalty on the next set, which saw the Roosters back in prime position and almost to the try-line after Joseph Manu flicked a pass out to Suaalii, who was stopped inches away from the try line. The Warriors survived the set and, after earning a penalty, found themselves in Sydney's half; the decision to run on the last did not work for them as they let the Roosters off the hook; however, the home side returned the favour with an error of their own. On the back of repeat six again calls, the Warriors looked to have scored when Walsh had the ball stripped on the try line before Arthars dived on the loose ball, but the Bunker deemed that Walsh had lost the ball. To add to their woes, the visitors conceded another penalty which piggybacked the Roosters out of danger and into the Warrior's RedZone, the visitor's goal-line defence held firm, but it would last as a few minutes later, the Roosters found themselves ahead on the scoreboard for the first time in the contest when a Luke Keary bomb was knocked on by Watene-Zelezniak before being scooped up by the Roosters and fired out to Kevin Naiqama who strolled over in the corner. Sydney City attempted the same play moments later but was penalised for hitting Watene-Zeleaniak in the air. The New Zealand side struggled to make inroads against the Rooster's defence and found themselves in trouble once again as the home side cruised up the field before Sam Walker scurried his way through defenders before placing the ball on the line. Momentum appeared to be fully in the Rooster's favour, with the Warriors unable to string anything together on attack before a Shaun Johnson inside ball to Walsh, saw the livewire fullback burst into open space before putting up a banana kick that went to Watene-Zelezniak on the edge, Tupou slipped while trying to defend which saw the Warriors winger cross the line untouched to reduce the margin. The Warriors appeared to be hard done by on back to back calls after Addin Fonua-Blake appeared to have the ball stripped by Angus Crichton, but his Captain's Challenge was unsuccessful; a few minutes after that, Watene-Zeleaniak was ruled to have knocked a kick defusal on when it appeared to have gone backwards. After successfully using their Captains Challenge, the Roosters then earned a penalty and pushed their lead out by another two points when Walker took the easy penalty goal. The Roosters looked like they may have scored moments later when Lindsay Collins got to the try-line, but the bunker ruled that he made a second attempt at grounding the ball and was penalised. The home side controlled territory and forced the Warriors to play from deep inside their own half, and despite a few half breaks, they could not get themselves into open space as the Roosters extended their winning streak to three with a 22-14 victory.

FULL-TIME: Sydney Roosters 22 New Zealand Warriors 14

Warrior of the match Points

3 pts - Addin Fonua-Blake, 2 pts - Josh Curran, 1 pt - Reece Walsh  

My official review will be out on Monday, so keep an eye out for when that drops to get my opinion on the match.