Takimoana creates Warriors history in courageous loss to NRLW powerhouse Newcastle
Photo:
David Neilson/Photosport
Winger Payton Takimoana has become the first NZ Warriors woman to score a hattrick of tries, but her effort could not inspire her team to victory against a rampant Newcastle Knights.
Warriors coach Ron Griffiths guided the Knights to back-to-back NRLW championships during his three-year tenure at the club, but had no joy on his return with his new club, as the visitors succumbed 36-20.
Newcastle enjoyed all the early possession, winning a penalty and forcing a line dropout from their first set, but the Warriors weathered the storm.
Five-eighth Patricia Maliepo gifted her team repeat sets with a clever kick and chase to trap the Knights behind their goal-line, but they could gain no result from that initial raid.
Front-rower Harata Butler was booked for a hip-drop tackle on Knights lock Tayla Romaniuk, who bounced back up to open the scoring, powering through four tacklers for a try next to the goalposts.
Newcastle doubled their advantage, when five-eighth Georgia Roche split the defence and sent captain Yasmin Clydsdale across, and the visitors looked in trouble.
Knights winger Tess Staines grabbed a try on debut, propping inside sevens star Michaela Brake, and was ceremonially knighted by her teammates, as Newcastle spared no expense on their 'Try July' celebrations.
Maliepo created another attacking opportunity, when fullback Botille Vetter-Welsh carried a kick into touch near her goal-line, but Warriors captain Apii Nicholls couldn't control a wayward pass and that chance went begging.
Brake was impressive in the win over Parramatta Eels last week, chalking up a record 16 tacklebreaks, 243 running metres and her first NRLW try, but she found the Knights a much tougher proposition.
In her third rugby league contest, she managed 107 metres running and seven tacklebreaks.
Halfback Jesse Southwell threaded the Warriors defence with a kick close to the line that was chased down by another Kiwi sevens exponent, Tenika Willison, for a try.
The Warriors found the scoreboard before halftime, when they won a midfield penalty that sent them into the redzone. Maliepo batted on a loose pass that put Takimoana over in the corner.
Maliepo converted from the sideline and the visitors trailled 24-6 at the break.
They had an immediate chance to reduce the deficit after the restart, when halfback Emily Curtain was taken out late, as she kicked, and from the penalty, Takimoana had her try double. Maliepo's sideline conversion bounced off the crossbar and out.
The Warriors seemed to have wrestled momentum their way, until Jules Kirkpatrick ducked over near the posts from dummy half for Newcastle. Southwell put second-rower
Evah McKewen over for a try and the Warriors were back to playing for pride.
They achieved a repeat set, when Maliepo's stab-kick was knocked on near the tryline, and Nicholls - with the line open in front of her - put Takimoana over for her third.
Maliepo slotted the conversion from the sideline again.
Brake finally shrugged off her defenders in the dying moments, scoring in the other corner, although replays suggested she may have lost control of the grounding.
The Warriors wahine return home to face Gold Coast Titans next Saturday on a short turnaround.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Warriors let opportunity slip with defeat to cellar dwelling Titans
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the Warriors goes in for a try (file photo). Photo: Andrew Cornaga / The NZ Warriors could find no miraculous comeback on Saturday, as they slumped to a 24-16 defeat against the bottom-of-the-table Gold Coast Titans at Auckland's Go Media Stadium. Early tries to centre Adam Pompey and second-rower Leka Halasima put the home side in prime position, but they conceded the next 24 points, including try doubles to Titans centre Jojo Fifita and winger Phillip Sami, to lose control of the contest. They lost hooker Wayde Egan to concussion in the first half and then had to play short-handed, when winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was sent to the bin for taking out a player without the ball on his goal-line. With their next possession, Fifita scored his second to put the game beyond reach for the Warriors and not even a try to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck could spark a revival. The result is a blow to their chances of a top-four finish - they remain in fourth on the NRL table, but are now vulnerable to those chasing. Victory means Gold Coast coach Des Hasler can celebrate his 500th game in a season, when he has been under threat of losing his job. The Warriors now meet the Dolphins on Friday at Mt Smart, desperately needing a better performance to restore credibility to their championship hopes. See how it unfolded, with RNZ's blog: Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll‑Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene‑Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Kurt Capewell, 5. Roger Tuivasa‑Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris‑Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher‑Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers‑Smith Reserves: 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Samuel Healey, 21. Bunty Afoa, 22. Ali Leiataua, 23. Eddie Ieremia‑Toeava Titans: 1. AJ Brimson, 2. Jaylan De Groot, 3. Brian Kelly, 4. Jojo Fifita, 5. Phillip Sami, 6. Kieran Foran, 7. Jayden Campbell, 8. Moeaki Fotuaika, 9. Sam Verrills, 10. Jaimin Jolliffe, 11. Chris Randall, 12. Beau Fermor, 13. Klese Haas Interchange:14. Jacob Alick‑Wiencke, 15. Reagan Campbell‑Gillard, 16. Iszac Fa'asumaleaui, 17. Josh Patston Reserves: 18. Arama Hau, 19. Sean Mullany, 20. Tom Weaver, 21. Ryan Foran, 22. Alofiana Khan‑Pereira

NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Warriors v Titans result: Gold Coast silence Go Media Stadium again with shock victory
Now, a week after producing one of the greatest finishes in the club's history through solo heroics from Leka Halasima in the final play of the game, the Warriors have been humbled – again – by the bottom-of-the-table Titans with a 24-16 scoreline in front of a sold-out home crowd. The Warriors had a chance to further cement themselves in the NRL's top four after the Brisbane Broncos' shock loss to the Paramatta Eels on Friday, but that well and truly went begging. It was a game with no shortage of significant milestones – being the first time Warriors half Boyd played against his old club, Warriors second-rower Marata Niukore's 150th NRL appearance and Titans coach Des Hasler's 500th game at the helm of an NRL side. It may also have been the last time Kiwis half Kieran Foran takes the field on New Zealand soil after the Titans five-eighth opted to call time on his career at the end of the season. Strong sets from the Warriors set the momentum early for the home side, and a set restart saw them with their first real attacking chance of the game in the opening minutes. It was Boyd's game management and vision that saw the ball spread to centre Adam Pompey, who put on his trademark left-foot step to crash over in the fifth minute of the game. The Warriors were awarded a penalty late in the set after the subsequent kickoff, allowing them to work their way down the field again and force a goal-line dropout. If he couldn't be stopped from 45m out in the final play of the game last week, in no world were the Titans stopping Warriors second rower Leka Halasima from 10m after he crashed onto a short ball from Chanel Harris-Tavita and powered his way over the line. Boyd's conversion struck the left upright and sailed away to retain a 10-point lead. It looked as though the Warriors would put a cricket score on the Titans after scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes. But it would only take a line-break for a major momentum swing. Titans fullback AJ Brimson took on the line, freed up his arms and got an offload away to half Jayden Campbell, who strode down the field and delivered the final pass to centre Jojo Fifita, diving over in the corner untouched. Campbell slotted the sideline conversion. It went from bad to worse for the Warriors after hooker Wayde Egan suffered a head knock while tackling in the lead-up to the Titans try, forcing him to leave the field in the 12th minute. Egan later failed his HIA (head injury assessment), meaning he'll also be unavailable next week. The Titans crossed over for the fourth try in the opening 15 minutes after a set restart saw them work their way up the field. Warriors centre Kurt Capewell rushed out of the line and Brimson delivered a pinpoint cut-out pass to winger Phillip Sami, who dove over in the corner to tie the score up 10-10. A Campbell penalty was all that could separate the sides at halftime after Harris-Tavita was pinged for a crusher tackle. The Titans threatened in the opening minutes of the second half and finally crossed over for their third try in the 48th minute after a major overlap on the left edge saw Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak caught in no man's land, watching as a long cut-out ball from Foran sailed into the arms of Sami for his second of the night. Campbell again nailed the conversion from wide to extend their lead to eight. Watene-Zelezniak shortly after found himself sent to the sin bin for a professional foul after tackling a man without the ball near the tryline. The Titans took full advantage, crashing over through Fifita once again. Now a 14-point margin, the Warriors needed something, anything. Sharp hands and a strong run from Te Maire Martin, who dished a long pass to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck saw the Warriors cross over in the 62nd minute and peg back six points. Fighting against the clock and an eight-point comeback, the Warriors couldn't produce yet another last-minute masterclass, falling to perhaps their toughest loss of the season. It will take a lot of soul searching to recover from that against the Dolphins next week. Warriors 16 (Adam Pompey, Leka Halasima, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck tries; Tanah Boyd 2 cons) Titans 24 (Jojo Fifita 2, Phillip Sami 2 tries; Jayden Campbell 3 cons, pen) HT: 10-12

RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Warriors let opportunity slip with defeat to cellardwelling Titans
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the Warriors goes in for a try (file photo). Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Revenge will be on the minds of the Warriors, as they take on a Titans outfit that handed them one of the worst losses in club history the last time they met. See how it unfolded, with RNZ's blog: Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll‑Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene‑Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Kurt Capewell, 5. Roger Tuivasa‑Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris‑Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher‑Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers‑Smith Reserves: 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Samuel Healey, 21. Bunty Afoa, 22. Ali Leiataua, 23. Eddie Ieremia‑Toeava Titans: 1. AJ Brimson, 2. Jaylan De Groot, 3. Brian Kelly, 4. Jojo Fifita, 5. Phillip Sami, 6. Kieran Foran, 7. Jayden Campbell, 8. Moeaki Fotuaika, 9. Sam Verrills, 10. Jaimin Jolliffe, 11. Chris Randall, 12. Beau Fermor, 13. Klese Haas Interchange:14. Jacob Alick‑Wiencke, 15. Reagan Campbell‑Gillard, 16. Iszac Fa'asumaleaui, 17. Josh Patston Reserves: 18. Arama Hau, 19. Sean Mullany, 20. Tom Weaver, 21. Ryan Foran, 22. Alofiana Khan‑Pereira