'Killing ourselves': What we learned from the Warriors' desperate win over Dragons

RNZ News

2 days ago

Warriors celebrate Adam Pompey's game-winning try against the Dragons in Auckland, on Friday.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
Analysis -
As they tried to pin their opponents on their goal-line in the dying moments, the New Zealand Warriors must have suffered flashbacks to a similar scenario two weeks ago.
Back then, the Warriors held a two-point lead and only needed to contain the Dolphins, but let their opponents off the hook to score a soul-destroying
last-gasp try for victory
.
While most have lamented the defensive breakdown in their redzone that allowed the decisive score, Warriors coach Andrew Webster pointed his finger at those shortcomings at the other end of the field.
"We let them off their line twice to give them a shot at that and we didn't need to," he said.
Fast forward a fortnight and the Warriors had St George-Illawarra Dragons exactly where they wanted them - four points down and deep in their own half with time running out.
Dragons speedster Tyrell Sloan broke over halfway and alarm bells rang out, but he had to slow for support and the Warriors defenders scrambled as if their lives depended on it.
As St George tried to send the ball to the right, winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck jumped out of the defensive line to force halfback Kyle Flanagan into error, the danger passed and
the home side held on
14-10.
"Two weeks ago, against the Dolphins, that moment went against us," Webster said. "Tonight it didn't."
One win can make an
amazing difference at the pointy end of a season
.
If they had suffered a fourth straight defeat, the Warriors would have teetered on the edge of post-season oblivion, but victory has propelled them back into the top four and a chance at a second playoff life.
"I don't think you get out of a three-game losing streak by winning by 20-30 points," Webster reflected. "You're going to grind it and you're going to find a way, and it's not going to be perfect."
Here's how they achieved it.
Warriors co-captain James Fisher-Harris had a first half he'd probably rather forget.
His blown play-the-ball allowed the Dragons out off their own half in the ninth minute, and his dangerous tackle seconds later gave them a penalty from which they opened the scoring.
"We're killing ourselves, making it hard for ourselves all the time," Webster lamented, perhaps kicking his skipper under the media conference table.
Fisher-Harris was by no means alone in that regard. Teen sensation Leka Halasima had two errors in little over a minute, halfback Tanah Boyd and front-rower Jackson Ford gave the Dragons repeat sets with ruck infringements, and centre Adam Pompey conceded a penalty in the build-up to their second try.
Somewhat indirectly, though, Fisher-Harris was also responsible for a moment that may have set the Dragons on the course to defeat.
In the 15th minute, Fisher-Harris charged over halfway and, in their combined attempts to stop him, St George team-mates Jack de Belin - celebrating his 250th NRL game - and Hamish Stewart clashed heads, and lay prone for several seconds.
They were both guided to the sideline, where they both failed head injury assessments. Just as they were ruled out, they were joined by Hame Sele, who had actually replaced Stewart.
Suddenly, St George were down three players and, while they were then allowed to activate Sloan as their designated concussion substitute, the winger/fullback was never likely to make up for the loss of three big forwards.
As the game wore on, the Dragons noticeably wore out and even Sloan's fresh legs couldn't quite spark a revival, once they surrendered the lead.
Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has taken his share of flak in recent weeks for defensive lapses, but he tore at the Dragons' defence all night. Maybe the pre-game Indigenous Round ceremony had the effect of firing him up, maybe it was his brief second-half exchange with serial protagonist Luciano Leilua.
Second-time dad Taine Tuaupiki performed on very little sleep on Friday, after babywatch.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
He ran 18 times for 171 metres and, after scoring two tries against the Dolphins, he may be coming into form at the tail end of an injury-riddled campaign. One of his charges resulted in Sele's early exit.
After a quiet game against Canterbury Bulldogs, Tuivasa-Sheck was back over 265 metres running and had a freakish assist on Chanel Harris-Tavita's try, as he was pushed into touch in the corner, but somehow got the pass back infield.
"Roger's in great form and he's getting involved a lot," Webster said. "He's giving us plenty of energy and coming up with big plays when we need them."
Fullback Taine Tuaupiki asked plenty of questions and had assists on both Pompey's tries - the second came when he ran shortside from dummy half and found his centre with little room to operate.
Webster revealed an exhausted Tuaupiki was almost scratched, after a late night witnessing the birth of his second child - a son - overnight.
"He won't get any sleep again, but he gets to go home and enjoy it with a smile on his face," Webster said. "I'm just really grateful to his wife for letting him leave.
"Often it's the hero story of the man leaves and plays the game, but it's the boys' partners/wives/girlfriends that allow them to go and give themselves to the team - it's pretty special."
Among the forwards, Ford led the tackle count with 53 and 157 running metres, while lock Erin Clark had 39 and 132 in another consistent display.
Normally, scoring a try double would have Pompey at the forefront of leading performers, but he probably owed his team as much, after allowing counterpart Mat Feagai a double of his own in the first half.
Hastings-born Feagai had the Warriors in fits early on and perhaps should have had a third try, but lost control of the ball, after breaking from his own half. Only despairing cover defence from Tuaupiki saved his team.
Feagai slipped inside Pompey and through Tuaupiki for his first try and then outside Pompey for his second, so it was fitting those two Warriors should combine late in the game to pull the deficit back.
Front-rower Jackson Ford led the Warriors tackling effort on Friday.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
Incredibly, given their recent form, this win puts them back into the top four, leapfrogging four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped by Melbourne Storm in controversial circumstances on Thursday.
Penrith actually have a tough run home over the next three weeks, with tabletoppers Canberra Raiders next week and third-placed Bulldogs the following week, before finishing off against giantkillers St George.
A clean run to the finish could see the Warriors home, but they are still only six points clear of the ninth-placed Dolphins, who face Brisbane Broncos (sixth) on Saturday.
Sydney Roosters kept their hopes alive by toppling the Bulldogs on Friday night, so by the end of the weekend, the Warriors may still be just four points away, with three games left, from missing the playoffs.
Without this win, that predicament could have been far worse.
Normally, the bottom team on the table at this stage of the season would look decidedly tasty - but not if they are Gold Coast Titans and not if you're the Warriors.
The last three times these teams have met, Titans were cellar-dwellers, but still won.
Gold Coast have been the Warriors' bogey team in recent times, especially across the ditch, where they inflicted a 60-point embarrassment this time last year.
The Warriors seem to have escaped against the Dragons without obvious injury, and should have second-rower Kurt Capewell and utility Te Maire Martin (both concussion) back next week. Centre Rocco Berry (shoulder) was also spotted in a non-contact vest at training recently, so maybe he's a chance too.
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