Warriors run rampant over Bulldogs for record NRLW win

RNZ News

2 days ago

Patricia Maliepo of the Warriors scores a try.
Photo:
www.photosport.nz
Five-eighth Patricia Maliepo and winger Kyra Wetere have grabbed two tries each, as NZ Warriors overpowered NRLW newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs 34-6 at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
Played in sometimes torrential rain, the contest marked the first between the clubs' women's teams, but produced a record win for the visitors and the first back-to-back victories in their history.
The Warriors wasted little time stamping their early dominance, receiving the opening kickoff, piggybacking upfield with a penalty, forcing a line dropout with a clever grubber kick from halfback Emily Curtain and then spreading the ball left for winger Payton Takimoana to add to her tryscoring tally for the season.
More than five minutes passed before the Bulldogs finally took possession of the ball.
When rookie winger Tyra Wetere - a specialist half - spilled a high kick in her own redzone, the Warriors had to survive three straight sets on their goal-line, before eventually snuffing out the danger.
Another penalty carried them upfield again, before five-eighth Patricia Maliepo dummied and powered over for their second try, which she converted from closer to the posts.
The Bulldogs finally found the scoreboard, when interchange forward Kalosipani Hopoate barged over from short range, as they began to turn momentum their way.
With halftime looming, Curtain was barely grazed by a chaser, as she put a kick to the goal-line.
The Warriors turned down the kick at goal, but took it moments later, when the ball was stripped from front-rower Harata Butler beside the posts.
Maliepo slotted the two points, but from the kickoff, second-rower Kaiyah Atai split the defence and found Maliepo in support.
She was dragged down just short of the line, Takimoana found her way blocked and a crossfield kick from lock Laishon Albert-Jones almost put Wetere into the right corner.
Ahead 12-6 at the break, the Warriors seemed to extend their lead, when Wetere took a long pass from Curtain, with a clear run to the line, but replays detected centre Tysha Ikenasio had a fingertip on the pass that went forward.
Moments later, Ikenasio made up for that mistake, when she chased Curtain's kick into goal and, this time, the fingertip worked to her advantage, as the bunker ruled she forced for the try.
From the kickoff, they stormed back on attack, with Matekino Gray stopped just short, but Maliepo finding space wider out for her second try.
Bulldogs halfback Tayla Preston sparked her team with a 40-30 kick that gave them prime position in the Warriors redzone, but a massive front-on tackle from Gray on her goal-line halted their progress.
Finally, Wetere - who also had a try disallowed last week against North Queensland Cowboys - could not be denied, when Ikenasio offloaded to the converted winger with space to score.
Wetere had barely finished celebrating her first NRLW try, when she snatched a second, chasing a crosskick from Curtain into the goal area and beating defenders to the ball.
The Bulldogs suffered injury on top of insult, when Preston - one of the outstanding performers in this year's competition - was taken from the field with a knee injury, reducing their line-up to just 12 players, with all their interchanges used up.
They were denied a consolation try, when fullback Andie Robinson burst through the defence, but was held up by centre Emmanita Paki.
They immediately regain possession from a turnover, but Robinson could not gather her own kick to score.
As well as her two tries, Maliepo enjoyed a solid night with the boot in trying conditions, converting four of her team's six tries, with one deflecting off an upright.
Halves partner Curtain had their opponents in fits with her tactical kicking display.
The Warriors head to Hamilton's FMG Stadium next Saturday to host Canberra Raiders.
See how it unfolded below: