[ad_1]
Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
Jordan Riki scored a controversial try for the Broncos at the end of the first half.
At McLean Park, Napier: Warriors 22 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 36 min, 61 min, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 74 min tries; Shaun Johnson 2 goals). Broncos 26 (Deine Mariner 23 min, 71 min, Jordan Riki 38 min, Ezra Mam 53 min tries; Adam Reynolds 5 goals). HT: 6-12
On report: Xavier Willison (Broncos)
The Warriors came close to pulling off a remarkable comeback against the Broncos on Saturday night, only for Marcelo Montoya’s try in the final moments of the game to be disallowed.
The Warriors looked dead and buried with nine minutes to go, but late tries by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Montoya got the Warriors within four points.
It looked as if they’d done enough to at least draw the game when Montoya went in again in the 79th minute, but the bunker ruled that Adam Pompey held the jersey of Deine Mariner in the build up, so the try was rubbed out.
It would have been one of the comebacks of the season had the Warriors got the win, but it wasn’t to be and they paid the price for not being at their best for large parts of the night.
Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
The Warriors lost Freddy Lussick when he failed an HIA in the second half.
Despite it being another good kicking display from Shaun Johnson, the Warriors struggled to worry the organised Broncos defence when they got inside their red zone.
The Broncos had to cope with losing five players to State of Origin and getting through this period of the season is always something they’ve club has had to battle with.
But it’s a part of the year when the Warriors, who’ve rarely had Origin players, need make ground on other teams and this was a missed opportunity to take two points against one of the NRL’s heavyweights.
The theme of the first half was players not able to ground the ball over the line, but the deadlock was eventually broken in the 23rd minute when Marcelo Montoya couldn’t grab a loose pass from Luke Metcalf and Mariner seized on it, racing 70m to score.
As the half went on, the Broncos looked the more dominant team, but against the run of play, Watene-Zelezniak squeezed in on the right edge, grounding the ball as he dived over the line.
Just before the break, the Warriors were on the end of yet another tough call this season as Billy Waters’ pass to Jordan Riki a metre from the home team’s line was clearly forward.
Tohu Harris complained to referee Gerard Sutton, but the bunker can’t rule on forward passes in the NRL so the try stood.
The Warriors lost Lussick and Nicoll-Klokstad to HIA’s early in the second half and that led to Bayley Sironen playing dummy half, Watene-Zelezniak going to fullback, Berry shifting to the wing and Marata Niukore moving to centre.
The Broncos soon capitalised on the Warriors’ makeshift right edge and Adam Reynolds carved them up to set up a try for Ezra Mam.
Watene-Zelezniak got himself a brace just after the hour mark, but the end of the game was blighted by a series of pitch invaders that resulted in numerous stoppages.There were further tries to Mariner and Nicoll-Klokstad and Marcelo Montoya before the moment where the Warriors could have scored again to snatch the victory.
AT A GLANCE
The big moment
Too many of the key moments from Warriors games this season have been from bad calls by officials and there was yet another one from this game, with Billy Waters’ pass to Jordan Riki that led to a try clearly forward.
Match rating
7/10: Both teams struggled to complete their sets and didn’t play as well as they have in other games this season. However, the sold out crowd of 16,195 helped make this a special occasion.
MVP
Adam Reynolds was sublime at halfback for the Broncos, particularly in the second half when he carried this young team on his back with his kicking and runs.
The big picture
This loss sees the Warriors continue to hang around the edges of the top eight and with tricky games against the Dolphins and Raiders coming up, they’re in a crucial part of their season.
[ad_2]