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Sydney skipper Braith Anasta rates the New Zealand Warriors a definite chance to make the National Rugby League grand final after seeing them despatch his Roosters 30-13 in Auckland last night.
Behind at halftime, the Warriors grabbed four tries in the second half while keeping the Roosters scoreless, to set up a preliminary final with Manly in Sydney next Saturday night.
Asked if he believed the Warriors could get past the Sea Eagles, Anasta said he felt they had the goods to do so.
"They have some big fellas and some quick blokes up in the middle of the ruck and all around the park," he said.
"I suppose their game is based around momentum and just getting that flow. If they do that to Manly, they're going to be hard to stop."
The Warriors lost both their round-robin meetings to Manly, thumped 52-6 at Brookvale Oval in March and edged out 20-14 in Auckland in June.
Coach Ivan Cleary acknowledged his side faced a big challenge at the Sydney Football Stadium next weekend, but was confident of their prospects if they pulled a top display.
"They're a good side and they've been outstanding for a few years," he said of the Sea Eagles.
"It's a huge ask, but I think if we perform to our capability, then we're a chance. Sure it's a tough game, but that's what it's all about."
The 25,585 crowd that packed Mt Smart Stadium for the Warriors' last home game of the season produced a passionate and boisterous atmosphere.
They saw their side get a dream start, with fullback Lance Hohaia scoring the first of his two tries in just the third minute.
But from there, the Roosters began to control proceedings with the tactical kicking of Anasta and Mitchell Pearce a constant threat.
In the 27th minute, after a sustained period of pressure, the visitors finally got on the scoreboard through a Pearce try to tie the score at 6-6.
They went ahead three minutes later with a rare penalty try, after Hohaia was ruled to have pulled back opposite number Anthony Minichiello during a chase for the ball.
Anasta closed out the half with a field goal for 13-6 lead.
Hohaia make amends in the second half with his second touchdown as the balance began to shift towards the Warriors.
Hooker Ian Henderson and winger Manu Vatuvei also crossed, before Aidan Kirk on the other flank scored a 75m intercept try six minutes from time to seal victory.
Five-eighth Michael Witt landed all five conversion attempts.
The win extended former Kiwi skipper Ruben Wiki's NRL career for at least another week.
Wiki, in his 311th first-grade match, produced one of the moments of the night when he flattened compatriot Sia Soliola in a hit-up.
But he also showed his sportsmanship by going over to make sure that Soliola was okay.
Cleary believed the Warriors, backing up only five days after beating defending premiers Melbourne, had played with greater control in the second 40 minutes that at any time this season.
"Under the conditions, in that sort of game, you could not ask for more," he said.
Opposition coach Brad Fittler said the Warriors got on a roll that the Roosters couldn't stop.
"Given their short turnaround, I thought their second half was excellent," he said.
"They kept punching away and they really believed."
Defeat marked season's end for the Roosters, who had also led at the interval against Brisbane last weekend, before fading in the second spell.
- NZPA
