The Junior Warriors continued their unlikely march towards another NYC premiership, defeating the minor premiers in Sydney tonight despite an inconsistent performance.
The Warriors looked to have the game sewn up after Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard scored his second try, but had to hold off a desperateeffort from the Knights to advance in the finals.
Sam Lisone was the key man for the Warriors, racking up the metres with the ball, off-loading with ease and even getting across in cover defence to nullify the last Knights surge on the line.
The visitors were seemingly in control at the break, leading 12-0 with tries to Solomone Kata and Tuimavave-Gerrard. From a scrum deep in the Knights half, Solomone Kata managed to get on the outside of his man and barge over before Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard juggled and then latched onto a Mason Lino grubber to extend the lead.
The Knights looked to test the Warriors with searching kicks, however wingers Metia Lisati and Ngataua Hukatai diffused the strategy with some brilliant takes of the high ball.
Scoreless at the break, Newcastle's revival was sparked by halfback Jaelen Feeney. His 50 metre run instigated the first try of the half, scored by Pride Petterson-Robati. Creator then turned scorer as Feeney scythed between two Warriors defenders at the line and showed good strength to force the ball in the tackle.
The Newcastle resurgence proved brief however, as Lisone showed a sharp turn of pace for a front-rower, quickly followed by another simple try from a scrum for the Warriors to Ken Maumalo, before Tuimavave-Gerrard scored his second. Danny Levi snuck over for the Knights with ten minutes to go setting up a nervous finish for Warriors coach Stacey Jones.
Junior Warriors 23 (A. Tuimavave-Gerrard 2 tries, S. Kata, K. Maumalo; Mason Lino 3 goals, field goal) Junior Knights 14 (P. Petterson-Robati, J. Feeney, D. Levi tries; B. Donovan 2 goals)
