League: Warriors fall on the home stretch

Steve Price

Cronulla Sharks 28 Warriors 24


Another momentary lapse, another game gone.

The Warriors had nine hours flying the time zones back from Perth overnight to consider the split-second timing of Adam Dykes and the dummy he sold them to earn a last-minute win for the Cronulla Sharks.

They had led 24-16 with 20 minutes to go. With six minutes to go, Lance Hohaia pulled off a magnificent cover tackle on Nigel Vagana to stop the Kiwi centre scoring an intercept try.

It was the sort of inspirational play that lifts teams and, still leading 24-22, the Warriors should have regrouped mentally and physically and lifted to hold on for victory.

But wing Francis Meli spilled the ball, Brett Kimmorley forced a second set of six on the goal-line and the Warriors cracked with 40 seconds to go, losing late to waste a generally good effort, as they had against Penrith.

The Sharks go to the head of the table, the Warriors slip out of the top eight and face grandfinalists the Roosters next weekend.

It was a valiant effort in Perth, especially since they lost playmaker Stacey Jones, who withdrew late with a hamstring strain suffered in the Penrith game. He could have played but wasn't risked. With Nathan Fien out also, the steerage might have been unco-ordinated, but it wasn't.

Hohaia's kicking improved as time wore on, following a dreary first quarter in which neither side dominated and both made mistakes. Wairangi Koopu was playing his 100th game and scored first points at 16 minutes after Clinton Toopi broke tackles.

The Warriors contained Kimmorley well for most of the game but his moments of brilliance turned the momentum. He sold a big dummy to score three minutes after Koopu.

Sharks fullback David Peachey made some shocking errors and the Warriors should have capitalised more. Richard Villasanti capitalised on a good bounce after he charged Michael Sullivan's kick, beating Kimmorley's cover for a try in the 53rd minute and when Hohaia stretched out in the tackle to get another four minutes later, the Warriors looked home.

They had lots of New Zealand support in the 13,293 crowd and should have ridden it home.

But there was a feeling of inevitability about the ending. The Sharks composed themselves, the Warriors self-destructed.

Dykes stepped up, the Warriors giving him the ball to do it. It was the five-eighth's long cut-out pass that put Vagana in in the 63rd minute after Brent Webb lost the football and then came the killer, after Meli dropped it.

Sharks coach Stuart Raper didn't feel his side had played their best but rated their confidence and ability to win.

"Our ball control was pretty ordinary, but the difference with the team this year is that we have a lot of belief in ourselves.

"We stayed close enough on the scoreboard to give ourselves a chance to win the game and that is what we were able to do," Raper said. "The Warriors played well, they played a simple style of football and you could probably say they were a little unlucky on the night."

The Warriors had the day to wait in Perth for a direct flight home on Air New Zealand arriving at 6.30am today, more than plenty of time to consider Raper's assessment of yet another game that got away.

There were some positives: The response to Jones' absence was smooth; the discipline was good and they gave away only three penalties; there were no other injuries. Steve Price (177 metres and 323 tackles) and Ruben Wiki (158m and 29 tackles) continue to lay one of the best platforms in the competition.

There are some positives ahead of the Roosters game next Sunday: Jones is expected to be OK; Sione Faumuina will be available after injury and hooker Tevita Latu after suspension.

They need quicker injection around dummy-half than Louis Anderson gives them - he looks a lock. They also need more creative play from the back rowers. More injection in mid-left field would help too.

But the major fix for the Warriors is in maintaining concentration and focus for the full 80 minutes, something rarely achieved in the club's 10-year history. As in previous seasons, the distraction of off-field dramas will not be helping.

Miserable moments

* 70-74 minutes:The Warriors press the Sharks' line, Lance Hohaia's kicking forces repeat sets of six but they can't score.

* 74 minutes: Nigel Vagana takes an interception and runs 65m, Hohaia dragging him down.

* 77 minutes: Francis Meli drops the ball 20 metres off the Warriors' line.

* 79 minutes: Adam Dykes dummies 20m out and cuts through a hole between Awen Guttenbeil and Louis Anderson.