League: Warriors put season back on track

Warriors Todd Byrne is lifted up by Clinton Toopi as he celebrates scoring his try against the Melbourne Storm yesterday. Picture / Fotopress

The Warriors bounced back from the rarest of league events - a penalty try - to beat the Storm 24-16 and hang on to their NRL hopes.

By general opinion, a Warriors' loss at Ericsson Stadium yesterday would have put paid to their season.

Their victory was played out in front of a paltry 7900 crowd last night, and the club will desperately hope that this latest result will reignite interest in their season.

Video referee Steve Nash's 46th- minute ruling, giving the Storm a penalty try, almost brought the Warriors crashing down against a Melbourne side missing three State of Origin players and the injured Scott Hill.

The home side were leading 20-4 at the time, and should have had an even bigger lead with Stacey Jones desperately unlucky not to have scored on halftime after inspiring a long-distance break.

But Nash's ruling changed the tempo of the game. As Matt Orford's kick bounced in the in-goal, Todd Byrne gently shoved the chasing Cooper Cronk away.

Cronk landed on the deck and immediately appealed to referee Jason Robinson.

It looked like a reasonable penalty-try case. But while you don't have to go far to see similar incidents, you do go a long way to see penalty tries awarded in league. This was one of those rare occasions when a try was given.

Even Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy admitted: "I was a bit surprised. I've seen a lot of other incidents this year and last where only a penalty was given. So long as they are consistent.

"I said at the time it might be a penalty try ... but I was only joking."

It certainly spurred Melbourne into action, and they brought the score back to 16-20 before the Warriors pulled away when Byrne leapt high over Jake Webster in the 72nd minute to score his second try, and seal the match.

The Warriors had put together a surging second quarter to take control. Jones' kicking was central to their plans and interchange prop Iafeta Paleaaesina made his mark, storming from a tap penalty 10m from the line to crash through three tacklers for a try.

Warriors' coach Tony Kemp labelled the big forward as among the Warriors' best in recent weeks.

"With players like Ruben Wiki and Steve Price guiding him, he is going to be a star. New Zealand has got a very, very good frontrower on its hands."

Kemp was rightly pleased with his charges' performance. "The first 40 was outstanding from both teams and fortunately the momentum went our way. It was just a battle in the second."

He avoided commenting on the penalty try, saying only: "We've just got to adjust".