Warriors 30 Roosters 13
KEY POINTS:
There was plenty of noise, tit-for-tat touchdowns, controversy with a penalty try and superb defence that repeatedly exercised the video referee when NRL finals fever took over Auckland last night, the Warriors reinforcing their right to be in the playoffs by dumping the Sydney Roosters.
The 30-13 scoreline will worry the remaining sides in the run to the 2008 title.
As predicted, it was the Warriors little men in the middle and the big wing Manu Vatuvei out wide who got the points.
The Chooks are eliminated while the Warriors go to the Sydney Football Stadium next Saturday to meet Manly for a place in the grand final.
Unfortunately next week they won't enjoy the tremendous level of support that they clearly fed off last night. But they now have 10 wins from 12 including four over top-eight sides and that will instil great confidence as they fly across the Tasman.
Among the 25,585 cheer team were Prime Minister Helen Clark, a regular league patron, club owner Eric Watson and All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Ma'a Nonu, the latter wearing an Illawarra Steelers jersey from the 1990s.
The home team started 1-17 as named midweek, the Roosters made a raft of changes positionally and with personnel, bringing former Warrior Frank-Paul Nuuausala in and the big unit playing well in front of his family as did Kiwis centre Sia Soliola, another Kiwi Sa Setaimata not used until late in the game after struggling with a hip injury through the week.
It must have given the Roosters a sense of foreboding to hear the full-house crowd cheering on the Warriors under-20s to a 38-4 win in the curtainraiser and the Juniors continue on their playoff run, shaping as real title contenders.
When the main attraction began, a solid start put the Warriors in the red zone and Michael Witt's chip was touched down by Lance Hohaia next to the posts for six easy points. It got the crowd in on the act and they cheered every good play and rode the officials all night.
And so the home team defence was lifted. The Roosters forced three goal-line drop outs, enjoyed repeat sets from penalties but couldn't capitalise. Their wing Sam Perrett was chased down by the Warriors captain, prop Steve Price, as he set the benchmark for effort required in finals.
Eventually the pressure told, at 28 minutes a Roosters 40/20 kick provided the territory for Mitchell Pearce to get over.
When the Roosters chipped to the Warriors in-goal the jostle between fullbacks saw the ball shunted forward, video referee Steve Clark deciding Hohaia had taken Anthony Minichiello out of the contest and awarding four points by default. The Warrior had blocked Minichiello's left hand, preventing him getting his hands to the ball to score.
When Braith Anasta slotted a field goal from 30 metres out with a minute remaining on the first-half clock the crowd roundly booed it. So should have the Roosters coaching staff as it told the home team their defence was feared.
Five minutes after the break Hohaia ran from 10 metres out, dummied and slipped Roosters veteran Craig Fitzgibbon to score. With Witt's kick bringing it back to a one-point gap the crowd rose again. They erupted when wing Aidan Kirk leapt high for a Witt kick but Clark ruled he didn't ground the ball. Then Simon Mannering was held up over the line.
But the video review awarded hooker Ian Henderson a try for traffic running near the posts at 55 minutes and when Manu Vatuvei got over in the corner the game was done. The Aussie media started leaving the press box after Aidan Kirk took an intercept 15 metres from the Warriors line and ran under the bar untouched at 74 minutes.
Warriors 30 (Lance Hohaia 2, Ian Henderson, Manu Vatuvei, Aidan Kirk tries, Michael Witt 5 goals).
Sydney Roosters 13 (Mitchell Pearce, Anthony Minichiello tries Craig Fitzgibbon 2 goals, Braith Anasta field goal). HT: 13-6.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
*Roosters eliminated.
*Warriors v Manly at Sydney Football Stadium next Saturday.
*Winner goes through to grand final at Olympic Stadium in Sydney on October 5.
*Winner of tonight's Broncos v Storm match to play Sharks at Sydney Football Stadium next Friday.
*Winner goes through to grand final.
