Warriors 30
Roosters 13
KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors' National Rugby League fairytale continued tonight when they came from behind for the second week in a row to down the Sydney Roosters 30 - 13 in their knockout semi-final in Auckland.
Dominated in the opening spell, the Warriors lifted in the second half to turn the contest on its head.
In the second 40 minutes they kept the Roosters scoreless, scored four tries of their own and were held up over the line on three other occasions.
Victory for the side which qualified for the playoffs in the eighth and bottom spot means they have made it into the last four in the competition. They next face Manly in Sydney on Saturday week for a place in the grand final.
The result also extended Ruben Wiki's NRL career for at least another week.
Wiki, in his 311th match, produced one of the moments of the contest when he flattened compatriot Sia Soliola in a second half hit-up.
He also just failed to get on the scoresheet when he was held up over the line later in the game.
The huge crowd of 25,585 created a noisy atmosphere and fans on the northern embankment even gave skipper Steve Price a standing ovation as he walked past for the pre-match coin toss. The packed house at Mt Smart Stadium included All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Ma'a Nonu, with Nonu wearing an old Illawarra Steelers jersey.
The Warriors had a dream start, scoring off their first possession. With the help of a penalty they worked their way downfield before Michael Witt shaped to kick to Manu Vatuvei's wing. Instead Witt went the other way, the ball bounced off an upright and Lance Hohaia was on hand to force it down. Witt's conversion made it 6 - 0.
From then however, the Roosters began to control proceedings with the tactical kicking of Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce proving a threat.
The Warriors were forced back into their own half and called on to do plenty of defence.
In the 27th minute, after a sustained period of pressure, their line finally broke .
Pearce went through two defenders to cross over with Craig Fitzgibbon converting to tie the game up.
It was worse for the Warriors 3 minutes later when the Roosters broke down the right and Kiwi Setaimata Sa kicked ahead. Hohaia got a wicked bounce as he tried to clean up and as the ball rolled into the ingoal he was involved in a race with Anthony Minichiello. However, video referees Steve Clark and Phil Cooley ruled that Hohaia had held Minichiello back illegally with his arm and awarded a rare penalty try.
Fitzgibbon added the easy conversion before Anasta closed out the half with a field goal for 13 - 6 lead.
Hohaia make quick amends in the second half when a Brent Tate kick forced the Roosters first line drop-out of the match. Hohaia finished off the ensuing attack by jinking his way through to dot down under the posts. The conversion made it a 1-point ball game.
The momentum began to shift towards the Warriors who twice crossed over in the next 10 minutes through winger Aiden Kirk and second-rower Simon Mannering, only for both to be held up.
But they weren't denied a minute later when Ian Henderson darted from dummy-half and forced his way over in traffic.
The video refs took what seemed like an eternity before giving Henderson the benefit of the doubt and awarding the try.
The Warriors went further in front when a superb kick-chase forced another line drop-out and from the ensuing possession they worked the ball out to Vatuvei who scampered over in the corner. It was Vatuvei's seventh try in four matches and his 16th in 16 appearances this season.
The Warriors remained camped in opposition territory and with 10 minutes to go it was the turn of Wiki to be held up.
But four minutes later Kirk brought the house down, grabbing an intercept and racing 75 metres to dot down by the posts.
Price said it had been a big week for the team.
"We have been treating every game as a special moment and today was no different.
"(For the second half) we just wanted to complete our sets - the Roosters had all the ball and field position in the first half and it was important we turned that around.
"It was a really big effort in second half. It was all about self belief," added Price who said the team would immediately turned their attentions to the club's next game, against Manly.
Hohaia said the team had felt the buzz of the crowd "and that got us home".
"We sort of have been playing consistenly for last six weeks or so. The last game (the win over minor premiers Melbourne Storm) gave us a lot of confidence.
"This was our home ground and we wanted to play really well in the second half and we did that."
Anasta said the Roosters would have no excuses.
"They were just too good four us.
"They got on a roll in the first 20 minutes but we held them out.
"We wanted to do that (again) in the second half but we let them score after five minutes and as soon as they did that we were in trouble.
"We have struggled all year to play the full 80 minutes, we wanted to prove everyone wrong tonight but we didn't so we'll learn from it. We'll be better next year."
- NZPA
Warriors 30
Tries: Lance Hohaia 2, Manu Vatuvei, Ian Henderson, Aidan Kirk
Conversions: Michael Witt 5
Roosters 13
Try: Mitchell Pearce
Penalty try: Anthony Minichiello
Conversions: Craig Fitzgibbon 2
Field goal: Braith Anasta
Halftime: Roosters 13, Warriors 6
