KEY POINTS:
All the hype may have some merit after all.
The New Zealand Warriors left the club's faithful fans wanting more after starting their latest National Rugby League campaign with a stylish 34-18 victory over the Parramatta Eels in Auckland tonight.
The Auckland media have been trumpeting the Warriors' prospects this season after years of under-achievement and off-field controversy. On the evidence shown at Mt Smart Stadium tonight it could be that they have a valid point.
The Warriors were all over a shaky Eels outfit in the first spell, streaking clear to lead 24-0 after producing the type of performance which bodes well for tougher matches to come.
The Eels improved considerably after the break to make it a contest but at no stage threatened to upstage the hosts despite scoring three tries themselves.
The Warriors wasted little time imposing themselves on the Eels following a fifth-minute penalty from Tony Martin.
They registered the first of their six tries in the eighth minute when new recruit Wade McKinnon scored on his debut for the Warriors.
The free striding fullback, replacing former club favourite Brent Webb, who was offloaded in the off-season, showed his nose for the line to loom outside Grant Rovelli and present Martin with a simple conversion.
Rovelli had himself been put into space by a piercing run from the ruck by George Gatis, which split the Eels defence up the middle.
Just another six minutes passed before skipper Steve Price was gifted a four-pointer from three off the ruck after the Eels defenders showed little urgency as the Warriors surged just short of the tryline.
Everything was going the way of the Warriors, who stretched their advantage to 18-0 in the 24th minute when quick hands created space down the right flank for ex-Wests Tigers player Michael Crockett to score in the corner.
The Eels' porous defence was again evident in the 33rd minute when McKinnon toyed with his former clubmates down the right before the ball was shifted to the left where Simon Mannering stepped through a huge hole for his side's fourth try.
The halftime break evidently interrupted their flow because the Warriors conceded a soft try just four minutes after the restart on the back of a repeat set of six when Daniel Wagon strolled over from close range.
The Warriors showed old habits sometimes die hard when they coughed up the ball six minutes later before the Eels charged upfield to snare a try to front rower Nathan Cayless, who followed through a grubber kick from Tim Smith.
Suddenly the home side led just 24-12 and it was match on with 30 minutes remaining but the Warriors responded almost immediately when utility Lance Hohaia pounced on a delicate grubber from Nathan Fien into the in-goal area.
The Eels refused to go away, winger Jarryd Hayne scoring in the left-hand corner in the 59th minute after he'd accepted a floating pass from fullback Luke Burt, who added the extras from near the touchline.
Crockett had the final say less than two minutes from fulltime when he scored his second try which owed everything to his anticipation and pace as he latched on to a Gatis grubber just inside the dead ball line.
New Zealand Warriors 34 (Michael Crockett 2, Wade McKinnon, Steve Price, Simon Mannering, Lance Hohaia tries; Tony Martin 5 goals) Parramatta 18 (Daniel Wagon, Nathan Cayless, Jarryd Hayne tries; Luke Burt 3 goals). Halftime: 24-0.
- NZPA
