Warriors 28
Tigers 26
KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors began their rebuilding programme with a character-building National Rugby League (NRL) win over Wests Tigers in Sydney today.
Desperate for success after three successive losses saw them plummet to 13th place, the Warriors prevailed 28-26 in a thriller after at one stage looking set to walk away with the game at Leichhardt Oval.
They survived on a paucity of possession in the second half as West Tigers monopolised the ball but hung firm to attain victory in vice-captain Ruben Wiki's 300th NRL first-grade outing.
Wiki and his teammate were relived figures immediately after the game, which hung in the balance until the very end when West Tigers captain Brett Hodgson's sideline conversion attempt narrowly missed its target.
"I was just hoping he'd bloody miss that kick," Wiki said.
"I don't think I could go another 10 or 20 minutes."
The Warriors led 16-0 after just 29 minutes then had to soak up substantial pressure as Wests Tigers turned the game on its head to draw level at 16-16 midway through the second spell.
A porous defence has caused the Warriors much grief this season but today they muscled up and struck back with a long range try to fullback Lance Hohaia and another four-pointer from close range to front rower Sam Rapira for just their sixth win in 15 outings.
They scored and conceded five tries, three of them to winger Taniela Tuiaki, including his third with just 13 seconds remaining.
Hodgson had the chance to force the game to extra time but his conversion attempt from the sideline slid slightly left.
Only a piece of Benji Marshall magic kept Wests Tigers in the contest at halftime.
There was nothing on when the Kiwis playmaker drifted across the field near halfway in the 32nd minute.
As he kept nearing the sideline Marshall suddenly straightened up, pierced the defence and skipped upfield before offloading behind his back to Tuiaki, who changed the angle of the attack then showed his pace to score near the left-hand corner.
Hodgson's conversion saw Wests Tigers trail 6-16 and they then began to pressure the Warriors defence for the first time.
The home side camped in Warriors territory approaching halftime but the visitors held firm after earlier scoring tries through Ian Henderson, Sonny Fai and Nathan Fien.
Henderson crossed in the ninth minute when he jumped out from dummy half and strolled through a hole left by a Wests Tigers player tripping over.
Fai scored in the 24th minute after a 30m run down the touchline when referee Steve Lyons missed a clear forward pass, while Fien added to Wests Tigers woes five minutes later when he scored after receiving a good short ball from Henderson.
Lyons later missed a questionable pass as Wests Tigers attacked down the short side before Tuiaki managed to offload in the tackle to enable Robbie Farah to score.
Hodgson again converted from near the touchline and suddenly the Warriors' lead had been slashed to 16-12.
All the momentum at this stage was with the hosts, who pounded the Warriors continually until another breach was made when Chris Lawrence hit the line at pace and thrust himself through a hole to score and level the scores in the 56th minute.
The Warriors then enjoyed a purple patch of four minutes when Hohaia and Rapira scored hugely contrasting tries to make the game safe.
Hohaia finished off a sweeping move started on their own 20m by Simon Mannering, who fed Fai before the winger sped down the touchline then turned the play infield where Grant Rovelli fed Hohaia.
But still Wests Tigers would not lie down, throwing everything they had at the visitors as the impressive Tuiaki scored in the left-hand corner in the 77th and 80th minutes.
The Warriors remain in 13th place, two points behind the Tigers, and head into their bye round next weekend before a run of nine games within which to haul themselves into playoffs contention.
- NZPA
