League: Warriors win pre-season match

The New Zealand Warriors produced a strong second half display to start their 2010 National Rugby League trials programme with a 26-8 win over the Sydney Roosters at Rotorua International Stadium today.

One of the many encouraging features was Brett Seymour's first outing for his new club.

After stints with Brisbane and Cronulla, Seymour was handed the captaincy on debut and looked accomplished in all he did in the 55 minutes he had on the field.

After winger Kevin Locke climbed to snaffle a James Maloney bomb for the opening try in the ninth minute, the Warriors conceded two tries in the second quarter to trail 4-8 with halftime in sight.

But in the dying seconds, dummy half Aaron Heremaia sniped not once but twice from dummy half and speared through for a try that took his side to a 10-8 lead on the back of Seymour's conversion.

There was just one try again in the third quarter for the home side, a delightful flick pass from Alehana Mara handing centre Patrick Ah Van a try wide out which Locke failed to convert.

With an improved completion rate and better execution, the Warriors stitched together a convincing final quarter with two tries, the first the most spectacular of the match.

Given space down the left wing, Bill Tupou - still eligible for the club's NYC team this year - cut down the touchline, finding his centre partner Joel Moon in support. Collared near the line, Moon hurled the ball infield, Heremaia there backing up for his second try of the day.

Close to fulltime, back rower Jacob Lillyman was try-bound after an angled run onto a short ball. As he was trying to get the ball down, he had it stripped and Ukuma Ta'ai pounced for a try.

- NZPA