League: Wretched Warriors end season with another loss

Former Warrior Tuimoala Lolohea evades the current Warriors defence. Photo / Getty

The Warriors were finally put out of their misery with Wests Tigers inflicting a last round 28-16 NRL defeat in Sydney tonight.

The five-tries-to-three result had an inevitable feel about it, with the 13th-placed Warriors digging their hole deeper to finish their wretched campaign with an unwanted club record of nine straight defeats in a season.

Tigers five-eighth and former Warriors utility Tui Lolohea starred in his first game against his old club, scoring a try and setting up two more and kicking four goals, with the Tigers building on a 16-6 halftime lead to claim victory at Leichardt Oval.

The dead-rubber match was the last for departing Warriors Ryan Hoffman, Charlie Gubb and Ben Matulino, who will join the Tigers next season, while the joint-venture club farewelled star players Aaron Woods and James Tedesco.

"It was pretty emotional coming to the ground knowing that this would be my home next year and playing against my future teammates," Matulino told Sky Sport.

"Our starts haven't been up to scratch and at the start the Tigers got some easy tries and we're pretty disappointed in that.

"But I've loved every moment back at the Warriors and they'll be my second team from now on, I'll be with the Tigers moving forward."

The match also marked the debut of Jeremy Marshall-King, younger brother of former Kiwis captain and Tigers great Benji Marshall, who was seated among the crowd.

With star halves Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran missing through injury the Warriors were dealt a further blow in the opening minute, losing centre Blake Ayshford to a broken wrist.

The Tigers opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a chip-kick from halfback Luke Brooks bouncing for centre Kevin Naiqama to cross near the uprights.

The home side controlled possession and territory but errors and desperate Warriors defence prevented them from extending their lead, while the visitors were denied a try when wing-turned-centre David Fusitu'a spilled the ball over the line.

Lolohea stamped his class and reminded Warriors fans of his attacking ability when he put centre Esan Marsters over for their second try, before backing up to finish a 90 metre movement to score and convert their third four-pointer.

The Warriors struggled to create any momentum or second-phase play but managed to keep themselves in the game with centre Solomone Kata burrowing over right on halftime, but Naiqama extended the Tigers lead with his second try soon after the resumption.

The Warriors persisted and eventually found reward when captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck crossed with hooker Issac Luke's second conversion narrowing the margin to 22-12 with 26 minutes remaining.

But Lolohea killed any hopes of a comeback with a nice pass to Marsters who sent David Nofoaluma over, although replacement Warriors wing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scored a consolation try at the death.

Wests Tigers 28 (Kevin Naiqama 2, Esan Marsters, Tuimoala Lolohea, David Nofoaluma tries, Tuimoala Lolohea 4 cons)
Warriors 16 (Solomone Kata, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Charnze Ncoll-Klokstad tries, Issac Luke 2 cons)