NRL: Warriors blitz Broncos

Lewis Brown of the Warriors is congratulated after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

A five-try first half blitz has put the New Zealand Warriors into the NRL playoffs after a 36-4 victory over the Brisbane Broncos tonight.

A 58 percent possession share saw the Warriors leap to a 24-0 lead by the halftime break of their match at Mt Smart Stadium, effectively sealing the match.

Brisbane tried to throw the ball around in the second half but made little headway without key playmaker Darren Lockyer.

The victory is enough to ensure the Warriors will make the playoffs, and they will be hoping to advance their position as high as possible when they take on the Eels next week.

Brisbane on the other hand will need to beat the Canberra Raiders to give themselves a top eight chance.

The Warriors failed to make the most of two chances inside the Broncos 20m line in the first 10 minutes, but the pressure paid off in the 12th minute when the recently re-signed winger Manu Vatuvei scored after leaping high to grab a pinpoint Brett Seymour kick.

Two tries to second rower Lewis Brown then took the Warriors out to a 14-point lead.

He scored after 22 minutes after scooting over from dummy half, and four minutes was in under the posts after backing up a break from a kick.

Aided for once by a favourable penalty count, the Warriors were dominant and they scored again five minutes later, captain Simon Mannering bursting over after a penalty gave the home team field position.

The Warriors last try in the first half was their best. Brent Tate made a bust down the right hand side after the attack was switched and then produced a pinpoint 20m pass to find Lance Hohaia, who scored under the posts.

Maloney's second conversion meant the home team took a 24-0 lead into halftime.

Warriors errors meant the Broncos had the better of the game straight after the break, but they failed to get the vital try to bring them back into the game.

Instead, Hohaia made the game safe eight minutes into the second half, running 50m through the middle and then regathering a chip kick over Josh Hoffman to score.

Ben Matulino crashed over a few minutes later, and the game was well and truly over when Jharal Yow Yeh scored a consolation try near the finish.

NZ WARRIORS 36 (L Brown 2 L Hohaia 2 S Mannering B Matulino M Vatuvei tries J Maloney 4 goals) bt BRISBANE 4 (J Yow Yeh try) at Mt Smart Stadium. Referee: Tony De Las Heras, Jared Maxwell. Crowd: 21,627.

- NZPA