NRL: Warriors choke chooks

The Warriors produced a strong second-half display to start their 2010 trials programme with a win over the Sydney Roosters in Rotorua yesterday.

One of the many encouraging features was Brett Seymour's first outing for the Warriors, who are hoping to turn around a disappointing 2009 when they started as title contenders and finished 14th.

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

"It was typical of a first hit-out of the season but there were plenty of things to be pleased about," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said.

"Some of our young players really impressed and I thought we controlled the game well in the second half after a bit of a scratchy period in the second quarter.

"Brett was very good with his all-round game and the way he organised the side."

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 just before halftime.

But in the dying seconds, hooker 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.

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 to Heremaia, who was backing up for his second try of the match.

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

The only negative for the Warriors was a knee injury which forced hooker Ian Henderson from the field in the final quarter. Cleary said the injury would have to be assessed but Henderson might be in doubt for next month's opening round of the NRL season.

* Warriors: 26 (A. Heremaia 2, K. Locke, P. Ah Van, U. Ta'ai tries; B. Seymour 3 gls)
* Roosters: 8 (B. Takairangi, S. Tuigamala tries). HT: 10-8. Crowd: 9600.