NRL: Warriors draw extra time thriller

The Warriors' Wade McKinnon is caught by a gang of Panthers defenders during their 32-all draw at CUA Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Warriors rued some agonising missed field goals as they clung on for a 32-32 draw with Penrith in a remarkable National Rugby League tryfest at CUA Stadium tonight.

Both sides scored five tries as they couldn't be separated in a scoreless, yet thrilling 10 minutes of golden point extra time after the Warriors led 32-6 at one stage.

Lance Hohaia went closest to winning it for the Warriors when his 35m field goal attempt three minutes into extra time hit the crossbar, while veteran Stacey Jones - reportedly set to announce his retirement at season's end - also had his chance with 90sec remaining but pushed a handy attempt just wide.

The Warriors, who had four field goal attempts to the Panthers' one in extra time, attacked desperately in the dying seconds but the hosts hung on.

It was a match the Warriors blew after they raced to 32-6 in the 51st minute thanks to a four-try haul by centre Joel Moon.

Both goalkickers Kevin Locke and Michael Gordon were outstanding, each kicking a perfect six from six.

After an ordinary first half from the hosts, they awoke from their slumber to pile in four tries in 21 minutes in classic Panthers fashion.

Big Kiwis forward Frank Pritchard, a late recall after recovering from a broken hand, made his presence felt and when Frank Puletua charged over in the 70th minute it was back to an eight-point deficit.

Then Panthers flyer Michael Jennings scored his second got them within two points when he bulldozed over out wide with five minutes left.

Gordon's goal from the sideline made it 32-30, then a desperate Wade McKinnon high tackle on Jarrod Sammut with two minutes left saw Gordon tie the scores from the penalty.

It should have been elementary, and so Australia's big sports punters thought as they made the Panthers the best-backed side all weekend, into $1.30 favouritism.

The Panthers were coming off an away victory at North Queensland to sit sixth on the ladder while the Warriors were without captain Steve Price and recovering from a heavy home defeat to the Dragons to sit 13th, five points outside playoff territory.

But it was the reverse early on as the Warriors showed urgency and took their chances while the Panthers looked flat before their home faithful of 12,677.

Moon - with just two tries from 17 previous matches in 2009 - had his hat-trick by halftime as the Warriors piled on their most prolific first half of a pop-gun attacking season to lead 20-6.

The first came from a Warriors special when Jones' pinpoint bomb for Manu Vatuvei was juggled, and Moon pounced on the loose ball.

Moon had his second in the 16th minute after hard-toiling prop Sam Rapira busted the line and sent five-eighth Isaac John away.

And the hat-trick came up in the 33rd from a length-of-the-field effort sparked by a Vatuvei bust from deep in his own half.

When the Warriors were handed another penalty, stand-in skipper Micheal Luck ordered a shot at goal and Locke drilled his fourth in a row for a 14-point halftime lead.

Four minutes after the break the Warriors attacked and Hohaia's grubber was grabbed by, sure enough, Moon, and Locke's conversion made it a 20-point buffer.

Lewis Brown then extended the lead when he steamrolled Sammut to make it 32-6.

Warriors 32 Joel Moon (4), Lewis Brown tries; Kevin Locke (6) goals

Panthers 32 Michael Jennings (2), Shane Elford, Luke Walsh, Frank Puletua tries; Michael Gordon (6) goals

- NZPA