NRL: Warriors' late double clinches win

Feleti Mateo of the Warriors looks to offload. Photo / Getty Images

NZ Warriors 25
Newcastle Knights16

The New Zealand Warriors rediscovered their attacking mojo at precisely the right time as two late tries lifted them to a 25-16 over Newcastle and up to sixth overall in the National Rugby League.

After being consigned to defensive duties for the bulk of a tense second half at Ausgrid Stadium the Warriors erased a 12-16 deficit with seven minutes to play as James Maloney and Lance Hohaia found clear air to seal their fourth successive win.

Impressive fullback Kevin Locke was instrumental in effecting the recovery - his weaving run from deep may have been abruptly halted by a Joel Edwards shoulder, but from the next play Feleti Mateo finally produced a killer pass for five-eighth Maloney who had the luxury of raising an arm in triumph five metres from the uprights.

Locke then had a hand in the match-winner two minutes later, he found support in the form of Alehana Mara near halfway and the hooker cleared out before a pinpoint pass put Hohaia over for his second. A Maloney field goal completed a remarkable turnaround for a Warriors side that had squandered their rare attacking opportunities in the second half.

The 10th round contest tensed up after the break and the Knights looked more likely to score as the Warriors were forced into defensive mode for the majority of the third quarter.

They did remarkably well to hold their line intact, at one point repulsing three sets in the shadow of their posts.

Knights lock Edwards powered over between the posts but Locke burrowed under him to prevent the ball being forced.

Krisnan Inu dropped a bomb and Manu Vatuvei was also trapped in the in goal before the danger passed after the Warriors had made 21 consecutive tackles.

The Warriors finally gained prime attacking position in the 64th minute after McDonnell lost possession but in keeping with their offensive woes Mateo fired a wild pass over the sideline.

Russell Packer was the next culprit when he got in the way of a pass aimed beyond him with 11 minutes remaining.

Earlier the Knights made the ideal start with their second possession when five-eighth Tyrone Roberts broke the line, fended off Mateo and surged to the 20-metre line before drawing the defence and setting Wes Naiqama on a coast to the line in the fourth minute.

Naiqama added the extras and although Jarred Mullen dropped the restart while peering into the sun the danger of a Warriors scrum 10m from the line was averted when Vatuvei was gang tackled into touch by three defenders including the repentant halfback.

But the big wing had more impact with his next possession when he leapt above Akulia Uate to field a Brett Seymour cross kick and touch down in the corner in the 20th minute.

Maloney slotted the sidelined conversion but was unable able to drag Mullen down before the line when Naiqama left three defenders in his wake before the Knights captain completed an 80m breakout.

The Knights could have gone further ahead in the 27th minute but butchered a certain try when Antonio Kaufusi delayed his pass before the transfer from Neville Costigan to Junior Sa'u - eager to prove a point after being overlooked for the Anzac test - was ruled forward.

The Warriors made the most of their reprieve from the turnover when Micheal Luck produced a sharp offload near halfway for Maloney who committed fullback Shannon McDonnell before giving Hohaia a saloon passage to the line on the half hour.

McDonnell had the last laugh during an entertaining first half when he took advantage of some sleepy defence around the ruck to scoot 20m to the line after the Knights appeared to have bungled a possession at dummy half.

The Knights custodian was quickest to react when the ball went to ground and as the siren sounded he evaded the attempted tackles of Locke and Elijah Taylor. Naiqama added the conversion to give the home side a 16-12 advantage they maintained until the Warriors late revival.

In a late change the Warriors welcomed back centre Shaun Berrigan earlier than anticipated after breaking a bone in his left hand when the Warriors last lost - at Manly - on April 16.

Berrigan joined the road trip from Auckland so Lewis Brown earned a well-deserved break on the interchange bench after his double shift for the Kiwis and Warriors at Skilled Park last weekend.

NZ Warriors 25 (Lance Hohaia 2, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney tries; Maloney 4 cons, drop goal) Newcastle Knights 16 (Wes Naiqama, Jarrod Mullen, Shannon McDonnell tries; Naiqama 2 cons). Halftime: 12-16.

- NZPA