Jack Murchie celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Jack Murchie celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Warriors 20 Bulldogs 14
The dream is still alive, even if it will probably end in disappointment.
The Warriors beat the bottom placed Bulldogs 20-14 to hang on to the top eight coattails in Sydney with livewire No 6 Kodi Nikorima the predictable hero, and new forward signing Jack Murchie the unlikely one.
The result left the New Zealand side among a cluster of four teams who are two wins adrift of the eighth-placed Cronulla Sharks, with five rounds to play.
But the Warriors have a vastly inferior points differential and also have a tough run home against the Knights, Eels, Sharks, Raiders and Sea Eagles.
Even if they don't make the cut, it is shaping as a rare season which, given all of the circumstances, will be rated a bizarre success.
Their form and consistency since interim boss Todd Payten got his feet under the coaching table has been very encouraging. A new resilience has been built under trying circumstances, camped in Australia and with some leading players opting to go home and Blake Green quitting for the Knights.
Just when the Bulldogs threatened to surge away with the game through a Will Hopoate try early in the second half, the Warriors responded with a flurry of tries and scoring chances, set up by surging defence.
The star of the show - apart from his goalkicking - was Nikorima, who was paired in the halves with Paul Turner, making his debut.
Murchie also played a big part, scoring two tries and setting up another with a clever flick pass. In an NRL first, he was also penalised for ripping a boot off Sauaso Sue and throwing it away.
Jack Murchie celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Never a dull moment in the NRL, and a tight match turned into a bit of a thriller with both sides chancing their arms late.
The Bulldogs had opened the scoring with a gorgeous try in the 16th minute, shifting the ball left where a moment of Tim Lafai magic - a backflip pass - put wing Nick Meaney over.
They struck again minutes later when impressive dummy half Jeremy Marshall-King cut the Warriors apart and fed Kieran Foran, with the veteran playmaker charging across the line.
The 20-year-old Northlander Turner showed early signs of why he is rated so highly and almost scored after a shocking pass from wing Reimis Smith bounced free behind his goalline.
Adam Pompey scored for the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Turner had two tries fairly rubbed out in the game, for a double move and obstruction, and a poor kick and defensive miss also led to the Hopoate try. But his fluid moves past defenders were there for all to see, and he was playing out of his best position.
Turner is seen as more of a fullback option, with the potential to play in the centres. But with Chanel Harris-Tavita and Adam Keighran ruled out after a training ground accident, Turner stepped up in the halves in his opening first grade game.
And while some of the Warriors organisation was clearly suffering, five-eighth Nikorima was still able to run free as the match winner.
Warriors 20 (Jack Murchie 2, Adam Pompey, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck tries; Kodi Nikorima 2 cons) Bulldogs 14 (Nick Meaney, Kieran Foran, Will Hopoate tries; Meaney con) Halftime: 6-10
