Mitch Barnett and the Warriors suffered a golden-point loss to the Bulldogs. Photo / Photosport
Bulldogs 13
Warriors 12
Sometimes rugby league is the cruellest game.
The Warriors put everything into this – and then some – and came away with nothing, after a 13-12 golden point loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Matt Burton knocked over the decisive field goal in the 88th minute after Chanel Harris-Tavita had missed two handy attempts in the extra period.
By that point the Warriors were running on fumes, with three players out with injury (Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya) and only one on the interchange bench.
It was a performance of grit and guts – and after the fiasco on the Gold Coast two weeks ago there can be no questions about their spirit after this one.
They did well to hang on in the last quarter and actually had the better opportunities in the final 10 minutes, with Leka Halasima and Marata Niukore stopped over the goal line.
Ultimately though, they paid the price for poor execution in the third quarter, unable to make the most of some good opportunities.
Halves Te Maire Martin and Harris-Tavita were solid – but lacked the fluidity of previous matches together – and it was a reminder of the importance of Shaun Johnson, when most people seem to be writing him off.
The Bulldogs hadn’t lost at home all season but the Warriors pushed them to the limit, though the injury toll along with some game management proved pivotal.
They lost Nicoll-Klokstad (calf) before halftime, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moving to fullback, then played most of the second half without Watene-Zelezniak (HIA) and Montoya (lower leg), leaving the most makeshift Warriors backline seen in years, while Wayde Egan carried an elbow injury.
The result leaves the Warriors’ top-eight hopes in the balance and they will require a spectacular run in the final sector of the season after the bye.
Halasima showed his promise, though, in an impressive debut.
The first try was a backbreaker, a 90-metre intercept after Martin’s pass was anticipated. The Warriors had absorbed a lot of pressure in the first quarter – and finally got in good position, before Burton pounced, with Bronson Xerri backing up.
But there was an instant response. A big tackle from Tuivasa-Sheck jolted the ball free from the kickoff hit up, then Watene-Zelezniak was diving over in the corner moments later after a sharp right edge move. Another Bulldogs old boy – Montoya – showed brute strength to power over, after a snappy blindside foray.
But the best part of the half was yet to come. After Martin missed touch from a penalty, the Warriors repelled four consecutive goal line sets with desperation and desire, and Canterbury-Bankstown eventually ran out of ideas, with Adam Pompey knocking over a penalty just before halftime.
The Warriors had momentum after the break but couldn’t make it count. They earned opportunities with strong defence but got sloppy with their execution in the third quarter. Jackson Ford ignored a support runner to go himself, Martin kicked to an absent winger on the fifth tackle, then Harris-Tavita threw a no-look pass to no one over the sideline.
That got the Bulldogs back into the match before Viliame Kikau out-jumped Pompey to level the scores in 54th minute. The Bulldogs then missed several opportunities, as the Warriors hung on, with Martin’s tackle on a runaway Jacob Kiraz a highlight. By this stage, the Warriors had lost Watene-Zelezniak and Montoya and had the most unlikely left edge, with Kurt Capewell and Dylan Walker in the outside backs.
A scorching run from rookie Halasima almost broke the deadlock, but the 18-year-old was held up. A Martin field goal attempt was charged down, before Niukore was also stopped over the line, with the bunker sticking with the original ref’s call.
Burton then hit the left-hand upright with a 25-metre shot from virtually in front in the 77th minute.
In the first half of extra time, Harris-Tavita sent his effort wide from 30 metres out, before Burton was just short from long range. Harris-Tavita was then agonisingly close, with a Reed Mahoney touch deflecting it off course, before Burton applied the final blow.
Bulldogs 13 (Bronson Xerri, Viliame Kikau try; Matt Burton 2 cons, field goal)
Warriors 12 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya tries; Adam Pompey con, pen)
Halftime 12-6
The two-time Olympic gold medallist joins the renewed franchise.