Game Summary
The Warriors overcame an eight-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to defeat the Newtown Jets 26-24 in a thrilling Round Five clash of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors struck first through a dominant opening 20 minutes. Halfback Jett Cleary was the man causing all the damage early, crashing over for a try inside eight minutes after cutting through the heart of the Jets' defence, before adding a conversion and a penalty goal to give his side a commanding 8-0 lead.
The Jets fought back when Riley Pollard crossed to get Newtown on the board, before centre Michael Gabrael powered over to give the home side a 12-8 lead before half-time. Gabrael was unable to continue after injuring himself in the act of scoring and was replaced by Kobie Wilson, forcing a reshuffling of the back-line that saw Cathane Hill shift from fullback to the wing.
The second half was a momentum contest. A handling error from Haizyn Mellars gifted the Jets possession in the 44th minute, and Riley Jones finished with a strong run out wide to extend the lead to 10 points. But the Warriors responded through debutant interchange forward Braelan Marsh, who crossed with his very first touch bringing the margin back to four.
Cathane Hill then finished a slick back-line movement to push Newtown out to 24-14, before Jett Cleary's unexpected 40-20 kick turned the game on its head with around 20 minutes remaining. The Warriors capitalised on the momentum, with Morgan Gannon crashing over from close range to close the gap to six points with 10 minutes to play.
The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when a loose Newtown offload was intercepted by Ali Leiataua, who raced away to level the scores. Cleary converted to nudge the Warriors in front by two, and despite a frantic final five minutes they held on for a 26-24 victory.
Talking Points
Jett Cleary was outstanding for the Warriors, finishing with a try and try assist, a 40-20 and five from five with the boot.
Braelan Marsh made an immediate impact off the bench, scoring with his first touch after entering the field midway through the second half.
Michael Gabrael's injury while scoring what proved to be a crucial try was a big setback for the Jets. It forced an unplanned reshuffling of the Jets' back-line and reduced their attacking options in the second half.
Key Moment
The intercept try to Leiataua in the 74th minute changed everything. With the Warriors trailing 24-20 and running out of time, Leiataua collected a wayward Newtown pass and raced to the try-line to level the scores. Jett Cleary's conversion handed the Warriors a two-point lead they wouldn't relinquish, completing a remarkable 12-point turnaround in the final 10 minutes.
What's Next?
The Warriors will look to build on this momentum when they head to AAMI Park to face Melbourne Storm in Round Six. The Jets will need to regroup quickly before they host the Sydney Roosters at Henson Park on Saturday.
