Game Summary
The Warriors have bounced back from last week's loss to the Melbourne Storm with a commanding 38-22 victory over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in Round Seven of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
It was a high-scoring, end-to-end contest from the outset. Manly drew first blood inside the opening two minutes when Josh Feledy collected a quick play-the-ball from Blake Metcalfe and muscled his way over the try-line despite three defenders in his path. Tex Hoy added the conversion to give the Sea Eagles a 6-0 lead.
The Warriors hit back almost immediately. A Jett Cleary bomb created chaos in the Manly in-goal, and the ball found the hand of Haizyn Mellars as Cleary converted to level the scores at 6-all.
The Warriors then went ahead through a well-constructed team try. From close range, Makaia Tafua spotted a gap out of dummy half, sliced through the Manly defence and scored. Cleary converted for a 12-6 lead. But Manly fought back, with Feledy scoring his second bringing his team just 2-points behind.
Next, it was the 17-year-old Warriors sensation – Bishop Neal – who was on the receiving end of some nice ball work from Luke Hanson. Neal ran his way towards the try-line with strength and confidence as he slid over in the right corner.
Feledy then completing a first-half hat trick just before the siren to level the scores at 16-all at half-time.
The second half continued in the same breathless fashion. The Warriors reclaimed the lead through Caelys-Paul Putoko, who made a line-break from midfield before getting the ball away to Hanson to finish under the posts. Cleary's conversion pushed it to 22-16. Manly responded through a cut-out pass from Metcalfe to Navren Willett, who scored in the corner as the conversion saw scores level at 22-all.
From there the Warriors asserted control. A series of brilliant tries saw Hanson and Cleary score, pushing the lead out to 34-22. In the final minutes, the Warriors delivered a showstopping finish. Cleary somehow found Jeremiah Lemana with an audacious between-the-legs offload, with Lemana diving over in the corner. Cleary converted to seal a 38-22 result.
Talking Points
- Josh Feledy was outstanding for Manly despite ending up on the losing side. His first-half hat trick – including two determined finishes from close range and a clever take in the final minutes before the break – was a remarkable individual display.
- Jett Cleary was the conductor of the Warriors' attack all afternoon. The halfback finished with a try, five goals from seven attempts, and had a hand in several others. His kicking game was also influential, particularly into a strong cross-field wind in the second half.
- The Warriors' support play was a feature of their performance. The try to Lemana off Cleary's between-the-legs pass capped an extraordinary team effort, and the offloading game created multiple line-breaks throughout.
Key Moment
With the scores locked at 22-all midway through the second half, Caelys-Paul Putoko broke through the defensive line and set up Luke Hanson for what proved to be the go-ahead try. The Sea Eagles were unable to execute an offload, which saw Putoko in possession of the ball as he stepped and spun his way down the field before getting the ball away to Hanson who finished the job. The play shifted momentum decisively in the Warriors' favour and they did not relinquish the lead from that point.
What's Next?
The Warriors remain in New Zealand as they prepare to face the in-form North Sydney Bears next Saturday. The Sea Eagles return to 4 Pines Park on Sunday next week, to face the Parramatta Eels in Round Eight of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
