By Claire Stegbauer
The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Grand Final rematch lived up to the hype on Saturday afternoon, with the Warriors surviving a late comeback to edge out St George Illawarra Dragons 24-20 in wet conditions at Jubilee Stadium.
The Dragons earned the first penalty of the afternoon and immediately applied pressure deep inside Warriors territory. Ill discipline from the visitors handed the home side another opportunity soon after, with the Dragons electing to attack rather than take the early two points.
The decision paid off in the 11th minute when Jacob Webster sliced through a split Warriors defensive line, the forward hitting a hole close to the posts to score the first try of the game. Tom Kirk converted for a 6-0 lead.
The Dragons struck again soon after through a moment of brilliance from Jarrah Treweek. Shifting left with numbers in their favour, Treweek managed to flick the ball behind him while being tackled, allowing Kirk to finish untouched in the corner for a 10-0 lead.
The visitors finally broke through with 12 minutes remaining in the half after marching downfield with back-to-back penalties. Hooker Makaia Tafua darted out of dummy-half, beat two defenders and stretched over under the posts to ignite the Warriors' comeback. Adam Pompey converted to reduce the margin to four.
Tafua continued to spark the Warriors' attack moments later, spotting no fullback in position and cleverly chipping into the in-goal before trapping the Dragons deep and forcing a repeat set.
Sustained pressure finally told in the 37th minute. A sweeping shift from left to right caught the Dragons scrambling, with Jett Cleary helping create the overlap before Jeremiah Lemana crossed in the right corner. Pompey’s sideline conversion handed the Warriors a 12-10 half-time lead. The Warriors carried that momentum straight into the second half.
Just four minutes after the restart, Cleary produced a stunning solo effort, digging deep into the line, throwing a dummy and slicing straight through the Dragons defence to score beside the posts. Pompey converted to extend the lead to eight.
The second half became a grinding affair in the wet, with both sides struggling to hold the football and momentum constantly swinging.
The breakthrough finally came in the 64th minute when the Dragons dropped the ball coming out of trouble and Warriors winger Daeon Amituanai scooped up the loose pass, sprinting 65 metres untouched to score against the run of play. Pompey remained perfect from the tee as the Warriors opened up a 24-10 advantage.
With six minutes remaining, Joseph O’Neill produced a moment of magic, stabbing a perfectly weighted no-look grubber with the outside of his boot that Connor Sadler chased through to score his first NSW Cup try. Kirk converted to cut the deficit to 24-16.
Suddenly, what had been a slow, grinding second half had transformed into a grandstand finish. Trailing by eight with three minutes remaining, the Dragons received another fresh set inside Warriors territory and threw everything at the visitors. The short-side raids they had relied on throughout the afternoon were shut down, so they quickly shifted right where Toby Rumble tiptoed down the touchline before stepping back inside and bursting through to score a crucial late try.
Knowing a conversion would still leave them behind, the Dragons opted against the kick and instead chased one final try.
The drama continued right until the final siren. The Warriors dropped the ball in the dying moments to hand the Dragons one last opportunity, but the home side spilled possession in the final seconds as the Warriors survived a frantic late comeback attempt, to seal a dramatic 24-20 victory in a match that went right down to the wire.
Talking Points
Makaia Tafua changed the game around the ruck. The hooker’s dart from dummy-half for the Warriors’ first try sparked the comeback, while putting in some massive hits defensively as well. His energy completely shifted momentum late in the first half
Jett Cleary delivered another composed performance in the halves. The young playmaker scored a brilliant solo try to open the second half and controlled territory with his kicking game. His calmness under pressure was crucial as the Dragons mounted a late comeback.
Key Moment
Early in the second half, with momentum hanging in the balance, Jett Cleary produced a moment of individual brilliance to give the Warriors breathing room. Squaring up the line, the halfback sold a dummy before slicing straight through the Dragons’ middle defence to score under the posts. The try pushed the lead out to eight and gave the visitors the confidence they needed to control much of the second half despite the wet weather.
What's next?
The Warriors return to action next Sunday afternoon when they travel to Parker Street Reserve to take on competition leaders the Penrith Panthers, while the Dragons head to Canberra to face the Raiders at GIO Stadium as both sides look to build momentum heading deeper into the season.
