The Vodafone Warriors couldn’t reel in the Wyong Roos today, falling to a 16-20 loss in their 22nd-round Intrust Super Premiership clash at Morry Breen Oval in Wyong.
Their seventh loss of the season resulted in the Vodafone Warriors slipping from a share of second on the table with Illawarra.
The Cutters are now alone in second on 32 points after edging Manly 30-28 while the Stacey Jones-coached Vodafone Warriors remain on 30 points, a total they share with Wests Tigers. The Tigers will overtake them if they beat Penrith on Sunday.
The Vodafone Warriors never had the lead at any stage against the Roos, who now sit seventh.
They drew level at 6-6 with centre Semisi Tyrell’s 26th-minute try converted by Mason Lino but were eight points adrift at 6-14 at halftime.
There was no scoreboard movement in the opening phase of the second half until the 58th minute when Lino scored and converted to have his side just two points behind at 12-14 seemingly in position to make a challenge.
Unfortunately, the Vodafone Warriors conceded a try just a few minutes later to again fall eight points behind at 12-20.
There was a glimmer of hope when wing Viliami Kaveinga added his side’s third try in the 77th minute but the Vodafone Warriors couldn’t manufacture a last-gasp escape.
Match details | Morry Breen Oval, Wyong
Wyong Roos 20 (Omar Slaimankhel, Chris Smith, Dominic Reardon tries; Tyler Cornish 3 conversions, penalty).
Vodafone Warriors 16 (Semisi Tyrell, Mason Lino, Viliami Kaveinga tries; Mason Lino 2 conversions).
Halftime: 14-6 Roos.
Vodafone Warriors | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad; Viliami Kaveinga, Jonathan Wright, Semisi Tyrell, Matt Allwood; Ata Hingano, Mason Lino (c); James Gavet, Erin Clark, Toafofoa Sipley; John Palavi, Shaun Lane; Ligi Sao. Interchange: James Bell, Upu Poching, Tomas Aoake, Paul Tuli.
