A fourth consecutive home win has propelled the Vodafone Warriors into fourth spot on the New South Wales Cup points table.
Coming off a 24-30 loss to Penrith last week, the Stacey Jones-coached side relished being back at Mount Smart Stadium as they produced their biggest win of the season in accounting for Newtown 44-18 in Saturday’s eighth-round encounter.
In their three previous home games this year they had beaten Wentworthville 44-20, North Sydney 18-16 and Wests Tigers 28-16.
Together with an away triumph over Newcastle in the opening round the Vodafone Warriors are now on 10 points.
They had an 18-6 halftime lead over Newtown which might have been more but for Api Pewhairangi not finding his usual goal-kicking radar as he converted just one of the four tries scored in the first half.
Konrad Hurrell, playing in the New South Wales Cup for the first time this season, was quickly into the scoring action after good ball movement to the right.
Hurrell also featured when he combined sweetly with fullback Glen Fisiiahi to put replacement right wing Paul Ulberg in the first of his two tries.
Fisiiahi didn’t see out the match, leaving the field in the first half with a knee complaint and not returning. Hurrell also went to the sideline after a head knock but returned to see out the contest.
Another five tries and 26 points in total came the Vodafone Warriors’ way in the second half with wings Ulberg and Ken Maumalo both finishing with doubles.
Match details | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Vodafone Warriors 44 (Paul Ulberg 2, Ken Maumalo 2, Konrad Hurrell, Api Pewhairangi, Siliva Havili, Suaia Matagi, David Bhana tries; Api Pewhairangi 3 conversions; Sam Cook conversion).
Newtown Jets 18 (Sami Sauiluma 2, Pat Politoni tries; Todd Murphy 3 conversions).
Halftime: 18-6 Vodafone Warriors.
Referee: Aaron Donald.
Vodafone Warriors: Glen Fisiiahi; Paul Ulberg, Konrad Hurrell, Dominique Peyroux, Ken Maumalo; Api Pewhairangi, Sam Cook; Suaia Matagi, Siliva Havili, Albert Vete; Sione Lousi, John Palavi (c); Sebastine Ikahihifo. Interchange: David Bhana, Charlie Gubb, Nathaniel Peteru, James Bell.
