Utility Nathaniel Roache typified the grittiness the Vodafone Warriors delivered in bucket loads in their 12-10 victory over the Sydney Roosters on Sunday night.
The 20-year-old rookie was thrown into the contest much earlier than anyone expected, called into action after just nine minutes when he replaced standoff Thomas Leuluai, who wasn’t able to return after failing a concussion test.
Until then Roache’s longest stint in his previous five appearances was 33 minutes against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
Now he was facing the likelihood of not only playing the last 73 minutes of the match – which he did.
For a time after coming onto the field Roache was in a holding pattern awaiting a final result on Leuluai’s test. He went into dummy half while Luke took up Leuluai’s post in the halves on the left side.
When it became clear Leuluai’s night was over a major reshuffle followed. Luke went back to hooker, Tuimoala Lolohea moved into the halves, David Fusitu’a switched to fullback – and Roache found himself in an unfamiliar role on the right wing. More than that he was marking one of the game’s most dangerous and awkward operators in the lanky Daniel Tupou.
He didn’t flinch, digging in with the rest of his team-mates as they weathered a brutal contest to eke out their third consecutive win.
There were so many impressive numbers from the team and from individuals, not least the way the Vodafone Warriors dominated possession which was ultimately so critical in a match in which they would win despite scoring only one try compared to two by the Roosters.
They had 42 sets completing 32 of them while the penalty count favoured them heavily 10-3 on a night when the Roosters’ discipline was at fault.
A total of 12 Vodafone Warriors carried the ball 10 or more times (Ken Maumalo with 19 runs) while 10 of them - including all six starting forwards - made 100 metres plus (Maumalo the best with 183).
There were big defensive outputs from Simon Mannering – yet again – with 53 tackles and just one miss while Bodene Thompson was next best with 39.
But out on the wing Roache was having a night to remember as he kept Tupou in check, finishing the night with 10 tackles and no misses, making 84 metres from nine runs including a couple of dummy half scoots and also coming up with five supports.
While the Intrust Super Premiership side had a week to forget after losing to Newtown, the Vodafone Junior Warriors delivered their best effort of the season so far in beating the much higher-ranked Roosters 40-20.
Centre Junior Pauga made 217 metres (including nine tackle breaks) and Chris Sio, starting at prop, carried the ball 16 times for 165 metres.
Standoff Eiden Ackland, playing just his third NYC game as a late replacement, had a game to remember with three tries, two line breaks, seven tackle breaks, six runs for 47 metres, 20 supports, two kicks for 70 metres and 23 tackles.
NRL | v SYDNEY ROOSTERS, MOUNT SMART STADIUM | WON 12-10
Penalties | Vodafone Warriors 10, Sydney Roosters 3.
Completions | Vodafone Warriors 32/42 (76%), Sydney Roosters 20/31 (65%).
Total runs | Vodafone Warriors 206, Sydney Roosters 156.
Metres gained | Vodafone Warriors 1817, Sydney Roosters 1478.
Line breaks | Vodafone Warriors 5, Sydney Roosters 4.
Tackle breaks | Vodafone Warriors 33, Sydney Roosters 28.
Kicks (kicking metres) | Vodafone Warriors 17 (407), Sydney Roosters 17 (432).
Tackles Made | Vodafone Warriors 276, Sydney Roosters 357.
Missed tackles | Vodafone Warriors 28, Sydney Roosters 33.
Offloads | Vodafone Warriors 21, Sydney Roosters 17.
Errors | Vodafone Warriors 10, Sydney Roosters 10.
Runs | Vodafone Warriors: Ken Maumalo 19, Ben Matulino 16, Issac Luke 16, Bodene Thompson 16, David Fusitu’a 15, Blake Ayshford 15, Albert Vete 14, Simon Mannering 14, Ryan Hoffman 12, Shaun Johnson 12, Solomone Kata 11, Tuimoala Lolohea 11. Sydney Roosters: Daniel Tupou 16, Joseph Manu 14, Shaun Kenny-Dowall 12, Ryan Matterson 12, Kane Evans 12, Latrell Mitchell 11, Sam Moa 10, Jackson Hastings 10.
Metres gained | Vodafone Warriors: Ken Maumalo 183, David Fusitu’a 159, Blake Ayshford 143, Albert Vete 138, Ben Matulino 131, Ryan Hoffman 127, Solomone Kata 118, Issac Luke 114, Simon Mannering 108, Bodene Thompson 105. Sydney Roosters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall 173, Kane Evans 138, Daniel Tupou 134, Joseph Manu 129, Ryan Matterson 112, Isaac Liu 110, Sam Moa 104.
Tackle breaks | Vodafone Warriors: Shaun Johnson 9, Ken Maumalo 5, Toafofoa Sipley 4, Issac Luke 3, Solomone Kata 3, Tuimoala Lolohea 3. Sydney Roosters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall 8, Latrell Mitchell 4, Isaac Liu 4.
Off loads | Vodafone Warriors: Albert Vete 4, Tuimoala Lolohea 3, Issac Luke 3, Ryan Hoffman 3. Sydney Roosters: Shaun Kenny-Dowall 3, Ryan Matterson 3, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 3.
Tackles made | Vodafone Warriors: Simon Mannering 53, Bodene Thompson 39, Ben Matulino 30, Issac Luke 24, Ryan Hoffman 21, Sam Lisone 20. Sydney Roosters: Jake Friend 50, Sio Siua Taukeiaho 46, Jackson Hastings 35, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 31, Mitchell Aubusson 30, Dylan Napa 24, Ryan Matterson 22, Sam Moa 22.
Missed tackles | Vodafone Warriors: Sam Lisone, Nathaniel Roache 0, David Fusitu’a 0. Sydney Roosters: Sio Siua Taukeiaho 0, Sam Moa 0, Dale Copley 0, Joseph Manu 0, Isaac Liu 0.
Supports | Vodafone Warriors: Blake Ayshford 6, Solomone Kata 6, Nathaniel Roache 5, David Fusitu’a 5. Sydney Roosters: Mitchell Aubussion 7, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 6, Dale Copley 6.
Decoys | Vodafone Warriors: Simon Mannering 10, Ben Matulino 8, Ryan Hoffman 7, Bodene Thompson 6. Sydney Roosters: Sio Siua Taukeiaho 4.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP | v NEWTOWN JETS, HENSON PARK | LOST 6-38
Penalties | Vodafone Warriors 5, Newtown 8.
Completions | Vodafone Warriors 22/31 (71%), Newtown 31/37 (84%).
Total runs | Vodafone Warriors 130, Newtown 164.
Metres gained | Vodafone Warriors 1134, Newtown 1559.
Line breaks | Vodafone Warriors 1, Newtown 7.
Tackle breaks | Vodafone Warriors 16, Newtown 36.
Kicks (kicking metres) | Vodafone Warriors 15 (271), Newtown 17 (426).
Tackles Made | Vodafone Warriors 293, Newtown 258.
Missed tackles | Vodafone Warriors 36, Newtown 16.
Offloads | Vodafone Warriors 3, Newtown 5.
Errors | Vodafone Warriors 12, Newtown 9.
Runs | Matt Allwood 12, Henare Wells 11, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 11, Viliami Kaveinga 11, Mason Lino 10, Tomas Aoake 10, Shaun Lane 10.
Metres gained | Matt Allwood 120.
Tackle breaks | Mason Lino 4, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 3.
Tackles made | Jazz Tevaga 41, Bunty Afoa 36, James Gavet 32, Shaun Lane 32, James Bell 25, Mason Lino 23.
Missed tackles | Jeff Robson 0.
Supports | Jeff Robson 15, Henare Wells 7, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 6, Viliami Kaveinga 6.
Decoys | James Bell 10, Bunty Afoa 9.
NYC | v SYDNEY ROOSTERS, MOUNT SMART STADIUM | WON 40-20
Penalties | Vodafone Warriors 4, Sydney Roosters 8.
Completions | Vodafone Warriors 25/33 (76%), Sydney Roosters 22/34 (65%).
Total runs | Vodafone Warriors 141, Sydney Roosters 129.
Metres gained | Vodafone Warriors 1483, Sydney Roosters 1299.
Line breaks | Vodafone Warriors 6, Sydney Roosters 3.
Tackle breaks | Vodafone Warriors 48, Sydney Roosters 25.
Kicks (kicking metres) | Vodafone Warriors 17 (450), Sydney Roosters 12 (213).
Tackles Made | Vodafone Warriors 256, Sydney Roosters 288.
Missed tackles | Vodafone Warriors 25, Sydney Roosters 48.
Offloads | Vodafone Warriors 3, Sydney Roosters 12.
Errors | Vodafone Warriors 8, Sydney Roosters 12.
Runs | Chris Sio 16, Erin Clark 15, Junior Pauga 13, Lewis Soosemea 10, Matt Faitotoa 10, Joseph Vuna 10.
Metres gained | Junior Pauga 217, Chris Sio 162, Erin Clark 138, Lewis Soosemea 125, Matt Faitotoa 109.
Tackle breaks | Junior Pauga 9, Eiden Ackland 7, Erin Clark 7.
Tackles made | Sheldon Pitama 35, Alfred Smalley 24, Eiden Ackland 23, Chris Sio 22, Jerome Mamea 21, Kenese Kenese 20.
Missed tackles | Jerome Mamea 0, Chanel Harris-Tavita 0, Junior Pauga 0, Matt Faitotoa 0.
Supports: Kane Telea 21, Chanel Harris-Tavita 20, Eiden Ackland 20, Chris Sio 19, Alfred Smalley 12.
Decoys: Joseph Vuna 6, Kane Telea 6.
