Hooker Taniela Otukolo collected a hat-trick to help the Vodafone Junior Warriors to a 42-6 trouncing of the North Sydney Bears in Sunday's third-round S G Ball clash at Macquarie University Sports Field in Sydney.
The Otahuhu Leopards junior crossed for his side's third and fourth tries in the 11th and 19th and then completed his treble two minutes from full-time.
The haul boosted Otukolo's tally to five tries in the opening three rounds after he had scored in the first two matches against the Victoria Thunderbolts and the Canberra Raiders.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors completely dominated North Sydney with prop Kina Kepu and centre Daeon Amituanai starting the romp with touchdowns in the second and eighth minutes.
With Otukolo's first two tries following soon after and one to winger Josiah Karapani, the Vodafone Junior Warriors had a 24-0 lead at halftime.
Loose forward Tamehana Paruru was over four minutes into the second half as the score blew out to 30-0 and then 36-0 when winger Eric Vaafusuaga provided his side's seventh try of the day.
Only then did the Bears trouble the scoreboard before Otukolo struck again.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors are on the road for the third straight week this Sunday when they face Cronulla-Sutherland at PointsBet Stadium. The Vodafone Warriors sit seventh on the ladder with four points from two wins and loss while the Sharks are 11th after a win and a loss from the two games they've played.
At Macquarie University Sports Field, Sydney
Vodafone Junior Warriors 42 (Taniela Otukolo 3, Kina Kepu, Daeon Amituanai, Josiah Karapani, Tamehana Paruru, Eric Vaafusuaga tries; Sione Moala 5 conversions).
North Sydney Bears 6 (Luke Harrison try; Luke Harrison conversion).
Halftime: 24-0 Vodafone Junior Warriors.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 ALI LEIATAUA
2 JOSIAH KARAPANI
3 TAMIRO ARMSTRONG
18 DAEON AMITUANUI
5 ERIC VAAFUSUAGA
6 CASSIUS COWLEY
7 SIONE MOALA (c)
8 KINA KEPU
9 TANIELA OTUKOLO
10 LLEYTON FINAU
11 VALINGI KEPU
12 ZYON MAIU’U
13 TAMEHANA PARURU
Interchange:
14 JARNEY PROCTOR-HAYWARD
15 TONY TAFA
16 CALEB SAVELIO THOMPSON
20 T J DEVERY
COACH | GREG BOULOUS
