While their performance marked a major step forward following their heavy loss to Melbourne, the One New Zealand Warriors were left on the wrong side of a 32-28 score-line in their round 10 Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) match against Canberra in Wollongong on Saturday.
Three times they staged recoveries in a yo-yo contest, ultimately finding themselves within range of a dramatic win only for time to be against them.
While they may have finished the match strongly, initially there was no let-up for them.
In the last 10 minutes of last week’s encounter with Melbourne they conceded three tries to see the score-line blow out from 12-24 to a 12-38 loss.
Perhaps still affected by it, the Warriors quickly found themselves down 0-12 against the Raiders and may have wondered what would be in store.
Instead they rallied, battling their way into the contest and then putting on the next two tries in the 21st and 28th minutes.
Match: Warriors v Raiders
Round 10 -
home Team
Warriors
12th Position
away Team
Raiders
5th Position
Venue: Collegians Sporting Complex, Wollongong
Halfback Jett Cleary took on the line, was checked but squeezed out a late off load to hooker Jaydee Auloa, who ploughed over to score.
Then Cleary ghosted around to the right side of the ruck, took a pass from Auloa 10 metres out, bounced off his right foot, straightened up and shrugged off defenders to score his fourth try in the last five games.
The good work was then undone when Canberra added back-to-back tries in the last 10 minutes of the half for a 22-12 lead at the break.
Just as quickly the Warriors had the game locked up at 22-22 with two tries early in the second half, the first featuring halves Cleary and Jack Thompson in combination on the left to create a hole for centre Brandon Norris to score the first of his personal double.
And heading left worked a treat again when Cleary and Norris manufactured an overlap for winger Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi to cross wide out.
After a 10-minute grind back and forth, the Raiders doubled up once more, the second try off a kick which took a cruel bounce, to go 32-22 ahead with 10 minutes to go.
Inside the last four minutes there was no change but then the Warriors lit the fuse for a frantic finish.
It came about in the 77th minute with Cleary linking with Norris on the left 42 metres out, the centre breaking clear and running on and on, dummying and weaving his way to the line for a wonderful try.
Cleary converted for 28-32 with two minutes to play and twice in the closing moments they had the Raiders stretched but couldn’t find an equaliser to leave them four points adrift.
Despite that it was an impressive bounce back performance after the disappointing outing against the Storm.
