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Lining up for their third straight match on the road the One New Zealand Warriors have surged to their best win of the season with a 32-20 victory over second-placed Parramatta in Saturday’s round 15 Jersey Flegg Cup match at Kellyville Park in Sydney.
After beating South Sydney 30-26 at Redfern Oval two weeks ago, the Warriors stretched highly-ranked Cronulla Sutherland before being consigned to a 28-38 loss at Sharks Stadium last Saturday.
Back on trans-Tasman duty this week, the Warriors had opened up with a wonderful long range try to right winger Raphael Sio but were then patchy with errors and decisions conspiring against them as they lagged 4-10 behind inside the last 10 minutes of the first half.
Then they lit up with an inspired onslaught before and after halftime.
First it was winger Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi with a try off a terrific long ball from standoff Jack Thompson to score wide out on the left to make it 8-10 after 32 minutes.
Soon after the Warriors pounded the Parramatta line before Jett Cleary prised them open, jinking and jiving on the last tackle and popping the ball up for intimidating interchange forward Tepatasi Laumalili to blast through defenders to score.
Match: Eels v Warriors
Round 15 -
home Team
Eels
4th Position
away Team
Warriors
8th Position
Venue: Kellyville Park, Kellyville
A 14-10 halftime lead opened up to 20-10 four minutes into the second half when hooker Jeriko Filipi-Talisau exposed Parramatta’s ruck defence scooting from 18 metres out to score with Cleary converting.
The margin became 14 points in the 51st minute when Cleary’s last tackle kick was partially blocked, deflecting straight into the hands of centre Brandon Norris who carved through to score.
The Eels countered in the 62nd minute to be 10 points adrift at 14-24 but the Warriors found their attacking tempo again with Cleary stepping through the Eels' defence and then driving over for a superb try to put his side 30-14 ahead with 11 minutes to go.
The Eels edged back to 20-30 with six minutes to play but the Warriors rounded off a vital 32-20 victory with a late Cleary penalty.
The result moved them back into the top eight sitting on 14 points following their fifth win of the season along with two draws.
They’re back home at last next week featuring in a triple header when they face Penrith at Go Media Stadium.
