A first half masterclass propelled the One New Zealand Warriors to their second major title in a week when they eclipsed the Burleigh Bears 50-20 in the NRL State Championship final at Accor Stadium in Sydney today.
Victory was poignant for the entire squad as long-serving Warriors cult hero Bunty Afoa and his fellow departing players Tom Ale, Edward Kosi and Moala Graham-Taufa were given the ultimate farewell.
After taking out both the New South Wales Cup minor premiership and grand final, the Warriors stamped their class on the contest from the outset as they outplayed the Queensland Cup champions.
The success gives the club a record three championships in the same season following the Warriors going back-to-back in the Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) grand final in May.
The Warriors’ only previous triumphs on NRL grand final day had come in the now defunct NYC under-20 competition when they won in 2010, 2011 and 2014.
Match Highlights: Departing players go out in style
While their intensity dropped a notch as the Bears scored three tries in the last quarter, the Warriors were on another level as they underlined just why they have been the best side in the competition all season.
As he had done in the New South Wales Cup grand final last Sunday, halfback Tanah Boyd was again the standout individual as he controlled the attack finishing with his quality kicking game, four try assists, four line break assists, 82 metres from 10 runs and 18 points from a try and seven goals.
Match: Warriors v Bears
NRL State Championship -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Bears
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
The Warriors finished with nine tries in all hitting 50 with 14 minutes still to play as they wrapped up their 24th win in a 28-game campaign which included just three losses.
Despite the temperature soaring into the high 20s, the Warriors immediately took the heat out of Burleigh’s challenge as they bolted to a 28-0 lead inside the opening 30 minutes.
Their attack was a joy to behold as they worked Burleigh over with a relentless assault which netted tries to centre Ali Leiataua, winger Setu Tu, Boyd, fullback Taine Tuaupiki and interchange forward Freddy Lussick.
Burleigh’s Cole Geyer stemmed the bleeding but the Warriors uncorked another superb try right on halftime, slick ball work handing Tu his second try for a 32-6 advantage.
A second half Luke Hanson double and Tuaupiki’s second try completed the Warriors’ scoring to take their total points for the season to 929.
