HMC Match Report: Disappointing finish to campaign

This time last year the One New Zealand Warriors were preparing to play in the Harold Matthews Cup finals for the second season running but the chances of a third trip to the under-17 play-offs were shot down some time ago.

Instead of warming up for another post-season campaign, they were playing for some pride in their last outing of the season against the Illawarra Steelers at Collegians Sporting Complex in Wollongong.

However, it proved to be a bridge too far as the Warriors fell to easily their heaviest loss of the season going down 6-36.

The omens weren’t positive from the opening exchanges with the Steelers scoring tries in the third and seventh minutes and then adding three before halftime to take a commanding 28-0 lead into the break.

When Illawarra added a sixth try in the opening minutes of the second half to lead 32-0 a real blowout was in the offing but the Warriors steadied to grab their only try through Koia Cook while allowing just one more try.