A season-best performance catapulted the One New Zealand Warriors to a 40-30 win over the high-flying Panthers in Sunday’s round 13 Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) match at Parker Street Reserve in Penrith.
The home side had previously lost just once this season to sit level at the top of the table with St George Illawarra but second on points for and against.
The Warriors were lying eighth six points out of the top five after successive losses in tight contests on the road to fourth-placed Parramatta and the Dragons.
Showing a number of changes including the return of hit-stepping winger Brandon Norris, the Warriors lifted their intensity to stun the home side.
Norris was a key performer, bookending the day with the opening try of the match and the Warriors’ seventh and last four-pointer which ultimately sealed victory.
Match: Panthers v Warriors
Round 13 -
home Team
Panthers
3rd Position
away Team
Warriors
7th Position
Venue: Parker Street Reserve, Penrith
In just the fifth minute, centre Caelys Putoko ignited the scoring with a powerful bust up the middle, off loading to halfback Jack Thompson who sent Norris flying in wide out on the right.
After Penrith drew level at 6-6, the Warriors went ahead with Norris off loading for Putoko to find a way over through traffic for a 10-6 lead.
Again the Panthers reacted to edge ahead 12-10 after 21 minutes but the rest of the half belonged to the Warriors as they piled on three tries to take a commanding 28-12 advantage into the break.
In the 26th minute hooker Amasio Tiatia provided his speciality – a dummy half try – once again and four minutes later replacement second rower Kahu Capper couldn’t be stopped from close range to stretch the lead to 22-12.
The third try came three minutes from halftime with second rower Dezman Laban exploding onto Thompson’s pass to have the Warriors clear by 16 points.
In the opening minute of the second half the scoreline read an emphatic 34-12 when Motu Pasikala scored off some slick work when Thompson shifted outside to standoff Harry Inch who then turned the ball back inside for his fullback to cross.
The Panthers weren’t about to roll over, though, as they came back into the match with two converted tries to trail 24-34 with more than 20 minutes to play.
The Warriors reduced anxiety levels 11 minutes from fulltime when the Panthers spilled the ball on halfway, the alert Norris reacting expertly by picking up and racing away to score, palming off two defenders en route.
The Panthers had the sniff of a comeback when they pulled back to 30-40 with eight minutes left but the Warriors showed ample defensive resolve in the closing stages to close out the match for their sixth win of the season.
It moved them a spot up the ladder to seventh on 16 points, four off fifth spot.
The match ended a tough stretch of four games on the road – one in Hamilton and three in Sydney – as they head into a bye next week.
The Warriors’ next game against the Sharks on June 13 – who beat them 36-12 earlier in the season – will be their first of the year at Go Media Stadium.
