Wests Tigers have gone down in a pulsating contest in Auckland, edged 44-42 by the New Zealand Warriors in a try-fest at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday morning.
Match: Warriors v Wests Tigers
Round 19 -
home Team
Warriors
7th Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
8th Position
Venue: North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Despite scoring eight tries in the match, the Tigers were overrun in the dying minutes by a fast-finishing Warriors side, who produced two long-range tries in the final two minutes to snatch victory.
The match started at a frenetic pace with the Warriors crossing twice inside the opening eight minutes - both tries involving sharp support play from hooker Makaia Tafua, who scored an early double.
The Tigers responded quickly, with Jared Haywood diving over from dummy half, before Iverson Matai and Max Taotua added back-to-back tries to seize the momentum. A sweeping right-edge play saw Solomone Saukuru cross in the 32nd minute, giving the visitors a 22-16 lead at the break.
The Tigers extended their lead early in the second half, with Josh Feledy creating space for Brenden Naicori to score in the corner, before a brilliant 75-metre effort saw Matai finish off a movement started by Saukuru. The visitors looked in control at 32-16, and when Elijah Mataale crashed over minutes later, the Tigers appeared destined for victory.
But the Warriors refused to go away, striking back through Jack Thompson, before Feledy grabbed a try of his own to give the Tigers a 42-22 lead with just over 10 minutes to play.
After Etuate Fukofuka scored for the Warriors to give them a chance, a sin-bin to Haywood in the 76th minute further shifted the momentum in the home side's favour. The Warriors capitalised immediately, running in three tries in the final four minutes - including a stunning full-field effort finished by Tafua, and a last-minute match-winner from Brandon Norris, who also landed the simple but decisive conversion to complete the comeback.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Tigers showed plenty of attacking flair, with Matai and Saukuru heavily involved in their best moments. Haywood, Max Liles and both Taotua brothers also impressed in patches during a free-flowing, high-intensity contest.
Wests Tigers will now regroup ahead of Round 20's matchup against the Panthers at Lidcombe, as they look to tighten up defensively and bounce back from one of the most dramatic finishes of the season.
Warriors 44 (Tafua 3, Kite, Thompson, Fukofuka, Sio, Norris tries; Norris 6/8 goals) defeated Wests Tigers 42 (Matai 2, Haywood, Ma. Taotua, Saukuru, Naicori, Mataale, Feledy tries; Tavana 5/8 goals) at North Harbour Stadium.
