Warriors Matts Premiers again
Author : Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Warriors Matts Premiers again
NZ Warriors celebrate winning the Harold Matthews Cup grand final again (Photo : photosport.nz)
Bishop Neal’s extraordinary man-of-the-match performance powered the One New Zealand Warriors to a repeat premiership when they beat Newcastle 30-16 in Saturday’s Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) grand final at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.
After finishing the regular season in third place, the Warriors marched forward in the playoffs dismissing the Sydney Roosters, South Sydney and finally the Knights to claim the title again in just their second year in the competition.
They didn’t want for impressive contributors but Neal was unquestionably the standout.
The 16-year-old St Thomas of Canterbury College student operated on an almost celestial level as he scored two barnstorming tries, made big metres with numerous aggressive runs and pulled off try-saving plays at the other end of the field as well as putting on some punishing hits.
Warriors 30 – 16 Knights
It was Neal who single-handedly pulled the Warriors back into the contest after they had conceded a 0-12 deficit inside the opening 13 minutes.
Just three minutes after the Knights’ second try, Neal had the Warriors on the board when he carved through on an arcing run, giving Newcastle fullback Riley Rostron a vicious facial fend on the way to scoring a superb try.
Then minutes later he jumped into dummy half close to the line and drove through defenders to get the ball down, as only he could.
With Alapati Soagia converting both tries the Warriors were back to 12-12 and ought to have had another before the break.
The Knights stalled their momentum in the opening minutes of the second half with a try to second rower Curtis Mulherin but it didn’t ruffle the Warriors.
Just seven minutes later they uncorked a wonderful try when they exploited an injury to Newcastle winger Jett McKay, heading down his under-manned edge with some slick ball work for standoff Hinckley Ioka to score.
Soagia converted to give his side an 18-16 lead.
The battle ebbed and flowed for a period but the Warriors finished the encounter impressively with front rowers Krushil Koteka and Lucian Mikaele scoring in the 50th and 58th minutes for a convincing 30-16 margin, one they certainly deserved.
The Warriors had overcome adversity during the week, losing two of their key players in back-up dummy half Amasio Tiatia and captain Tyson Hansen.
That caused a reshuffle in the halves with Ioka brought in from the wing to take Hansen’s place at standoff and Kaian Olsen coming in on the wing.
Fullback Jeremiah Lemana, who had another wonderful game, led the side in Hansen’s absence so becoming the only player to feature in both of the Warriors’ grand final triumphs.
Warriors players examine the Harold Matthews Cup (Photo : photosport.nz)
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