DOLPHINS 12 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 16
CALLUM WALKER, Suncorp Stadium, Saturday
IT took the Dolphins 73 minutes to mount a comeback, and Kristian Woolf’s men left it far too late as the Warriors took home a smart smash-and-grab in the heart of Queensland.
In fact it took until the half-hour mark in the first half for the first points of the evening with both sides trading big hits and errors in the early exchanges.
With man-of-the-match Marata Niukore in the mood, the Warriors second-rower crossed to break the deadlock before Kurt Capewell extended the visitors’ lead to 10-0 at the break.
There was little the Dolphins could do to breach a stubborn Warriors defence, and Andrew Webster’s side went into a 16-0 lead with just ten minutes remaining when Jacob Laban dotted down.
That seemingly kicked the home side into life, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow reducing the deficit to ten points with a fine score.
And when James Fisher-Harris was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle as Herbie Farnworth registered a four-pointer with two minutes left on the clock, the Warriors seemingly faced an unlikely onslaught.
As it was, the visitors held on for a much-deserved victory and two priceless points.
DOLPHINS: 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2 Jamayne Isaako, 3 Jake Averillo, 4 Herbie Farnworth, 5 Jack Bostock, 6 Kodi Nikorima, 7 Isaiya Katoa, 8 Francis Molo, 9 Kurt Donoghoe, 10 Felise Kaufusi, 11 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, 12 Tom Gilbert, 13 Ray Stone. Subs (all used): 14 Harrison Graham, 15 Mark Nicholls, 16 Josh Kerr, 17 Connelly Lemuelu
Tries: Tabuai-Fidow (72), Farnworth (78); Goals: Isaako 2/2
WARRIORS: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Adam Pompey, 4 Kurt Capewell, 22 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett, 11 Leka Halasima, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark. Subs (all used): 14 Te Maire Martin, 15 Jacob Laban, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 20 Tanner Stowers-Smith
Tries: Niukore (29), Capewell (36), Laban (70); Goals: Metcalf 2/3; Sin bin: Fisher-Harris (77) – dangerous tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10; 0-16, 6-16, 12-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dolphins: Isaiya Katoa; Warriors: Marata Niukore
Penalty count: 8-7; Half-time: 0-10; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 32,165
