ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 12 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 30
CALLUM WALKER, St George Venues Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, Saturday

THE scoreline suggests it was closer than it was, but New Zealand Warriors continued their charge towards the top of the NRL ladder, consigning St George to an eleventh straight defeat.

The Dragons gave a better account of themselves than they have done in recent weeks, but they still conceded six tries with only Chanel Harris-Tavita’s wayward boot stopping the Warriors from inflicting further pain.

It was, however, St George that broke the deadlock on six minutes with a Setu Tu effort, but that was the only time the hosts would be in front as the visitors recovered well from the early setback.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira levelled proceedings six minutes later, before Te Maire Martin and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak made it 14-6 to the Warriors at the break.

The onslaught continued after half-time, Martin grabbing his second before Khan-Pereira, not to be outdone, registered his own double on the hour.

Christian Tuipulotu did potentially threaten a comeback two minutes later with his own four-pointer, but Watene-Zelezniak made sure of the two points with a late charge to the line.

DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Setu Tu, 4 Valentine Holmes, 20 Hayden Buchanan, 5 Christian Tuipulotu, 6 Daniel Atkinson, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 8 Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga, 9 Damien Cook, 10 Toby Couchman, 11 Dylan Egan, 12 Hamish Stewart, 13 Ryan Couchman. Subs: 14 Luciano Leilua, 15 Emre Guler, 16 Josh Kerr, 17 Blake Lawrie (not used), 18 Tyrell Sloan, 19 Lyhkan King-Togia (not used)

Tries: Tu (6), Tuipulotu (65); Goals: Holmes 2/2

WARRIORS: 1 Taine Tuaupiki, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Ali Leiataua, 23 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Te Maire Martin, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Jackson Ford, 11 Leka Halasima, 12 Jacob Laban, 13 Erin Clark. Subs: 14 Sam Healey, 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 18 Luke Hanson (not used), 21 Kayliss Fatialofa (not used)

Tries: Khan-Pereira (12, 63), Martin (17, 47), Watene-Zelezniak (34, 72); Goals: Harris-Tavita 3/6

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-10, 6-14; 6-20, 6-24, 12-24, 12-30

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Toby Couchman; Warriors: Te Maire Martin

Penalty count: 4-4; Half-time: 6-14; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 8,741