NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 31 MANLY SEA EAGLES 30
DAVID ROGERS, Go Media Stadium, Saturday

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS won an extraordinary game on Saturday with a late field-goal by Chanel Harris-Tevita clinching the points as the Warriors now await the result of Penrith’s clash with Wests Tigers on Sunday to discover whether they have won the Minor Premiership.

The star of the show was fullback Taine Tuaupiki, the former Queensland Cup Rookie of the Year (2022), who scored a hat-trick of tries and pulled off an astonishing cover-tackle on Manly star Jason Saab early in the game after the winger had intercepted a pass in his own half and looked to be on the way to touching down.

Manly took an early lead with a well-worked try to Reuben Garrick on the right before Adam Pompey replied with an unconverted score.

Lehi Hopoate extended the Sea Eagles’ lead before the Warriors replied with three tries of their own including two by Tuaupiki and one by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, to take a 20-12 lead at the break, which they extended to 24-12 early in the second half with Nicoll-Klokstad’s second.

But if the crowd thought the outcome was settled, they then had to watch the Sea Eagles come roaring back with tries by Josh Feledy, Hopoate and Garrick to give them a 30-24 lead with less than 15 minutes remaining.

It was Tuaupiki who brought the Warriors back into the game with a superbly-taken try that levelled the scores, with Harris-Tevita gaining the victory with two minutes remaining.

For the Sea Eagles, interchange player Caleb Navale made an astonishing 62 tackles during his 60 minutes on the pitch.

WARRIORS: 18 Taine Tuaupiki, 2 Adam Pompey, 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Leka Halasima, 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Te Maire Martin, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Sam Healey, 10 Mitchell Barnett, 11 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 12 Jacob Laban, 13 Erin Clark. Subs: 14 Makaia Tafua, 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Morgan Gannon, 21 Jett Cleary (not used), 22 Jye Linnane (not used)

Tries: Pompey (12), Tuaupiki (21, 26, 68), Nicoll-Klokstad (31, 46); Goals: Tuaupiki 3/6; Field-goals: Harris-Tevita (78)

SEA EAGLES: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jason Saab, 3 Josh Feledy, 4 Reuben Garrick, 5 Lehi Hopoate, 6 Clayton Faulalo, 7 Jamal Fogarty, 8 Simione Laifai, 9 Brandon Wakeham, 10 Nathan Brown, 11 Haumole Olakau’atu, 12 Ben Trbojevic, 13 Jake Trbojevic. Subs: 14 Jake Simpkin, 16 Corey Waddell, 17 Caleb Navale, 18 Onitoni Large (not used), 19 Fletcher Baker (not used), 22 Jackson Shereb (not used)

Tries: Garrick (5, 65), Hopoate (17, 52), Feledy (49); Goals: Fogarty 5/5; Sin bin: B Trbojevic (28) – dangerous tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12, 10-12, 16-12, 20-12; 24-12, 24-18, 24-24, 24-30, 30-30, 31-30

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Taine Tuaupiki; Sea Eagles: Caleb Navale

Penalty count: 7-5; Half-time: 20-12; Referee: Gerard Sutton; Attendance: 26,206