Warriors Beat Cowboys 38-20 in Thrilling NRL Match

LIVE: NRL Sunday scores

By Jon Healy

Collapse all posts

off

Sort

Sort posts

New: Filters

Choose what information you see below by using filters

Filter Posts

All

36

Key Events

15

Tries

11

Highlights

4

Comments

1

FULL-TIME: Warriors beat Cowboys 38-20

J

By Jon Healy

Jeremiah Nanai gets a consolation try for the Cowboys

J

By Jon Healy

It's a gorgeous pass out the back for Jeremiah Nanai from Jake Clifford. The defence rushes up on the outside and Nanai just explodes into the backfield, ultimately turning Taine Tuaupiki inside out to dive in.

That's his first try for the prolific back rower in just his third game this year.

Taine Tuaupiki signs off with a try!

J

By Jon Healy

The Warriors fullback is wreaking havoc with his quick footwork against these tired Cowboys through the middle and he dives through after a lovely bit of dummy-half work by Wayde Egan.

That will end this one as a contest.

The Warriors get a gift from Drinkwater and the bunker

J

By Jon Healy

The bomb goes up and Scott Drinkwater is trying to make sure he takes off from the in-goal, so he can't shield the landing zone with his body. Taine Tuaupiki flies through in a contest and Drinkwater fumbles straight to Adam Pompey to score.

The bunker replays appear to show a clear knock-on by Tuaupiki in the contest, but somehow the try is confirmed.

That is highway robbery.

64' Another successful captain's challenge by the Cowboys

J

By Jon Healy

Ali Leiataua is VERY lucky to stay on the field as he takes out Jaxon Purdue off the ball. Scott Drinkwater poked his nose through and was offloading, but ended up throwing it to no-one.

Another try-scoring situation for the Cowboys halted by an incorrect refereeing decision that even the challenge can't give them back.

How's the serenity?

J

By Jon Healy

Stadium is a great addition to beautiful Christchurch, one of my favourite cities.

- KB

Absolutely gorgeous.

Gorgeous from Drinky as the Cowboys hang on

J

By Jon Healy

The Cowboys get a fresh set as Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad fails to defuse a bomb, and they go to work close to the line.

They spin it right and, despite being down to 12 men against 13, Scott Drinkwater's bullet-like cut-out pass finds Braidon Burns in all sorts of space on the right wing to score.

28' Cowboys frustrated after winning the captain's challenge

J

By Jon Healy

Scott Drinkwater sends Jake Clifford through a hole and backs up through the middle, but referee Grant Atkins blows it up for an obstruction.

Reuben Cotter challenges, and the bunker sees Clifford bump into Tom Chester, who rebounds into Jacob Laban. The bunker says it's not an obstruction, but because the play was held up without a stoppage, we're going all the way back to the previous play the ball.

Rough for the Cowboys, who were almost certainly going to score on that play.

The Warriors go in again

J

By Jon Healy

The Warriors finally go right down a short side and this time Dallin Watene-Zelezniak gets on the board.

That feels like a game-sealing try, but there's still 24 minutes left as Adam Pompey slots the conversion, so plenty of time for a team as talented as the Cowboys to erase this 16-point deficit.

53' Jason Taumalolo in the bin

J

By Jon Healy

Jason Taumalolo dumps Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad with a lifting tackle and the players rush in from everywhere as tempers flare.

It's a nasty one and Grant Atkins sends Taumalolo to the sin bin for 10 minutes.

It could be extra costly, because Taumalol is supposed to be playing his 300th NRL game next week.

If he misses that one, the Cowboys aren't back home for another four weeks with a bye and trips to Manly and Brisbane.

51' Te Maire Martin with a miracle try-saver

J

By Jon Healy

Jake Clifford's kick is expertly weighted in around the upright and Jaxon Purdue gets through to collect it in the in-goal.

He just needs to fall down to score, but Te Maire Martin is there and somehow holds him up all by himself.

"That's the tackle of the year," Steve Roach says on Fox.

"That is unbelievable. How does he get back there to make this tackle?"

LATE MAIL: Grant coming off the bench in Melbourne

J

By Jon Healy

The Melbourne Storm get their Origin contingent back, including Cameron Munster for his 250th game.

Harry Grant is going to come off the bench as Trent Toelau starting.

The Raiders have done something similar, with Owen Pattie starting in jersey number 14 and Tom Starling benched.

50' Cowboys go right on the attack

J

By Jon Healy

Tanner Stowers-Smith was down with a leg complaint just before the kick-off, but he takes the first hit-up and knocks it on!

The Cowboys attack from 10 metres out.

FOUR FOR CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD!

J

By Jon Healy

The Warriors go right, where Dallin Watene-Zelezniak flattens Scott Drinkwater. They spin it left and the numbers eventually show up, allowing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to dive in for his fourth try of the night.

Has he done too much? He might have lost his fullback spot simply by being too good out on the flank.

47' What a mess

J

By Jon Healy

The Cowboys put up the high kick and Jake Clifford and Jeremiah Nanai jump at shadows on top of former teammate Te Maire Martin. Ali Leiataua must have been distracted, because he jumps and has an air swing.

The ball hits Murray Taulagi's knee and he chases through, but knocks on in the contest with Taine Tuaupiki. Looks like the Cowboys winger has hurt his shoulder too.

41' Back underway in Christchurch

J

By Jon Healy

Thomas Mikaele takes the first charge of the second half.

HALF-TIME: Warriors lead the Cowboys 14-10 in a shootout

J

By Jon Healy

This is the sort of game we expected from these two teams and it's been absolutely thrilling to start the new era in Christchurch.

The Warriors looked like they might run away with it after the opening few minutes, but the Cowboys held firm and some Scott Drinkwater brilliance has kept them in this one.

If the second half is anywhere near the action of the first, we could be in for a classic here, and maybe another one-point win?

39' Is Braidon Burns scared of the ball?

J

By Jon Healy

The bomb goes up and to the left, where the Warriors chasers storm ahead, and Braidon Burns gets spooked, pulling away at the last second.

The ball bounces high in the air and he gets a touch in the contest. So the Warriors reload from 5 metres out with a minute left in the half.