Warriors hang on for Manu

Lifting for the occasion of Manu Vatuvei's 200th NRL game, the Warriors have held off a surging Wests Tigers side to finish on top 32-22 at Mt Smart Stadium today.

The Tigers opened their account early, thanks to a try in the 6th minute to Tim Simona. Pat Richards had no trouble with the conversion, and his side looked on top with an early 6 point lead. It didn't take long for the Warriors to hit back though, and hit back hard.

In the 16th minute, and in his 200th first grade game, Manu Vatuvei crashed over in the corner, despite the attention of two would-be defenders. First half tries to Chad Townsend, Tuimoala Lolohea and Shaun Johnson had the Warriors well on the front foot.

The Tigers scored again in the 34th minute, after James Tedesco busted through some weak defence, but the Warriors went to the break leading 20-12.

Coming out in the second half, the Tigers (and Tim Simona) again scored early, this time in the 51st minute with a try formed out of a brilliant fend on Konrad Hurrell. Richards converted, and the deficit was reduced to two.

Manu Vatuvei got his second in the 69th minute, but the Tigers hit back straight away with a try to Pat Richards. It was too little too late though. A late try to Bodene Thompson in the 78th minute took the game away from the Tigers, the Warriors running out winners 32-22.

Next week, the Tigers will travel back home to Leichardt to take on the Raiders on Sunday, while the Warriors make the trek to 1300SMILES Stadium to clash with the Cowboys on Saturday night.

Match Details

Warriors 32 Wests Tigers 22
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium
Halftime Score: Warriors 20 Wests Tigers 12

WARRIORS (32)
Tries: Manu Vatuvei (2), Shaun Johnson, Chad Townsend, Tuimoala Lolohea, Bodene Thompson
Field Goals:
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (4/6)
Penalty Goals:

WESTS TIGERS (22)
Tries: Tim Simona (2), Pat Richards, James Tedesco
Field Goals:
Conversions: Pat Richards (3/4)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Shaun Johnson
2 points - Manu Vatuvei
1 point - Konrad Hurrell

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to a cool and breezy Mt Smart Stadium tonight, ahead of this clash between the Warriors and the Wests Tigers.

In team news, the Warriors have named Dominique Peyroux on the bench in jersey #18, with Ikahihifo the man excluded. The Tigers are 1-17, with Asipeli Fine dropping off the extended bench.

Manu Vatuvei will be lining up for his 200th game, as part of an inconsistent Warriors outfit. His side are 2-3 so far in 2015, their only two wins against the Eels and Raiders. They'll be looking to find some consistency on the back of a win today. The Tigers come into this clash fresh off a win against the Eels at ANZ Stadium last weekend. Pat Richards is in great form, and the Tigers will again look to his individual brilliance in attack to help them get the points.

Kick off in 5 minutes. Join us for all the action then.

Manu Vatuvei enters the field with his family, and is met by a huge reception from the home crowd. There's a bit of emotion from the big man, but it's soon business as usual as he joins his team ready for kick off.

Kick off! Galloway takes the first hit up, and we are underway!

On the last, Moses kicks high and deep, but it's taken easily by the Warriors. The home side are making good metres with their hit ups so far.

Townsend kicks for Manu's wing. It's scrappy from the Tigers, but they clean up.

The Tigers are helped out of their own end now, as the Warriors are penalised for their slightly-too-quick line speed. Richards kicks his side down field and the Tigers are on the attack.

3: The Tigers shift the ball to the left, but Tim Simona hesitates slightly and ruins a try opportunity.

5: Manu takes his first hitup to the delight of the crowd, but is met heavily by Martin Taupau.

6: In case you're wondering, no it's not actually a 200m line that you'll see at the ground, it's just a tribute to big Manu!

6: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Tim Simona. Kick to come.
Well, the Tigers seem to not have received the script about Manu's 200th. Farah started the play with a brilliant show-and-go, before the ball was flung (literally, wayward as buggery) out to the left hand side of the field. Tim Simona picked the ball up on the bounce, and powered his way over for a try.

8: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards lines up the conversion, and makes no mistake.

8: Big error from the Tigers, practically from the kick-off. The Tigers have spilt the ball, and the Warriors will get an immediate chance to reply.

10: No cigar for the Warriors. The Tigers defence was too good.

11: Good run from Lolohea, making a line break and looking for support but not finding any. Last tackle and the Warriors are on the opposition 30. Johnson chips over the top, and the Tigers fail to clean it up. Six again for the Warriors!

13: The Tigers defence is looking unbreakable at the moment. The Warriors have had a full set at them and haven't even looked like breaking the line!

13: Down the other end of the ground, the Tigers kick high, but the Warriors take it easily. Shaun Johnson is allowed to run, but crabs a long way sideways.

15: Penalty against the Tigers, as they are ruled offside. Good work from Hoffman to pick out the offside defenders and run straight at them.

16: VIDEO REFEREE! We're checking a possible try to big Big Manu! The video referee has been asked to check the grounding, as Manu dived for the corner, heavily attended to by two Tigers defenders. It looks like a try in our opinion, but it's Steve Folkes who has to decide...

16: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Manu Vatuvei. Kick to come.
And it's a try! A great cutout ball from Lolohea sees Manu Vatuvei in a bit of space, and from only 5 metres out he was much too strong. The Warriors hit back.

17: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Johnson lines up the conversion, but sends it sailing wide.

18: In the first set after the try, the Warriors kick high through Johnson. Naiqama goes up for it, and the split second his foot hits the ground he is hit by Manu Vatuvei.

18: Sauaso Sue is on the field now for the Tigers.

20: The Warriors kick high again, this time for Pat Richards. Richards jumps high and takes the ball nicely, but Hurrell and his friends are on deck to force him into the ingoal. In other news, Richards is now also sporting a lovely strapping tape headband thanks to a cut near his eye.

20: The Tigers are penalised again. Martin Taupau comes in with a great tackle, but the referee rules that the attacking player went slightly above the horizontal.

22: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Chad Townsend. Kick to come.
And in the resulting set from the penalty, Chad Townsend showed the ball back inside to Ben Matulino, before breaking through a flimsy tackle and diving over for a try. The Warriors halves are looking good when they run the ball.

23: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
From right in front this time, Johnson makes no mistake, and the Warriors draw further in front.

24: Ouch Tigers. Ouch. We're just checking with the Video Referee, but it looks like a try to Lolohea.

24: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Tuimoala Lolohea. Kick to come.
And it's a try! From the kick off, the Warriors have scored. Johnson used his footwork and a bit of speed to put the defenders in two minds, before Konrad Hurrell and Lolohea combined to score under the posts.

25: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Johnson puts it straight over the black dot, and the Warriors have scored 16 points in just 10 minutes.

28: The Tigers kick high, but Manu flies high above the pack and takes it cleanly. In the next tackle, the Warriors get a penalty, followed by a ten metre advancement, after an infringement in the play the ball.

30: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Shaun Johnson. Kick to come.
Some sloppy passing from the Warriors, but Shaun Johnson slices straight through the defence out wide, and plants the ball over for his first try of the year. It was pure speed and angle running from Johnson.

30: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Couldn't be a more difficult conversion for Johnson, from the wrong side of the field, and practically on the sideline. He lines up, kicks, and pushes it across the face of the goal.

32: Richards kicks off and it goes very high. Lolohea manages to take it after a bit of a juggle.

32: Thomas Leuluai tries to milk a penalty for a player laying in the ruck, but the referee sees the milk a mile off and wants no part of it. He rules that Leuluai has lost the ball in the tackle, and the Tigers will get a chance to attack.

35: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
Tedesco makes it look easy, getting outside Chad Townsend and running himself into a hole. A bit of a show and go, and the Warriors defenders were all at sea.

36: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards shaves the inside of the uprights, and adds a further two points to the tally.

37: The Tigers get penalised for being inside the ten, which helps the Warriors out of their own end.

38: Johnson hits Thompson short and flat, but he's dragged down 1 metre short of the tryline. On the last, Townsend kicks high, but the Warriors knock on.

39: Less than a minute to go in the half. The Tigers would love some points at the end of this set, but have 80 metres to travel to get them.

40: Townsend runs across field and runs down the clock, and the siren goes for half time. It's been a good half for the Warriors, who took a lead in the middle of the half, before the Tigers scored a late try to bring the gap a little closer. The Warriors lead 20-12 at the break. Join us for all the second half action soon.

40: We're back underway in the second half, with the Warriors having first use of the football. On the last, the Warriors get lucky and manage to pick up a repeat set after a horrible final play option.

42: The Warriors get penalised after a bit of push and shove. The Tigers kick down field, and then three plays later the Warriors are penalised again, this time for a dangerous lifting tackle.

43: The Tigers, off the back of two penalties, are heavily on attack. But I've spoken too soon. Poor execution sees the Tigers lose the ball only 5 metres out.

44: A big offload from Manu Vatuvei sees the Warriors make a huge break down the left hand side of the field. Kata slips over, then Tedesco slips over, and then finally a tackle is made. Two plays later, the Tigers are penalised for holding down in the tackle. The Warriors have a full set within the Tigers' danger zone.

46: The Tigers are penalised yet again! This time, the markers are ruled not square. Surely the Warriors will score this set.

46: Johnson skips and runs across field, before finding Hurrell back on the inside. Kurtis Sironen drags him down, but the Tigers are penalised yet again, this time for a rake. The referee warns the Tigers that there has been "a lot of penalties".

46: And in the ultimate anticlimax, the Warriors drop the ball. Oops.

48: The Tigers kick down field on the last. Brooks had no room to work with, but drilled it into the corner, just infield of the cornerpost.

50: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Tim Simona. Kick to come.
After a mistake by the Warriors, Tim Simona has picked up his second try of the match. Simona threw out a big pal on Konrad Hurrell, before pushing past a couple of arm grabs to sprint away for a try. Powerful running and fending.

51: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards takes the conversion attempt from 5 metres in from touch, and puts it straight between the posts.

53: A little bit of a high tackle from Mitchell Moses, but the referee didn't see too much wrong with it.

55: The Tigers are two points behind on the scoreboard, but are looking dangerous every time they get down the Warriors' end.

55: More pressure being applied to the Warriors now. Naiqama kicks a little grubber, trying to catch the Warriors napping. Manu tries to clean it up, but knocks it on.

57: On the last, Moses put the ball into the in goal, but it was slightly too deep for Tim Simona. Right idea though. Repeat sets are likely the key to running the Warriors ragged.

57: Chad Townsend is on the ground now, after throwing a litte dummy and then passing wide. Aaron Woods hit him much, much too late, and took him completely by surprise.

57: Woods is placed on report.

63: The Tigers are moving up very quickly in attack, really trying to squeeze the Warriors out of the game. They're forced into a repeat set though, and the Tigers will be forced to keep defending.

63: The Tigers now get penalised - that won't help. They're on the wrong end of a heavy penalty count, 8-3 so far.

63: Opportunity missed for the Warriors. If they were able to spread the ball right, they had an overlap. Instead, they've lost the ball.

67: Just over ten minutes left at Mt Smart Stadium. A strong run from Keith Galloway, bustling his way downfield trying to get his team into attacking position.

69: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Manu Vatuvei. Kick to come.
Manu! The Beast crashes over the line after some great setup work from his inside men, and the pressure is off the Warriors a little bit.

69: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Big kick for Shaun Johnson - they're currently 6 points in front, and a successful conversion would put his team more than a converted try in front. He strikes it nicely, and nails it.

75: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Pat Richards. Kick to come.
The Tigers hit back quickly, as Richards scores out to the left. The 8 point gap didn't last for long.

75: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Richards misses the kick.

78: Time running out for the Tigers now, as Kurtis Sironen drops the ball. Less than 2 minutes to go.

78: The Warriors just looking to run the clock down now. One up hit ups and plenty of slow jogs to the line. Hoffman takes it on himself to put a bit of pace on, and almost gets a line break.

78: On the last, and it's a possible try! We're just checking on a possible knock on, but it looks like a try.

78: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Bodene Thompson. Kick to come.
Well, it's taken plenty of double checking, but Bodene Thompson is carried over the line by momentum, and picks up a four pointer to put the game beyond doubt.

79: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Shaun Johnson lines up for his 6th conversion attempt of the night, and has no trouble with it.

80: We'll have a kick off here, as is the rule, but it's just ceremonial. The Warriors take the ball over the sideline, and the game is over. The Warriors run out winners, 32-22.