Dragons hold on in wet thriller.

St George Illawarra have consoliated top spot today holding on for a thrilling 22-20 win over in Auckland!

Wet and wild conditions greeted both teams today in Auckland with the Warriors making use of them first after a headclash between Ben Creagh and Brent Tate let the ball drop right into Maloney's hands and he scored. He added a penalty goal twenty minutes later to give the Warriors in a game where handling errors were frequent.

St George though wouldn't give up and a penalty got them close enough for Jamie Soward to put in a pinpoint kick for Jason Nightingale to score and make the defiect two going into halftime as the rain kept falling being the great leveller for both sides.

After halftime the Dragons came out with some fire, the backline combined for a beautiful set play for Cooper to score his 98th try in first grade and Soward kicked a great goal to give the Dragons the lead for the first time. It wouldn't last long though with New Zealand hitting back with Simon Mannering collecting a bomb to restore their lead.

St George wouldn't lie down though, with a cut out pass to Morris who drew in his man and gave it to Matt Cooper to score his second try and 99th in the NRL. New Zealand didn't have long to register that though with Jamie Soward showing some magic off the scrum to weave his way to the line making it 22-14.

The lead swung again this time with Kevin Locke poking his nose through the line and finding rookie five-eighth Issac John to set the stage for a tense last twenty minutes. Both sides were trying to break the other but the game developed into an arm wrestle with two contentious penalties to Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward helping the Dragons hold on for a thrilling 22-20 victory.

Match Details
New Zealand Warriors 20 were defeated by St George Illawarra Dragons 22
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 13 - Sunday June 6, 2010 12:00pm
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium
Referee: Ashley Klein and Bernard Sutton
Video Referee: Paul Simpkins
Touch Judges: Ricky McFarlane and Luke Phillips
Crowd: 8,312
Halftime: New Zealand Warriors 8 St George Illawarra Dragons 6

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Jamie Soward (1 Try, 3 Conversions)
2 Points - Matt Cooper (2 Tries)
1 Point - Russell Packer

New Zealand Warriors (20)
Tries: Simon Mannering, James Maloney, Isaac John
Conversions: James Maloney (3/3)
Penalty Goals: James Maloney (1/1)

St George Illawarra Dragons (22)
Tries: Matt Cooper (2), Jamie Soward, Jason Nightingale
Conversions: Jamie Soward (3/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to a wet and rainy Mount Smart Stadium for an interesting clash between the ladder leading St George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors! Earlier in the u20's the junior Warriors provided a good defensive effort to defeat the Dragons 19-0.
One change for the Dragons with Dean Young out, with Trent Merrin coming into the starting side and Kyle Stanley on the bench. Warriors have just swapped Brown and Ta'ai, the former now starting.
1 min: Both sides are on the field and the Warriors will get the game underway!
1 min: St George don't complete their first set, Neville Costigan drops it.
5 min: TRY
A shoulder charge has dislodged the ball and James Maloney runs away with the ball! First points to the Warriors.
New Zealand Warriors 6-0
6 min: Penalty to the Warriors, for a strip in the tackle.
7 min: Another penalty for the Warriors for dropping the shoulder.
7 min: Michael Luck had a look and drops it with the line in sight.
9 min: First penalty of the game to St George, Warriors offside.
10 min: Warriors get a 20 metre tap and drop it first tackle.
11 min: Cooper has a slight look and drops it
12 min: Maloney almost pulls something off a terrible kick but Tate is penalised for pushing Ben Hornby.
16 min: Another knock on here from New Zealand, not good wet weather footy.
18 min: Brent Tate has a broken jaw!
19 min: Soward gets the Dragons some excellent field position with a 40/20.
20 min: Matt Prior wastes the opportunity dropping the ball and the Dragons concede a penalty.
21 min: Soward swoops on a error and gets the penalty for his team for the Warriors hanging on too long.
23 min: Neither team can hang onto the ball here.
23 min: Forward pass to Boyd here from Hornby.
25 min: Lance Hohaia with a shocker, kicks it out on the full.
26 min: Beau Scott drops it cold but Manu drops it and Warriors get the feed.
27 min: Repeat set for New Zealand off a great John kick.
29 min: Another set here to New Zealand when Hornby spills the ball.
30 min: Penalty to the Warriors for offside. They elect to take the goal.
31 min: PENALTY GOAL
Maloney slots it easily.
New Zealand Warriors 8-0
33 min: Dragons defuse a high bomb but Saffy tries to throw a pass and it goes forward.
38 min: Dragons get a penalty for Warriors going high, a full set in the Warriors 20.
40 min: TRY
Dragons strike on halftime, Soward brings the defenders up and puts one in behind for Nightingale to score and he does a swandive to celebrate! Soward with a good conversion to take us to the break.
New Zealand Warriors 8-6
41 min: Both teams have made their way back on the paddock and Soward will get the game back underway.
41 min: A Vatuvei forward pass is called back.
45 min: TRY
Dragons with a good backline movement finished with Cooper sliding in for a ffour pointer. Brilliant kick from Soward with swing a fast bowler would be proud of.
St George Illawarra Dragons 12-8
47 min: A drop out by the Dragons as they let it bounce! and luckily bat it dead.
50 min: TRY
Warriors hit back straight away with a nice crossfield kick to Mannering who plucks it and scores! Maloney puts the Warriors back in the lead.
New Zealand Warriors 14-12
55 min: TRY
Matt Cooper is in for his second! Soward throws a nice cut out to Morris who draws his man and passes to Cooper to score! Soward misses his first for the day.
St George Illawarra Dragons 16-14
56 min: Six more for the Dragons and compounded with a penalty for a strip.
58 min: Knocked down by Maloney otherwise St George was in again!
61 min: TRY
Off the scrum, steps Ta'ai and strolls to the line! Makes no mistake with the kick in front.
St George Illawarra Dragons 22-14
63 min: TRY
Kevin Locke busts through the middle and draws Boyd and gives to John who dives over! Maloney slots the two!
St George Illawarra Dragons 22-20
65 min: Dragons get a piggyback penalty for the Warriors being offside.
66 min: Dragons get a penalty for Soward being taken out.
67 min: Merrin offloads it but Priddis fumbles it!
71 min: Warriors go down the blind but Nightingale touches it so six again to New Zealand.
72 min: A pressure relieving drop there by Simon Mannering.
75 min: A Soward chip kick doesn't come off and they need to defend another set after Hornby bats it dead.
76 min: Ben Hornby saves the day! Warriors try to force one more pass.
77 min: Dragons get the penalty after Soward is taken out by Mannering.
78 min: Some bad passes from dummy-half here from the Dragons, give the Warriors a final chance.
79 min: Soward recovers a horrible John kick to kill the game.
80 min: Warriors have one more throw of the dice with a kick for Manu but Boyd is back there and kicks it dead for fulltime.