Warrior's coach slams golden point

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary says the NRL would be better off without the golden point rule and should allow drawn matches.

Cleary said yesterday that allocating a point each for a draw would help separate teams with the same number of wins at the end of the home-and-away season.

The Warriors lost 22-18 against the Bulldogs on Sunday through an extra time try to the home side after they finished 18-all at fulltime.

"I don't see anything wrong with draws. I'm not just saying that because we lost," Cleary said.

"I think it actually helps the competition table as well.

"When the finals are decided it's not decided on just for and against, I think that's always a good thing."

The golden point play on Sunday which ended a four-game winning streak for the Warriors was Cleary's first as either an NRL player or coach.

The score came when Bulldogs halfback Ben Roberts made a 30-metre burst before delivering a miracle flick pass for NSW prop Mark O'Meley to dive over and win the match.

"I suppose it's pretty exciting if you're a Bulldogs fan," Cleary said of the result.

"I thought 18-all was a fair result."

While the Bulldogs had controlled the ball in extra time, he said the Warriors defended well to block three field goal attempts.

"It got to the point where we were defending the field goals so well it opened up an opportunity for them to score.

"But I'd be nitpicking if I had a go at the boys for that."

Cleary said the 13th-placed Warriors had played as well as any of their NRL games this season.

"The boys were pretty gutted initially after.

"But I think it was more important to focus on the positives rather than the fact that we didn't win."