The Parramatta Eels have upset the NZ Warriors 30-20 at Go Media Stadium, with the Warriors finals hopes hanging by a thread.
It was a must-win game for the NZ Warriors, who welcomed back Shaun Johnson as the cellar dwelling Parramatta Eels came to Auckland looking for their first win over two months. The Warriors were three points outside of the finals prior to this weekend, with Manly scampering up the ladder as a result of their final bye this season. The Eels, who have had fans cancelling premierships and star youngsters looking to leave the club in the last seven day, had to win to get a little space between themselves and the wooden spoon.
With the Warriors backed by a boisterous home crowd, they exploded out of the blocks with their attack pestering both sides of the Parramatta attack. It was the best part of ten minutes with their best opportunity falling the way of Marata Niukore, running off a Shaun Johnson short ball to be crunched by Blaize Talagi, forcing the error.
Parramatta would have the next couple of opportunities, with the Eels constantly attacking the right edge of the Warriors to eventual success. A sweeping play left from the Parramatta spine saw the ball in the hands of Blaize Talagi, who the ball in his hands long enough to attract Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and send Jake Tago over to open the scoring for the second time in two weeks. Clint Gutherson would convert what was his toughest kick of the night to make it 6-0 after 19 minutes.
Parramatta would then get a repeat set after the Warriors knocked the ball on trying to stop the Eels from going down the left edge again - enter Joey Lussick. Having come on for Brendan Hands mere minutes earlier, Lussick took advantage of a lazy Addin Fonua-Blake at marker to scoot over from dummy after on the right edge, with Gutherson converting to make it 12-0 after 24 minutes. It would leave Go Media Stadium with a bigger hush than a library at lunchtime, but that would change on 31 minutes.
The Warriors, having not seen the red-zone for nearly 20 minutes, managed to stretch the Eels defence after winning a couple of penalties. A stretched Eels defence were able to shut down the Warriors once, but they could not do it again at the Warriors went left to send Roger Tuivasa-Sheck over. Shaun Johnson would push his conversion attempt right to leave it at 12-4 with nine minutes left in the half.
Parramatta did not quit there, with their kicking game impeccable all night. Daejarn Asi and Clint Gutherson were both forcing drop outs all night, with the duo then teaming up to score right on half time. Having earned another line drop out, Gutherson would take possession 20m out on the right edge. Cutting across the field ever so casually, he put Asi through the Warriors line to score right next to the posts. Gutherson converted his easiest attempt of the night to make it 18-4 at half time.
The Warriors would come out in the second half firing, forcing errors and going close to the line as they dominated the first ten minutes. The Warriors would go over through Ali Leiataua, with the try being called back for a knock on but the momentum continued for the best part of 20 minutes without reward. Much like the first half, Parramatta would capitalize on the poor finishing of the Warriors when they had their own chance to score.
19 minutes from full time, having been carried up the field by a penalty, the Eels basically put the game to bed. Dylan Brown drifted left, attracting the Warriors defence and sent Blaize Talagi screaming through a gaping hole to score under the posts in the end. Gutherson would make it 24-4 with another conversion from in front.
Brown would turn supplier to Gutherson five minutes later, beating yet more sloppy defence from the Warriors to go through on the right wing and set up Gutherson inside for the game-sealing try 11 minutes from try. Gutherson finished his tally of 14 points with his fifth conversion of the night to make it 30-4 on 69 minutes.
Two tries from the Warriors to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Marata Niukore had the fans thinking there was a chance, especially with the sin binning of Jake Tago with five minutes to go; Shaun Johnson's goal-kicking being a crucial reason why they weren't quite in it (1/4).
The Warriors had another chance three minutes from time, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak stepping inside of Clint Gutherson basically on the try-line, only for Clint Gutherson to strip the ball and secure the win for Parramatta. Watene-Zelezniak would score one off a Johnson cross-field kick right on full time but it would be only a consolation try as Parramatta won 30-20.
It leaves the Warriors at least three points outside of the eight, with results needed to go their way to keep them within touching distance. A very tough run home won't help either, facing four sides in finals positions before having a bye in round 27. The Eels move two games clear of the Tigers, albeit still in wooden spoon contention, but with plenty to take out of a great win across the ditch.