Warriors win game of two halves

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Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys

A genuine game of two halves. The Warriors dominated the first half before a resurgent Cowboys went very close to running them down in the second. The hosts ultimately won 24-20.

The Warriors were denied a try in the third minute when Josh Curran knocked on over the line. They weren't to be denied 5 minutes later though when Roger Tuivasa-Sheck changed direction 30 metres from the Cowboys line, running from the left edge to the middle. He then passed to Kodi Nikorima who drifted right, shaped to send out a long ball and then slipped into a gap in the Cowboys line before racing away to score on the right side. Nikorima converted his own try.

Five minutes later and Nikorima struck again, this time taking the ball to the line on the right before hitting Tuivasa-Sheck at pace with a lovely ball. The Warriors fullback set sail for the red corner before passing back inside to Rocco Berry who scored a good debut try. Nikorima failed to convert from the wide angle.

A late and high challenge on Reece Walsh after he kicked by Coen Hess gave the Warriors a penalty and Nikorima slotted a penalty goal. In the 16th minute.

The Warriors scored yet again from the next set, after Walsh got caught on the last after trying to dance his way past the defence. He was caught but offloaded to no one, however the ball was picked up by Tohu Harris, who dishes it out the back quickly to Nikorima, who made a break ever so easily, found Walsh in support who was caught 3 metres shy of the line, but managed to flick an offload to Ben Murdoch-Masila and he scored under the posts. Nikorima added the extras.

The Cowboys finally got on the board in the 32nd minute when Reece Robson crashed over from dummy after selling a dummy that half the Warriors side fell for. Holmes failed to convert from out wide.

Right on halftime the Warriors scored yet again when Nikorima linked with Walsh who then hit Curran with a short ball. He then passed on quickly to Adam Pompey who hit a gap at speed and ran away to score under the posts. Nikorima converted and the Warriors lead 24-4 at the break.

The Cowboys opened the scoring seven minutes into the second half when Scott Drinkwater put in a deft grubber to the left corner and Murray Taulagi got a nice bounce and he planted the ball just before the dead ball line. Holmes converted from touch. Cowboys trailed by 14.

The Cowboys scored from the next set after they sent the ball left before Taulagi gets put into space, where he positions his inside man nicely and times a lovely ball back inside to Drinkwater who ran 30 metres to score. Holmes converted again and the Cowboys reduced the deficit from 20 points to 8 in the space of 4 minutes.

Walsh very nearly set up an impressive try for Ken Maumalo but it was denied due to a knock on in the lead-up. Eight minutes later Walsh made a break and ran 30 metres before stumbling as he approached Holmes, he got to his feet but his attempt to pass to a support player went well forward.

In the 65th minute the Cowboys crossed yet again when they sent the ball left where Holmes held up a nice ball for Taulagi who scored untouched in the corner. Holmes was unable to convert.

The Cowboys and Warriors struggled to complete their sets or put any pressure on either side in the remaining 10 minutes and the Warriors held on to a grim 4 point victory.