Warriors happy homecoming

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Warriors v Wests Tigers

It had been 1037 days since the Warriors last played in New Zealand and despite their woeful form this year, they made sure that their long-awaited return home was a happy one, keeping the Tiger's tryless as they won 22-2.

The Tigers lacked structure, direction and discipline from start to finish while the Warriors relied heavily on strong ball running to get a much needed win.

Wayde Egan made a break in the very first set of the game, but his support player Chanel Harris-Tavita tripped before Egan could get him the ball and a certain try went begging.

In the 12th minute Egan darted over the Tigers line from dummy half for a try, but the Bunker was unable to confirm that he got the ball down and the try decision was overturned.

The Bunker denied the Warriors a second try just 5 minutes later when it found Marcelo Montoya knocked the ball on in the contest to catch a Shaun Johnson bomb.

The scoring opened in the 26th minute when Johnson kicked a penalty goal.

From the next set, Johnson's grubber was blocked by the Tigers defence, however he manager to regather the ball. A minute later, Egan at dummy half, close to the Tigers line, sent a good ball to Tohu Harris, who was the trailing runner, and he scored between two Tigers defenders. Johnson converted from almost in front.

In the 34th minute, Johnson's cross-field kick was missed by both Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Ken Maumalo. The ball pulled up in the Tigers in-goal area and Chanel Harris-Tavita following through, grounded the ball for a try. Johnson converted.

Right on halftime, the Tigers got on the board courtesy of an Adam Doueihi penalty goal.

The second half saw both sides playing restrained, low-percentage football. A second penalty goal for Johnson, kicked in the 66th minute, was the only points scored until the final 7 minutes of the game, when Johnson put in a chip to the Tigers left corner, which Watene-Zelezniak batted back to Jesse Arthars, who regathered the ball, spun out of a tackle attempt by Maumalo and fell over the line to score. Johnson converted from touch to seal the 20 point victory.