Cool Foot Luke guides Warriors past Brisbane in crazy contest

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Warriors v Brisbane Broncos

A penalty goal from half-way from Warriors five-eighth Luke Metcalf has allowed the New Zealand Warriors to pull off an incredible upset victory over the Brisbane Broncos at Go Media Stadium.

The game began chaotically for Brisbane, with star fullback Reece Walsh struggling with a knee injury as he tried to defuse a kick. He struggled on that knee for the rest of the half but warmed into the contest slowly. An early spillage under the high ball from Adam Pompey gave the Broncos an early opening. Billy Walters caught the Warriors asleep, and they scored the first try of the game.

Both sides were guilty of squandering scoring opportunities, with Mitch Barnett and Xavier Willison denied for a knock-on and obstruction, respectively. After some football that left league fans desperate to return to the chocolates, the Warriors capitalised on some field position. Luke Metcalf isolated Jordan Riki one-on-one and allowed Leka Halasima to over to score to get the Warriors level.

Metcalf had a chance to take the lead with a sideline penalty goal, but it nearly came back to bite the hosts. Brisbane went to go coast-to-coast but the pass from Kotoni Staggs went forward to Walsh and the movement paused, and so did the scoring at 6-6 going into half-time.

The Warriors opened the scoring in the second half in a play that can only be described as discombobulated (thanks Dan Ginnane). Mitch Barnett went to take a hitup, panicked when he saw the referee's arm up for last tackle, passed it back poorly to Taine Tuaupiki, he puts boot to ball. Brisbane's left edge came up and in, and Edward Kosi went over to take the lead.

On the hour mark, the Warriors intercepted a Ben Hunt pass. Kurt Capewell broke through and looked certain to score. Despite a cracking chase from Kobe Hetherington, he delivered a cracking pass to Metcalf to score. Brisbane saw the scoreline and began panicking and making rash decisions. On the end of a 9-3 penalty count against them, Marata Niukore charged straight through Jaiyden Hunt and Walsh to go over for the fourth try of the contest.

Despite trailing by 12 points, Brisbane refused to throw in the towel. A beautiful pass from Walsh found Jesse Arthars on the chest and he slid over to keep his post as the leading try-scorer in the NRL. With under ten to go, a Reynolds kick goes through into the in-goal, there was more air swings than you see in a game of air hockey and Walsh grounds it to level us at 18 apiece and we were off to golden point.

Reece Walsh sent the opening kick-off of golden point go out on the full and Metcalf had a chance at redemption. From the half-way line, Metcalf stood up and delivered with a terrific penalty goal to win the game for the Warriors.