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Warriors dominate depleted Broncos

Author
Michael Burgess ,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 May 2017, 9:20PM
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck celebrates his try with teammates. (PHOTOSPORT)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck celebrates his try with teammates. (PHOTOSPORT)

Warriors dominate depleted Broncos

Author
Michael Burgess ,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 May 2017, 9:20PM

The Warriors have stopped the rot.

The Auckland club beat the Broncos 28-10 tonight, after a miserable two weeks where the team seemed to hit rock bottom. It doesn't mean that the Warriors are suddenly contenders - as they still have a lot to prove - but it is a step out of a large hole their season was beginning to fall into.

This result kept up their impressive Mt Smart form (5-1) this season and maintains their slim hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Playing behind a dominant forward pack - led by the relentless James Gavet - Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran controlled the game superbly, while Simon Mannering added much needed impetus on both attack and defence.

However, this win needs to be kept in perspective. It was a severely depleted Brisbane side, missing six State of Origin players as well as regular hooker Andrew McCullough.

It wasn't quite the 'Baby Broncos' of a few years ago - they still had quality across the park - but they were definitely an easier proposition.

But perhaps most importantly, it felt like coach Stephen Kearney let his team off the leash tonight. After playing safety first football for most of the season, they chanced their arm more last night and it paid off.

There was a moment towards the end of the first half, when the Warriors, for one of the few times this year, actually looked like the Warriors. David Fusitu'a broke through the centre of the field, before instinctively offloading to Ken Maumalo. The winger also passed after contact, flicking a ball that Roger Tuivasa-Sheck scooped up off his bootlaces. Playing in their retro-1995 strip, it was a moment that epitomised what the Warriors were meant to become, playing with natural flair and abandon.

Of course it all flows from confidence, and the home team seemed to be in sync. And, after a strangely flat fortnight, the desire was back. The Warriors showed more fire in the first 20 minutes than they had managed in the whole of last week's miserable effort against the Dragons.

Some times it was still too lateral, as they were too keen to go east-west when heading north was the best option, especially early in the tackle count, but at least there was real intent.

Gavet flattened one Broncos defender, while Ben Matulino evoked memories of the days when the shoulder charge was legal with one hit.

As they have done on many occasions this season, the Warriors opened the scoring, with Blake Ayshford crossing off a delayed short pass from Johnson in the eleventh minute.

Johnson extended the Warriors lead seven minutes later, beating three defenders close to the ruck after a superb Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad kick return.

The try was all about timing, as Johnson hit an Issac Luke pass at pace.

After Nicoll-Klokstad dropped the ball over the try line, Tuivasa-Sheck put the seal on a dominant first half, forcing between the posts off a pinpoint Johnson grubber.

An early second half try to Maumalo - after a Luke break - continued the momentum, and unlike in Penrith two weeks ago, there was never any chance of blowing their large lead, though a James Roberts double made the home crowd edgy for a time, before Gavet's late try.

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