Warriors 20

Dolphins 18

What a night. What an occasion. What a contest. And what a win.

The Warriors defied the odds – and a cruel injury toll – to edge the Dolphins 20-18 in the capital on Saturday night. It was a game that will live long in the memory of the massive 34,000 crowd, such was the drama throughout. In a rare Anzac Day contest on these shores, the match lived up to the occasion, with both teams producing some brilliant football, though it also got scrappy at times.

The Warriors came back from 18-6 down in the 20th minute and trailed for a long time, before Taine Tuaupiki’s converted try and took them ahead just after the hour. Errors and indiscipline troubled the Warriors in both halves, giving the Dolphins an invitation to unleash their weapons.

The worst came with just six minutes to play, a cold drop from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak deep in his own territory, though the Warriors were able to defend the error.

Jackson Ford of the Warriors against the Dolphins. Photo / Photosport

The Warriors also played without luck, losing both Mitch Barnett and Ali Leiataua in the second half to concussions, the latter from a late hit by Thomas Flegler. But the difference in the end was the Warriors’ hunger and desire, as they didn’t concede a point in the final 60 minutes, despite tons of pressure.

“It was a dogfight,” co-captain James Fisher-Harris told Sky Sport, revealing that coach Andrew Webster had some choice words at the break. “We got a rev-up and revved each other up at halftime and just went after it really,” added Fisher-Harris.

Fisher-Harris was a standout, putting in a big shift after Barnett’s withdrawal, with 20 carries for 164 metres, while Erin Clark had a vintage night, constantly bending the line in the middle. Jackson Ford continued his massive campaign with a game high 57 tackles, along with more than 200 metres in yardage. The gritty victory was the perfect celebration of Chanel Harris-Tavita’s 100th NRL match and continues their momentum.

The attack wasn’t as smooth as they would have wanted – Clark admitted they overplayed their hand at times in good positions – which will be a work on. But it’s the kind of performance that means so much and will pay dividends across the season.

In front of the huge crowd, the Warriors made an electric start, with Alofiana Khan-Pereira flashing across after just three minutes, thanks to swift work on the left edge and a sharp tip on by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

On such an occasion, it almost felt too good to be true and so it proved, as the Dolphins came storming back, after some inspiring defence. They matched the Warriors up front, then took advantage of some hesitancy in the defensive line, particularly on the left edge. Centre Herbie Farnworth had wrecked havoc early in the last encounter and did it again, as he scored off a clever grubber.

There came the one-two punch, with Kiwi winger Jamayne Isaako crossing twice in three minutes at the end of the first quarter. Both tries were almost identical, as swift passing stretched the Warriors, before Isaako used his pace.

It was a shock – and an early examination for the new left edge – with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Khan-Pereira getting outflanked by their opposite numbers.

At 18-6 down this wasn’t the script, but the Warriors found a way back. It came from a slick move from a scrum, Ali Leiataua creating space for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. There was more just three minutes later, following a Clark bust up the middle, before Harris-Tavita set up Khan-Pereira, who came up with another acrobatic finish.

Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira, of the Warriors, celebrates scoring against the Dolphins. Photo / Photosport

Leka Halasima went close just before the break, bobbling the ball at the crucial moment.

The intensity lifted in the second half, as the collisions got bigger. Unfortunately one of those was a nasty head clash between Barnett and Harris-Tavita, which ended the co-captain’s night.

The Warriors then endured a difficult stanza, burning their captain’s challenge with an ambitious call, then getting penalised for dragging a Dolphin over the sideline. When they got momentum, there were stumbles in possession.

But they never stopped pushing and went ahead in the 61st minute, after a clever blindside play saw Tuaupiki slip through. It was wonderful sleight of hand by Wayde Egan but there was collateral damage, as Flegler took Leiataua high without the ball. That saw Flegler sinbinned but the Warriors paid the bigger price, with Leiataua scratched for the night.

In the lead – thanks to Tanah Boyd’s nerveless conversion of Tuaupiki’s try – the Warriors couldn’t take advantage of the shorthanded situation. They should have, after a brilliant Clark bust up the middle, but Boyd came up with a poorly timed pass to Harris-Tavita, who dropped it.

It was a tense final 15 minutes – at times hard to watch – as the Warriors never really looked in control. But they hung on for a memorable victory, with Isaako pushing a two-point field goal attempt wide in the final minute.

Warriors 20 (Alofiana Khan-Pereira 2, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Taine Tuaupiki tries, Boyd 2 conversions)

Dolphins 18 (Herbie Farnworth, Jamayne Isaako 2 tries, Isaako 3 conversions)

HT: 14-18

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.