Just like their NRL counterparts did on Friday night, the Vodafone Junior Warriors found the bounce-back formula when they trounced Manly 46-6 in their 21st-round Jersey Flegg Cup match at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Only 14 hours after the NRL team had rebounded from a 12-46 loss to Canberra to beat Manly 24-16, the Jersey Flegg side recovered from a disappointing 16-34 reverse against the Raiders last week to register its biggest win of the season.
The Greg Boulous-coached Vodafone Junior Warriors remain eighth in the competition on 18 points after collecting their eighth win of the season, the 40-point margin topping the 30-0 win they had against the Victoria Thunderbolts earlier in the campaign.
The early exchanges against Manly suggested little of the way the contest would unfold.
While the Vodafone Junior Warriors struck in the opening minutes through a converted Isaiah Vagana try, it took time for them to impose themselves.
Indeed, the bottom-placed Sea Eagles levelled up inside the 10-minute mark as they settled into the grind but, once the Vodafone Junior Warriors found their groove, there was no stopping them.
Three more tries followed to captain Brody Tamarua, hooker Taniela Otukolo and halfback Casey Smith to give the home side a 20-6 halftime lead.
In the opening moments of the second spell, right wing Selestino Ravutaumada had his side’s fifth try before Smith had a second with others supplied by Neyla Masima and Eliesa Katoa.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors are at Mount Smart Stadium again next Sunday when they’ll face a much sterner challenge from the second-placed Sydney Roosters.
MATCH DETAILS
At Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Vodafone Junior Warriors 46 (Casey Smith 2, Isaiah Vagana, Brody Tamarua, Taniela Otukolo, Selestino Ravutaumada, Neyla Masima, Eliesa Katoa tries; Emanuel Tuimavave-Gerrard 6 conversions, penalty).
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 6 (Max Lehmann try; Jack Birt conversion).
Halftime: 20-16 Vodafone Junior Warriors.
Vodafone Junior Warriors | Emanuel Tuimavave-Gerrard; Selestino Ravutaumada, Kayal Iro, Caleb Pese, Edward Kosi; Brody Tamarua (c), Casey Smith; Junior Pua, Taniela Otukolo, Wesley Veikoso; Isaiah Vagana, Tom Ale; Eliesa Katoa. Interchange: Temple Kalepo, Jyris Glamuzina, Michael Lemafa, Neyla Masima.
