Get set for a ripper
You asked for it and tomorrow you can watch it when the Vodafone Warriors face the Melbourne Storm in all-time stunner on Game Day Saturday at 3.00pm on Sky Sport’s home of rugby league (Sky Sport 4, channel 54).
Lined up for voting this week were three classic contests against the Storm, who would have been the club’s traditional Anzac Day opponents at AAMI Park in Melbourne tomorrow night until the 2020 NRL season was put on hold.
The three matches singled out from a healthy list of wins against Melbourne were Anzac Day wins in 2011 (18-14) and 2014 (16-10) as well as the 28-14 triumph at Mount Smart Stadium in 2015.
The 2015 contest polled strongly claiming 48 per cent of the votes.
Start the day with the 6.00am #StandAtDawn virtual Anzac Day service and then put on your favourite Vodafone Warriors apparel and create your own lockdown atmosphere at home to watch the traditional Anzac Day rivals going at it. That’s on Game Day Saturday on Sky Sport 4 (channel 54) for full coverage of the 2015 battle from 3.00pm tomorrow.
Vodafone Warriors Game Day Saturday
3.00pm, Saturday, April 25, 2020
SS4, Channel 54
July 12, 2015
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
In an extraordinary contest the Vodafone Warriors beat the Storm 28-14 – their biggest winning margin at Mount Smart Stadium – to regain the Michael Moore Trophy.
With three first half tries, they went to the break 16-0 ahead only to have the score-line trimmed to 16-8 when the Storm struck twice in the opening minutes of the second half. It didn't stay that way for long, the Vodafone Warriors hitting back with an amazing Tuimoala Lolohea try courtesy of Nathan Friend’s absolutely incredible pass between his legs while he was airborne and upside-down. It was a moment which would become a global sensation.
The lead was out to 20-8, then back to 20-14 but, with anxiety setting in, the Vodafone Warriors went 26-14 ahead through a converted Shaun Johnson try followed by a penalty for a match-clinching 14-point advantage.
Vodafone Warriors 28 (Tuimoala Lolohea 2, David Fusitu’a, Bodene Thompson, Shaun Johnson tries; Shaun Johnson 3 conversions, penalty).
Melbourne Storm 14 (Kenny Bromwich 2, Marika Koroibete tries; Cameron Smith conversion).
Halftime: 18-12 Vodafone Warriors.
Referees: Gavin Morris and David Munro.
Crowd: 15,102.
Teams:
Vodafone Warriors | Sam Tomkins; Tuimoala Lolohea, David Fusitu’a, Solomone Kata, Jonathan Wright; Chad Townsend, Shaun Johnson; Albert Vete, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino; Bodene Thompson, Raymond Faitala-Mariner; Simon Mannering (c). Interchange: Jacob Lillyman, Siliva Havili, Charlie Gubb, Sione Lousi.
Melbourne Storm | Cameron Munster; Marika Koroibete, Will Chambers, Hymel Hunt, Richard Kennar; Blake Green, Cooper Cronk; Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith (c), Felise Kaufusi; Kevin Proctor, Tohu Harris; Dale Finucane. Interchange: Tim Glasby, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Kenny Bromwich, Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
- Each week the Vodafone Warriors and Sky Sport select three games from the archives featuring the Vodafone Warriors against the team they were scheduled to meet in the original draw before the 2020 season was suspended.
- Next week we’ll be focusing on our would-be seventh-round opponents the Melbourne Storm in our traditional Anzac Day fixture, providing three classic battles from the files for you, the fans, to vote on for Game Day Saturday on Anzac Day.
