TBT: Pushover stunner
Throughout their history the Vodafone Warriors have delivered so much breath-taking football and so many freakish moments of brilliance.
There was no shortage of both when they hit utterly sublime levels in crushing Parramatta 48-0 in their 18th-round 'Back In Black' NRL clash at Mount Smart Stadium on July 12, 2014.
On a night when they scored eight tries, the fifth try was straight off the training field.
Parramatta had a scrum feed 10 metres out after halfback Shaun Johnson found touch with a long kick.
The call went out to put the shove on as the Eels fed the scrum. Like everything else that had happened in the preceding 30 minutes that evening, the execution was sublime.
The Eels were shunted right off the ball, fullback Sam Tomkins picked up and then drove and wiggled his way across for a quite stupendous try, one that had rugby union buffs in raptures for days.
July 12, 2014
At Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Vodafone Warriors 48 (Sam Tomkins 2, David Fusitu'a, Shaun Johnson, Konrad Hurrell, Simon Mannering, Ben Henry, Chad Townsend tries; Shaun Johnson 8 conversions).
Parramatta 0.
Halftime: 36-0 Vodafone Warriors.
Referees: Gavin Badger and Henry Perenara.
Crowd: 14,087.
Teams:
Vodafone Warriors | Sam Tomkins; David Fusitu’a, Konrad Hurrell, Dane Nielsen, Manu Vatuvei; Chad Townsend, Shaun Johnson; Jacob Lillyman, Nathan Friend, Suaia Matagi; Ben Henry, Simon Mannering (c); Sebastine Ikahihifo. Interchange: Feleti Mateo, Ben Matulino, Charlie Gubb, Sam Lousi.
Parramatta | Chris Sandow; Semi Radradra, Ryan Morgan, Willie Tonga (c), Vai Toutai; Corey Norman, Luke Kelly; Darcy Lussick, Isaac de Gois, Junior Paulo; David Gower, Pauli Pauli; Joseph Paulo. Interchange: Fuifui Moimoi, Mitchell Allgood, Peni Terepo, Tepai Moeroa.
