Yet another remarkable comeback wasn’t quite enough to seal a top three spot when the fast-finishing One New Zealand Warriors lost 36-39 to the Newtown Jets in tonight’s last-round New South Wales Cup clash at Henson Park in Sydney.
Locked on 33 points each on the ladder, the Warriors and the Jets were chasing the prize of a berth inside the top three (and an extra life) for the finals starting next week.
When Newtown led 28-14 at halftime and then 38-20 with only 14 minutes to play, the Warriors were facing a stiff challenge to say the least.
They’d been in a similar predicament in their round 19 clash against Parramatta when they were 4-28 behind but then flicked the switch by producing 42 unanswered points to win 46-28.
They needed the same formula today and right on cue found it.
Match: Warriors v Bulldogs
Round 25 -
home Team
Warriors
4th Position
away Team
Bulldogs
7th Position
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Coming into the game off the bench, Geronimo Doyle went over in the 66th minute and then veteran prop Bunty Afoa charged over three minutes later, Motu Pasikala converting both to suddenly leave the Warriors only six points adrift at 32-38.
A Newtown field goal took the home side out to a seven-point lead at 39-32 with eight minutes left but the Warriors were chasing the win.
They found a seventh try and a second for Doyle to make it 36-39 with five minutes left, time still to steal victory but it didn’t come, the Jets holding on to go to the top of the table for the time being while the Warriors remained fourth.
Earlier the Warriors made a hot start with tries to Edward Kosi and Setu Tu inside the first six minutes before the Jets gained an edge.
The result means the Warriors will now begin the playoffs with a sudden-death match against the fifth-placed Penrith Panthers next week.
