KEY POINTS:
The Warriors took it to the Storm in Melbourne yesterday to produce the closest, fastest and most intense game of the opening week of the NRL finals and blow the Storm away 18-15.
They earned a second playoff game at Mt Smart on Friday night and will face
the Roosters, who appear to be on the slide and devoid of momentum - a quality the Warriors now have by the wheelbarrow load.
Win that and they are one off a second grand final appearance.
The Warriors victory eliminates the Raiders after they lost to Cronulla and St George are also gone, knocked out by Manly.
The match was excitement-plus and end-to-end action at Olympic Park yesterday, this the best effort an eighth-placed team has produced against the side in top spot since the McIntyre playoff system was adopted in 1999.
They continually threatened with clever dummy-half running, a good kick-and-chase and accurate passing that created space.
And they held on, twice came from behind, weathered what seemed to be the winning play with a field goal from Greg Inglis to break a 14-all deadlock with minutes remaining and then scored the winning try. That was a 70 metre break-out initiated by Jerome Ropati and carried on by the blockbusting wing Manu Vatuvei who handed off to Michael Witt in support.
Witt deserves a fine for stalling in goal before planting the ball - drop that and the whole season changes.
The Warriors played strong and controlled football through the game, error rates and penalties near even. Level 8-8 at the break they had every chance of upsetting the title-holders and minor premiers.
Each team had four try-scoring opportunities in the first 40 minutes and nailed one each, both defences producing great scrambling efforts. It was played at a furious pace, referee Jason Robinson heard over the match audio urging himself on, "C'mon Robbo, just 10 minutes to halftime," as he gasped for air.
There was an omen prior to kick-off when the sound system failed after the New Zealand anthem and the Aussies in the crowd of 15,193 had to belt out a version of theirs.
Storm strategies to unsettle the Warriors included taking the field five minutes late despite having been warned about this by the NRL the last time they played. They also sent out a trainer dressed in orange shirt and black shorts, as was referee Robinson.
Warriors skipper Steve Price and others including Ian Henderson complained through the game about the Storm's tackling tactics, accusing them of grapples and crushers aimed at slowing the play-the-ball. Robinson rarely called these.
The Warriors had the benefit of a good start thanks to the Storm allowing the kick-off to run dead. Play was even through the opening exchanges as both teams earned goal-line drop-outs but couldn't beat the defence. Both got over the line through wide plays but Storm wing Steve Turner was called back after an obstruction and Warriors wing Aidan Kirk was held up.
After 15 minutes, the Storm gained ground after Henderson conceded a penalty for throwing the ball at Michael Crocker. Fullback Billy Slater came into the line to make the overlap for Turner to get first try.
The Warriors put Manu Vatuvei over wide at 22 minutes but the last pass from Michael Witt was forward.
Two minutes before the break, centre Jerome Ropati slipped a poor tackle from Israel Folau and scored to make it 8-8.
The Warriors were playing well, their defence looked composed and their attack threatening. It was a matter of holding form and frustrating the Storm, a side not used to being held out, the opportunity was there to force the hosts to depart from their gameplan as they sought points. The Storm would have thought they just had to hang in and the visitors would crack, as they have done before.
When Lance Hohaia dropped Cooper Cronk's bomb in front of the Warriors' posts just two minutes into the second half, Slater forced the ball but was judged to have taken Hohaia out of play and a penalty was given.
The Warriors took the ball and territory and Grant Rovelli's chip was regathered by Vatuvei for the first points after the break. Suddenly the Warriors had their tails up.
They did well to contain Folau's repeated raids in the second half. He was denied for a double movement, but moments later crashed through at 52 minutes to close the gap to 14-12, Smith missing the conversion but then nailing a penalty for 14-14 with 20 minutes left. Still, the Warriors looked good.
Vatuvei took Witt's bomb but lost the ball over the line. Then the Warriors got a valuable and possible game-breaking repeat set of six in the red zone. But the chance was lost when Aidan Kirk was penalised for elbowing Matt Geyer as he played the ball. With the ground gain Greg Inglis hit a field goal as the clock showed 12 minutes to go.
They might have dropped heads and slumped their shoulders, the body language of old. Instead the Warriors used the self-belief created by eight wins from 10 in the run in and did what other teams too often in the past have done to them.
The Storm were shattered and are now sent to Brisbane for a knockout contest.
New Zealand Warriors: Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Michael Witt tries; Michael Witt 3 goals.
Melbourne Storm: Steve Turner, Israel Folau tries; Cameron Smith 3 goals, Greg Inglis field goal.
Half-time: 8-8.
* Manly prop Josh Perry is doubtful for their next game after suffering a leg injury in the 38-6 win over the Dragons on Saturday. Veteran Steve Menzies scored the first try by a nose, butting a loose ball off his snorer then scrambling hands and knees to be first to the touchdown in a scene sure to make regular replays. Egged on by a full house of 18,343, Manly showed a toughness for finals football, the Dragons halves falling apart and five-eighth Ben Rogers' errors costing dearly.
Former Warrior Misi Taulapapa said his sacking from the club for turning up drunk at training was the best thing that could have happened to him after he scored a hat-trick as Cronulla thrashed the Raiders 36-10 in front of 18,252 at Shark Park.
Roosters hooker Riley Brown broke his arm in the 24-16 loss to the Broncos in front of a home crowd of 18,343.
What happens next:
The Dragons and the Raiders are eliminated. The Sharks and the Sea Eagles go straight to week three.
NRL finals Series Week Two:
Warriors v Roosters at Mt Smart on Friday, the winner to play Manly.
Broncos v Storm at Suncorp Stadium in Friday, the winner to play Cronulla.
