The Warriors' playoff chances are out of their own hands after an agonising 24-22 loss to the Broncos.
Video / Sky Sport
Broncos 24 Warriors 22
Don't dream, it's over.
The Warriors still have a mathematical chance, but their playoff chances are out of their own hands after an agonising 24-22 loss to the Broncos tonight.
The Auckland club will need to rely on some improbable results from the teams around them, evenif they win both of their remaining games.
Although the Warriors have showed great spirit with their late-season revival, this was a massive opportunity lost.
They led 14-12 with 25 minutes to play, after burning back from 12-4 down, but were guilty of switching off twice as Albert Kelly and Anthony Milford scored opportunist tries for the Broncos.
Still they could have forced extra time, after a 77th-minute Euan Aitken try, but Reece Walsh missed the conversion, then was just wide with an audacious two-point field goal attempt with 30 seconds to play.
Goal kicking made the difference on the scoreboard, with Walsh missing four from five attempts, though they were all from out wide.
But that's tough on the teenager. As a team the Warriors slipped from the standards set in previous weeks, particularly in the first half.
They didn't quite click for long periods, allowing the Broncos to build pressure, and lacked crispness in attack and hunger in defence,
Albert Kelly of the Broncos breaks free of the Warriors defence to score a try. Photo / Getty
Coach Nathan Brown, as he likes to do, shuffled the deck before kick-off, leaving Wayde Egan on the bench and omitting Kodi Nikorima from the 17, which was a brave call.
The Warriors dodged a bullet early, with the Broncos nearly forcing the ball under the posts, after a risky play by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak behind his own try line, before Aitken was denied minutes later for a double movement.
The Broncos opened the scoring through Xavier Coates, after Walsh completely misjudged an Milford bomb. Some hot footwork from Milford set up Coates soon afterwards, after an unfortunate Watene-Zelezniak error.
Walsh had struggled to get involved in the first quarter, but finally made his mark with a sizzling break, beating four defenders from deep inside his own territory. That sparked the Warriors, with Montoya finishing a sweeping backline move.
But the Broncos were dominant, and should have extended their lead through Milford, who was everywhere. The Brisbane playmaker was over the line – after a sharp passing move – before a miraculous effort by Peta Hiku to hold him up.
Hiku went close at the other end, after some pinball, but the Warriors spent most of the first half on the back foot, forced to make almost 80 more tackles than their opponents, not helped by eight errors.
They showed great spirit to keep their line intact, defending a series of sets as the home side benefitted from a couple of charitable calls from the officials in the latter stages.
Some instinctive magic from Hiku, who was having a stormer, brought the Warriors closer early in the second half, as the centre nudged the ball between two defenders with his foot, following a Watene-Zelezniak grubber, then showed agility to touch down.
There was more to come, as Josh Curran forced his way over following a bumping Bunty Afoa charge.
Josh Curran of the Warriors celebrates scoring a try against the Broncos. Photo / Getty
The Warriors had all the momentum but gave some back with a disappointing Broncos try. As a Milford kick bobbled around, Kelly wanted it the most, while his opponents were guilty of ball watching.
But Hiku was irrepressible, with a subtle flick putting Watene-Zelezniak across, after pressure from Walsh had forced a line dropout.
That levelled the scores, setting up a frantic final 17 minutes. But Milford broke Warriors hearts with an opportunistic try, after following up his own bomb and getting lucky as it was propelled back.
Aitken gave some late, late hope – forcing a Walsh grubber – but it wasn't to be.
