Junior Warriors triumph in Holden Cup

Michael Ki of the Warriors is tackled during the 2014 Under 20's Holden Cup Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the New Zealand Warriors. Photo / Getty Images.

Warriors 34
Broncos 32

Five straight weeks of sudden death football and trans-Tasman travel proved no obstacle for the Junior Warriors who reaffirmed their dominance of the NYC competition with a nail-biting 34-32 grand final win over the Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

A first-half hattrick to centre Solomone Kata and a try to Tuimoala Lolohea and three Mason Lino goals gave the Junior Warriors a 22-6 halftime lead. Two more converted tries to Ken Maumalo and co-captain Sam Lisone early in the second-half had them on course for victory before the young Broncos launched a stunning comeback.

Brisbane winger Paul Byrnes crossed twice in two minutes before two curious knock-on decisions went against the Junior Warriors, with one denying Michael Ki a try, while Brisbane crossed twice again through Kodi Nikorima and Jack Tuttle to make it 34-28 with 10 minutes to go.

The Broncos maintained the pressure with three consecutive line drop outs before Jayden Nikorima scored in the 78th minute, only to miss the vital conversion to leave his side short.

The win rounds out a golden year for Junior Warriors coach Stacey Jones in his first year in charge and helps ease the pain of defeat for the players after going down to Penrith in last year's decider. His side defied history to become the first team to win the competition from eighth spot.

"We gave them a sniff and they came back into the game but full credit to my boys, we do the most travelling and we've been here five weeks straight," Lisone said. "We're taking the trophy back home where it belongs."

Both sides were denied early try scoring chances before the Junior Warriors capitalised on the first error of the match, when a good shot from Lino jolted the ball loose for Kata to collect their first try.

They quickly extended their lead when Kata scooped up Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard's short side grubber for his second but the kiwi outfit were forced to reshuffle their line-up when a head knock forced hooker Kurt Robinson from the field.

The arrival early in the second-quarter of Jayden Nikorima caught the tiring Junior Warriors forwards napping, when his dummy-half dart saw Alex Barr score under the bar before Ashley Taylor's goal narrowed the margin to four.

With halftime looming and momentum in the balance the Junior Warriors struck twice in four minutes, with a Lino cut-out pass finding Kata for his third, before makeshift hooker Nathaniel Roache split the defence to send Lolohea in for try number four.

That trend continued early in the second-half when quick hands from Lolohea and Abbey saw Maumalo cross and 10 minutes later it looked a done deal when Lino laid on a deft pass for prop Lisone to score their sixth.

However, with 25 minutes remaining the momentum swung when Byrnes scored his quick double to give his side hope but the Junior Warriors clung on to clinch the club's third Under 20s title following wins in 2010 and 2011.

Junior Warriors 34 (Solomone Kata 3, Tuimoala Lolohea, Ken Maumalo, Sam Lisone tries; Mason Lino 5 goals) Brisbane Broncos 32 (Alex Barr, Paul Byrnes 2, Kodi Nikorima, Jack Tuttle, Jayden Nikorima tries; Ashley Taylor