SYDNEY - The New Zealand Warriors Under 20s side must overcome rampant Toyota Cup minor premiers South Sydney if they are to secure the club's first grand final success in Sunday's curtain raiser to the NRL premiership decider.
The Warriors beat South Sydney twice in the regular season, but the
Rabbitohs head into the under-20s showpiece at ANZ Stadium buoyed by a 64-18 flogging of the Canberra Raiders in last night's preliminary final.
The Warriors faced a far tougher assignment in Brisbane on Friday night, requiring desperate defence, an ounce of luck and Glen Fisiiahi's 76th minute break out try to eliminate the Bulldogs 23-16. Coach John Ackland said he was thrilled by the composure displayed by his team to overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit and close out a tight contest at Suncorp Stadium.
"I'm just thrilled for them to get the chance [at a grand final]. We were down and we fought back. We've been doing that all year."
It is the fourth time a Warriors side had made a grand final since the club's inception in 1995.
The under-19s and reserve grade teams made the first - and only - Super League grand final in 1997; in 2002 the Warriors were beaten by the Sydney Roosters in the NRL grand final. Ackland doubted his squad would have difficulty focusing on the task at hand - an assignment brought into focus by the Rabbitohs' demolition job.
He took confidence from the fact the Warriors had their opponents' measure in the regular season, they won 41-18 in May, though the Rabbitohs were only edged 19-18 when the teams met again in July.
The Rabbitohs completely dominated the Raiders, racking up 11 tries to two. The match kicks off at 4.15pm (NZ time), the forerunner to the grand final between the Dragons and the Sydney Roosters.
- NZPA
