League: Junior Warriors through to grand final

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SYDNEY - The New Zealand Warriors under-20s side are bound for a history-making grand final curtain raiser to the NRL premiership decider after eliminating the in-form Bulldogs 23-16 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium tonight.

The Warriors erased a 10-point halftime deficit to finish their preliminary final strongly, though the outcome was in doubt until a 76th minute break out try to fullback Glen Fisiiahi.

Impressive playmaker Shaun Johnson had poked the Warriors ahead 17-16 with a 68th minute field goal but the New Zealanders had to survive two anxious moments before advancing to their maiden grand final against the winner of tomorrow's match between South Sydney and the Canberra Raiders in Sydney.

The Bulldogs, who had only lost once since round seven, threatened to steal victory in the final 10 minutes but try-bound fullback Nathan Massey spilled a difficult pass then Daniel Palavi was denied when Carlos Tuimavave knocked the ball from his grasp on the line.

A week-off did not initially look like working wonders for the Warriors as they made an error-prone beginning.

Gifted a weekend off after squeezing past Manly 25-22 in round one of the finals series, the Warriors struggled to rediscover the accuracy and verve that enabled them to complete the regular season in second place.

Tuimaivave underscored their nervous start when he failed to grasp an offload with the line open in the 19th minute; four minutes later camera angles were to blame when giant wing Elijah Niko's barge over from dummy half was ruled out because replays were inconclusive.

The Bulldogs belatedly ended the stalemate in an unusually low-scoring encounter with eight minutes left in the first half when unmarked prop Pakisonasi Afu was put through a gap by halfback Josh Kent, the play after front rower and captain Martin Taupau burst 30 metres to set up rare field position.

The Warriors unsuccessfully argued defenders were obstructed in the lead-up to Kent's killer pass - there was doubt about the Bulldogs second barely two minutes later when wing Ratu Tagive dived over in the left hand corner to push the lead into double figures.

Clinical finishing by Afghani-born wing Omar Slaimankhel resuscitated the Warriors with two tries within 10 minutes of the restart - though neither score did Johnson any favours.

Slaimankhel, who was only playing because Bill Tupou's 12 first grade appearances made him ineligible, dived over out wide from a short side move moments after Sam Lousi was held up by desperate defence.

From the restart the Warriors swept on to attack again via a 50-metre gain by centre Sosaia Feki before the ball was transferred to the right flank where Slaimankhel again forced with centimetres to spare.

Johnson, using his first conversion as a sighter, goaled from an identical angle to cut the margin to two points before Bulldogs five-eighth Aiden Sezer's converted try restored a six-point buffer entering the final quarter.

Johnson's weaving 25-metre run past three defenders to the posts levelled the contest with 18 minutes remaining and on the Warriors next incursion the halfback coolly slotted a field goal that almost wasn't enough.

NZ Warriors 23 (Omar Slaimankhel 2, Shaun Johnson, Glen Fisiiahi tries; Johnson 3 goals, field goal) Bulldogs 16 (Pakisonasi Afu, Ratu Tagive, Aiden Sezer tries; Sezer 2 goals). Halftime: 0-10

- NZPA