Warriors 52 Knights 10
KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors revealed their ruthless streak at a severely depleted Newcastle's expense, romping to a 52-10 victory to consolidate their position inside the National Rugby League's (NRL) top eight in Auckland on Saturday.
Guilty of under-performing against a similarly short-staffed Cronulla Sharks and Melbourne Storm at Mt Smart Stadium during a wretched run of six consecutive losses earlier this season, there was no hint of another lethargic performance against a vulnerable opponent as the Warriors cruised to a 26-point lead at halftime.
Facing a side missing eight first choice players -- and former Kangaroos wing Adam MacDougall who cried off shortly before kick-off -- the Warriors banked two of their easiest points of the season in recording their sixth victory in seven games.
The emphatic margin, which equalled the Warriors previous best against the Knights -- a 42-0 drubbing in 1999 -- saw the Auckland based club provisionally rise to fourth on the ladder (22 points) part way through the round.
The tone of the contest was set early when Warriors' fullback Wade McKinnon scored the first of two quickfire tries inside the opening six minutes.
Gifted back-to-back sets from the kick-off, McKinnon was on hand to force a chip deep to the in goal by Grant Rovelli before the playmaker turned provider again put putting McKinnon though the first of many holes in the Knights defensive line.
Rovelli exposed the same deficiencies inside the first quarter when the broke the line before partially dummying hapless skipper Kurt Gidley before brushing him aside on a 35m surge to the line.
Condemned to a heavy defensive workload and offering little threat offensively, the Knights managed a try against the run of play in the 23rd minute by James McManus, who eluded Manu Vatuvei and Simon Mannering.
The winger's score proved an aberration as Rovelli found clear air via a line ball pass from Nathan Fien and inspirational prop Steve Price made 55 of his easiest metres when outstripping the cover after yet another bust through flimsy defence.
Price pounced on a dropped ball from Kirk Reynoldson, batted away halfback Luke Walsh and never had a hand laid on him as he ensured Michael Witt had his fifth easy conversion of the half.
Leading 30-4 at the break, the Warriors could have been excused for buttoning off with such a significant lead but tries to Wairangi Koopu -- after Fien and Rovelli again combined to unlock the defence -- Jerome Ropati and a runaway by barnstorming wing Vatuvei had the Warriors closing in of a half century.
McKinnon was denied his hat-trick after a double movement between the posts but centre Ropati, who improved his strike rate to seven tries in eight games, duly posted the milestone two minutes from time.
The Warriors will head to a resurgent Sydney Roosters next Sunday while the fading Knights, who have now lost five of their last six, host St George Illawarra on Friday.
NZ Warriors 52 (Wade McKinnon 2, Grant Rovelli 2, Jerome Ropati 2, Steve Price, Wairangi Koopu, Manu Vatuvei tries; Michael Witt 8 goals) Newcastle Knights 10 (James McManus, Kirk Reynoldson tries; Kurt Gidley goal). Halftime: 30-4.
- NZPA
