League: Warriors turn back clock with stylish win

Wairangi Koopu - sporting a Warriors' 1995-style playing kit - runs in for a try against the Broncos at Ericsson Stadium yesterday. Picture / Dean Purcell

The Warriors played their best football since they were premiership frontrunners in 2002 as they beat Brisbane 30-18 at Ericsson Stadium yesterday.

It was a ripper game played at pace, with intensity and lots of class from the star components.

The 15,632 who witnessed it went home happy with the result but more so with the fact they now have a team they know can play at the top level.

The Broncos, 10 wins on the trot and NRL leaders, were given no chance to get back into the game after the Warriors claimed an 18-12 lead at the break with some of the best football they've ever played.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett paid them tribute, dismissing talk the Warriors were a bogey team for his after taking five wins from the teams' last seven encounters.

"If they play like that they'll be a bogey team for everyone," he said. "We weren't perfect, the bounce kind of went their way in the end but we had opportunities and we didn't make them happen."

The Broncos weren't allowed to make them happen, the Warriors' defence stifling, key playmaker Darren Lockyer contained.

The play went end-to-end, side-to-side, never better illustrated than by a touchdown to Lance Hohaia 15 minutes in. Most of the Warriors handled twice or more as they completed a series of second-man plays and run-arounds, taking the ball right then back to the left until Sione Faumuina broke the line to put the hooker away.

"One of the tries of the year, that one," referee Sean Hampstead commented, "how many passes was there?"

Wairangi Koopu showed the determination the team had built on all week when he crawled through three tacklers and reached out to score.

Lockyer appealed to Hampstead that Koopu was held but to no avail.

That was one of several decisions the Broncos didn't take well.

There was a last-tackle penalty against Brad Thorn for lifting - Bennett calling it a fair tackle.

Lockyer was through to score when Hampstead blew for his benefiting from an obstructing runner.

Prop Petero Civoniceva was called for a dropped ball in a two-man tackle, 10m from the Broncos line, Hampstead repeatedly asking Ruben Wiki if he had stripped the ball but he denied that.

The Warriors took the ball Civoniceva had lost and scored through wing Manu Vatuvai, after a piece of class from debutant Simon Mannering, who rolled out of the tackle of Justin Hodges and Broncos' rookie Steve Michaels.

"I'm not interested in having a gripe, we were beaten fair and square but those are the things that make a difference," Bennett said.

The Warriors were also unlucky, both Vatuvai and Jones put down difficult passes when the line beckoned.

It was a smart game-plan from the home team, attacking Michaels down the Broncos' left with crossfield kicks and bombs. They picked up another try to Francis Meli to extend their lead to 26-18 as the clock ran down. Koopu's second as time was up was icing on the cake.

"I think today we turned a corner," said coach Tony Kemp, who couldn't wait to watch the video.

The Warriors had trained well all week, and found the occasion of the club's 10th anniversary celebrations a motivating factor as was playing a side full of Australian representatives and the benchmark at the top of the NRL.

Captain Stacey Jones, who delivered his best kicking game for some time, said they had taken confidence from recent wins over the Broncos.

But he warned they had to follow up on the win and keep playing the same brand of football.

"Today doesn't mean much if you can't back it up."

The win keeps the Warriors in touch of a playoff spot. It should also give them the lift they need as they play tough away games against the Cowboys and Roosters, with the improving 2004 champions the Bulldogs at Ericsson in between.

The next three games will determine their season.