Warriors 18
Dolphins 20
This was a pure heartbreaker.
This was a match where the Warriors deserved so much more – but instead ended up with nothing.
It was one of the cruellest finishes seen at Go Media Stadium, as the Dolphins stole an incredible 20-18 victory on Friday night.
The Warriors – who were severely depleted - held the lead until the final minute, when the Queensland side conjured an incredible try.
They went from one side of the field to the other, keeping the ball alive, before Jamayne Isaako outflanked the defence to score in the corner.
Before that moment, the Warriors looked headed for one of their classic, against the odds wins. They had thrown plenty – in a hugely entertaining game – and did well to fight back from a 16-6 first half deficit.
It was all lined up for a big party, after Leka Halasima’s 58th minute try had given the Warriors the lead. They had been the better side in the second half, though the Dolphins were always dangerous, even though they were without Herbie Farnworth, who limped off with injury midway through the first half.
The reshaped Warriors team did well, with punch in the forwards and energy and skill in the backline. But they couldn’t hang on, as their management of the last five minutes will be under review.
But it was hard to be too critical, of such a spirited effort.
However, the result is a gut punch and leaves the Warriors’ top four hopes in a precarious state, with the Panthers, Broncos and Sharks all close behind.
It was a radically reshaped team with Taine Tuaupiki at fullback, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at centre. Youngster Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (20) was promoted to for his NRL debut. All up, the Warriors had eight frontline players unavailable, representing more than 750 games of NRL experience.
Wayde Egan (concussion), James Fisher-Harris (calf) and Chanel Harris-Tavita (calf) were recent casualties, before Demetric Vaimauga suffered a knee injury at training on Wednesday.
Unfortunately the Warriors didn’t get the start they needed, with Farnworth crossing in the fourth minute, after a clever loop move. But they responded quickly, with Tanah Boyd going to the line before quick hands saw Watene-Zelezniak across in the corner.
A flashpoint came in the 18th minute with Farnworth’s hamstring injury. The centre had made a long range break before pulling up in sharp pain.
The Warriors built momentum, with consecutive periods inside the Dolphins red zone, including one prompted by a brilliant Roger Tuivasa-Sheck break, after an audacious Kurt Capewell intercept.
But they were undone by handling errors, before the Dolphins grabbed two tries in five minutes. Jeremy Marshall-King dived over from dummy half for the first, after a Tuaupiki knock on offered an opportunity. The second – to Oryn Keeley – was a stinger.
Watene-Zelezniak couldn’t regather a Dolphins loose ball on halfway – electing to kick ahead rather than dive on the ball – and the Dolphins crossed soon afterwards, outflanking the left edge.
The Warriors needed something and it came with Watene-Zelezniak’s second try in the 35th minute– a wide sweeping move that brought the crowd to their feet.
They then finished the first half on a high, with Sam Healey and Te Maire Martin sparking breaks up the middle.
The home side continued that momentum after the break – with Halasima going close but the Dolphins defence stood firm. A brilliant Tuaupiki tackle on Jake Averillo then saved a certain try.
But the Warriors continued to build; the back three were running great lines, Martin was prompting and Jackson Ford and Erin Clark were everywhere.
The breakthrough came thanks to two stinging Jacob Laban runs, before yet another Halasima moment, as the young forward leapt highest to take a Boyd bomb, then had the awareness to dive over.
Watene-Zelezniak then rescued the situation, as the Dolphins had a big overlap in the corner. The action was hard to keep up with, while referee Ashley Klein appeared to miss a crucial knock on which gave the Dolphins more chances.
There was high drama as Kodi Nikorima looked to have snuck in – from a brilliant Isaiya Katoa grubber – before the replay revealed he had bounced the put down.
In a frenetic finale, Felise Kaufisi was sinbinned for an awful tackle which took Jacob Laban out of the game.
The Warriors turned down the kickable penalty – in what was to prove a fateful decision – before another penalty gave the Dolphins field position to launch their hail mary finale.
Warriors 18 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2, Leka Halasima tries; Tanah Boyd 3 cons)
Dolphins 20 (Herbie Farnworth, Jeremy Marshall-King, Oryn Keeley, Jamayne Isaako tries; Jamayne Isaako 2 cons)