By Jamie Wall
A Dylan Walker try and late penalty goal from Shaun Johnson helped the Warriors beat North Queensland Cowboys 22-14 at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.
In an often scrappy encounter in challenging conditions, the home side made the most of a lopsided possession percentage, with a completion rate well below what they’ve achieved during their start to the 2023 NRL season.
However, the in-form Johnson first laid on a try for former Kangaroo Walker in the 61st minute to break a 14-all deadlock, then kicked a goal from in front, made a lot harder than it looked due to a stiff northerly breeze.
The home fans would have been forgiven for being slow to their seats after the Warriors’ poor starts this season, but they flipped the script and scored inside the first five minutes.
An intercept by Adam Pompey gave the Warriors great field position, two tackles later Dylan Walker and Tohu Harris combined to send Addin Fonua-Blake through enough of a gap to carry two defenders with him to score under the posts.
The strong wind, which was at the Warriors’ back in the first half, was going to be a key factor in the game.
Dylan Walker celebrates after scoring the match-winning try for the Warriors.Credit: NRL Photos
However, the Cowboys kept things simple to send Murray Taulagiover in the corner with a slick finish.
The Maroons combination of Taulagi and Valentine Holmes was causing real problems down the Warriors’ right edge, with the winger only just denied a second try by the bunker official after his foot grazed the touchline.
Ed Kosi finished off a great run by Marcelo Montoya to put the Warriors up 14-4, before another Origin representative, Reuben Cotter, brushed off a poor tackle by Josh Curran to cut the deficit to six for the visitors.
Curran made up for it after the break, scoring a well-worked try off more Johnson skill, but again the Warriors slipped to let Holmes even it up again almost straight off the kickoff.
While Walker’s try eventually settled the matter, the Warriors did lay on some impressive defence to close the game out.
In particular, one set with six minutes to go only gave the Cowboys 20 metres and the subsequent kick was taken on the full by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to set the Warriors up with the passage of play that led to Johnson’s late penalty.
In all, it wasn’t a game of any great standard, but it’s unlikely the bumper crowd of just under 24,000 at Mt Smart will care too much.
The Cowboys poor start to the season continues, that is their second loss to the Warriors so far in 2023, with some questions to be asked about how a team so stacked with talent can be propping up the NRL ladder.
AAP
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