The Warriors missed a direct route to the NRL grand final after a 26-16 defeat against the Dolphins in their qualifying final on Saturday night. Despite leading at halftime and a strong turnout from fans via a chartered Christchurch flight, the team conceded three late tries.
Missed Halftime Lead and Late Surges Doom the Warriors
The Warriors will now have to take the scenic route to the NRL grand final, after bowing to the Dolphins 26-16 on Saturday night. After finishing second, to earn homefield advantage for the opening round of the playoffs, the Warriors could not take advantage of their fan support and a penalty advantage that had them 12-8 ahead at halftime.
Their only try of the game came when fullback Taine Tuaupiki spun out of a tackle near the line and scooted clear to score. Tuaupiki scored all the Warriors’ points, adding a conversion and five penalties, as his team chose to kick for goal, instead of push for tries in the redzone. They probably should have led by more at the break, but Tuaupiki stretched the margin beyond a converted try, with two more penalties in the second half, before the Dolphins piled on three unanswered converted tries in the final 20 minutes.
The Warriors’ cause was not helped by ill-discipline, as centre Adam Pompey was sin-binned for a no-arms shoulder tackle and then second-rower Kurt Capewell was matched for sparking a melee just before halftime. Dolphins wing Selwyn Cobbo was also sent to the bin in the same incident, after Jackson Ford was dumped in a tipping tackle and the teams came together. The Warriors lost centre Leka Halasima to injury during the warm-up, with Pompey promoted to the starting line-up in his place. The Dolphins were good for their win, scoring four tries to the Warriors’ one, all converted by wing Jamayne Isaako, and they will now take a rest next week, as they await their opponents for a preliminary final in two weeks.
Historic Regular Season Meets Playoff Reality
The result broke a six-game winning streak and marked the first time this season they have lost, after leading at halftime. Even though the Warriors missed out on a second club minor premiership, they can still hold their heads high, with their win making it the most successful regular season in club history, with 18 wins. They were also the highest-scoring team of the regular season, scoring 728 points, which is the eighth-most in an NRL season. They also only conceded 418 points, giving them the second-best defensive record in the NRL, behind only the Panthers. It is the third time in four years under Andrew Webster the Warriors will play finals football, and the first time in back-to-back seasons since 2010-2011.
The fixture continued a tight rivalry between the two organizations. In 10 meetings, both sides have won five each, with the Warriors scoring 242 points in those games compared to the Dolphins’ 232. The last seven meetings between the teams have all been decided by four points or fewer, including twice this season, with both games won by two points apiece. Back in round eight, the Warriors overcame a 12-point deficit to claim a 20-18 win on Anzac Day in Wellington. Then in round 17 in Brisbane, the Warriors thought they had snatched victory, before a Selwyn Cobbo try in the final two minutes saw the Dolphins clinch a 26-24 win. The Dolphins will play their first-ever finals match and take a rest next week, while the Warriors will host Newcastle Knights next week.
The ‘Wahs Express’ and Fan Mobilization From the South Island
Support for the team extended far beyond Auckland. A large crew of hard core South Island Warriors fans boarded a special Air New Zealand charter flight in Christchurch this morning, so they could cheer on their team against the Dolphins in the qualifying game in Auckland. The Christchurch Airport departure lounge rang with chants of Oooo ahh, up the Wahs
as fans waited to board the aptly named Wahs Express.
One mega fan had only booked her flight the night before, saying, I'm scared, I'm scared for the game, but I'm excited, super excited.
Another fan decided to brave his fear of flying for the occasion, noting, I'm really nervous about the flight and really nervous about the game, but I don't fly well, so there's a whole lotta nerves… can't miss it eh?
“When a team’s winning, everyone wants a piece of it. I’m confident the boys will get the job done, but finals footy, anything can happen, and the Dolphins are a very good team.”
Awen Guttenbeil, League legend
Broadcaster Lana Searle, who hosted the flight, noted that the turnout proved the squad represented the entire nation. They aren't just the Auckland Warriors, they're the New Zealand Warriors, and this just proves that. There's a collective feeling across the country that they're our team.
Searle also shared that she felt the nerves personally, stating, I feel like I woke up and I was going to get named in the team, that's how nervous I feel.
Disembarking in Auckland, one passenger described the flight as amazing, adding, Everybody's bouncing, it was awesome.
Another South Islander arriving said the team meant more than just the game itself, noting, These guys, whether it's a league game for 80 minutes a week, are giving people something to dream for.
