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Warriors - 26 Dragons - 18
FULLTIME - Check the highlights and full wrap here.
79 mins - TRY WARRIORS - And there's the dagger! It was Lawton who sparked it with a superb 30m burst from dummy half. Green goes left, lovely ball from Harris to Nikorima who shifts it quickly to Hiku to stroll over and seal the win.
78 mins - Dragons 30m out, Frizell wrapped up and forces the pass, only finds the touchline. Time ticking down...
77 mins - Lawton with another fantastic run, to the Dragons 30m they go... Green puts the bomb on the money, Hiku taps back to Maumalo who runs in to dot down! Referee says no try, and the video ref agrees... Harris ruled to have knocked it into Hiku's hands. Dubious, at best.
76 mins - Dragons on the attack... Hunt goes wide but the ball is poor, great tackle Maumalo to kills the threat.
73 mins - Ah Mau gets very close. Back to RTS' edge they go and the skipper has a huge amount of room to operate, chooses to go further right but the ball is fumbled by Hiku and regathered by the man in front, penalty Dragons.
72 mins - Nikorima finds space down the short side, skip ball on to Maumalo but Ravalawa gets a desperation hand to it. Six more for NZ though, on the Dragons 40m...
70 mins - TRY WARRIORS - Green smartly redirects play back to the left, RTS with a quick ball and it's a simple draw and pass to send Maumalo over. Herbert pings the conversion off the post. Squeaky bum time at Suncorp. (Warriors 22-18)
69 mins - Hunt drops the restart cold, no doubt sparking some nightmare flashbacks to a certain NRL Grand Final. NZ now with a fresh set from the 50m.
68 mins - The Dragons now with some rare field position. Sims beats one defender, Hunt grubbers to the ingoal and RTS gets back to tap it dead. Six more coming up for the Dragons.
66 mins - Lawton dummies and sniffs a gap, picks up 20m. He's provided some real impetus for the Warriors. RTS goes close down the right side. Green's crossfield kick is far too shallow, and the Dragons wrap up Fusitu'a with ease.
65 mins - Harris gets the gree light after his HIA, set to retake the field. Hunt slams a kick into Hiku's back on the last, NZ scrum and tackle one at the 50m.
64 mins - Another solid set for NZ, another comfortably taken Green bomb.
63 mins - News comes in that Tevaga has passed his HIA, great news for NZ.
62 mins - NZ carry back on the restart, Green with another less than threatening bomb on the last tackle.
58 mins - TRY WARRIORS - Lawton takes play to the blindside from 20m out, RTS draws two and throws one to Herbert, whose quick catch n pass allows Fusitu'a to run it around near the posts. Hebert nails the conversion and it's game on. (18-18)
57 mins - Penalty Warriors, piggyback to the Dragons 40m.
55 mins - Harris off for an HIA as NZ carry over halfway on the last tackle. Green hoists another, and again, it's easily snuffed out.
54 mins - Green's grubber on the last rolls safely in Ravalawa's hands. Good energy from the NZ forwards, 60-plus metres on the set.
52 mins - Green goes cross field with his kick to the wing, Fusitu'a leaps and regethers but is unable to get the ball away, wrapped up on the last.
51 mins - Harris short ball to Hiku, NZ over the 50m on the 2nd. Left they go, looks to be an overlap but Ravalawa makes a critical spot tackle on Hiku.
50 mins - Green bombs, Dragons return to the 30m.
49 mins - RTS does well to track down the Hunt bomb and picks up 15m on the return. Tevaga in trouble after catching a swinging shot from Graham in the tackle. Somehow escapes a penalty and it's still the last. Tevaga off for an HIA.
46 mins - Tevaga with more big metres as NZ carry from the restart. 45m gain, Green clears and Ravalawa returns to the Dragons 40m.
44 mins - TRY WARRIORS - Green and Nikorima combine well to give Hiku some room, who sells the outside defender with the one-handed dummy then stretches out to score. Herbert slots the conversion from out wide, and that's just the start to the second 40 the Warriors needed. (Dragons 18-12)
42 mins - Roache bursts clear! Rips off 40m before being pulled down at the 20m. Papali'i powers to the line carrying defenders, can't quite cross. Poor passing sees NZ lose 20m Maumalo does really well to grubber and trap Ravalawa ingoal.
40 mins - NZ take the ball for the opening set of the second stanza. Tevaga runs strongly as they cross halfway, Green bombs into Dragons hands.
Second half underway...
HALFTIME - Rough half for the Warriors who were starved of possession and territory and struggled to create many genuine opportunities to score. They're still only12 points adrift, but it'll be a steep uphill battle in the second 40 against this Dragons pack.
40 mins - Harris threatens on the left edge. 20m out... Green swarmed on the fifth, just gets a ball away in time for Nikorima to grubber. Dufty fumbles but eventually dots down to send the teams into the sheds.
39 mins - Penalty NZ, could be time for a final roll of the dice...
39 mins - Dragons with the settling set, both teams blowing hard as halftime nears.
36 mins - Nikorima searching, puts Tevaga into a half gap on a short ball and the utilty goes close to the line. Wide they go from the play of the ball but it's laboured stuff, Herbert collected and put into tocuh.
35 mins - Penalty NZ, great chance to strike before the half.
34 mins - Green drops one cold and the Dragons pounce, Hunt shifts it quickly but a sloppy final pass goes to ground. NZ scrum on their own 20m.
33 mins - Wide the Dragons go from the dropout but the NZ defence shifts well, Pereira is bundled into touch.
32 mins - Again they go for the shot at goal, depsite having NZ on the ropes. Lomax unable to make it count.
31 mins - Jai Field with a brilliant run from the restart, taken just 10m shy. Dufty grubbers on the last after he runs out of options, referee says he was impeded on the chase.
30 mins - Ben Hunt with a smart early kick, spots RTS out of position. Maumalo cleans up but the Dragons will receive the goal-line dropout...
28 mins - RTS breaks the line, taken 10m out from the line as he runs out of support. Green grubbers on the last tackle but the chase is non-existent.
27 mins - Great defensive pressure from the Warriors and RTS is able to return the first tackle over halfway.
26 mins - RTS steps inside and makes a tidy 15m gain. Paasi drives his way over halfway. Green grubber on the last but Ravalawa is able to clean up on his line.
25 mins - Zac Lomax knocks on early in the set, NZ off the hook for now.
24 mins - Dragons penalty sees them advance to the NZ 40m, here they come again...
22 mins - TRY DRAGONS - Far too easy for Cameron McInnes, as he pops out of dummy half and overpowers his opposite number Roache to crash over under the posts from a metre out. (Dragons 18-6)
22 mins - Hand on the pass yet again, and the Dragons have a full set to work with 10m out...
21 mins - Strong run from Ravalawa, Dragons take the 4th on the NZ 20m...
20 mins - RTS returns the clearance kick to the NZ 20m. Big Dragons defence, as the NZ runners can't get further than the 40m on the 5th.
18 mins - The Dragons have opted for the shot at goal here, curiously enough. (Dragons 12-6)
17 mins - Field bombs into space and it's a horrible bounce for RTS, helter skelter out the back as they shift the pass, can't quite reach the line thanks to a try-saver from Maumalo. Nikorima gets a hand on loose pass it to reset the tackle count, but there's a penalty for offside.
16 mins - Green clears on the fifth off the restart.
12 mins - TRY WARRIORS - Roache collects at dummy half and throws a deft no-look ball to a charging Agnatius Paasi, who scores next to the post. Crucial score for NZ. Herbert with kicking duties, an easy one to start. (Dragons 10-6)
11 mins - RTS ghosts into a gap off a Nikorima outside ball, finds Fusitu'a with a pinpoint pass. Dragons hand on the pass back inside and they reset the count...
10 mins - NZ scrum at their own 20m. Minimal ball so far for the Warriors, and they get a helping hand with a penalty. First tackle at the 50m...
8 mins - TRY DRAGONS - Lovely interplay between forwards Graham and Vaughan at halfway, Jai Field runs a beautiful line in support, hits it at pace and RTS can't get across to pull him down. Troubling signs early for NZ. (Dragons 10-0)
7 mins - TRY DRAGONS - Ben Hunt bombs to the posts, Frizell leaps to reel it in and offloads in the tackle to a streaking Zac Lomax to score. First Blood St George. (Dragons 6-0)
6 mins - Dufty breaks the line! Down to the 40m. McInnes throws a great ball wide to Pereira, who takes play to the NZ 20m.
5 mins - Green with an awkward grubber to the posts, Hunt collects it but has the ball stripped out, falls fortuitously to a teammate.
4 mins - RTS carries strongly over the 50m. Harris backs that up with a bullocking run.
3 mins - Nikorima again, takes the line on for some decent metres. Nerve settling opening passage for the NZ debutant.
2 mins - Nikorima gets his first touch from dummy half as the Warriors edge back to halfway.
1 min - Dragons receive and rack up a tidy 43m set to start.
Kick off....
7:28pm - Both sides out on the paddock. Nikorima looking slick in that black Warriors strip. No pressure, mate.
7:26pm - Just how magical has the magic round been so far? I'm conflicted.
7:24pm - Big Mal Meninga and Matty Johns both predict a Warriors victory, while Mick Ennis leans towards the Dragons. For whatever that's worth.
7:18pm - One fact lost in the Nikorima hype - tonight will be Stephen Kearney's 100th NRL game as a head coach.
7:15pm - How about the commitment from this Warriors fan? Kudos... I think.
7:10pm - Here are your game day squads. As expected, Issac Luke and Chanel Harris-Tavita have dropped off the Warriors' extended bench.
7:08pm - Plenty of Warriors faithful filing into Suncorp.
7pm - Picture perfect conditions at Suncorp Stadium for the NRL's inaugural Magic Round. The Knights prevailed 22-10 over the Bulldogs in the day's opener and the Warriors and Dragons will be next to take the stage, followed lastly by the Storm v the Eels.
Kia ora and welcome to live updates as the Warriors look to get back in the win column against the Dragons in Brisbane.
All eyes will be on Warriors debutant Kodi Nikorima as he takes the field for the first time since his highly publicised mid-season move from the Broncos.
We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action.
Commentary will start from around 7pm (NZ time). In the meantime check out the video above for a preview of tonight's game.
Betting odds
Warriors - $2.17 Dragons - $1.66
Pre-match banter:
Nikorima seeks fresh start with the Warriors
Warriors recruit Kodi Nikorima has predicted that new halves partner Blake Green is set to bring out the best of him as he prepares to turn over a new leaf following his hurtful exit from Brisbane.
Nikorima will run out in Warriors colours for the first time against St George Illawarra on Saturday, ironically at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium as part of the NRL's 'Magic Round'.
The 25-year-old has had just two training sessions with his new teammates following his hasty exit from Red Hill after coach Anthony Seibold informed him he planned to use him as a bench utility next year.
It was a tough pill to swallow for the wily playmaker who has been under contract with the Broncos since he was 12-years-old.
While he admitted he was hurt by being forced out, he denied there was bad blood and acknowledged Seibold's courage to be upfront with him.
Nikorima's arrival plugs the hole in Warriors' roster that was created when Shaun Johnson was told by the club they didn't believe he was the player to take them to a premiership and exited to Cronulla.
The criticism of Nikorima and former Broncos halves partner Anthony Milford during their time together was that they were both running halves and too similar.
But in Green, he has been paired with an organising playmaker, and Nikorima said it would free him up to weave his magic.
"It's emotional but exciting, I played all my career with Milf [Anthony Milford], and Blake's just a natural organiser, a typical number seven," Nikorima said on Friday.
"I've only had two training sessions with the Warriors so far, and I've slotted in quite easy because of him.
"He's a massive talker, he controls his forwards, it just frees me up to roam and do what I do best, and that's bringing out my running game."
Nikorima described his former Broncos teammates including Milford as being like brothers to him but said he was ready to take his game to a new level.
"Blake and Anthony are different players," Nikorima said.
"One's a typical number sevene that organises and another is a freak.
"He's one of those players that can pull something out of nothing and I love Anthony, he's one of my good mates."
Nikorima's inclusion is one of several key changes for the Warriors with hooker Issac Luke dropped for Nathaniel Roache.
AAP
