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Warriors 19 - 18 Sharks
80 min: The Sharks strip the ball and get a shot - Townsend takes the drop goal but it's left and the Warriors win!
79 min: A knock on from the Sharks - a big call but that could be it.
78 min: They go 70 metres and Hiku gathers the kick and saves the Warriors for the time being.
77 min: Green kicks the ball out and forces the Sharks to go 80 metres to score.
76 min: Drop goal! It's one from one this week - Blake Green slots the shot and the Warriors lead. Warriors 19 - 18 Sharks.
74 min: Huge set here from the Warriors, RTS and Nikorima before they go for a drop kick - the Sharks start their attack from deep in their half.
72 min: WOW! The Warriors go oh so close but Hiku drops the ball three metres out.
71 min: A great defensive set from the Warriors and they get the ball in a good attacking spot.
68 min: Penalty to the Warriors and they take the points. Warriors 18 - 18 Sharks.
68 min: Penalty - Fafita flies in and smashes Burr off the ball and is sent to the bin.
66 min: Shaun Johnson called for a knock on - the Warriors in a good attacking spot.
65 min: Nikorima got his ankle strapped and is back on the field looking okay.
63 min: TRY - Warriors, a magical try from the home side but it may have come at a cost - RTS starts it and Nikorima finishes it, but he stays down and Nikorima is getting medical attention on his leg somewhere. Kick is good. Warriors 16 - 18 Sharks.
61 min: The Warriors are called for another knock on - the Sharks win a scrum, another really average call.
60 min: Issac Luke is called for a knock on at the back of the scrum - a really tough call.
59 min: Knock on called against the Sharks - Warriors with a really really good chance here.
57 min: TRY - Sharks. The visitors spin the ball wide and they use their overlap to score through Feki. Kick is wide. Warriors 10 - 18 Sharks.
56 min: Offside against the Warriors - Sharks win a penalty.
53 min: After all the ball the Warriors have had and all the penalties they have won they finally opt for the kick. It's good. Warriors 10 - 12 Sharks.
52 min: Another really good kick from the Warriors - RTS this time who forces a drop out.
50 min: Lovely kick from Green - he forces a line drop out.
49 min: Now it's the Sharks who win the penalty -can they score the first points of the second half?
48 min: The Warriors are caught with the ball again - Tevaga tackled on the last.
47 min: Another penalty won by the Warriors- they need to turn these chances into points at some point.
44 min: Really good defence from the Sharks there - Luke darts for the line and gets the offload away and Burr has a go but he cant score either, really good from the Sharks.
41 min: The Warriors get through their first set of the second half - they need to a be a bit better defensively.
41 min: Back underway in Wellington.
40 min: Half time here in Wellington - what an exciting finish to the first half.
38 min: Moylan does very well to keep the ball in play there and avoid another line drop out.
37 min: The Warriors win a strip and are on the charge looking for points to end the half.
35 min: Issac Luke with a little kick in behind and he wins a line drop out.
32 min: A knock on from the Warriors - what a messy end to that set of six.... The Sharks are let off the hook.
31 min: Another penalty goes against the Sharks.
29 min: On the final tackle the Sharks are judged to have knocked the ball on - the Warriors will get six more.
28 min: Six more tackles just 20 out from the Warriors.
26 min: Penalty won by the Warriors after the set - Lachlan Burr the man who wins it.
24 min: TRY - Warriors, lovely try from the hosts - Issac Luke runs from dummy and finds Blake Green who darts through the defence to score. Kick is good. Warriors 8 - 12 Sharks.
23 min: A good set from the Warriors and the Sharks are starting their set depp in their own half.
22 min: Johnson tries a chip and chase but the kick goes straight to Issac Luke and the Warriors are on the attack.
20 min: Knock on from the Warriors - all the momentum with the Sharks early.
19 min: The Warriors aren't getting much going forwards - Blair wins a strip there and they are on the charge.
16 min: Knock on called against the Sharks - another bad call but the Warriors will take it, Warriors scrum.
13 min: TRY Sharks, that's a horrible call - Moylan makes a break and then finds Xerri who bats the ball to the side but it goes quite a bit forward, Townsend catches it and scores. The ref doesn't even go up... bad call. Kick is good. Warriors 2 - 12 Sharks.
11 min: As easy as you like the Sharks go 80m on the set before they kick it, trouble for the Warriors, need more speed in defence.
9 min: TRY - Sharks, really nice from the Sharks - they work the ball left and Johnson sets up the try, the assist to Briton Nikora who scores. Kick is good. Warriors 2 - 6 Sharks.
8 min: Penalty goes the way of the Sharks - they kick for touch.
7 min: A really good set from the Warriors - a kick from Green and it's just too big.
4 min: Penalty goes to the Warriors - just 40m out and it's a really good chance here for the hosts. They will kick for the points. It's good. Warriors 2-0 Sharks.
2 min: The Warriors get through their first set - it's a goodie.
1 min: Solid first set from the Sharks - drives the Warriors deep into their half.
1 min: Kick off here in Wellington.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's coverage of the NRL clash between the Warriors and the Sharks from the Cake Tin.
More injury news for the Warriors - David Fusitu'a is out - Adam Pompey will start.
TAB Odds: Warriors $ 1:80 Sharks $ 2.00
Pre-game chat: Warriors coach Stephen Kearney downplays Shaun Johnson factor against Sharks
NZ Warriors coach Stephen Kearney is downplaying the Shaun Johnson factor, as his side desperately try to keep their NRL playoff hopes alive against Cronulla this week.
After the golden-point draw with Brisbane last Saturday, the Auckland-based outfit sit three points outside the competition's top eight with eight games left in the regular season.
The Sharks are just one point ahead of them on the table and loom as must-win opponents in the stretch run.
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But the Wellington clash on Friday is just as significant for the first meeting between former Warriors playmaker Johnson and his former team, since his stormy departure in the off-season.
His exit reportedly followed a fiery closed-door meeting between Johnson, Kearney and club management, with the player apparently feeling unappreciated, despite his eight years and 162 games in the top line-up.
But Kearney insists he bears no hard feelings towards the half, whom he also brought into the NZ national team as Kiwis coach in 2012.
"I went and had dinner with them, when the Kiwis were here and watched them train a couple of times," he says.
"We said hello, how are things going and we exchanged pleasantries."
Is it strange to coach against Johnson after so many years on the same side?
"No, it happens… you move on."
Was there bad blood, given the nature of their falling out?
"Not on my part."
Kearney also claims Johnson hasn't occupied much attention in the tactical build-up to Friday's clash.
"If I'm honest, we haven't had a big focus on Shaun," he says. "It's just about executing the areas we did really well from last week and looking to improve the areas where we weren't so good.
"We know the threat that Shaun... but not only Shaun, but Matt Moylan and those sorts of guys present."
Johnson is only a marginal chance of playing, after sustaining an ankle injury late in the Sharks' loss to Melbourne.
He has struggled with injury and form since joining Cronulla, and faces competition from understudy Kyle Flanagan, who has filled the void admirably during Johnson's absence.
Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. David Fusitua 3. Peta Hiku 4. Gerard Beale 21. Blake Ayshford 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Blake Green 8. Agnatius Paasi 9. Issac Luke 10. Leeson Ah Mau 11. Adam Blair 12. Isaiah Papalii 13. Jazz Tevaga 14. Lachlan Burr 15. Sam Lisone 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Chanel Harris-Tavita 18. Adam Pompey 20. Ligi Sa
Sharks: 1. Matt Moylan 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Kurt Capewell 21. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Aaron Woods 11. Briton Nikora 12. Scott Sorensen 13. Paul Gallen 14. Blayke Brailey 15. Jack Williams 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Matt Prior 18. Billy Magoulias 20. Will Kennedy
Newshub.
