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Canterbury Bulldogs 14 NZ Warriors 20
Fulltime
Bulldogs 14 (Meaney, Foran & Hopoate tries; Meaney conversion) Warriors 20 (Murchie 2, Pompey & Tuivasa-Sheck tries; Nikorima 2 conversions)
79th minute: Bulldogs may have just one more chance. They get to halfway and find space our left, but a pass goes astray.
There's a Warrior in pain in midfield - it's Taunoa-Brown.
The siren sounds, the Warriors have their sixth win of the season and are still a top-eight chance.
78th minute: Turner still wants his try on debut, Papali'i is held up short, RTS jinks and jives, and on the last, Nikorima misses a drop goal from directly in front.
77th minute: On the last tackle, Hiku grubbers behind the goal-line and Meaney is trapped for a dropout.
76th minute: Foran kicks high, Holland regathers and Foran almost creates a try, before RTS hares up field.
Lawton appears to squander the opportunity, when he spills an unexpected pass. Captain's challenge is successful and Lawton receives the ball back.
75th minute: Harris slips a short pass to Hiku on the last, but he's tackled on the last.
73rd minute: Bulldogs on attack again. Faitala-Mariner slips a tackle. Cogger kicks high and when he gets the ball back, Perham smashes him and Turner regathers.
72nd minute: Hiku kicks high from halfway. Burr grabs the ball, but hands over at the end of the set.
70th minute: Bulldogs are pressing, but as the ball goes left, Hiku rushes up on Hopoate and the pass is into touch.
69th minute: Bulldogs get a set restart and a penalty to break out of their own half, then another penalty, when Murchie throws away an opponent's boot.
68th minute: Turner's kick to the corner burns up the clock.
67th minute: Meaney makes good ground down the left, Cogger's kick is eventually secured by Turner.
66th minute: RTS kicks on the last, Meaney catches on the full.
65th minute: Bulldogs make the Warriors half, but their kick is easily handled by RTS.
62nd minute: TRY to Tuivasa-Sheck
Finally, the Warriors get one to stick. Nikorima spots a half gap in the defence, but has that closes, RTS is steaming up outside him and gratefully receives the pass.
He has too much gas for the cover defence. Nikorima's conversion hooks waywardly.
61st minute: Loose pass from the Bulldogs and Warriors have the ball in their own territory.
60th minute: Turner is over the line again, but replays show Papali'i has taken Cogger away from the tackle, so no try again.
59th minute: Warriors get a set restart in Bulldogs territory.
58th minute: Bulldogs threaten, but Cogger's kick bounces dead.
57th minute: Turner has the line at his mercy, but slips. He eventually forces the ball, but replays show a second movement, so no try.
55th minute: Perham kicks to the goal-line and has Hopoate under pressure. Good Warriors defence has the Bulldogs rattled, but Cogger somehow finds halfway with a streaky kick.
Still, good position for the Warriors.
54th minute: Cogger kicks long and low, but RTS is starting to clock up some metres at the back.
53rd minute: Nikorima kicks high on the last, but Hopoate is equal to the challenge.
51st minute: TRY to Murchie
From dummy half, Egan slips a no-look pass to Nikorima, who beats Foran in the defensive line and provides the final pass to Murchie, who now has his second NRL try.
Nikorima's conversion wobbles unconvincingly between the posts for the lead.
48th minute: TRY to Pompey
Cogger repeats his kick from the previous set and RTS again makes ground.
Murchie provides a one-handed flick pass to Hiku that gives Pompey space down the right and there's no Bulldogs defence to stop him.
Nikorima's wide conversion drifts across the posts.
47th minute; Tevaga makes good ground, but Nikorima's kick is difused by Meaney.
46th minute: Cogger kicks along the ground and RTS returns.
44th minute: TRY to Hopoate
From a play the ball, Cogger provides a brilliantly timed short pass to Hopoate steaming towards the line and no-one can stop him that close.
Meaney's conversion flies across the face of the posts.
42nd minute: Bulldogs find touch at the end of their first set and the Warriors launch off a scrum in their own 20.
Turner's kick is too strong and finds touch on the full.
41st minute: Warriors now have the big wind, but judge it better with their second-half kickoff.
First half
Bulldogs 10 (Meaney & Foran tries; Meaney conversion) Warriors 6 (Murchie try; Nikorima conversion)
40th minute: On the last, Foran is menacing, but he's scragged by Murchie. Warriors get the ball, but Alvaro is tackled as the halftime siren sounds.
39th minute: Turner and Perham combine on the left, Nikorima kicks and Murchie slaps the ball back, but Blair passes to Holland.
38th minute: Marshall-King threatens to break the defence again, but is deemed to have lost the ball in the tackle. Warriors scru on their own 30.
36th minute: Harris slips a short pass to charging Blair, who splits the defence. On the last, Hiku is caught short of the line and hands possession over.
35th minute: Foran's kick over Pompey's head finds touch, but he's outside the 40, so defensive scrum for Warriors.
34th minute: Nikorima kicks on the last, Hopoate catches. Holland is slowly back into position, but Tevaga has also left for an HIA.
33rd minute: Smith and Holland combine on the right, but Cogger's crosskick is cleaned up by Hiku. Holland is struggling.
32nd minute: On the last, Nikorima chips over the defence and Hiku almost regathers, but knocks on.
Ogden passes his HIA.
30th minute: TRY to Murchie
Nikorima kicks towards the posts on the last, and Murchie rises highest to claim the catch and ground for a try, much needed. That's his first NRL try.
Nikorima converts from beside the posts.
29th minute: Turner dies with the ball, but Faitala-Mariner loses the ball in a tackle. He convinces his captain to appeal the call, but the bunker rules it a loose carry and the Bulldogs lose their challenge.
28th minute: With a massive breeze at their back, the Bulldogs' dropout clears 60m on the full and RTS runs it back from his own 30.
27th minute: On the last, RTS kicks behind the goal-line and Cogger knocks it dead - Warriors will receive the ball from a dropout.
26th minute: Foran kicks towards the corner, where Pompey tidies, thinks about a silly long pass on his own line and then cops a high shot from Foran in the tackle.
Foran is on report.
24th minute: Nikorima kicks towards the corner on the last, Pompey gets his hand to the ball and knocks on.
23rd minute: Nikorima kicks on the last, but Bulldogs have good field position on their own 30.
Foran kicks on the last, but RTS catches near his own line. Warriors earn a set restart.
22nd minute: Foran ducks under a tackle and threatens the line. He passes to Ogden, who kicks on the last, but RTS tidies up.
Cogger's knee collects Ogden's head in the scramble and the prop heads off for an HIA.
20th minute: Jackson tries to offloard, but his pass is knocked back by the retreating Pompey and Warriors have possession.
On the last tackle, Lawton puts a kick behind the goal-line, but no-one's chasing and it dribbles dead.
Bulldogs earn a relieving penalty, when the Warriors try to strip Hopoate in a tackle.
17th minute: TRY to Foran
Marshall-King runs from dummy half and splits the Warriors defence, finding Foran funning a good line in support to score under the posts.
Meaney converts from in front. Warriors need to regroup quickly.
14th minute: TRY to Meaney
Lafai and Meaney have an overlap on the left side. Meaney finds Lafai and then takes the backflip return to score in the corner.
Meaney misses the sideline conversion.
12th minute: Cogger is absolutely cleaned out on his kick and Pompey makes good ground to kick-start the Warriors attack.
Burr tries to offload, but finds Bulldog opposite Ogden.
11th minute: Turner kicks early in the counrt and catches Reimis Smith behind the goal-line. Smith passes to Hopoate, but misses by a mile.
Turner is chasing hard, but just can't force the ball for the opening try. Nice touch from the debutant.
10th minute: Nikorima spots another half gap and feeds Hiku, who grubbers down the right sideline. Hopoate tities up.
Foran attempts a 40-20, but overcooks his kick, giving Warriors good attacking position.
Ninth minute: Hopoate goes close for the Bulldogs, but Coggers crossfield kick is difused by Pompey and the Warriors break out of defence.
Seventh minute: Jack Cogger puts a cute kick behind the Warriors defence and it bounces end over end over the goal-line. Foran traps RTS for the dropout.
Sixth minute: Nikorima sniffs the line and finds a gap, but when he's scragged, his pass finds Kieran Foran and the attack ends.
Second minute: Warriors go close down the left, but Perham is tackled just short and loses the ball.
First minute: Nick Meaney kicks off for Bulldogs and immediately kicks it well over the dead=b
Big news is the debut of Paul Turner in the halves - he's been promoted to the starting line-up, allowing Tohu Harris to stay in the forwards, where he belongs.
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Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NRL clash between Canterbury Bulldogs and NZ Warriors from ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
The Warriors are aiming to bounce back from last weekend's loss to Penrith Panthers, with the Bulldogs chasing just their third win of the season.
Last time, these two teams met, the Warriors claimed a 40-6 win in the opening game of the 2019 season.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Peta Hiku, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris, Lachlan Burr and Jazz Tevaga are the only players named that featured in that 32-point win.
A few changes are expected in the Warriors' team above, after Chanel Harris-Tavita was ruled out Saturday, due to concussion, and while Tohu Harris has been moved to halfback, expect Paul Turner to make his NRL debut.
Kickoff is at 4pm
Betting odds: Bulldogs $1.80 Warriors $1.97
Adam Blair weighing up NZ Warriors future, but family will come first
Veteran NZ Warriors forward Adam Blair admits he is unsure if he will be at the club beyond 2020, but his family will come first.
The former Kiwis captain has a player option for the 2021 season, but speculation has been rife that he is not wanted by the club.
Club owner Mark Robinson said in July that Blake Green and Gerald Beale wouldn't be retained beyond this season, while Blair's hefty salary also had him linked with a move away from Mt Smart Stadium.
Blair is reportedly set to earn NZ$650,000 in 2021 if he decides to remain at the club, but he admits he is weighing up his options - including retirement.
"I've always thought I would go around again next year," Blair said on Saturday.
"It's my option so I want to take my time with that.
"The club has extended the period on when I can take that option up, but because of what I am trying to do with where I sit in the team, whatever I decide to do - be it playing footy or not - I just want to enjoy what's left if this is the final year.
"My manager and the club are having those talks at the moment - there are a lot of variables and it's about making sure all the options are right for me before I make a decision."
Ultimately Blair said the decision on his future will be as much his family's to make as his, and they have enjoyed their return home.
"It's a hard one because I really enjoy being back home in NZ and the thought about packing up and leaving is really tough - especially on my family - but something great could come up.
"To be honest it's more about what my family wants than what I want."
After spending his entire professional career in Australia, Blair moved back home in 2018 to take up a lucrative deal with the Warriors, helping the side achieve a playoff spot in his first season.
But Blair's form has been inconsistent, and this season he has been relegated to a bench role.
However outgoing coach Todd Peyton spoke this week about Blair's performances in his new role, complementing the 34-year-old on providing some real steel when he comes on.
"I'm just tryna enjoy what I am doing," Blair said.
"I'm trying to play my part in the team and help out wherever I can - not only on the field but at training and after training
"Trying to help the younger guys who haven't played yet and prepare them when their opportunity comes.
"I just want to be a part of this team."
