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Warriors 14 Roosters 22
Warriors - Kosi & Watene-Zelezniak tries, Walsh penalty & 2 conversions
Roosters - Tupou, Walker & Naiqama tries, Walker 3 conversions & 2 penalties
Second half
40th minute - Manu concedes a set restart fof holding on too long and Warriors have on last chance. Walsh bounces out of a tackle as the siren sounds and kicks ahead, but Collins smothers the threat and the Roosters win it.
39th minute - From the scrum, Roosters go on attack, with Tedesco weaving and bobbing. Keary kicks to the line, but Katoa grabs it on the full and Warriors have a 20m restart.
Johnson tries an early kick through, but it's charged down and Walsh has to retreat to smother.
38th minute - Johnson reels out of a tackle, as play continues downfield. Walsh tries to release the ball in a tackle, but knocks on.
Johnson appears to have knocked his knee and hobbles back into position.
37th minute - Roosters run a kick back and cross halfway again...
36th minute - Warriors trying to escape thier own half, but not making much ground.
35th minute - Roosters deep in Warriors half and Tupounuia runs an angle. Collins doesn't run an angle - he just barrells straight for the posts and reaches out, but he's short and promotes the ball, so no try.
34th minute - Warriors making little ground in this set and Pompey is almost forced into touch, but just flicks it back for Kosi to smother.
Walsh's kick has ice on it and is allowed to bounce, but the Warriors are all offside and are penalised.
33rd minute - Radley threatens to bust the Warriors and Walker kicks ahead, where Walsh knocks the ball dead. Officials review for possible try to Tupounuia and the way they've called in recent minutes, there's every chance they'll award it.
Eventually, reluctantly, they award the Warriors a seven-tackle set to restart.
32nd minute - Weird kickoff from the Warriors, not long and not short enough to contest. Tupou catches it.
31st minute - Walker bends the ball through the posts, ROO 22-14
29th minute - Roosters shift right and Crichton is stopped head-on by Harris-Tavita. Crichton bobbles the ball and replays show Pompey nudges it free with his boot.
Walker will take the shot at goal...
28th minute - Roosters go left and Naiqama spills the ball, ruled backwards. A high kick to DWZ is knocked backwards, but ruled forward - Warriors getting screwed by the officials here.
27th minute - Tedesco kicks off and Fonua-Blake runs back, losing the ball in a tackle. He challenges and replays show the ball knocked out by Crichton, but the bunker doesn't think so.
From the attacking scrum, Roosters shift right, where Suaali is barely held out.
25th minute - TRY to Watene-Zelezniak
Warriors run on the last tackle and Johnson finds Walsh steaming off his shoulder. Walsh hacks a left-foot kick towards the wing, where DWZ stands up Tupou to score.
Walsh hooks his sideline conversion through the posts, ROO 20-14
24th minute - Radley tackles high and everyone thinks so, except the ref.
23rd minute - Keary kicks high to DWZ, who is safe this time. Warriors win a penalty in the tackle and Johnson finds touch about 35m out.
22nd minute - Walsh kicks off and almost finds the touchline, but Tupounuia claims it and a tackle from Curran at the same time.
21st minue - TRY to Walker
Roosters keep the ball alive in Warriors half and Walker spins over the line. He loses the ball, but not before he forces for the try.
Walker converts his own try, ROO 20-8
20th minute - Nikorima scampers from dummy half, but the Warriors will kick from their own half. Johnson's bouncing kick is eventually gather by Tupou.
18th minute - Roosgers in Warriors half and Walker steps the defence. Tedesco offloads to Tupounuia, but he's tackled short.
Keary kicks acrossfield and Suaali claims it, but is wrapped up on the last tackle.
17th minute - Fonua-Blake punches over halfway. Johnson finds Sironen, then puts a kick towards the corner, where Tedesco claims it bravely.
Warriors are penalised and Roosters clear to their 40.
16th minute - Walsh kicks off and Baker runs it back. Roosters quickly in Warriors half and DWZ has to face another high kick, which he takes, earning a penalty in the process.
13th minute - TRY to Naiqama
Roosters back in Warriors half and Radley almost drops the ball. Keary bombs, DWZ spills the ball under pressure and it's scrambled to Naiqama to score.
Walker converts, ROO 14-8
12th minute - Nikorima is at dummy half, as Afoa punches the ball upfield. Curran is back in position and Walsh puts up a spiral bomb that is barely covered by Tedesco.
11th minute - From the scrum, Roosters win a clearing penalty. They are quickly into Warriors territory, but Tedescon is wrapped up, before he can offload to Naiqama.
Eventually, Crichton is wrapped up on the final tackle and the Warriors survive. Curran is down again.
10th minute - Warriors have another set restart, Walsh dashes to the goal-line, but the ball comes loose and Arthars dives on it. Baker is over the top in a tackle and doesn't strip the ball, so that's just a clean spill by Walsh.
Ninth minute - Loose pass sets the Warriors back and Harris-Tavita's kick is knocked on by the Roosters near their line.
Eighth minute - From the scrum, Warriors have a restart and move right.
Seventh minute - On the last tackle, Pompey tries to nudge a kick to the line, but Roosters cover it easily. Radley spills the ball in his own half, so good position for the Warriors.
Sixth minute - Afoa bursts over halfway and Warriors are keen to shift the ball.
Fifth minute - DWZ is caught in a crusher tackle and Johnson finds touch near the 40.
Fourth minute - Roosters shift left, but Tupounuia cuts back infield. Manu flicks an offload to Suaali, who is barely kept out.
Keary kicks towards the line, but Walsh is there to tidy up.
Third minute - Walsh's kickoff is way more conservative this time, but the Warriors are again penalised early, so more field position coming up for the Roosters. Kosi is back on the field.
Second minute - Walker slots the penalty from in front, 8-8
First minute - Walsh kicks off and it clears the deadball line, so Roosters immediately get field position on halfway. They begin their set on the Warriors 30.
Warriors penalised in front of their posts and Walker will take the two points to level the score.
Halftime
40th minute - Arthars kicks ahead and Roosters will tap from 10 metres. Roosters move left, but Tedesco is wrapped up on his 30.
Siren sounds for halftime.
39th minute - With Kosi off, Pompey moves to the wing and Aitken slides into the centres, where he started.
38th minute - Pompey gathers a bouncing kick on his 20.
37th minute - Keary kicks early and Walsh runs back to gather the bounce. Otukolo reaches halfway and Johnson kicks towards Tupou again - that's a wasted effort, he's safe.
36th minute - Kosi leaves for an HIA, so the Warriors will reshuffle. Johnson kicks high, but Tupou is safe in the air.
Pene has passed an HIA.
35th minute - Johnson kicks to touch and finds it 25 metres out from his line.
34th minute - Roosters into Warriors half, but Tupounuia is wrapped up in a midfield tackle. Kosi has to defuse another bouncing ball and barely gets back into the field of play.
Radley's tackle is under scrutiny, but Kosi is very low and Radley had nowhere to go. He goes on report anyway.
33rd minute - Walker kicks from halfway, but finds touch on the full, so Warriors have good position for this set.
Harris-Tavita offloads, but they're losing ground and eventually lose the ball to Radley.
32nd minute - Johnson kicks high and Walsh is chasing hard, but Tedesco manages to claim the catch under pressure.
31st minute - Walker's kick bounces straight to Kosi, as Curran returns to the field.
30th minute - Tupou fields the kickoff and Collins only gets to the 10, before he's met by Katoa.
29th minute - TRY to Tupou
From the scrum, Roosters shift left and Tupou is on the end of the line, running at speed with space to the corner. Walker converts from the sideline, WAR 8-6
28th minute - Walker kicks high towards the corner and Suaali beats Harris-Tavita, who knocks on.
27th minute - Warriors try to shift right, but Naiqama catches Walsh in a tackle before he can shift it to DWZ. Johnson's long kick bounces dead for a seven-tackle set.
26th minute - Roosters shift left, but Tupounuia can't hold the pass, so Warriors survive again.
25th minute - Replays reverse the call - no Roosters touched the ball before it went dead, so they get the tap.
Roosters get a repeat set and enter Warriors half.
24th minute - Warriors make good metres into the Roosters 20, Johnson kicks to the in-goal for a dropout.
23rd minute - Walker grubbers to the line, but Kosi is there to cover and runs out of his goal area. Pene is hit on the nose by JWH, who goes on report.
Johnson kicks into Roosters half.
22nd minute - Roosters in midfield on the 10, Collins runs an angle against the grain.
21st minute - Warriors are penalised for advancing too quickly, so Roosters kick into Warriors half.
20th minute - Curran is back on, but Johnson's pass to Arthars goes astray to halt the attack. Curran is down again and he's replaced by Afoa - strap it up and take a painkiller, lad.
19th minute - Walsh reaches halfway and flicks the ball to Pompey down the left.
18th minute - From the scrum on the 30, Roosters scamper towards the line. Collins carries powerfully towards the posts, but a pass goes lose.
Arthars dives on the ball, but Warriors have a penalty when he is tackled early. Curran hobbles to the sideline - that's not good.
17th minute - Aitken fields the kickoff, but Pene loses the ball in a tackle and Roosters will have that field position again.
15th minute - TRY to Kosi
Pene fields the dropout and charges back towards the line. When the ball shifts left, Pompey holds it up and gives Kosi an acre of space to cross in the corner and run closer to the posts.
Walsh is on target from wide out, WAR 8-0
14th minute - Curran reaches halfway and Harris-Tavita is taken in a high tackle, but no call. Johnson angles a kick to the in-goal and the ball bobbles off Tupou for a goal-line dropout.
13th minute - Hutchinson juggles the ball at the back of the scrum and Warriors have the ball back, let off the hook.
12th minute - Tedesco kicks off and Pene has to run it from his in-goal. Harris-Tavita spills the ball in a tackle and Roosters will have great field position.
10th minute - Walsh lines up the penalty from just right of the posts and slots it for the early lead, WAR 2-0
Ninth minute - Set restart and Fonua-Blake almost busts through. He tries to play the ball quickly, but Roosters hold him down and Tedesco is penalised metres from his line.
Eighth minute - Quick hands give DWZ some space down the right, but he cuts infield.
Seventh minute - Roosters into Warriors half and Keary kicks along the ground for Walsh to gather. Roosters penalised for offside, so good opportunity for the Warriors with field position.
Sixth minute - Roosters dominating territory so far and Keary kicks towards Walsh, who spills it, but Roosters knock on first. Egan makes good ground from dummy half, Johnson kicks early and Tedesco faces a wall of defenders.
Fifth minute - Keary's kick is charged down by the Warriors and they make good ground towards halfway.
Johnson kicks high, but Tupou is safe.
Fourth minute - Curran meets JWH with a big tackle on halfway and Johnson cops an elbow in the mush, reeling away.
Third minute - Johnson kicks from deep in his own half and Tedesco has room to run back.
Second minute - Waerea-Hargreaves reaches halfway for the Roosters, who have good field position for their kick. Kosi is safe under the high kick.
First minute - Tedesco kicks off for the Roosters and Pene takes the first hit-up.
Johnson kicks high towards Tupou at the end of the set.
3:41pm - Late change from Warriors coach Nathan Brown, moving Bunty Afoa back to the bench, where he brings such great impact, and promoting newcomer Aaron Pene into the starting line-up, taking injured Matt Lodge's spot.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NRL clash between NZ Warriors and Sydney Roosters at the picutresque Sydney Cricket Ground.
After five weeks of the 2022 NRL season, these two teams share the same three-win, two-loss record, with the Roosters - perennial championship contenders - ahead on the table on points differential only.
Both lie on the cusp of the top-eight playoff cut, but it's early days and anything could still happen.
The Warriors will be buoyed by their three consecutive wins over Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys, but the Roosters present a more realistic yardstick for their playoff hopes.
Coach Nathan Brown loses prop Matt Lodge to injury and winger Marcelo Montoya to suspension, with Bunty Afoa promoted from the interchange and NZ Kiwis captain Dallin Watene-Zeleniak returning from his broken thumb.
TAB Odds: Roosters $1.17, Warriors $4.95
Roosters: 1-James Tedesco, 2-Daniel Tupou, 4-Joseph Manu, 23-Joseph Suaali, 5-Kevin Naiqama, 6-Sam Walker, 7-Luke Keary, 8-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9-Sam Verrills, 10-Lindsay Collins, 11-Nat Butcher, 12-Sitili Tupouniua, 13-Victor Radley
Interchange: 15-Fletcher Baker, 16-Angus Crichton, 22-Daniel Suluka-Fifita, 24-Drew Hutchison
Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Jesse Arthars, 4-Adam Pompey, 5-Edward Kosi, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7-Shaun Johnson, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 15-Bunty Afoa, 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Bayley Sironen, 13-Josh Curran
Interchange: 14-Kodi Nikorima, 15-Bunty Afoa, 16-Aaron Pene, 17-Eliesa Katoa, 18-Taniela Otukolo
Warriors coach Brown defends 'great bloke' Montoya after homophobic slur ban
Alex Powell
NZ Warriors coach Nathan Brown has lept to the defence of winger Marcelo Montoya, after he was handed a four-match ban from the NRL for a homosexual slur.
The Warriors will be without Montoya until round 10, after he pleaded guilty to a contrary conduct charge, after he was overheard through onfield microphones, calling North Queensland Cowboys opposite Kyle Feldt a "f*****".
An NRL judiciary hearing has handed Montoya the punishment that will keep him out of the Warriors side until they face South Sydney Rabbitohs on May 14.
The NRL originally pushed for a six-week suspension, but Montoya's previous good record and remorse after the fact counted in his favour, as the ban was reduced to four matches.
Brown insists the homophobic slur was not a reflection on Montoya's character and that the club wants to move on from the incident.
"My only comment is that it's important that everyone understands what a terrific fella Marce [Montoya] is," Brown said. "He's a great bloke, and something got said in the heat of the battle and we'll just move on from it.
"The main thing is that people don't judge Marce from it. He's as good a bloke as I've seen in the rugby league game in my whole life.
"It's important people understand that - that's all."
Brown added he had no concerns over how the suspension would impact Montoya, who has plenty of support around him.
"He's got huge support from the club, he's got a great family - he's going to be fine. He'll move on and be better for it."
In the meantime, Montoya has been replaced in the Warriors starting side to face Sydney Roosters by returning Kiwis captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who broke his thumb at the start of the season.
