WARRIORS 12 PANTHERS 46
FULLTIME
80min - PANTHERS PENALTY TRY
Panthers win another penalty, before Yeo steps inside, puts the foot down and shows immense strength to crash over for the try. He's had a terrific game. We're actually going upstairs, as it looks like Walsh may have saved the day. Instead, a penalty try is given! He's adjuged to have used his leg to dislodge the ball.
78min - Game looks to be fizzing out now, as the Warriors tire and the Panthers look to their bench to the finish the game off. Luai showing good feet again, before the Panthers win the penalty just 10m out.
74min - Lui does well to hold onto the ball as he runs hard at the Panthers defence line. Warriors look to go right, but the the grubber kick through is far too heavy.
72min - Edwards cuts back inside and is tackled just short of the line. Panthers look to go right, this time Luai plays first receiver, he links up with Kikau, who shows beautiful hands to find May, and the winger is in for his hat-trick. Oh wait, TMO having a check and apparently Kikau's pass was forward.
70min - Fonua-Blake shrugs off a couple of would-be-tacklers but Lui penalised for running in behind his teammates and obstructing. Warriors opt for the captain's challenge but it's unsuccessful.
68min - Katoa tries his luck but is contained well. Harris-Tavita sees Kosi on the wing, and tries the cross-field kick but To'o does well to get back and clean up for the line dropout.
66min - PANTHERS TRY MAY
Panthers have the scrum just 10m out. O'Sullivan gets it, finds Luai on his left, who in return links up with a quick pass to May, and the winger strolls in for his second. A try right out of the playbook...all too easy for Penrith.
64min - Kosi again finding space down this left wing, but is contained well as he looked to step inside. Warriors kick high but To'o is unchallenged and takes it in easily.
62min - Game seems to have slowed down a bit now, as the Panthers make a few changes, to let their big boys have a rest. Warriors playing for pride you'd have to think, but there certainly seems to be more of a step in their running now.
60min - WARRIORS TRY KATOA
Harris plays at first receiver, he runs at the Panthers defence line, but judges his timing to perfection to find Katoa on his outside and he's over for the try! Warriors score their second.
58min - O'Sullivan tries another 40/20 but again Walsh reads it well and allows it to roll dead. Walsh finds Kosi down the left wing and he's away! The winger puts the return kick through for Walsh to chase but Panthers get back to force it dead. Best chance the Warriors have had in a long while.
54min - PANTHERS TRY KIKAU
Panthers look to go left, O'Sullivan has a number of options to his outside, he finds an unmarked Kikau, who races in untouched to score another Panthers try. There were lead runners aplenty, simply too good from the Panthers.
52min - To'o puts the head down but is well looked after, having looked as if he may have had a chance for a hat-trick. Panthers opt to go up the middle, and again are just a metre out. Warriors do well to swarm a dummy half run to hold the Panther player up.
50min - Luai busts through a couple of tackles before linking up with Edwards. Warriors do enough to contain it for now, but they are scrambling. Panthers just a metre out, but Watene-Zelezniak does well to knock down the last pass, otherwise Penrith were in again.
48min - Panthers have now scored three tries in the last eight minutes. Yeo makes a strong carry before the kick is put up for the Warriors to return.
46min - PANTHERS TRY CRICHTON
Warriors forwards seem to be tiring, as Tago is through a hole before somehow finding support. Panthers switch right, O'Sullivan finds Crichton with a nice cutout pass and the centre shows good strength to crash over for the try.
44min - Luai almost slips through but Warriors scrambling well. Kikau tries his luck but the Warriors swarm to keep him out. O'Sullivan tries the kick but again, ball falls for the Warriors.
42min - We're back underway and news from halftime is Johnson is injured and won't play any further part in this game. Panthers' charge into Warriors half but Warriors do well to come up with their kick.
HALFTIME
40min - PANTHERS TRY O'SULLIVAN
Panthers running with real intent, quickly up inside the Warriors half with just the first three tackles. Kikau gets the ball at a standing start, somehow finds Tag, who spins the Warriors defenders around on a dime, finds May before he gives it to O'Sullivan and he's in for the try out of absolutely nothing.
38min - PANTHERS TRY TO'O
Fisher-Harris does well to keep the ball alive for Edwards and the fullback almost found himself in a hole. Panthers showing great hands once again down this right wing, before To'o receives it, heads for the corner and he's in for his second try. Was Edwards and Crichton again showing fast hands to send their winger over.
36min - Warriors get a fresh set of six right on the tryline but struggling to make much of it. Johnson puts the grubber through and Vailea is chasing well and looks to have won the race, but knocks on with his left hand. Another close call.
34min - Warriors opt for the tap from the penalty before Walsh cuts back inside, puts the grubber through for himself on just the second tackle but the Panthers do enough to clean up eventually for the line dropout.
32min - Walsh reads the ball well enough to let it roll dead for the Warriors restart. Johnson kicks high on the last, Walsh looks to be impeded in his chase and the referee rules it that way! Penalty for the Warriors.
30min - PANTHERS TRY TO'O
Panthers change the direction of attack, opting to go right. Edwards and Crichton combine well with fast hands, before To'o receives it on the wing, cuts back inside, puts the head down and does just enough to score the try! Panthers in again.
28min - Panthers hot on attack, right on the try line but Curran does well to get up for the high ball and claim possession for the Warriors.
26min - Luai tries the grubber kick, almost sits up for a chasing Panther but Warriors do enough to force it dead and for the line dropout.
24min - O’Sullivan looks unsure what to do with the ball, with the Panthers just 5 metres out, opts for the grubber kick but it comes to nothing. Panthers do look a little lost sometimes so close out.
22min - Fisher-Harris with yet another strong run, he's had a great opening 20 minutes the Kiwi. Curran is penalised for a tackle off the ball. Panthers playing with their tail up now.
20min - PANTHERS TRY MAY
Kikau puts the step on and almost goes through but for a great tackle around the ankles. Fisher-Harris is also contained well before Kikau gets it again, and with his back turned against the Warriors defence, somehow offloads the ball to May without looking and the winger crashes over for the try. Panthers strike back.
18min - Harris-Tavita pumps the ball down field for To'o to return and he's met solidly. Panthers finding a lot of success up the middle but their handling is letting them down.
16min - Johnson has a bit of room, puts the kick up for Watene-Zelezniak and he comes down with it! But his pass is picked off by Luai. Another close call.
14min - Watene-Zelezniak gets the ball on the wing in a bit of space, but seems to panic a bit with defence swarming in and throws it right to Edwards.
12min - Warriors defence really fronting up, putting in a number of big shots. They haven't been perfect, having missed a couple but they're making their hits count. Warriors win a penalty.
10min - Koroisau has a dart from dummy and he's in space! He links up with Leo but is tackled well by scrambling Warriors defence. Panthers look to go quickly but Chricton can't catch the bullet pass thrown to him with the tryline begging.
8min - Harris-Tavita is penalised and the Panthers will have the restart right on halfway. Luai beats a number of Warriors defenders before Penrith look to their forwards. But Kikau coughs the ball up in the tackle.
6min - WARRIORS TRY WALSH
Harris delivers a great short ball to Lui, who finds himself in a big hole. He links up with Harris-Tavita, before he gives it to a surging Walsh on his outside and the fullback is over for the try! What a start from the Warriors. Panthers fans shellshocked. Walsh converts.
4min - Panthers make their way up to the Warriors 20m with ease. They opt to keep it in the hands on the last, but Warriors do well to man up on defence and force the turnover.
2min - We're underway! It's Fonua-Blake with the first hit up. Warriors get up to their own 40m before Johnson's kick can only find a charging Edwards.
7:59pm - Here come the Warriors! In what will be their final game away from home. Just moments away from kick-off.
7:57pm - We're just a few minutes away from kick-off. Players near to coming out the sheds. Few Warriors jerseys and flags here at Penrith.
7:50pm - Welcome thank you for joining us tonight! The Warriors face a mountain of a challenge in the form of the Panthers, but stranger things have happened. Or have they?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this NRL round 24 clash between NZ Warriors and Penrith Panthers, from Penrith's BlueBet Stadium.
In what will be their final away game of the season, the Warriors will be looking to finish on a high before returning to Mt Smart Stadium.
Having been comprehensively defeated 48-4 by North Queensland Cowboys last week, it doesn't get any easier as they face the top-of-table Panthers.
Their task won't be helped by the return of star five-eighth Jarome Luai, whilst the Warriors are already without a number of players due to injury.
Marelo Montoya was originally named to start, but instead now joins Euan Aitken, Jack Murchie, Jesse Arthars, Jazz Tevaga, Bayley Sironen and Ronald Volkman on the sidelines.
TAB Odds: Warriors $19 Panthers $1.001
Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Viliami Vailea. 4-Adam Pompey, 5-Edward Kosi, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7-Shaun Johnson, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 14-Freddy Lussick, 10-Tohu Harris, 12-Josh Curran, 16-Eliesa Katoa, 13-Bunty Afoa
Interchange: 15-Dunamis Lui, 17-Tom Ale, 21-Ben Murdoch-Masila, 23-Taniela Otukolo, 24-Jackson Frei, 22-Daejarn Asi
Panthers: 1-Dylan Edwards, 2-Taylan May, 3-Izack Tag, 4-Stephen Crichton, 5-Brian To’o, 6-Jarome Luai, 7-Sean O’Sullivan, 8-Moses Leota, 9-Apisai Koroisau, 10-James Fisher-Harris, 11-Viliame Kikau, 12-Liam Martin, 13-Isaah Yeo
Interchange: 14-Mitch Kenny, 15-Matt Eisenhuth, 16, Spencer Leniu, 17-Charlie Staines, 18-Sunia Turuva, 19-J’maine Hopgood, 20-Chris Smith, 21-Kurt Falls, 22-Lindsay Smith
