WARRIORS 26 TITANS 27
FULLTIME
86min - Titans again march their way into the Warriors half, Boyd is in the pocket, he gets it, hits it hard and nails it right through the uprights for the Titans in! What drama, and what disappointment for the Warriors.
84min - Titans happy to put the ball through the hands, as Fifita makes a strong carry. Campbell's kick is charged down, and the Warriors will have another go.
82min - Warriors forwards make a number of strong carries to get them into great field position. Asi tries the long-ranged attempt at a drop goal but it's well short.
80min - Boyd nails the penalty goal from almost 30 out and ties up the game at 26-all with just 30 seconds left. Is there enough time for the Warriors to hit back, or are we going to golden point? Watene-Zelezniak gets the ball down the wing! Tries the kick but can't come up with it. We're going to golden point.
79min - Campbell is tackled high, and after checking with the bunker, the Titans are awarded the penalty. Gold Coast want the two points instead, and will kick for goal.
78min - Titans win the penalty, and have their tails up. Campbell again causing issues for the Warriors on defence with his fast feet. Brimson kicks through but Harris-Tavita gets there to knock the ball dead.
76min - TITANS TRY TURNER
Curran gets bounced from the Titans kick-off, but does enough to knock Fotuaika off balance. Campbell looking dangerous again, before Arthars comes up with the tackle. Titans finding a bit of space down the left wing, before they come back inside to Turner with some clever passing, and he's over for the try! Game is NOT dead yet.
74min - TITANS TRY CAMPBELL
Campbell gets the ball against the run of play, starts weaving left and right, beating a number of Warriors players and he dives in for a brilliant individual try. What a run. Game not done yet?
72min - Fonua-Blake makes another strong carry, before Katoa is tackled just short of the tryline. The Warriors put the ball through the hands, before Watene-Zelezniak gets it on his wing, he dives for the corner but is obliterated into touch.
70min - Warriors look to go quickly from the play of the ball, but it spills free and the Titans look to counter! It was Harris-Tavita that couldn't gather it in. Warriors do well to scramble on defence though and stop the breakout.
68min - Fonua-Blake almost spins out of the tackle and towards the try-line but he's pulled back just short. Lussick tries his luck but looks to be held up.
66min - Brimson tries a kick through behind the Warriors defence, but Watene-Zelezniak reads it well and grabs the ball out of thin air. Great play.
64min - Boyd goes high again with the kick and boy it is high, but Vailea does well to get up and claim it. Game turning into bit of an arm-wrestle at the moment.
62min - Boyd goes wide to Fifita, and he bumps off one or two Warriors players. Titans look to kick, but it's far too deep and easily gathered in by the Warriors.
60min - Rain looking to be getting to both teams now, with the Titans guilty of a loose play of the ball. They challenge the call, but the ruling stands. The ball is really wet.
58min - Warriors guilty of being a bit messy with the ball in hand, before eventually knocking on. Walsh looks to be going off, clutching his what looks to be his ribs. Stil feeling that shot from earlier by Fifita.
56min - Ale again proving a handful for the Titans defence, and even manages to get the offload away. Harris-Tavita kicks, and Kosi comes down with it, but his offload in the tackle to Watene-Zelezniak travels forward.
54min - WARRIORS TRY VAILEA
Warriors have the scrum on their own 40m, they go left to Villiami Vailea, who steps inside AT PACE, and he's away! There is nobody home for the Titans, and the Warriors centre runs more than 50m to score a brilliant individual try. Showed great pace.
52min - Walsh does well to run the ball back from inside his own in-goal area, but is nailed in the tackle by the centre Fifita, and the Warriors fullback gets up rather gingerly.
50min - Ale makes a very strong carry, beating a few would-be-tacklers, before Asi's kick goes up and is taken in by the Titans after a few bobbles.
48min - Titans now with all the possession. They're making good metres too. Titans just a few metres out as Fifita tries his luck. Warriors defence holding, for now...Campbell steps out of a few tackles but he's finally tackled on the list.
46min - TITANS TRY FERMOR
Warriors go short with the line dropout, they manage to knock it back but it falls to Fermor, and he shrugs off Curran to race away and score the try. Bit lucky, but four points nonetheless.
44min - Warriors now guilty of infringing and give the penalty away. Titans quickly march their way into the Warriors half, before Fifita makes a strong carry.
42min - We're back underway at Mt Smart, and it's the Warriors who are awarded the penalty. Walsh mouths a few words to the guilty party.
HALFTIME
40min - Warriors defence fronting up well now, as the keep the Titans to just 36m for the set, before Curran rushes up and forces the knock on. What a half he's had. Harris-Tavita tries the kick through, and the Titans get back to force it dead.
38min - WARRIORS TRY CURRAN
Ale is adjudged to have lost the ball in the play of the ball, and the Warriors issue a captain's challenge, and it pays off as he remained in possession. Harris-Tavita kicks, it's untidy and it rolls into the in-goal area. Warriors players are chasing, and Curran wins the race to dive on the loose ball and for his second try!
36min - Turner tackles Egan high, and the Warriors win their third penalty of the fixture. Walsh finds touch around halfway. Can the Warriors hit back?
34min - Asi's kick doesn't go very far, and Thompson does well to take it in with Warriors players on the move. Titans playing with a bit more of spring in their step now, before Boyd kicks high but Kosi takes it easily.
32min - Titans make good ground with their return set from the kick-off, before Boyd puts the kick up, and Watene-Zelezniak judges it well, allowing it to bounce into touch.
30min - TITANS TRY BRIMSON
Brimson gets the ball from Boyd, cuts back in-field, beats Arthars and Watene-Zelezniak, puts his head down and does enough to roll the tackle of Walsh and dot down for the Titans' first try. Gold Coast really needed that. Poor tackling by the Warriors.
30min - Brimson tries the kick through and it's a good one! Sami toes it ahead, with nobody home for the Warriors, but Watene-Zelezniak somehow gets there to knock it dead for the line dropout. What a scramble from the Warriors winger.
28min - Harris-Tavita kicks hard and LOW, it's troubling the Titans players, before they gather it in, but inside their own in-goal area for the line dropout. Titans go short but again, much too far.
26min - Titans try the short kick-off but Asi takes it in easily, the kick was just too deep. Afoa makes a strong carry. Harris links up with Fonua-Blake, he steps out of one tackle and reaches for the line! We're going to the bunker, and it's held up!
24min - Warriors win their second penalty of the game, as the rain starts to settle in here at Mt Smart Stadium. Walsh finds touch on the Titans 40m for the restart.
22min - Afoa is almost through a hole! He's got Harris-Tavita surging on his outside but just can't quite get the offload away. Titans forced to attack from deep, and knock on.
20min - Titans force the line dropout but Walsh's kick is a good one and forces Gold Coast to start their attack from inside their own half. Titans try go wide before putting the grubber kick through, but the Warriors easily account for the rolling ball.
18min - Warriors having it all their way with the Titans, making easy metres on attack. Watene-Zelezniak does well to come down with the kick, but his pass is intercepted by Campbell.
16min - WARRIORS TRY WATENE-ZELEZNIAK
Warriors immediately go wide from the scrum just 10m out, Harris-Tavita tries the cutout pass, skips two players and it bounces for an unmarked Watene-Zelezniack, who dives in the corner for another try! Dream start.
14min - Warriors making great ground again, before Asi tries the cross-field kick and the Titans fail to gather it in cleanly, and knock on for another fresh set for the home team.
12min - Wallace, who is playing hooker for the Titans, is penalised for a high tackle, much to his disbelief. Walsh finds touch with a huge kick for the fresh set of six.
10min - Fonua-Blake with another strong carry, as Harris tries to fight his way for extra metres in the very next carry. Walsh kicks but it's too far and Thompson takes it into contact.
8min - WARRIORS TRY CURRAN
Warriors overcome bit of a mix-up following the Titans kick-off and work into their set. Asi's kick is dropped by Marzhew, falls to the Warriors and Curran pounces on the follow up and he's in for the Warriors' second try! What a start from the home team.
6min - WARRIORS TRY ARTHARS
Harris puts Katoa in a hole, and steps well before he's finally tackled. Warriors go wide and and go quick, before Walsh finds Arthars with a beautiful cutout pass, and he runs the perfect line to cut back inside and score the game's first try.
4min - Sami is through a huge hole for the Titans, beating a number of Warriors players, but his pass out wide is a poor one and it rolls into touch.
4min - Walsh almost steps into a hole, with the Warriors happy to spread it wide. Asi tries the high spiral kick but Campbell does well to take it in, and easily as well.
2min - Asi does extremely well to take in the kick-off with the ball dying on him, clutching it with just his fingertips. Solid first set from Warriors, before the kick back to the Titans.
5:00pm - Harris leads out the Warriors to much applause from the faithful here in attendance. Remember, there is no Shaun Johnson tonight.
5:00pm - Titans making their way out of the sheds and onto the park. Fotuaiaka leads them out in his 100th NRL game.
4:55pm - Welcome and thank you for joining us at Mt Smart Stadium, as the Warriors look to finish their NRL season on a high.
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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this NRL Round 25 clash between NZ Warriors and Gold Coast Titans at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.
The Warriors will be looking to finish their season off on a high, after a disappointing defeat to North Queensland Cowboys last week.
They will have to do it without the services of injured trio Shaun Johnson, Marcelo Montoya and Rocco Berry, who were originally named in head coach Stacey Jones' team.
The clash will also serve as the final game for many departing Warriors players, including Reece Walsh and Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Meanwhile, the Titans will also be playing for pride and sit one spot below the Warriors in 15th on the NRL ladder.
A loss for Gold Coast and a win for the Wests Tigers could see the Titans get the dreaded wooden spoon.
TAB odds: Warriors $1.65, Titans $2.20
Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Jesse Arthars, 24-Villiami Vailea, 22-Edward Kosi, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 20-Daejarn Asi, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 10-Tohu Harris, 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Josh Curran, 13-Bunty Afoa
Interchange: 14-Freddy Lussick, 15-Ben Murdoch-Masila, 16-Eliesa Katoa, 17-Tom Ale, 18-Jack Murchie, 25-Taniela Otukolo
Titans: 1-Jayden Campbell, 2-Greg Marzhew, 3-Jojo Fifita, 4-Phillip Sami, 5-Corey Thompson, 6-Alexander Brimson, 7-Tanah Boyd, 8-Moeaki Fotuaika, 9-Sam McIntyre, 10-Timo Fa'asuamaleaui, 11-David Fifita, 12-Beau Fermor, 13-Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14-Paul Turner, 15-Herman Ese'ese, 16-Jaimin Jolliffe, 17-Klese Haas, 18-Jarrod Wallace, 19- Tony Francis
Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson fire back at NRL as NZ Warriors' sacrifice snubbed in 2023 calendar
by James Regan
Wellington and Napier will host two NZ Warriors home games next year as the club bids to take the game around the country, but players are still furious at the NRL's lack of interest in hosting more games in New Zealand.
The club conceded they're disappointed only 11 games, plus the NRL All-Stars clash, will be hosted in Aotearoa, after fans have been starved of top-level rugby league in the past three years.
Senior players Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris doubled down, calling out the empty words purported by the game honouring the club's sacrifice, which have turned out to be nothing but that. Just words.
"Off it, it's dumb as I don't get it," Johnson responded when asked how he felt about the situation.
"How can everyone come out, say they want to repay the Warriors, then they give us nine home games.
"Just don't say anything. Just sit there and don't put the social media videos up thanking the club for everything they've done but when push comes to shove you don't put your hand up to offer anything."
Their sacrifice, it seems, has been quickly forgotten, or at least not repaid fully, given players', staff and families' lives have been turned upside down over the past three seasons.
Chief executive Cameron George called out the NRL for not giving clubs enough incentive to bring games to New Zealand, seemingly putting the task in the too hard basket.
Johnson admited he and other players are in disbelief at the lack of action from the governing body, after all the words that have been spouted from across the game.
"I can't believe it. It's out of our control but don't speak up and say how grateful you are and thank the Warriors for everything they've done," continued Johnson. "Just stay quiet.
"Offer something. We'll still pay you, you'll still get the clip on the ticket and people through the gate. It baffles me.
"It's most sad for rugby league in New Zealand. They've starved this country of league for the past three years, it's not about us playing on this turf [Mt Smart] it's about talking rugby league around the country again.
"They say how much they need us and they know the fanbase we bring in but that seems to be where it stops."
Captain Harris echoed Johnson's sentiments, and anger.
"To see how many games are in New Zealand as opposed to being away, it is really disappointing," he said.
"We had a number of clubs and different people come to us and ask us if there's anything they can do to help support or repay us. You get excited at the possibility that they could do something, but at the moment those are just words."
Harris' excitement has been extinguished with the recent announcement, and he's not the only one whose hope of something more has turned to anger at the result
"You get a bit angry about the different words that were spoken and people coming into our changing room and saying things, I don't know what else to say."
