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Warriors 16 Bulldogs 14
Warriors - Vailea, Johnson & Montoya tries; Johnson 2 conversions
Bulldogs - Kiraz & Addo-Carr tries; Burton 2 conversions & penalty
Second half
40th minute - Warriors just need to hold onto this ball. Kosi powers over halfway.
Tevaga plays the ball slowly and Burton isn't happy. The game is over and Warriors have their third win.
Gutsy, gutsy effort.
39th minute - Ball goes loose, but Bulldogs dive on it. Burton kicks ahead, but his offload goes forward.
38th minute - Warriors deep in Bulldogs territory and Johnson's grubber kick is blocked by Kikau.
37th minute - Warriors have Bulldogs pinned, but Burton kicks ahead for Averillo. The ball bounces into touch for a Warriors play the ball.
36th minute - A few guys cramping up here. Johnson rolls a kick from halfway to within metres of the goal-line.
35th minute - Martin with a strong tackle on Averillo. Mahoney offloads to Addo-Carr, but he's tackled.
Flanagan kicks to goal-line, but no-one chases.
34th minute - Warriors carry from their line. Afoa is fresh on the field at the right time.
Johnson kicks to Perham...
33rd minute - Burton charges towards the posts and King is dragged down just short. Mahoney is held up on the last tackle and Warriors survive.
32nd minute - Johnson kicks out long and Faitala-Mariner charges back. Bulldogs play the ball quickly and have Warriors backpedalling.
Six more tackles for Bulldogs on the tryline.
31st minute - Bulldogs go left, but Alamoti is taken. Burton kicks ingoal, but Martin covers it for a dropout.
30th minute - Warriors penalised and Burton finds touch inside Warriors half. Bulldogs charge onto attack.
29th minute - CNK reaches halfway, but he cramps up. Johnson kicks high and Addo-Carr takes the catch.
26th minute - TRY to Johnson
CNK dances and takes a second carry. Warriors on the front foot and Johnson dummies, then takes the gap to score under the posts.
Just the hint of obstruction on the defence, but try confirmed. Johnson converts, WAR 16-14
25th minute - King is penalised for molesting Ford in the tackle, so Warriors can enter Bulldogs half. Johnson finds touch just short of halfway.
24th minute - Johnson kicks high to Addo-Carr, who is safe underneath. Burton is tackled on halfway, Flanagan kicks ahead for Addo-Carr, but it goes into touch.
23rd minute - Ale reaches halfway...
22nd minute - Averillo threatens down the right and Bulldogs get six more tackles.
Johnson takes Burton in a front-on tackle, Mahoney kicks ingoal, but Martin escorts it dead.
21st minute - Kosi has ben great under the high ball today, but Montoya drops the ball inside his 20, so Bulldogs have a big chance here.
20th minute - Johnson kicks high to Addo-Carr. Perham runs from dummy half, but Bulldogs can't make halfway.
19th minute - Mahoney runs from dummy half, but is scragged by Martin. Mahoney kicks fo the corner and Montoya bounces off a would-be tackler.
Warriors have found a second wind here.
18th minute - Johnson kicks from halfway and Perham marks it ingoal. Kikau is putting his boot on and holds up play.
17th minute - Burton kicks off and Fonua-Blake charges upfield.
15th minute - Warriors go left and Vailea is dragged down short. Martin's kick is blocked by the Bulldogs, so six more tackles.
TRY to Montoya
Walker goes close near the posts, but Warriors go left and Vailea puts Montoya over. Sideline conversion for Johnson and he leaves it right, BUL 14-10
14th minute - Burton kicks short, but Lussick snaffles the ball on Bulldogs 10. Addo-Carr has Kosi, but concedes six more tackles.
13th minute - Warriors surge back onto attack. Johnson goes left and almost puts Ford into a gap to score.
Martin kicks ahead and Kiraz has to force for another dropout. Warriors need to convert.
12th minute - Tevaga reaches halfway. Johnson almost finds a gap with the show and go.
Martin kicks for Kosi, Addo-Carr throws a speculator pass behind his line and Perham barely survives. Ruled a forward pass, so Bulldogs dropout.
11th minute - Bulldogs will kick from their own half and Burton pumps a long kick that goes dead. Sironen is down for the Warriors, but he's tough.
10th minute - Kosi takes another high kick into the sun and Warriors cross halfway through Walker. CNK takes on the defence, Johnson grubbers to the corner, but Perham has the bounce.
Ninth minute - Johnson kicks to Perham and Montoya bears down on the fullback. Kiraz is monstered by three tacklers, but Perham reaches halfway.
Eighth minute - Flanagan kicks to CNK and Kosi spins through a couple of tackles. Harris has left the field and won't be back with that knee injury.
Seventh minute - Pompey kicks off and King carries for Bulldogs. Offload puts Kikau over halfway.
Fifth minute - Warriors go right and Pompey breaks the defence with the ball in one hand. He's looking for his winger and Kikau knocks the ball loose, Pompey regathers and touches down.
Sent upstairs for a review and the bunker rules Pompey lost the ball forward. Pretty obvious strip...
TRY to Addo-Carr
From the scrum, the ball goes left to the flying winger and no-one can catch him down the sideline. Heartbreaker, after the disallowed try at the other end.
Burtn converts, BUL 14-6
Fourth minute - Tevaga reaches the 30, but Fklanagan has Johsnon. Martin finds Vailea, who offloads to Montoya and he's held up short of the line.
Third minute - Alamoti offloads in a tackle, but Warriors squash the breakout. Mahoney is pinged for a forward pass to Perham near halfway, so Warriors scrum in Bulldogs territory.
Second minute - Tevaga reaches halfway. Johnson kicks high and Perham is safe.
First minute - Harris returns to the field with strapping around both knees, but Lussick won't return, with Walker playing at dummy half instead.
Pompey kicks off for the Warriors and Waddell takes the carry for Bulldogs. Harris in a tackle, but struggling.
Brown goes down for the Bulldogs and he's hold his arm. Not good signs for his elbow and he's helped off with an arm in a sling.
Burton kicks to Kosi, but he's safe.
Halftime
40th minute - Warriors go left, but Vailea is wrapped up. Niukore is send off for an HIA, no surprise there.
Walker slips a pass to Lussick on the last tackle. Johnson kicks to the ingoal and Perham knocks it dead.
As the teams leave the field, Harris is getting medical attention on his left knee.
39th minute - Averillo crosses halfway for Bulldogs, but Kikau throws a loose pass behind Addo-Carr under pressure. Warriors scrum.
38th minute - Walker's hands let him down again on halfway, gifting Bulldogs one more chance this half.
37th minute - Brown carries to halfway, Burton kicks high to Kosi, who busts a couple of tackles.
36th minute - Burton kicks to CNK, who is safe in the air. Niukore was down a minute ago, but runs strongly.
Johnson kicks high to Perham and he's safe again. Niukore is down again.
35th minute - Johnson kicks deep to Perham, who takes it with no challengers. Brown offloads to Kiraz, who crosses halfway.
34th minute - Bulldogs over halfway and Preston carries strongly. Flanagan kicks to CNK.
33rd minute - Warriors struggling to reach halfway and Lussick kicks early. Perham covers it easily.
32nd minute - Brown crosses halfway for Bulldogs and Burton kicks high to Kosi.
31st minute - Warriors go left and Johnson puts Ford into space.
Mahoney deflects a Warriors pass, so six more tackles. Harris offloads to Walker, who can't take the pass in front of the posts.
30th minute - Burton kicks off and Walker runs it back for Warriors. Ford makes big metres and wins a penalty.
Johnson finds touch on halfway.
28th minute - TRY to Vailea
From the scrum, Warriors go left, where Johnson finds his centre, who powers over in three tackles. Johnson converts, BUL 8-6
27th minute - Johnson kicks high and a Warriors player is taken out in the chase, but no call. Tevaga forces and error.
26th minute - Bulldogs go left, but Kosi bats a pass away and regathers. Warriors charge into Bulldogs half.
25th minute - Mahoney kicks from dummy half and finds a 40-20. That's a killer.
Bulldogs in the red zone...
24th minute - Tevaga is in the game for the Warriors. Johnson kicks high from his 40 and Kiraz gathers.
23rd minute - Addo-Carr takes an offload and threatens to bust loose. Bulldogs to halfway and Burton kicks high to CNK.
22nd minute - Nicol-Klokstad crosses halfway and Martin kicks to the ingoal, where Perham makes the field of play.
21st minute - Johnson kicks high to Addo-Carr, who is equal to the occasion.
Burton kicks from his 30 and Kosi takes the bounce.
20th minute - Nicol-Klokstad crosses halfway and Fonua-Blake carries for metres.
19th minute - Bulldogs into Warriors half, but Preston is dragged into touch.
18th minute - Warriors have another penalty in the Bulldogs half and take it quickly. They go left to Montoya, but he's stopped short of the line.
Johnson's pass to Fonua-Blake is ruled forward.
17th minute - Warriors have a penalty and Johnson finds touch near the Bulldogs 30.
16th minute - Bulldogs push towards halfway. Kikau crosses into Warriors territory on the last tackle and Johnson prevents Burton getting a kick away.
Eventually, the Bulldogs kick is gathered by Lussick after a couple of bounces.
15th minute - Warriors go right, but Addo-Car deflects a pass. Six more tackles, but not given.
Johnson kicks to the corner for Kosi, who finds Pompey infield, but he's pushed into touch.
14th minute - Warriors are quickly into Bulldogs half, Lussick kicks and Bulldogs play at the ball. Six more tackles.
13th minute - Good defensive set for the Warriors, keeping Bulldogs in their own 30. Burton kicks deep to Montoya.
12th minute - Warriors get a set restart, Fonua-Blake takes a hole, but misses Nicol-Klokstad running off his shoulder.
Warriors shift right to Kosi, who is hauled down. Johnson's grubber kick is defused by Mahoney.
11th minute - Warriors win a clearing penalty and Johnson kicks to the Bulldogs 40.
10th minute - Burton pumps a high kick to Kosi, who climbs high to take the ball.
Ninth minute - Burton slots the penalty from in front, BUL 8-0
Pompey kicks off and Sutton charges upfield. Kikau runs at Johnson, loses the ball in the tackle, but backwards and Bulldogs continue upfield.
Seventh minute - Sutton doing much of the heavy lifting for the Bulldogs and Warriors concede another penalty in their own half. Harris challenges the ruling at Johnson's urging, but replays show he had hold of Kikau's arm and interfered with the play-the-ball.
Burton points at goal...
Sixth minute - Bulldogs hot on attack, as Burton surges towards the posts, Perham kicks to the goal-line and Vailea scrambles to force for the dropout.
Fifth minute - Pompey restarts and Sutton takes the hitup. Perham reaches halfway and Bulldogs have six more tackles.
Third minute - TRY to Kiraz
Bulldogs go right on the last tackle and Flanagan fakes the kick, passes to Averillo, who finds Kiraz for the try. Warriors have made a worrying habit of conceding the early try in every game so far this season.
Burton slots the conversion from wide out, BUL 6-0
Second minute - Warriors are penalised and Burton kicks to halfway. Bulldogs are quickly into the red zone.
First minute - Peter Gough will referee the game, with Burton kicking off for the Bulldogs and Afoa taking the first hitup for Warriors.
Johnson kicks high to Perham, who is safe.
4:02pm - Marata Niukore plays his 100th NRL game today, after debuting for Parramatta against the Warriors.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to the NRL clash between NZ Warriors and Canterbury Bulldogs at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium.
Two wins - and a creditable loss to Sydney Roosters - have Warriors faithful believing this really could be their year.
Their road win over North Queensland last week demonstrated a durability that has been missing from recent Warriors campaigns, with new coach Andrew Webster seemingly steering his outfit down the right path.
It's early days.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of their season start has been the fact they are yet to play on their home turf, where they host the Bulldogs today.
These two teams have recently struggled to escape the bottom third of the competiton ladder, but their current form - Bulldogs are also 2-1 - make this encounter an early benchmark. Win and you remain in the playoff eight, lose and you're headed to purgatory.
The Warriors get fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and second-rower Jackson Ford back from injury, but lose forward Mitch Barnett and hooker Wayde Egan.
Join us at 4pm for kickoff.
Warriors: 1-Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2-Edward Kosi, 3-Viliami Vailea, 4-Adam Pompey, 5-Marcelo Montoya, 6-Te Maire Martin, 7-Shaun Johnson, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Freddy Lussick, 10-Bunty Afoa, 11-Jackson Ford, 12-Marata Niukore, 13-Tohu Harris
Interchange: 14-Dylan Walker, 15-Bayley Sironen, 16-Jazz Tevega, 17-Tom Ale
Bulldogs: 1-Hayze Perham, 2-Jacob Kiraz, 3-Jake Averillo, 4-Paul Alamoti, 5-Josh Addo-Carr, 6-Matt Burton, 7-Kyle Flanagan, 8-Max King, 9-Reed Mahoney, 10-Ryan Sutton, 11-Viliame Kikau, 12-Jacob Preston, 13-Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Interchange: 14-Jayden Okunbor, 15-Corey Waddell, 16-Jayden Tanner, 17-Fa'amanu Brown
'He wants me running': How Webster freed Johnson as part of Warriors' stellar start
Alex Powell
Three weeks into the NRL season, NZ Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson's new lease on life is clear to see under new coach Andrew Webster.
In the final year of his current contract with the Warriors, Johnson has been an integral part of the side's start to the season, with two wins from their first three games.
The most recent of those against North Queensland Cowboys was arguably the most impressive, as the Warriors snapped a 13-game losing run on Australian soil.
So far this season, Johnson has looked back to his old self with ball in hand, attacking the opposition line as his first option, rather than looking to pass straight away.
Those instructions have come from the top, with Webster challenging Johnson to express himself out on the park.
"He makes a point of it," said Johnson, 32. "He wants me running the footy, he wants me dancing across the line, keeping them guessing.
"He certainly wants me to have a smile on my face. It's nice to hear as a player."
Webster has made no secret of his belief in Johnson in his first season as the Warriors head coach.
Johnson has emerged as the Warriors' go-to No.7, as the most experienced half at the club, and after declaring his pre-season as the best he's ever had at the Warriors, the proof is in the pudding.
Coupled with the Warriors forwards stocks arguably being as strong as they've ever been, it's no surprise to see the team on an upward trajectory.
"Any halfback will tell you, their job's a lot easier when you have a forward pack that dominates like ours had the last few weeks," he said. "It's been really fun.
"The expression comes from the hard work I've done and the confidence that gives me in my body to not even think about things - just attack.
"[If] you combine that hard work with the clarity Webby's given me, the clarity that we have collectively at the moment around what our performance looks like, you get that. I want to hold onto that for as long as I can."
Another important factor in the Warriors run has been the arrival of Te Maire Martin, who has become the first-choice at No.6 in combination with Johnson.
The duo have started all three games together this season and will do the same on Sunday, when the Warriors host Canterbury Bulldogs at Mt Smart Stadium.
The consistency in selection has been vital in allowing Johnson and Martin to grow together, compared to the 2022 season, when four different halves pairings played in the opening four rounds.
"Continuity is pretty important, not just for me, but for the side in general," Johnson continued. "The longer you can keep partnerships together, the better they usually become and the more beneficial that is for the team.
"Last year, there was so much chopping and changing, not just in the halves, but everywhere. The longer you can keep those partnerships together, the better we'll be for it."
