Adam Bailey
DeanoHarmoWarriors Calm the Storm
September 14th 2008 14:22
Category: No Category
The New Zealand Warriors stole a late try to cause the biggest upset in NRL finals history. The first placed Melbourne Storm were beaten by the eighth placed Warriors in a bruising clash that has turned the finals series on its head.
The Warriors got the upper hand early by finding the dead ball line from the kick off leading to a Storm drop out. In typical fashion the Storm were able to defend their line and strike first with an Anthony Quinn try in the 16th minute. The four pointer came from a set play that finished with a slick Billy Slater pass to Quinn.
It looked as though the first half was going to be won by the hard working Melbourne Storm until Jerome Ropati busted through the defense close to the Storm try line just before the interval. At half time the scores were locked 8 - 8.
The Warriors momentum continued after the break when Manu Vatuvei pounced on a grubber kick to score on the wing in the 45th minute.
The Vatuvei try came as a wake up call to the Storm and with the assistance of some penalties they were able to hit back through the ever reliable Israel Folou in the 54th minute. With a fourteen all scoreboard, the game became an intense contest in the middle of the ruck with each team battling for field position.
The Storm were able to make solid progress up the field and were rewarded with a sweetly struck field goal from Greg Ingles with about ten minutes to go.
But it was left to the desperate Warriors to become the first eighth placed team to defeat the minor premiers since the insertion of the McIntyre system in 1999. With just two minutes left on the clock, Vatuvei busted through the line on the left wing and laid a try on for Michael Witt who was backing up on the big man's right hand side. For the second time this year the Warriors were able to claim the scalp of the competition favourites. Ruben Wiki's dream is still alive. Warriors 18 - Storm 15.
This now sets up for one of the biggest semifinals in recent history when the Storm face the Brisbane Broncos this coming Saturday night.
Adam Bailey
The Warriors got the upper hand early by finding the dead ball line from the kick off leading to a Storm drop out. In typical fashion the Storm were able to defend their line and strike first with an Anthony Quinn try in the 16th minute. The four pointer came from a set play that finished with a slick Billy Slater pass to Quinn.
It looked as though the first half was going to be won by the hard working Melbourne Storm until Jerome Ropati busted through the defense close to the Storm try line just before the interval. At half time the scores were locked 8 - 8.
The Warriors momentum continued after the break when Manu Vatuvei pounced on a grubber kick to score on the wing in the 45th minute.
The Vatuvei try came as a wake up call to the Storm and with the assistance of some penalties they were able to hit back through the ever reliable Israel Folou in the 54th minute. With a fourteen all scoreboard, the game became an intense contest in the middle of the ruck with each team battling for field position.
The Storm were able to make solid progress up the field and were rewarded with a sweetly struck field goal from Greg Ingles with about ten minutes to go.
But it was left to the desperate Warriors to become the first eighth placed team to defeat the minor premiers since the insertion of the McIntyre system in 1999. With just two minutes left on the clock, Vatuvei busted through the line on the left wing and laid a try on for Michael Witt who was backing up on the big man's right hand side. For the second time this year the Warriors were able to claim the scalp of the competition favourites. Ruben Wiki's dream is still alive. Warriors 18 - Storm 15.
This now sets up for one of the biggest semifinals in recent history when the Storm face the Brisbane Broncos this coming Saturday night.
Adam Bailey
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