1038 days: Fans cheer their Warriors home
Chaotic scenes for long-suffering club
The Warriors celebrated their long awaited return to Mt Smart Stadium in style with a 22-2 win over Wests Tigersyesterday. Back on home soil for the first time in 1038 days the Warriors made sure their legion of fans went home happy with their fifth win of the season.
After controlling the possession for the first 10 minutes and receiving four straight penalties, the Warriors looked to have cracked the Tigers line when Wayde Egan burrowed over from dummy half but the bunker ruled he'd been held up.
The home side were denied a second time when Shaun Johnson launched a pinpoint bomb which Marcelo Montoya knocked on in the air before Ronald Volkman forced the ball in goal.
After 25 minutes of being unable to crack the Tigers’ defence, the Warriors settled for a Johnson penalty goal to open their account.
Skipper Tohu Harris then sent the Warriors faithful into a frenzy when he powered through a Kelma Tuilagi tackle to dot down next to the posts. Johnson's conversion made it 8-0.
Tuilagi compounded that error by giving away a penalty with a late tackle on Volkman and the Warriors pounced through Chanel Harristavita, who chased another Johnson bomb and touched down in the right hand corner.
A penalty against Jazz Tevaga for a late hit on Jackson Hastings handed the Tigers a chance to get on the board in the 40th minute and Adam Doueihi slotted goal to make it 14-2.
The second half developed into an arm wrestle as both sides completed their sets and defended strongly before an obstruction penalty against Alex Seyfarth in the 64th minute gave Johnson a shot from 35 metres out which he nailed for a 14-point lead.
With nine minutes to play the Tigers looked set to grab their first try but a great last-ditch tackle by Josh Curran kept Luke Garner at bay.
The Warriors put the icing on the cake with a try in the 75th minute of another perfectly placed Johnson kick which was tapped back by
Dallin Watene-zelezniak for Jesse Arthars to score the 12th try of his career.
Snapshots
■ Warriors prop Jazz Tevaga left the field in the second minute for a HIA which he passed.
■ The Tigers had just 38 per cent of possession in the first half and were forced to make 74 more tackles than the Warriors.
■ Warriors prop Bunty Afoa played his 100th NRL match.
■ Veteran Tigers winger Ken Maumalo was the only player from either side to run for more than 100 metres in the first. The former Warrior chalked up 117 metres from 10 runs.
■ The Tigers have not won at Mt Smart Stadium since round 25, 2016.