Maloney breaks Warriors’ hearts
SHARKS WARRIORS 19 18 JAMES Maloney came back to haunt his old team by kicking a field goal in the 87th minute to give the Sharks a 19-18 golden point win over the Warriors.
The halfback managed to send over the kick with players in both teams out on their feet in a lungbusting match.
It was a crushing defeat to the Warriors who brought so much to this game but they did lack a clinical edge at times against a Sharks team that’s now won 11 games straight.
The Sharks are clearly setting the benchmark this season, but this game showed the Warriors can play at that level and despite the loss, it was the sort of gutsy performance that would have produced two points against most other sides.
Surprisingly, coach Andrew McFadden made the call to switch David Fusitu’a from wing to fullback and drop Tuimoala Lolohea to the bench. Jonathan Wright took Fusitu’a’s place on the wing, with Nathaniel Roache dropping out of the team.
The Warriors blew a couple of their early opportunities, while they defended well to keep the Sharks out when they attacked.
In the 21st minute the deadlock was finally broken with Fusitu’a breaking through the line, then flicking a pass inside him to Blake Ayshford to beat fullback Ben Barba.
In the 27th minute the Warriors got their second try, coming from Wright, who finished off a nice backline move.
Then came the fightback. Five minutes before break Michael Ennis took the ball underneath the posts, threw a huge dummy then snuck through a gap to score.
Three minutes later Ricky Leutele took the ball on the right edge with an overlap and although the Warriors defence raced over, he was able to ground the ball and Maloney’s kick put the Sharks up 12-10 at the break.
Early in the second half Warriors prop Sam Lisone was smashed by Luke Lewis when making a charge for the line, then a few minutes later Wright dropped the ball cold when he had no one around him and the tryline just metres away.
In the 49th minute the Sharks were awarded a penalty try when Simon Mannering held back Jayson Bukuya when the former Warrior was running to try to ground the ball in goal.
It’s a call from the bunker that will be discussed throughout the week and Ryan Hoffman, while agreeing that it was a professional GETTY IMAGES foul from Mannering, felt it wouldn’t certain Bukuya would have been able ground the ball if untouched.
The Warriors needed something special to get back in the game and got that from Thomas Leuluai, who contorted his body around three tacklers to stretch out an arm and ground the ball.
Lolohea replaced Wright for the last 20 minutes and with seven to go Luke goaled a penalty to make the score 18-18.
Maloney missed with a field goal in the 78th minute and Chad Townsend had an attempt charged down with five second left on the clock.
Barba couldn’t hold onto the ball one minute into extra time after Townsend’s break and neither side took a shot at goal over an exhausting first five minutes. But two minutes into the second period Maloney got over an ugly kick that just flopped over the bar. Sharks 19 (Michael Ennis, Ricky Leutele tries; penalty try; James Maloney 3 goals, field goal) Warriors 18 (Blake Ayshford, Jonathan Wright, Thomas Leuluai tries; Issac Luke 3 goals). 12-10.
‘‘It really gave me the push I needed. I wanted to win this competition so badly and to be able to have a go in front of my family and friends was really inspiring.’’
This episode was filmed last September, with everyone involved sworn to secrecy about what happens. The episode is expected to follow the usual formula, though, with one of the contestants eliminated at the end.
It will give Auckland huge exposure in Australia as it is broadcast on the Nine Network. The show came to New Zealand thanks to financial help from Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, and Tourism New Zealand.
The episode airs on TVNZ’s Duke channel at 9.50pm on Tuesday.