Plenty to work on for Warriors
Both the Warriors and Melbourne Storm will be happy to have blown the rust out of the system in their first pre-season outing of the year.
The Storm won 18-16 in a sometimes scrappy NRL trial match at CET Arena in Palmerston North yesterday, where both teams had big extended benches.
Neither side looked the finished product and with a host of first-grade regulars to come back, both teams should look a lot better next weekend. Both teams were guilty combinations mistakes.
The Warriors struggled to make the metres Melbourne did, but hung in the game and made the most of their opportunities when they got down Melbourne’s end. But the visitors scored when it counted and then held out in the final 10 minutes.
The Storm, who led 14-12 at halftime, put the pressure on as the match went on and scored 10 minutes from time to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The Warriors struggled to of and lacking making didn’t put enough pressure on.
The Warriors looked good when new hooker Wayde Egan was on during his brief secondhalf cameo and had the Warriors marching up-field with quick plays.
Team-mate Leivaha Pulu was strong on defence and put some shots on the Melbourne forwards.
Melbourne had more territory in the first half and made more metres, but the Warriors took their chances both times when they were attacking Melbourne’s line.
The Storm looked better in the opening quarter and opened the scoring in the 13th minute thanks to a deft offload from secondrower Tom Eisenhuth, who was held up by three defenders, but still managed to slip the pass for hooker Harry Grant to dive over.
The Warriors then lost Jackson Frei to a leg injury, but then got on the scoreboard straight afterwards when a hard-charging Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard offloaded to Paul Turner to score out wide on the right.
The Warriors have another trial against the Wests Tigers in Rotorua next weekend.