Warriors blow 18-point lead against Storm in trial loss

It’s a new season, but it was the same old story from the Warriors last night as they blew an 18-0 lead over the Storm to lose 30-18 in a trial game on the Sunshine Coast.

Having led 18-0 just before the break, the Warriors looked to be coasting towards a victory, but their attack faltered in the second half and their defence was caught flat footed on a number of occasions.

Last year the Warriors won their opening trial game, 40-18 against the Titans, so it’s wise not to read too much into this performance.

However, it was far from the type of performance new coach Stephen Kearney would have wanted to see, particularly after they lost all three games in the Auckland Nines and they only have next weekend’s game against the Titans in Palmerston North to get some confidence before the season kicks off.

The Storm were without Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Jesse Bromwich, but it was a fairly decent side out for them otherwise.

The Warriors brought back plenty of their big guns who were rested from last weekend’s Auckland Nines and in first half they were clearly the better side.

The match, played in front of 10,169 spectators was played over four quarters, because of the hot conditions and it was a scrappy first 10 minutes, with both teams guilty of some poor passes and dropped balls.

But the Warriors were the first team to strike, with a try from Tuimoala Lolohea, who was playing on the wing. The try was converted by Mason Lino, to give his team a 6-0 lead. Just before the end of the first quarter Bunty Afoa picked up the Warriors’ second try and new captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck went in soon after the resumption. The Storm finally got on the board in the last minute of the first half with Cameron Munster throwing a great pass to Joe Stimson that put him into a gap in the Warriors’ defence.

Midway through the second half Storm dummy half Slade Griffin dived in for his side’s second try.

With nine minutes to go the Storm got their third try and five minutes later Linc Port put the Storm in front for the first time.

Just to add more misery to the Warriors’ night Young Tonumaipea scored just before full time for the Storm.

The Warriors had players missing but this wasn’t the sort of performance to make their fans feel excited about the year ahead.