RTS to fore as Warriors slay Dragons
Warriors skipper Roger TuivasaSheck celebrated his 100th game for the Warriors with another reminder of his talents.
Tuivasa-Sheck scored the match-winning try in an allround brilliant performance as the Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak with a 20-14 NRL win over the Dragons in Sydney.
It was a quality encounter as both teams scored three tries apiece, with Kodi Nikorima’s four goals from four attempts proving to be the difference on the scoreboard.
But the Warriors, who moved to 3-3 of the season after just their second win at Kogarah Oval, were deserved winners.
Riding a four-match winning streak heading into the contest, St George Illawarra had impressed all season with their line-speed and physicality.
But coach Nathan Brown’s side won all the key statistics, including finishing with a 100 per cent completion rate, completing an incredible 40 sets out of 40, according to NRL.com stats.
Their red zone attack still needs plenty of work but, trailing by two points with 15 minutes to go, the halves made sure to get the ball to their most damaging player and Tuivasa-Sheck did the rest.
The fleet-footed fullback had threatened to break the line on numerous occasions but, after receiving the ball 15m out, he exploded out of the attempted tackle by Jack Bird and beat the cover to score.
Tuivasa-Sheck also ran for a game-high 265 metres from 26 carries, with two line breaks and six tackle busts.
Back-rower Josh Curran was also huge for the Warriors, leading the tackle count with 50 and making 142m to justify Brown’s decision to drop Eliesa Katoa.
Brown made a number of changes before kick-off, including handing new recruits Kane Evans and Ben Murdoch-Masila their first starts of the season at prop and second-row respectively.
After being initially named on the right wing, Peta Hiku was moved to his regular position of centre in a straight swap with Marcelo Montoya.
But Hiku lasted just five minutes before suffering a dislocated shoulder, leaving the Warriors with 16 players for the majority of the match.
Paul Turner filled in at right centre as result and it didn’t take long for the Dragons to catch the Warriors out down that edge, winger Cody Ramsey on the end of a slick backline shift to open the scoring.
Despite the slow start, it was the Warriors who went into the break leading 12-8 after two tries in three minutes.
In one of their first ventures into the Dragons 20m zone, hooker Wayde Egan did well to isolate a smaller defender out of dummy-half for Harris to crash over.
They were then gifted a fourpointer by St George Illawarra fullback Matthew Dufty, who failed to ground a Kodi Nikorima kick in the in-goal, leaving Turner to pounce on the scraps.