Warriors break lame

WARRIORS BRONCOS 19 10 SOMEONE, SET the Warriors game day alarm clock for half an hour earlier, and let it off again at half time.

For the first 30 minutes of last night’s game against the Broncos at Mt Smart the Warriors looked half asleep, bumbling and lacking in inspiration before, with 12 minutes to go in the first half, someone lit a fire that didn’t die down until they ran off the field 19-10 victors at full time.

The Warriors have now won four of the past five encounters and the Broncos can only think wistfully about the last time they won at Mt Smart, in 2009. Despite this the form sat with the Broncos, who have won four on the trot and came into this match sitting at fifth with 18 points. The Warriors were at 11th with 14.

The Warriors, in front of a crowd of 16,025, seemed determined to bust straight through the middle of the Broncos using their big men as battering rams but lacked inspiration when they got inside the Broncos’ 20.

Coach Andrew McFadden’s desire to see error-free football was sadly lacking with at least a handful of rookie errors in the first half, including a case of the dropsies from David Fusitu’a – first when he was on the end of a bomb from Shaun Johnson that he normally would’ve swallowed, instead looking like he had been caught in the headlights, and let a sure try go begging.

Fusitu’a bobbled another ball 10m out from the Warriors’ line, which put the Brisbaneites hot on attack and led to the first try from the Broncos with Jake Granville putting a long arm over the line in the 17th minute.

There were five errors in the bank from the Warriors before there was finally a moment of brilliance from Feleti Mateo to put Ben Henry into a yawning hole. He scuttled 40m to score. Johnson converted to draw the scores level with 12 minutes to go before before half time.

Consistent pressure, a penalty, and a dodgy-looking play of the ball led to Konrad Hurrell roaring over eight minutes later.

Shaun Johnson, obviously enjoying the Warriors’ resurgence before half time, booted a massive 45m field goal right before the buzzer, just the fourth of his career.

The second half started in an equally bizarre fashion for the Warriors.

Suaia Matagi was put on report just after half time after taking out the legs of a player in the air. He put the pressure on his team with a penalty putting the Broncos 10m out.

Ngani Laumape was also put on report after a tip tackle on Josh McGuire.

Broncos fullback Ben Barba humiliated Sam Tomkins, beat- ing him fto burst past and the fend him off twice to score with 20 minutes to go.

Chad Townsend gave the Warriors a bit of breathing space 15 minutes from time, dotting down under the posts.

The Broncos may wonder what they did wrong. Their two Bens – Hunt and Barba – took control of the game early, their fancy footwork dazzling the Warriors but they were simply not consistent enough.

The Warriors ran the ball far more than the Broncos, with at least three lengths of the field more in metres.