Warriors let chance slip away in Perth
ON a miserable night in Perth, the Warriors’ miserable record in Western Australia continued.
In the end, Manly Sea Eagles star Daly Cherry-Evans broke the Warriors hearts with a golden point extra time field goal to steal a 15-14 win and confine Andrew McFadden’s men to their eighth straight loss in Perth.
The Warriors have also now lost 11 of their last 12 against Manly.
Aside from the opening quarter, the Warriors were all over the Sea Eagles as heavy rain fell but they couldn’t finish the job. McFadden will ask himself how this one got away - and there will be questions asked about why Tuimoala Lolohea went unsighted from the bench in regular time.
Down by two points in the closing stages, time and time again Shaun Johnson rolled the ball in behind the Sea Eagles to pepper their left side defence and keep knocking on the door.
Spurred on by the pro-Kiwi crowd who chanted ‘‘Warriors, Warriors’’ in dying stages the visitors refused to give in.
But they couldn’t come up with the telling blow.
The Warriors had plenty of chances. Issac Luke missed a penalty attempt that would’ve levelled the scores at 14-14 with 20 minutes to play, but made amends with a successful nudge six minutes from time to do just that.
And, in the most bizarre moment, big Sam Lisone had a shocker of a field goal attempt, coming up with an air swing. Jazz Tevaga dropped the ball in the play the ball, giving Cherry- Evans one chance to finish that match in regular time but his field goal never got off the ground and so they went to golden point.
Johnson had the first snap in extra time but his kick was charged - and Cherry-Evans then nailed his second chance.
Manly exploded out of the blocks with two tries. Fullback Tom Trbojevic skipped through a soft Blake Ashford tackle and past opposite David Fusitua to open the scoring, and Jorge Taufua profited out wide not long after to establish an early 12-0 lead.
The Warriors initially struggled to control the ball in difficult conditions. Fusitua dropped a high ball and Vatuvei made a mistake in play the ball and a second from a kickoff.
The first quarter was all Manly. They set up camp inside the Warriors half, with CherryEvans pulling the strings and forcing repeat sets from his pinpoint kicking game. Jamie Lyon’s influence wasn’t far behind, either.
Johnson touched the ball twice in the first 20 minutes, such was his side’s lack of completions. But the star halfback then burst to life to showcase his ball playing ability and lay on a brace for rookie Bunty Afoa.
Afoa’s first was pretty much a clear run to the line, but his second required plenty of work to get to there, and then get the ball down.
Give Johnson time and space and he will make you pay. Afoa, in his second NRL match, deserves credit for running sharp lines and backing his strength to power over. Manly 15 Tom Trbojevic, Jorge Taufua tries, Jamie Lyon con, pen, Daly Cherry-Evans fg Warriors 14 Bunty Afoa 2 tries, Issac Luke con 2, pen Ht: 14-12