Calls cost sub-par Wahs
Warriors twice denied tries by controversial officiating but again fall far below the standards set last season
This is the kind of game you want to forget as soon as possible — even though that will be hard. It was played in terrible conditions, with a heavy field and monsoon-like rain at times, which made enterprising football almost impossible.
It was exactly the kind of situation you don’t want when desperate for a win but the Warriors still needed to deal with the situation better.
The short story is they have fallen to another loss — their third in a row — with a 14-8 reverse in Newcastle.
It was another messy performance, again far from the standards set for most of the Andrew Webster era.
But they also played without luck and were victims of some inept officiating in a tight contest, with an apology no doubt forthcoming today from the NRL.
The Warriors looked to have a strong claim for a penalty try just before halftime, after Dallin WateneZelezniak was tackled in mid-air, but that wasn’t considered. And another potential try early in the second half was ruled out for obstruction in what looked a tough call.
But the harsh facts are the Warriors were outmuscled and outplayed. The Knights are a limited team — especially without Kalyn Ponga — but managed the conditions, in a strong exhibition of wet weather football.
They were more desperate on defence, especially in the last 15 minutes as the Warriors mounted a series of attacks.
The Warriors have lost their confidence — especially on attack — as they struggled to create much from good ball, even allowing for the weather.
And there are more injury issues to deal with, with Kurt Capewell departing in the first half with a calf injury.
It’s a long way back from here, especially with away games against the Roosters and Panthers the next two weeks.
Newcastle dominated the early possession, helped by penalties and repeat sets, before Tyson Gamble’s opportunist 10th-minute try after Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad could not clean up a grubber.
There was a fortunate escape soon after, with a clean drop by Marcelo Montoya unpunished after a push on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
But the scrappy play continued from the Warriors, with a spate of spilled balls, though Newcastle were lucky with their first-half penalty kick, after the officials erred when the ball was blatantly punched out of NicollKlokstad’s grip.
The Warriors finally settled, rewarded with Dylan Walker’s gutsy try between the posts, after clever work from Tohu Harris and Wayde Egan. Earlier, Walker had his knee wrenched badly in a tackle but played on.
The visitors should have had more points just before halftime after Watene-Zelezniak spilt the ball in the process of scoring, as he was tackled in mid-air catching a Johnson kick.
It looked an obvious penalty try, but between referee Chris Butler and the bunker officials, they either forgot the rule or didn’t want to apply it, and the hosts hung on.
A brilliant try saver from NicollKlokstad was also crucial, as he jolted the ball from Dane Gagai when the State of Origin centre was in the process of forcing it.
Ford went close after a mad chase of a Johnson kick before another flashpoint, as Watene-Zelezniak’s acrobatic finish in the corner was scratched for a supposed obstruction, with Ford running into Jackson Hastings. It was an extremely marginal call, with the Newcastle man making the most of it.
The torrential rain returned and the Warriors spent a lot of time pinned in their own half, with the pressure eventually telling, as Daniel Saifiti ploughed over from close range in the 62nd minute.
That felt decisive. The Warriors threw everything into the last 15 minutes but Newcastle held with some magnificent defence on their own line, though the execution was also lacking.
Knights 14 (Tyson Gamble, Daniel Saifiti tries; Dane Gagai 2 cons, pen)
Warriors 8 (Dylan Walker try; Shaun Johnson con, pen) Halftime: 8-6.