Nathan FRIEND [
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Mon May 7, 2012
Source: www.warriors.co.nzCourageous hooker Nathan Friend is expected to be out for six weeks after breaking his jaw early in the Warriors' ninth-round NRL clash against Brisbane at Mount Smart Stadium.
Friend was taken to Middlemore Hospital after the match where x-rays confirmed the break.
Team doctor John Mayhew said the NRL veteran had surgery this morning to insert a plate and he faces up to six weeks out of action.
With a bye coming up in the 12th round, it would mean Friend is likely to miss up to five games - the Sydney Roosters (home), Wests Tigers (away), Melbourne (home), Penrith (away) and Cronulla (away).
While the injury happened in the opening five minutes of the match, Friend went on to play the full 80 minutes, insisting he stay on the field.
Wiping blood from his mouth during the match, the former Gold Coast hooker led his side's tackle statistics with an astonishing 53 tackles. He also laid on two tries with his flat dummy half passes for Jacob Lillyman and Feleti Mateo to score.
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Source: www.warriors.co.nzHeroic hooker Nathan Friend defied a broken jaw for the last 75 minutes of the match to help the Warriors beat in-form Brisbane 30-20 in the gruelling ninth-round NRL battle at Mount Smart Stadium.
Head coach Brian McClennan later confirmed Friend had been injured in the opening five minutes but had told the coaching staff he wanted to play on.
He was still on the field at the end, leading the side's defence statistics with an amazing 53 tackles.
Comeback prop Jacob Lillyman, another hero on a night studded with them, was moved to label Friend's selfless display of courage the most inspirational act he has witnessed in his playing career.
After the match Friend was taken to hospital for x-rays to establish the severity of the injury. Team doctor John Mayhew said it wasn't possible to estimate how long Friend might be out of action until the x-rays had been analysed.
It wasn't immediately obvious exactly how the injury happened but throughout the match it was clear to see Friend mopping blood from around his mouth.
The Vodafone Warriors' gritty effort in winning their fourth game in nine starts this season was built on bravery and sheer will right across the park but was clearly epitomised by the veteran Friend, the club's only new major signing this season.
Playing in front of the biggest crowd of the year so far at Mount Smart Stadium - 19,012 - the Vodafone Warriors had their members and fans in raptures when they went to halftime leading 24-10 but in the second spell every player had to draw on exceptional reserves of utter will to repel and finally overcome the second-placed Broncos.
The Vodafone Warriors began assuredly and aggressively from the kick-off, making good ground from the opening set and working from there to create some real pressure.
Forcing some early errors out of the Broncos, the home side soon profited when Shaun Johnson went on one of his trademark weaving runs on the left, receiving the ball on a run around and putting centre Ben Henry over for his third NRL try. James Maloney's conversion from wide out was superb for a 6-0 lead after five minutes.
Brisbane captain Sam Thaiday took a pummelling in the opening stanza. First he was flattened trying to stop a charging Manu Vatuvei and soon after he wore a heavy shot from hit man Ben Matulino.
He recovered and so did Brisbane, fizzed up after halfback Peter Wallace produced a 40/20. From the attacking scrum, the Broncos worked towards their right edge, came back to the middle and on the last tackle worked one of their signature plays; Wallace floated a chip to the left and centre Jack Reed rose to snare it. He came down in a jumble of bodies, Konrad Hurrell appearing to hold him up. Referee Ben Cummins went upstairs where video referee Paul Simpkins called for replay after replay. None offered conclusive proof either way. He referred it back to Cummins who understandably incensed the vocal home crowd by awarding the try on what appeared to be dubious evidence. Captain Simon Mannering remonstrated, as he ought to, but he could do no more than make his point. Corey Parker nailed the conversion to tie it up 6-6.
Too soon - six minutes later - the Broncos were in again, benefiting from a penalty set with local boy and Kiwi international Alex Glenn scything through to score. The crowd roared at Parker's miss but, with a 10-6 lead, Brisbane had settled into the contest.
The Vodafone Warriors needed some desperate work on defence to ensure the lead didn't grow and then, with Lillyman making his much-anticipated appearance from the bench, they set about arranging a quite wonderful revival.
It resulted in a spine-tingling 10-minute assault which netted three tries, all converted, and a commanding halftime lead of 24-10.
First in the 29th minute, Johnson had a simple try as Brisbane failed to clean up his kick and, six minutes later, another Johnson kick to the left provided more joy, Vatuvei climbing to tap it back and Elijah Taylor needing only to catch it and fall over for his second try of the season.
Now the Vodafone Warriors were right in the mood. Some fantastic support play and offloading had Brisbane back-pedalling before a flat ball play from dummy half created a welcome back try for who else but Lillyman. His team-mates elated. So was the crowd. It had been easily the Vodafone Warriors' best half of football so far this season against one of the best sides in the competition. On the other side of the ledger, Brisbane was reeling with playmaker Wallace forced off the field just before the break.
The second half was all about survival for the Vodafone Warriors in a true war of attrition.
They were under constant assault as Brisbane enjoyed all the advantages in terms of possession and territory. One would-be try for Reed was disallowed on a ref's call but back came the visitors again and this time there was no chance of a reprieve as Ben Te'o forced his way over, Parker converting and leaving the Broncos only eight points behind at 16-24.
With Wallace already gone for the night, the battered Broncos also had hooker Andrew McCullough hobbling for a time but they were buoyed by dominating possession and stretching their opponents time and time again.
The Vodafone Warriors needed to be heroic in defence and, after Te'o scored, they were. They needed a change in fortune. It came when Corey Norman knocked on when he was a threat to score, a leg up for the Vodafone Warriors soon helped by a penalty but then followed by an error at the other end.
It was tense, excruciating watching for Vodafone Warriors members and fans at the ground; it was no different for those watching the drama on television.
This was the ultimate test of the Vodafone Warriors' will. There were some splutters and stutters as they tried to escape their end of the field, lost possession bringing on more pressure. But they were up to it.
Lillyman - who had a huge first outing of the year - came back on the field after the two sides had traded errors, the second putting the Vodafone Warriors in sight of the line again. They didn't turn down the invitation this time, Friend, broken jaw and all, popping up a flat ball from dummy half and Feleti Mateo coming on an angled run to plough over. Maloney's conversion had the lead out to an impressive 30-16 with five minutes left. Brisbane's final say was of no great consequence.
This was about as good as it gets; a football contest of the highest order.
And next Saturday night will provide a chance for members andf fans to return for more when the Vodafone Warriors host the Sydney Roosters.
Match details:
At Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
NZ Warriors 30 (Ben Henry, Shaun Johnson, Elijah Taylor, Jacob Lillyman, Feleti Mateo tries; James Maloney 5 conversions)
Brisbane Broncos 16 (Jack Reed, Alex Glenn, Ben Te'o, Sam Thaiday tries; Corey Parker 2 conversions)
Halftime: 24-10 Warriors
Referees: Ben Cummins and Jason Robinson
Crowd: 19,012
NZ Warriors: Jerome Ropati; Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei; James Maloney, Shaun Johnson; Russell Packer, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino; Elijah Taylor, Simon Mannering (c); Feleti Mateo. Interchange: Lewis Brown, Ukuma Ta'ai, Sione Lousi, Jacob Lillyman.
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 2012 NRL Telstra Premiership
New Zealand Warriors
9 games; [View] Round 1 [04 Mar 12] L 20-26 v Manly (H). [DH]
[View] Round 2 [12 Mar 12] W 36-20 v Parramatta (A). [DH]
[View] Round 3 [18 Mar 12] L 18-32 v Canterbury (H). [DH]
[View] Round 4 [24 Mar 12] W 26-6 v Gold Coast (H). [DH]
[View] Round 5 [31 Mar 12] L 8-26 v Roosters (A). [DH]
[View] Round 6 [08 Apr 12] L 12-32 v Canberra (A). [DH]
[View] Round 7 [15 Apr 12] W 44-22 v Souths (H). [DH]
[View] Round 8 [25 Apr 12] L 14-32 v Melbourne (A). [DH]
[View] Round 9 [05 May 12] W 30-20 v Brisbane (H). [DH]
======================================================================================================
2011 NRL Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans
4 games; [View] Round 5 [08 Apr 11] L 12-22 v Cowboys (A). [DH]
[View] Round 6 [15 Apr 11] W 20-14 v Wests Tigers (H). [DH]
[View] Round 7 [24 Apr 11] L 18-22 v Eels (A). [DH]
[View] Round 8 [30 Apr 11] W 24-13 v Roosters (H). [DH]
======================================================================================================
2010 NRL Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans
26 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 10] W 24-18 v Warriors (H). [DH]
[View] Round 2 [19 Mar 10] W 19-18 v Rabbitohs (A). [DH]
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 10] W 24-4 v Raiders (H). [DH]
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 10] L 18-32 v Cowboys (A). [DH]
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 10] W 20-16 v Storm (H). [DH]
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 10] L 6-19 v Dragons (H). [DH]
[View] Round 7 [26 Apr 10] W 24-22 v Sea Eagles (A). [DH]
[View] Round 8 [01 May 10] W 38-24 v Panthers (H). [DH]
[View] Round 9 [09 May 10] W 38-36 v Knights (A). [DH]
[View] Round 10 [14 May 10] L 6-28 v Broncos (A). [DH]
[View] Round 12 [31 May 10] L 16-30 v Roosters (H). [DH]
[View] Round 13 [06 Jun 10] L 24-28 v Raiders (A). [DH]
[View] Round 14 [11 Jun 10] W 28-14 v Sea Eagles (H). [DH]
[View] Round 15 [18 Jun 10] W 25-24 v Bulldogs (A). [DH]
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 10] L 16-24 v Knights (H). [DH]
[View] Round 18 [09 Jul 10] L 14-15 v Tigers (A). [DH]
[View] Round 19 [16 Jul 10] L 10-24 v Broncos (H). [DH]
[View] Round 20 [23 Jul 10] W 11-10 v Dragons (A). [DH]
[View] Round 21 [01 Aug 10] W 28-20 v Warriors (A). [DH]
[View] Round 22 [06 Aug 10] W 34-12 v Eels (H). [DH]
[View] Round 23 [14 Aug 10] W 37-18 v Cowboys (H). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 10] W 23-14 v Roosters (A). [DH]
[View] Round 25 [28 Aug 10] L 16-30 v Sharks (A). [DH]
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 10] W 21-18 v Tigers (H). [DH]
[View] Finals Week 1 [10 Sep 10] W 28-16 v Warriors. [DH]
[View] Finals Week 3 [24 Sep 10] L 6-32 v Roosters. [DH]
======================================================================================================
2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans
26 games; 4 tries, 16 points.
[View] Round 1 [15 Mar 09] W 34-20 v Knights (H). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 2 [21 Mar 09] L 10-16 v Dragons (A). [DH]
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 09] W 20-12 v Bulldogs (H). [DH]
[View] Round 4 [04 Apr 09] W 18-6 v Storm (A). [DH]
[View] Round 5 [11 Apr 09] W 14-10 v Cowboys (A). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [17 Apr 09] W 16-10 v Raiders (H). [DH]
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 09] L 20-34 v Panthers (A). [DH]
[View] Round 8 [02 May 09] W 22-14 v Rabbitohs (H). [DH]
[View] Round 9 [10 May 09] L 18-23 v Knights (A). [DH]
[View] Round 10 [15 May 09] L 18-32 v Broncos (A). [DH]
[View] Round 11 [24 May 09] W 18-17 v Sea Eagles (H). [DH]
[View] Round 13 [08 Jun 09] W 28-24 v Dragons (H). [DH]
[View] Round 14 [13 Jun 09] W 24-20 v Roosters (A). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 09] W 28-12 v Warriors (H). [DH]
[View] Round 17 [05 Jul 09] L 28-34 v Raiders (A). [DH]
[View] Round 18 [13 Jul 09] W 18-12 v Eels (H). [DH]
[View] Round 19 [17 Jul 09] L 16-23 v Bulldogs (A). [DH]
[View] Round 20 [24 Jul 09] W 34-18 v Broncos (H). [DH]
[View] Round 21 [31 Jul 09] L 18-34 v Cowboys (H). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [09 Aug 09] W 30-10 v Warriors (A). [DH]
[View] Round 23 [14 Aug 09] W 22-14 v Rabbitohs (A). [DH]
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 09] W 20-10 v Sharks (H). [DH]
[View] Round 25 [29 Aug 09] W 36-24 v Tigers (H). [DH]
[View] Round 26 [05 Sep 09] L 4-38 v Sea Eagles (A). [DH]
[View] Finals Week 1 [12 Sep 09] L 32-40 v Broncos. [DH]
[View] Finals Week 2 [18 Sep 09] L 2-27 v Eels. [DH]
======================================================================================================
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans
21 games; 2 tries, 8 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 08] W 36-18 v Cowboys (H). [DH]
[View] Round 2 [24 Mar 08] L 12-30 v Dragons (A). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [29 Mar 08] W 18-4 v Sharks (H). [DH]
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 08] W 32-12 v Raiders (H). [DH]
[View] Round 5 [11 Apr 08] W 28-20 v Eels (A). [DH] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [18 Apr 08] W 26-24 v Broncos (H). [DH]
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] W 36-24 v Warriors (H). [DH]
[View] Round 8 [03 May 08] L 12-13 v Knights (A). [DH]
[View] Round 10 [16 May 08] W 24-20 v Bulldogs (H). [DH]
[View] Round 11 [25 May 08] L 18-20 v Tigers (A). [DH]
[View] Round 12 [01 Jun 08] L 14-30 v Sharks (A). [DH]
[View] Round 13 [09 Jun 08] W 18-0 v Storm (H). [DH]
[View] Round 15 [23 Jun 08] L 23-24 v Rabbitohs (A). [DH]
[View] Round 16 [28 Jun 08] L 22-26 v Dragons (H). [DH]
[View] Round 17 [04 Jul 08] L 14-34 v Sea Eagles (H). [DH]
[View] Round 18 [11 Jul 08] W 32-28 v Roosters (A). [DH]
[View] Round 19 [19 Jul 08] L 22-36 v Panthers (H). [DH]
[View] Round 22 [11 Aug 08] L 12-32 v Knights (H). [DH]
[View] Round 23 [16 Aug 08] W 26-20 v Cowboys (A). [DH]
[View] Round 24 [22 Aug 08] L 21-25 v Broncos (A). [DH]
[View] Round 25 [01 Sep 08] L 10-28 v Sea Eagles (A). [DH]
======================================================================================================
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans
23 games; [View] Round 1 [18 Mar 07] L 18-20 v Dragons (H). [BE]
[View] Round 2 [26 Mar 07] W 18-16 v Sharks (H). [BE]
[View] Round 3 [01 Apr 07] L 6-22 v Bulldogs (A). [BE]
[View] Round 4 [08 Apr 07] W 24-22 v Panthers (A). [BE]
[View] Round 5 [13 Apr 07] W 28-16 v Broncos (H). [BE]
[View] Round 6 [22 Apr 07] L 6-20 v Sea Eagles (A). [BE]
[View] Round 7 [29 Apr 07] W 38-12 v Eels (H). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [07 May 07] L 10-24 v Cowboys (H). [BE]
[View] Round 9 [13 May 07] L 18-24 v Roosters (A). [DH]
[View] Round 10 [18 May 07] L 10-28 v Dragons (A). [DH]
[View] Round 11 [26 May 07] W 25-18 v Rabbitohs (H). [DH]
[View] Round 12 [03 Jun 07] W 28-8 v Raiders (H). [DH]
[View] Round 14 [17 Jun 07] W 16-14 v Tigers (A). [DH]
[View] Round 15 [23 Jun 07] W 28-22 v Knights (H). [DH]
[View] Round 16 [30 Jun 07] L 6-22 v Warriors (H). [DH]
[View] Round 17 [06 Jul 07] L 18-19 v Broncos (A). [DH]
[View] Round 18 [15 Jul 07] L 10-56 v Raiders (A). [DH]
[View] Round 19 [20 Jul 07] L 12-36 v Bulldogs (H). [DH]
[View] Round 21 [04 Aug 07] W 30-14 v Tigers (H). [DH]
[View] Round 22 [11 Aug 07] L 6-30 v Warriors (A). [BE]
[View] Round 23 [19 Aug 07] W 22-18 v Roosters (H). [DH]
[View] Round 24 [25 Aug 07] L 12-28 v Cronulla (A). [DH]
[View] Round 25 [02 Sep 07] L 6-50 v Storm (A). [DH]
======================================================================================================
2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
Melbourne Storm
21 games; [View] Round 6 [15 Apr 06] W 40-18 v Panthers (A). [BE]
[View] Round 7 [22 Apr 06] W 52-6 v Knights (H). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [29 Apr 06] W 24-10 v Dragons (H). [BE]
[View] Round 9 [06 May 06] W 38-14 v Rabbitohs (A). [BE]
[View] Round 10 [13 May 06] W 18-6 v Cowboys (H). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [20 May 06] L 12-34 v Sea Eagles (A). [DH]
[View] Round 12 [28 May 06] W 17-16 v Panthers (H). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [11 Jun 06] W 34-22 v Eels (A). [DH]
[View] Round 15 [18 Jun 06] W 22-12 v Raiders (H). [BE]
[View] Round 16 [23 Jun 06] W 16-12 v Bulldogs (H). [BE]
[View] Round 18 [07 Jul 06] W 10-4 v Broncos (H). [BE]
[View] Round 19 [16 Jul 06] W 24-16 v Knights (A). [BE]
[View] Round 20 [21 Jul 06] W 28-12 v Sharks (H). [BE]
[View] Round 21 [30 Jul 06] W 34-24 v Dragons (A). [BE]
[View] Round 22 [05 Aug 06] W 46-4 v Tigers (H). [BE]
[View] Round 23 [13 Aug 06] W 18-12 v Broncos (A). [BE]
[View] Round 25 [26 Aug 06] W 22-18 v Raiders (A). [BE]
[View] Round 26 [02 Sep 06] W 30-20 v Sea Eagles (H). [BE]
[View] Finals Week One [10 Sep 06] W 12-6 v Eels (H). [BE]
[View] Finals Week Three [23 Sep 06] W 24-10 v Dragons. [BE]
[View] Grand Final [01 Oct 06] L 8-15 v Broncos (H). [BE]
======================================================================================================
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
Melbourne Storm
4 games; [View] Round 7 [24 Apr 05] W 46-10 v Raiders (A). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [21 May 05] L 16-26 v Bulldogs (H). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [12 Jun 05] L 16-24 v Warriors (A). [BE]
[View] Round 17 [02 Jul 05] W 33-6 v Bulldogs (A). [BE]
======================================================================================================
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Friend, Nathan
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