Round 16
Gold Coast Titans 6 l. New Zealand Warriors 22

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Warriors back into the top eight with great second half
Sun July 1, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

A superb second half effort catapulted the Vodafone Warriors to their third straight win and a spot back in the NRL's top eight on Saturday night.

An early try had given the Titans a 6-0 halftime advantage at Gold Coast Stadium but the Vodafone Warriors were relentless in a brilliant display in the second period.

With three tries and Michael Witt's unerring boot, they scored 22 unanswered points to stitch together their third away win of the season, at the same time halting Gold Coast's winning run at four. It moved the Vodafone Warriors up to 16 points, level in sixth spot but eighth behind Brisbane and Cronulla on points differential.

Head coach Ivan Cleary rated it one of the side's best performances of the year. He could point to a defensive assault that kept the Titans scoreless for 77 minutes after Brett Delaney had opened proceedings with his third minute try.

The Vodafone Warriors couldn't find any first half points despite some openings but came on strong with a 20-minute surge between the 48th and 68th minutes.

Prop Sam Rapira ignited the points rush, powering across from close range off a Nathan Fien pass for his third try this year. The conversion was elementary for Witt and, just a minute later, he put the Vodafone Warriors into the lead with a straightforward penalty.

While it was just 8-6, there were strong signs the visitors were setting the tone for the contest. Their defence, which yielded a mere nine missed tackles in the first half to Gold Coast's 26, provided a base to build from.

And in the 53rd minute the Vodafone Warriors had further reward, halfback Grant Rovelli making a searing break off a Fien ball and finding Wade McKinnon in support. The fullback was knocked down, but not held, and bounced back to his feet to dash across for his fifth try of the season and his third in two games. With Witt's conversion and then a second penalty in the 68th minute, the Vodafone Warriors had a more than handy 16-6 lead with 12 minutes to play.

Gold Coast couldn't pierce a defensive line that missed its mark just 20 times in the entire match and it was no surprise at all to see the Vodafone Warriors stretch their lead before the match was over - although the try-scoring method wasn't quite so expected. George Gatis poked through a kick which cannoned off a Gold Coast player, ballooning straight into Gatis' arms to gift him his second try in as many weeks. Witt added his fifth goal of the night, giving him a perfect record of 13 from 13 since he kicked for the club for the first time against Cronulla two weeks ago.

In the last four weeks the Vodafone Warriors have conceded a mere 26 points - and only five tries - while amassing 90 points.

A key factor in the latest win wasn't just the effectiveness of their defence but the fact they had to make far fewer tackles than has been the norm for much of the season so far. The final count showed them making only 269 tackles while the Titans had to shoulder 341.

As good as their defence was - tackling machine Micheal Luck was again the best with 45 tackles and only one miss - the Vodafone Warriors were outstanding in possession.

Figures showed them gaining a quite extraordinary 1867 metres compared to only 1045 for Gold Coast, with 10 of their players topping 100 - McKinnon (187), Rapira (179), Simon Mannering (176), Logan Swann (154), Manu Vatuvei (142), Epalahame Lauaki (142), Evarn Tuimavave (124), Nathan Fien (123), captain Ruben Wiki (106) and Rovelli (101). Wairangi Koopu (99) and Louis Anderson (96) almost joined them.

Next up for the Vodafone Warriors is North Queensland next Saturday night. The team is staying on in Australia this week, going into a camp on the Gold Coast over the next few days, attending the third State of Origin match in Brisbane on Wednesday night and heading to Townsville on Friday.

Match details:

At Gold Coast Stadium, Carrara:
Gold Coast Titans 6 (Brett Delaney try; Mat Rogers conversion).
Vodafone Warriors 22 (Sam Rapira, Wade McKinnon, George Gatis tries; Michael Witt 3 conversions, 2 penalties).
Halftime: 6-0 Titans
Referee: Shayne Hayne.
Crowd: 17,608.

Report source: www.warriors.co.nz


Byrne replaces injured Martin for Warriors clash against Titans
Tue June 26, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Todd Byrne is back in the centres for the injured Tony Martin for Saturday night's 16th-round NRL clash against the Gold Coast Titans.

With Martin sidelined for up to three weeks with a rib injury, the 28-year-old Byrne will edge closer to his 100th first-grade appearance in Carrara.

His last outing was also in the centres against Cronulla on June 16. Filling in for Martin then, it was his sixth NRL match this year, lifting his tally to 97.

"It's hard on Tony but it's another chance for Todd to come back into the frame," said head coach Ivan Cleary.

"He went really well for us when he played there against Cronulla and we expect the same from him again."

Also back, and leading the side with Steve Price on State of Origin duty, is Ruben Wiki. The 34-year-old veteran has missed the last two matches with injury but is ready to return as the Vodafone Warriors seek a third consecutive win for the first time this season.

In beating Penrith 54-14 last Friday night, the club completed its third run of two victories on end in 2007, lifting it to 14 points and just outside the top eight.

While it's the first of a two-match road trip - followed by a clash against North Queensland in Townsville on July 7 - Cleary said the focus was solely on the Gold Coast game.

The match will move hooker Nathan Fien within one game of his 150th first-grade appearance, which he's set to bring up against his old North Queensland club next week.

Winger Manu Vatuvei plays his 49th match for the Vodafone Warriors on Saturday night and needs only one more try to bring up 100 career points.

The Vodafone Warriors will take 18 players to Queensland for the Gold Coast game with utility Lance Hohaia coming onto a five-man bench.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS
Gold Coast Stadium, Carrara
5.30pm, Saturday, June 30

Vodafone Warriors

1 Wade Mckinnon
2 Patrick Ah Van
3 Todd Byrne
4 Simon Mannering
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Michael Witt
7 Grant Rovelli
8 Ruben Wiki (c)
9 Nathan Fien
10 Evarn Tuimavave
11 Louis Anderson
12 Logan Swann
13 Micheal Luck

Interchange (one to be omitted):
14 George Gatis
15 Lance Hohaia
16 Wairangi Koopu
17 Epalahame Lauaki
18 Sam Rapira

Coach: Ivan Cleary

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz

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