The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Minor Premiers, the Warriors, have made it to the Grand Final in style, running out convincing 42-14 winners over a gallant Parramatta Eels at Jubilee Stadium tonight.
Bolstered by the inclusion of half Tanah Boyd, hooker Sam Healey, centre Ali Leiataua and prop forward Tanner Stowers-Smith, the Warriors looked good early to score the opening three tries before the Eels came to life, scoring the next three to trail 16-14 early in the second half and set up a real contest.
But the class of Boyd and Healey shone through for the Warriors as they scored 26 unanswered points to put the result, and qualification for next Sunday's Grand Final showdown with the St George Illawarra Dragons at CommBank Stadium, beyond doubt.
Following a long break from back-rower Kayliss Fatialofa, the Warriors opened their account a couple of plays later in the sixth minute when dummy-half Healey opted to go right, enabling fullback Taine Tuaupiki to shrug off a couple of would-be defenders to score out wide and give them a dream 4-0 start.
A late-tackle penalty conceded by the Eels inside their own 20, allowed the Warriors to double their lead in the 15th minute when Boyd drifted across the line before putting centre Moala Graham-Taufa into a yawning gap to score out wide, converted by Boyd to extend the lead to 10-0.
Further ill-discipline from the Eels allowed the Minor Premiers to push the lead out to 16, when halves Boyd and Luke Hanson combined to put Graham-Taufa over in the northwest corner for his second in the 22nd minute.
The Eels finally opened their account off the back of a penalty, when they were able to shift play to the left, before centre Araz Nanva put winger Beau Newlands over in the southeast corner, reducing the deficit to 16-4 in the 29th minute.
Parramatta made it two tries in succession when off the back of another penalty, the Eels opted to run play down the blind side, with Joey Lussick and Jordan Samrani combining to put Jake Tago down the western touchline. The winger still haD plenty to do before scoring in the southwest corner through brute strength, to trail 16-8 at half-time.
The Eels' mini resurgence continued early into the second half, benefitting from an early penalty and set restart inside the Warriors’ 20, with Lussick burrowing his way through the defensive line from dummy-half to score his team's third successive try. With Twidle's conversion, the Warriors lead was cut to two at 16-14 after 44 minutes.
The Warriors finally added to their account in the 49th minute off the back of an Eels error and penalty. Marching downfield to attack inside Parramatta's 20, quick hands out to the left enabled Hanson to put the defence at sixes and sevens, delaying the pass to put winger Edward Kosi over in the southeast corner to push the deficit back out to eight, leading 22-14.
A one-on-one strip from Healey allowed the Warriors to go on the attack once more, and again they capitalised on the opportunity when Boyd took play right, providing the cut-out pass for winger Setu Tu to score in the southwest corner and edge the Minor Premiers closer to a Grand Final spot, leading 26-14 with 15 minutes remaining.
The Eels looked to have reduced the gap by at least four when a perfectly weighted kick into the in-goal from Ronald Volkman found halves partner Lorenzo Talataina, but the five-eighth was unable to control the ball and a try that would have brought Parramatta back into the game, went begging.
To make matters worse, the Warriors took play deep into Eels territory before centre Ali Leiataua attacked their left-edge defence, diving over in style to put the result beyond doubt for the Minor Premiers, leading 30-14 with nine minutes remaining.
The Eels were powerless to stop the Warriors' ruthless point-scoring ability by this point, as they again scored through the Eels’ left-edge defence two minutes later, when Tu reached out to score his second try for the game. Boyd converted to lead 36-14 with six minutes remaining.
The 26-point onslaught was complete in the closing minutes of the game when Hanson put an exclamation mark on the result, scoring from close range to complete a 42-14 rout of the third-placed Eels.
Talking points
- For the 1-v-3 Preliminary Final, the Warriors benefitted from the inclusions of Boyd, Healey, Leiataua and Stowers-Smith, while the Eels added prop Wiremu Greig.
- Both teams came into the match with one win each head-to-head - the Eels winning 46-22 in Round 15, while the Warriors returned serve with a 54-4 rout in Round 25.
- The Eels featured half Ronald Volkman, who was coming up against his former side in the Warriors.
- Warriors hooker Sam Healey came into today's final looking to qualify for consecutive NSW Cup Grand Finals, having won with the Newtown Jets in 2024.
- Warriors interchange forward Makaia Tufua was placed on report for a second half incident.
Key moment
With the Warriors having re-established a double-digit lead midway through the second half, the Eels looked to have got themselves back into the game in the 68th minute when a well-weighted kick from Volkman found halves partner Lorenzo Talataina. But the five-eighth was unable to control the ball and the try that would have brought Parramatta back into the game went begging. The Warriors took play downfield on the next set and scored to put the game beyond the Eels' reach.
What’s next?
While the season is over for the third-placed Eels, the Warriors have eventually found their way into next Sunday's Grand Final against St George Illawarra Dragons at CommBank Stadium, in what should be a classic decider between the competition's top two teams.
