VODAFONE WARRIORS END TOUGH WEEK ON A HIGH
Jerome Ropati's last-minute try enabled the Vodafone Warriors to end a demanding week with a stunning 24-20 victory over the Bulldogs in their NRL trial match at Carrara Stadium tonight.
All week the Vodafone Warriors had been in focus over alleged salary cap breaches but tonight football was all that mattered.
In front of a crowd of 12,130, the Vodafone Warriors started the match none too well by conceding three tries to trail 0-16.
Nathan Fien's try after he'd bombed the Bulldogs right-hand side defence offered hope but it was soon negated by the Bulldogs' fourth try as they took a 20-6 lead into the halftime break.
That's when the tempo of the match changed completely. The Bulldogs were unable to add any more points to their first half total while the Vodafone Warriors found their attacking range.
Inside the first 17 minutes of the second spell, two tries were created by the New Zealand franchise.
The first came as veteran prop Ruben Wiki ploughed through several would-be defenders before Tony Martin scored wide out on the right after the ball had been shifted cleverly. Two Martin conversions had the Vodafone Warriors just 18-20 behind with 23 minutes to play. They launched assault after assault, coming tantalisingly close to taking the lead.
Eventually the chance came, if only a minute or so from fulltime.
Fien bombed the Bulldogs' left-hand side, Martin climbed to knock the ball back and Ropati swept on the loose ball to secure the result.
After the week the Vodafoine Warriors had endured, the win couldn't have come at a better time.
Details:
VODAFONE WARRIORS 24 (Nathan Fien, Ruben Wiki, Tony Martin, Jerome Ropati tries; Tony Martin 4 conversions.
BULLDOGS 20 (Willie Tonga 2, Namila Davui 2 tries; Hazem El Masri 2 conversions).
Referee: Steve Clark
WOW! Trailing 20-6 at halftime and then shutting down the Bulldogs offense COMPLETELY in the second half is a HUGE accomplishment!! They played heart and soul right to the end, winning the game with a minute remaining... now THAT`S the way a top notch team wins!! CONGRATULATIONS, WARRIORS!! :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Jerome Ropati's last-minute try enabled the Vodafone Warriors to end a demanding week with a stunning 24-20 victory over the Bulldogs in their NRL trial match at Carrara Stadium tonight.
All week the Vodafone Warriors had been in focus over alleged salary cap breaches but tonight football was all that mattered.
In front of a crowd of 12,130, the Vodafone Warriors started the match none too well by conceding three tries to trail 0-16.
Nathan Fien's try after he'd bombed the Bulldogs right-hand side defence offered hope but it was soon negated by the Bulldogs' fourth try as they took a 20-6 lead into the halftime break.
That's when the tempo of the match changed completely. The Bulldogs were unable to add any more points to their first half total while the Vodafone Warriors found their attacking range.
Inside the first 17 minutes of the second spell, two tries were created by the New Zealand franchise.
The first came as veteran prop Ruben Wiki ploughed through several would-be defenders before Tony Martin scored wide out on the right after the ball had been shifted cleverly. Two Martin conversions had the Vodafone Warriors just 18-20 behind with 23 minutes to play. They launched assault after assault, coming tantalisingly close to taking the lead.
Eventually the chance came, if only a minute or so from fulltime.
Fien bombed the Bulldogs' left-hand side, Martin climbed to knock the ball back and Ropati swept on the loose ball to secure the result.
After the week the Vodafoine Warriors had endured, the win couldn't have come at a better time.
Details:
VODAFONE WARRIORS 24 (Nathan Fien, Ruben Wiki, Tony Martin, Jerome Ropati tries; Tony Martin 4 conversions.
BULLDOGS 20 (Willie Tonga 2, Namila Davui 2 tries; Hazem El Masri 2 conversions).
Referee: Steve Clark
WOW! Trailing 20-6 at halftime and then shutting down the Bulldogs offense COMPLETELY in the second half is a HUGE accomplishment!! They played heart and soul right to the end, winning the game with a minute remaining... now THAT`S the way a top notch team wins!! CONGRATULATIONS, WARRIORS!! :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
Hehe! 
