LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
In a thrilling encounter at North Harbour Stadium, the Wests Tigers were narrowly defeated by the New Zealand Warriors, with a final score of 44-42 in the Jersey Flegg Round 19 match.
The game commenced at a frenetic pace, with the Warriors quickly making their mark, scoring twice within the first eight minutes, largely due to the effective support play of hooker Makaia Tafua, who netted an early double.
The Tigers responded swiftly, as Jared Haywood scored from dummy half, followed by back-to-back tries from Iverson Matai and Max Taotua, giving the Tigers an edge.
A 32nd-minute crossing by Solomone Saukuru closed the first half with the Tigers leading 22-16.
In the second half, the Tigers further extended their lead.
Josh Feledy created space for Brenden Naicori to score, and a remarkable 75-meter run concluded with Matai finishing a movement started by Saukuru.
With a 32-16 lead and another try from Elijah Mataale, the Tigers appeared to be well-positioned for victory at 42-22 with just over ten minutes remaining.
However, the Warriors were not done, responding with a try from Jack Thompson.
The momentum shifted significantly when Haywood was sent to the sin-bin in the 76th minute.
The Warriors seized this opportunity, scoring three tries in the final four minutes, showcasing a memorable full-field effort capped by Tafua and concluding with a match-winner from Brandon Norris, who also executed the crucial conversion to complete the stunning comeback.