The Dragons and Warriors played out a hard-fought 14-all draw in their top of the table showdown at a wet and wild WIN Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Red V enjoyed the early ascendancy but the Warriors, who were riding a 14-game winning streak coming into the game, clawed their way back into it through an Edward Kosi triple.
The Warriors had several late chances to steal it – including a Jett Cleary penalty goal attempt with five minutes to play – but the Dragons’ desperation came up trumps as both teams exited the contest with a competition point.
Match: Dragons v Warriors
Round 22 -
home Team
Dragons
2nd Position
away Team
Warriors
1st Position
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
The Dragons’ opening kick of the encounter produced a result with Jesse Williams and Hayden Buchanan bundling Sio Kali into touch as he defused it.
Lyric Craft-Te Moananui went over for the Dragons off it in the southeastern corner only for the play to be pulled up due to an obstruction.
Williams took in an attacking Warriors kick to earn his side a 20-metre restart moments later and they made the visitors pay with Jonah Glover slipping through from 40 out off some sharp Connor Muhleisen dummy-half work and burning the cover to dive over in the corner.
They were able to extend their lead shortly after through Cyrus Stanley-Traill who dove over in the left-hand corner off some nice Cody Ramsey lead-up work for his first try at Knock-On Effect NSW Cup level.
The score remained 8-0 however with both of Glover’s conversion attempts, in trying conditions, going wide.
The Warriors found a needed answer 25 minutes in through Edward Kosi who found himself on the end of a neat string of passes to score and bring it back to 8-6.
Kosi found a second for the Warriors prior to the break out of dummy-half as the visiting side hit the lead.
The Dragons’ opening kick of the second stanza dribbled dead to give them an early opportunity with the ball and they took full advantage with Williams soaring over off a nice shift in the northwestern corner.
Glover nailed the conversion from the touchline to make it a 14-10 Dragons lead.
An ill-timed Dragons error as they were carting it off their own line paved the way for Kosi to snag his third of the afternoon and lock things up at 14-apiece.
The Warriors spent an extended period of time camped down the Dragons end, but it was Lyric Craft-Te Moananui who manufactured a timely hit on his opposite to force the Warriors over the sideline.
Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights: Round 22 v Warriors
The Dragons were penalised for a late shot on Jett Cleary as he was kicking with five minutes remaining, but his penalty goal attempt was waved away as scores remained level.
Cleary had a late shot a field goal, but a Jett Liu charge down prevented the point as the teams played out a hard-fought draw.
