The Dragons were unable to run down the minor premier Warriors in Sunday afternoon’s Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Grand Final at CommBank Stadium falling 30-12.
Willie Talau’s men enjoyed a strong season winning 15 games en route to a Top 2 finish despite dealing with a plethora of injuries and calling upon a host of Jersey Flegg eligible players throughout the year.
The Dragons pieced together some enterprising football at different stages throughout the opening stanza, but it was a late Warriors burst which boosted the minor premiers to a double-digit, half-time advantage.
The loss of Connor Muhleisen to a lower leg injury 20 minutes in forced Talau to amend his middle rotation.
A quick Dragons try after half-time had the clash looking destined for a tight second half before a Lachlan Ilias sin bin paved the way for the Warriors to march towards a decisive win.
Match: Dragons v Warriors
Grand Final -
home Team
Dragons
2nd Position
away Team
Warriors
1st Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
The physicality of the clash was on display from the outset before Jonah Glover looked to have nabbed first points after forcing an error off a well-placed Ilias bomb only to be denied by video officials.
Connor Muhleisen was held up over the line the following set before the Dragons threatened again through a left-side shift only for ball to go to ground late.
The Red V again went frustratingly close to points with Glover poking his head through close to the line and looking to hit Blake Lawrie only for it to go behind the supporting prop.
A Tanah Boyd 40/20 handed the Warriors an opportunity on the attack, and they took full advantage with Moala Graham-Taufa burrowing his way over out of acting half to make it 4-0.
The Dragons managed a superb response through Hayden Buchanan who poured through down the left-hand corridor off a nice Lachlan Ilias delivery and turned Taine Tuaupiki inside out with a brilliant show of footwork to put the Red V on top 6-4.
Muhleisen was helped from the field a quarter of the way in nursing an apparent lower leg injury seeing Haele Finau inserted into the contest.
Buchanan went within inches of nabbing his second a half-hour in off a last-tackle raid but was ruled held up in goal as the scoreline remained at 6-4.
The Warriors wrestled the lead back shortly after courtesy of winger Setu Tu who went aerial to reel in a Boyd kick and dive over.
They marched down the field the next set to notch their third try with Eddie Ieremia-Toeava steaming through a hole down the right and sending it back inside to a supporting Samuel Healey as their lead improved out to 16-6.
Jesse Williams left the field moments shy of half-time for a HIA after a heavy collision off a kick return but was able to return early in the second half.
The Dragons snagged the first points of the second forty just five minutes in with Haele Finau burrowing his way over out of dummy-half off the back of a powerful Ben Murdoch-Masila charge to cut the deficit back to four.
Ilias slammed the ball down for the Red V the following set after Ramsey poured through to bat an attacking kick back to his No.7 out of the air only for video officials to again deny the Red V.
Ilias was sent to the sin bin the following set after Ieremia-Toeava burst into the backfield and moved the ball onto Tuaupiki who was dragged down by a desperate Williams chasedown effort but managed an offload.
The pass went awry but Ilias was ruled to have tackled a supporting Warrior in illegal fashion.
Boyd knocked a penalty goal over off the back of it to make it an 18-12 Warriors advantage.
With a man advantage, Tu scored his second of the afternoon shortly after off a well-run right-side shift to make it a 12-point game.
Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights: Grand Final v Warriors
They extended their lead an hour in with Boyd’s boot again producing a result as Ieremia-Toeava won the race to a deft grubber to make it an imposing lead entering the final quarter of the match.
Ieremia-Toeava was helped from the field in the aftermath of the try with an apparent lower leg concern.
The Dragons fought valiantly to spark a comeback as time ticked away but the result had been sealed with the Warriors holding on to secure Grand Final victory.
