The Warriors have roared into their first NRL preliminary final in 12 years on the back of a 40-10 smashing of Newcastle in Auckland.
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The home side got off to the hottest of starts, scoring three tries in the opening 15 minutes to set up a brutal victory that earned them a passage to Brisbane next weekend.
Shaun Johnson shrugged off the effects of an injured calf to set up a try for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad within 100 seconds after a simple error from Knights winger Greg Marzhew in the opening set gave the home side possession deep within Newcastle’s half.
From there it was a procession — Addin Fonua-Blake crashed over from close range shortly thereafter before Marcelo Montoya finished a backline shift to give the Warriors a 16-0 lead inside as many minutes.
But the Knights rallied, with Marzhew finishing off a find left-side raid initiated by Kalyn Ponga, before rookie back rower Dylan Lucas latched onto a questionable pass from Adam Clune to narrow the gap shortly after the break.
But from there, the Kiwi club took control of the match. Dylan Walker surged over from close range, then Rocco Berry showed terrific match awareness to slam the ball down on the end of a well-constructed backline move.
By the time Dallin Watene-Zelezniak dotted down for his 21st try of the season with 15 minutes to go, the result was beyond doubt, and a late Bayley Sironen score was the icing on the cake for Andrew Webster’s side.
Newcastle paid the price for last week’s physical clash with Canberra, with their slow start putting the Novocastrians on a hiding to nothing.
They also keenly felt the absence of New South Wales Origin prop Daniel Saifiti, who was ruled out before kickoff with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Johnson battled through a calf complaint to take the field and did his part in piloting his side around the pitch before he was given a well-deserved early mark from Webster in the final quarter.
The result is a triumph for Johnson and Webster, who have defied the odds all season to steer the club to their first preliminary final since 2011.
Back then, Johnson steered the club to a grand final as a rookie and will now carry the weight of a nation once again as the Warriors take on the imposing Broncos with a grand final berth on the line.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog below and check out the full scores and stats.
Live updates
By Jon Healy
We have our final four
So we’ve got 1 vs 3 and 2 vs 4 in the prelims. Everything in perfect balance.
The Panthers will face the Storm in Sydney on Friday before the Warriors travel to Brisbane to take on the Broncos, which will be a night to remember.
Warriors fans always turn out at Lang Park and the stadium will be packed for a showdown between two of the game’s most exciting sides.
We’ve got a spectacular week ahead of us and I for one can’t wait.
We’ll bring you every moment, so please stick with us on ABC Sport.
Until then.
By Jon Healy
Full team stats
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By Jon Healy
The Warriors are going to the preliminary finals!
For the first time in more than 10 years, New Zealand’s team will play a grand final qualifier after a dominant 40-10 win over the Knights.
This team that allowed rugby league to continue through COVID and stayed away from home for two years are into a blockbuster clash with the Broncos at Lang Park.
The atmosphere at the Cauldron will be phenomenal.
By Jon Healy
78′ The Warriors get a replay
Adam Gee calls a knock-on in a scrap as the ball bobbles around on the ground, but the ball hit him, so it’s a replay of the last.
It comes to nothing, and the Knights have to minutes to try to end this game on a high.
By Jon Healy
The Warriors put a cherry on top
Kalyn Ponga drops a towering bomb, Te Maire Martin regathers and Bayley Sironen crashes over next to the posts from dummy half.
By Jon Healy
74′ Shaun Johnson is subbed off
He walks off on the far side of the field, taking half a lap of honour around the field, revving up the Auckland crowd.
You LOVE to see it.
By Jon Healy
70′ Warriors not relenting
The Knights knock on off a short dropout and the Warriors go hunting for more points from 10 metres out.
But Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad knocks on off a scrum and the Knights get some relief.
By Jon Healy
69′ The crowd is up
The ‘na na nah nah, hey hey hey, goodbye’ chants are loud and proud.
And the ‘heeeeeeeey, hey baby, I wanna know, if you’ll be my girl’.
Not the most original, but the sound is deafening.
Party time in Auckland.
By Jon Healy
67′ Friendly fire for Warriors
Wayde Egan cops a whack from Marata Niukore and is coming off for an HIA. And Niukore’s penalised for a high tackle to boot. The penalty was for a tackle on Greg Marzhew, to be clear, not his own teammate.
By Jon Healy
66′ What a take by Marcelo Montoya
The short kick-off is well placed, but Marcelo Montoya comes flying in to mark over the top of the pack.
The Warriors have barely made those contests tonight, but that was a great grab.
By Jon Healy
The Warriors seal it!
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak goes over on the right after a slick right-side shift from the Warriors.
There’s still 16 minutes left, but that try should be the capper.
Adam Pompey’s conversion makes it 34-10, so it might be time for Andrew Webster to take Shaun Johnson off the park and make sure he doesn’t aggravate that calf.
By Jon Healy
63′ Ponga tries to spark Newcastle but comes up short
It’s 28-10. I’ll just quickly point out that the Knights-Raiders game last week went to extra time at 28-28.
Kalyn Ponga goes into the line and tries to fire a long ball, but it slips out and goes straight into Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who knocks it back.
The Warriors get the ball back on halfway again.
By Jon Healy
TRY TO THE WARRIORS!
Rocco Berry has shown unbelievable strength to keep the ball about 10 centimetres off the ground under the tackle of Phoenix Crossland, Adam Clune and Mat Croker and get it to the line, while spinning around. What a try.
Adam Pompey slots the sideline conversion, and the Warriors leads 28-10 with 19 minutes left.
By Jon Healy
60′ Rocco Berry is in for the Warriors, but the bunker is going to have a close look at this
Rocco Berry gives winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak very early ball and he sets sail for the corner, steps inside a flying Kalyn Ponga and offloading to Berry, who looks for all money to be tackled by three Knights, but he’s poked his arm through and grounded the ball on the line.
It’s sent up as no try.
By Jon Healy
58′ Ponga defuses another bomb
He makes a great catch, but the Knights have to start another set from a corner.
Greg Marzhew gets them going forward with a huge charge, but the referee halts play because he thinks Wayde Egan is KO’d. He looks OK though. Valuable momentum goes begging for the Knights.
And another mistake for Newcaslte as they try to go wide. Warriors start a set on halfway.
By Jon Healy
54′ SJ and DWZ force a dropout
A perfectly placed kick from Shaun Johnson puts Dallin Watene-Zelezniak into a contest with Greg Marzhew and the Knights winger is bumped back into the in-goal.
Josh Curran has suffered an ugly finger dislocation in the process of tackling Marzhew though. Marat Niukore is getting ready to sub back on for him, but he’s going to stay on.
AND THE KNIGHTS REGATHER!
Kalyn Ponga’s short dropout lands just over the 10m line and Dom Young doesn’t even have to jump to take the catch. Adam Pompey just watched.
By Jon Healy
52′ Ponga gets the Knights going forward
Shaun Johnson placed a low driven kick to trap Greg Marzhew on the tryline, but Ponga makes a great run on the next tackle to get his team moving.
And he ends up kicking from halfway, bombing in behind Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who makes a great catch running backwards.
By Jon Healy
49′ Warriors trying to do work with their defence now
Shaun Johnson puts up a bomb for Greg Marzhew, and the defence drives him back on the catch.
The rest of the team is putting in work too, and the Tyson Gamble kick comes from deep in their own half. Warriors start from almost halfway.
By Jon Healy
Walker’s on! The Warriors hit straight back
After great charges from Tohu Harris and Josh Curran, Wayde Egan hits utility Dylan Walker at full speed close to the line, and he crashes into the post and over for a try.
Pompey’s conversion takes the Warriors out to a 22-10 lead heading into the final half-hour.
By Jon Healy
46′ The Warriors get some help from a penalty
The Warriors looked set to kick from inside their own half yet again, but Rocco Berry earns his team a penalty and they’re on the front foot now.
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