📰 Luke Metcalf slots late field goal to lift Warriors to fourth straight win

By Michael Burgess

The kings of clutch have done it again.

There are many ways to win in the NRL and the Warriors continue to do it the hard way, prevailing in another tense, tight contest on Saturday. A 69th minute Luke Metcalf field goal proved decisive, as the Auckland team hung on for a 15-14 victory over the St George-Illawarra Dragons.

This wasn’t good for coach Andrew Webster’s blood pressure – yet again – but he will be thrilled with this result. It was pure grit and courage. They lost troops, including Jackson Ford (concussion) and Bunty Afoa (knee) and looked in serious trouble for much of the second half, as the Dragons stormed back from a 14-4 halftime deficit.

But somehow, from somewhere, they found a way to get it done. It wasn’t pretty – as their rare attacking chances were disorganised – but the spirit never flagged. In the end, belief was probably the difference. The Dragons have forgotten how to win, while the Warriors can’t break the habit.

It was a monumental effort, off the back of the petrol they burned up in last week’s Magic Round epic. It takes the Warriors to a 7-2 record for the season – cementing their top-four position – and will do wonders for their confidence. The Dragons are a rocks and diamonds type team but remain a difficult assignment, while WIN Stadium has been a graveyard for the Warriors, with 11 losses from 13 matches before Saturday.

It was the classic game of two halves, with the Warriors completely dominant in the first, before the Dragons turned things round. The home side looked the more likely winners, as they had the physical ascendancy. However, the Warriors stayed in the contest – without much ball – before Metcalf’s shot pushed them ahead.

The first half was an exhibition of controlled football. The Warriors didn’t make a single error – completing 19 straight sets – with power and precision. The attack was fast and flat and their confidence was shown with offloads and blindside darts. At times they simply rolled up the field, the Dragons unable to stop the waves of blue.

For all their dominance though – exacerbated by a bucket of mistakes from the home team – it wasn’t fully reflected on the scoreboard. Metcalf opened the scoring in the eighth minute, showing strength and desire to get over near the posts, after Erin Clark had delayed the pass to hold up the defence.

A Metcalf penalty extended the advantage, before Taine Tuaupiki slid over in the corner, after Adam Pompey had climbed high to bat back a Chanel Harris-Tavita kick. There were further opportunities but the fifth-tackle options weren’t quite there, along with a lack of variety in the opposition 20m zone, which meant a tired Dragons defence could hold on. The Warriors also opted to kick penalties – successfully – rather than keeping the pressure on.

The joint-venture club finally got going in the last 10 minutes of the half. Desperate defence held Jacob Liddle up over the line before a neat move saw Clint Gutherson over in the 39th minute. That felt crucial, as did Ford’s enforced departure straight after halftime, after being concussed on the kickoff return.

The Dragons visibly lifted their aggression on both sides of the ball, as things started to go their way. They had plenty of possession and used it well, with two tries in three minutes to Dylan Egan and Corey Allan.

Again the problems were on the right edge, with the Warriors were uncertain and out of shape and a rusty Dallin Watene-Zelezniak struggling with his positioning. Marata Niukore was also withdrawn, for a head injury assessment (HIA – which he passed), with Te Maire Martin used in the middle – and Afoa succumbed to injury.

The tireless Charnze Nicholl-Klokstad was stopped on the line, with a pass to his open winger the better option. The visitors struggled in the yardage battle, as the Dragons upped the ante. But Metcalf snapped his field goal with 11 minutes to play, with the opposition caught by surprise.

Still, there seemed a lack of composure, summed up by a left-footed fourth-tackle kick by Mitch Barnett – who was otherwise outstanding – which was both inaccurate and unnecessary.

Holmes missed a one-point shot with five minutes to play, then the Warriors shut down another chance. A tremendous tackle by Kurt Capewell was the final critical moment to seal a memorable victory.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.