Warriors humbled in return to NRL Finals by powerhouse Panthers
Relive 1News' live coverage of this evening's NRL Finals match between the Warriors and Panthers from BlueBet Stadium in Penrith.
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FT: PEN 32-6 WAR
And this one fizzles out to the finish.
It was always going to be a tough ask and credit to the Warriors, the scoreline doesn't reflect the heart they showed to keep contesting the Panthers in this one but the minor premiers were simply too good on the back of a masterclass from Cleary.
That does it for us in the live updates, enjoy the weekend.
77min: PEN 32-6 WAR
Warriors get a chance to finish on a high with another error from the Panthers on the restart but their set in the Panthers' 30 fizzles on the last with Watene-Zelezniak taken into touch on the last with not a lot to work with. He's a great finisher but with three defenders in front of him 10m out, there's not a lot he can do.
74min: PEN 32-6 WAR
PEN TRY! Cleary seals it with some pure, individual brilliance. He gets it 30m out, holds the ball in one hand, fakes the show-and-go and burns his defender on the outside to burst through the Warriors line and score. You have to admire that. Rugby league at its finest.
71min: PEN 26-6 WAR
Warriors force the Panthers to their last tackle. Cleary gets it and kicks through. It comes off the left post's padding and the Warriors get to it just outside their goal line.
69min: PEN 26-6 WAR
The metres are getting hard now as Penrith are smothering the Warriors heading into the final 10. Just 33m on their latest set and the party has begun in the stands with a wave as their team makes 54m in response. Cleary goes high on the last and there's no Warriors contesting it! It's hit Barry in the back and Panthers recover for six more!
65min: PEN 26-6 WAR
Warriors get a chance to immediately respond as they win the ball back off the restart but barely two tackles into the set, they try to go wide and a loose pass results in a knock on. Panthers scrum 15m from their own line.
64min: PEN 26-6 WAR
PEN TRY! Sure enough, Penrith makes them pay! They're up to the Warriors' 10 and come to the left again. Cleary holds it to the last second before moving it on and that creates the overlap which Turuva finishes in the left corner untouched.
62min: PEN 20-6 WAR
This could decide it. Panthers chip it over the top on their last tackle and the Warriors contest it but the referee rules there's a knock on in the aerial collision by the Kiwi club! Harris uses his captain's challenge but replays are inconclusive so Panthers get the ball - it's a scrum 30m from the Warriors' line.
60min: PEN 20-6 WAR
Strong set from the Warriors off the restart but the Panthers reply in kind to pin the Warriors back in their 20. Signs of life for a comeback here but the Panthers aren't going to make this easy!
58min: PEN 20-6 WAR
WAR TRY! THAT'S THE WARRIORS AT THEIR BEST! From absolutely nothing, they conjure some magic! On halfway, Barrett gets an offload away on the fourth tackle and the Warriors have the space to work with. Barry brushes off one before offloading to Watene-Zelezniak on the right edge. He's got little space on the 30 so floats one over five scrambling players back inside to Egan who runs it the rest of the way to score!
56min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Another penalty! It's Walker pinged for a crusher tackle so Panthers get a fresh set 30m from the Warriors line. It doesn't take them long to get within 10m and to the left wing they go again but a rare error sees the final pass sail into touch. Warriors hold on once more...
53min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Warriors up to the Penrith 10m on the fourth tackle, they shift it left to the wing and Montoya runs out of space as the Panthers swarm and take him in to touch.
52min: PEN 20-0 WAR
A chance for the Warriors! After holding out Penrith once more, the Warriors get a penalty and head up to halfway for a fresh set with it.
50min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Both sides trade completed sets and while the Warriors are making more metres just, the Panthers appear happy to let the game roll on at this speed until finally they earn a penalty with the Warriors holding on too long in the tackle.
45min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Oh boy. Warriors up to the Penrith 10m for the last tackle and out of dummy-half, there's a knock on. Soon after there's a stoppage in play as Egan has gone down and he looks in some pain. That's the last thing the Warriors need today. It takes some time but eventually he's back to his feet and playing on. What a trooper.
44min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Warriors with a chance now as the Panthers make a handling error on halfway! Warriors scrum to come.
42min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Horror start for the Warriors as early in their first set after the break, they knock it on and the Panthers are on tackle zero 20m out. They entire set plays out before Penrith goes to the left wing but the play is stopped short. Warriors hold on.
40min: PEN 20-0 WAR
Penrith gets us back underway.
HT: PEN 20-0 WAR
Tohu Harris runs in to contact against the Panthers. (Source: Photosport)
PEN TWO! Panthers earn a penalty going for the line and Cleary decides to end the half with a shot at goal from 30m out. He slots it and that takes us to halftime.
It's been a tough ol' afternoon so far for the Warriors with the Panthers showing why they are chasing a three-peat this season. The numbers say it all:
- 64 per cent possession for the Panthers, including 18 completed sets to the Warriors' 12
- Panthers have 832 running metres compared to 456m from the Warriors
- Seven line breaks to zero in favour of the Panthers
A lot of it is thanks to a masterclass from Cleary this afternoon and it's hurting the Warriors even more with their own star playmaker not on the field. They may not be a team defined by one person but Johnson's absence is being felt.
Stay with us, we'll have the second half shortly where the Warriors are going to need to produce something special in Penrith to turn this one around.
37min: PEN 18-0 WAR
Warriors defence holds firm! They survive back-to-back sets from the Panthers inside their 10m despite the clear fatigue setting in. They respond with a great set as their outside backs combine for some metres but a penalty immediately after undoes all that hard work and the Panthers are right back on the attack on halfway.
34min: PEN 18-0 WAR
It's going from bad to worse for the Warriors here unfortunately. Panthers give them a slight reprieve as they hand the ball over via an intercept but it's immediately thrown away with a wayward offload that results in a knock on. Panthers get a scrum 30m from the Warriors line.
32min: PEN 18-0 WAR
Warriors manage to hold on as the Panthers come flying back at them after the dropout. A wee grubber through is well-read by Nicoll-Klokstad and he's tackled 2m from his line.
31min: PEN 18-0 WAR
WAR DROPOUT! Warriors are under all sorts of pressure right now! Cleary makes a break on the fourth that gets the Panthers up to the Warriors 20m for the final tackle. Panthers grubber for the in-goal, it sits up and all the Warriors can do is put it down for a dropout.
29min: PEN 18-0 WAR
PEN TRY! Panthers are feeling themselves now! After getting six more they storm down the field and on the fourth tackle shift the ball to the left. It's move on quickly and eventually gets to Turuva who puts on the afterburners going for the left corner and he's in from 10m out.
26min: PEN 12-0 WAR
Johnson's absence really being felt here. On the last tackle in attacking position, Warriors look lost on what to do and in the end keep the ball in hand once more. This Panthers defence, one of if not the best in the NRL, gobble them up.
25min: PEN 12-0 WAR
Panthers make an easy 51m on their first set after the restart and go high on the last. Montoya takes it and the Warriors are pinned in their 10 but they get some reprieve as the Panthers are penalised soon after for delaying the play-the-ball. Up to halfway the Wahs go.
22min: PEN 12-0 WAR
PEN TRY! You can't give them that sort of field position and get away with it! Panthers are composed in their set before coming to the right edge once more and Cleary with a quick ball puts Martin in the hole and he's over untouched.
20min: PEN 6-0 WAR
Both sides completing their sets but lordy are there some big hits in this one! After trading metres for three sets, the Panthers take advantage as To'o makes the break down the right edge. On the last Cleary kicks but the Warriors recover only to cough it up one play-the-ball later! Panthers on the attack just 10m from the Warriors line!
17min: PEN 6-0 WAR
Promising set from the Warriors but the Panthers defence locks them down when it counts on the final tackle as the Warriors keep the ball in hand instead of kicking! Panthers reply with a clean set and kick on the last to Montoya who makes the clean catch this time.
15min: PEN 6-0 WAR
Warriors survive again off a superb hit from Martin! Dylan Edwards slices through the Warriors line for a 40m run deep into the Kiwi half. Panthers look to play it quick and get it to Cleary but as he's looking to pass, Te Maire Martin hits him and conjures a knock on! Even better, in the following set, the Warriors get a penalty and so they head into the Penrith half for a fresh set of six.
12min: PEN 6-0 WAR
Panthers throw everything at the Warriors with their fresh set but the Kiwi line holds! Warriors get the changeover on their 10m line.
11min: PEN 6-0 WAR
Panthers wrestling control of this one one now as after a strong set of their own, they limit the Warriors to just 23m in their replying set of five. Panthers come back hard at the Warriors and get six more as they enter the Kiwi half!
9min: PEN 6-0 WAR
WAR NO TRY! The Warriors are immediately on the attack! Panthers cough up the ball early in their set after the restart so it's a zero count for the Warriors 30m out from the Penrith line! Two tackles gets them up to the 10m and now they're looking at their options. They stay central until the last tackle before coming to the left! It gets to Walker and he's in in the left corner! Bunker is called in immediately to check obstruction though and they find Pompey took out Walker's defender immediately beforehand so no try. Promising response from the Warriors though.
7min: PEN 6-0 WAR
PEN TRY! Too good from Penrith. Settled set eventually comes to the right edge and it's a quick ball from Leota that gives To'o enough space to finish in the corner, stretching out for the line.
4min: PEN 0-0 WAR
More BIG hits from the Warriors to open this one as Panthers are 40m out on their fifth. Cleary goes high to the right corner. Montoya looks to contest it but he loses it! Panthers with the early advantage. A full set inside the Warriors 20 coming up.
2min: PEN 0-0 WAR
Great start from the Warriors! Quick linespeed to start limits the Panthers' opening set and the Warriors bring it back to 15m from halfway for their first set. Couple hit-ups in the middle and they're over halfway for the 5th. A high kick from Martin is chased but the Warriors are penalised for being offside doing so.
0min: PEN 0-0 WAR
Warriors get us going in Penrith!
6:05pm: Pregame
Some final words in the sheds before the teams hit the pitch in front of a sellout crowd of 22,500. Warriors are booed on to the pitch. Classy as ever, Australia.
There's some good patches of "Wahs" supporters in the crowd though and they give the visitors a warm welcome before the minor premiers make their way out to a big cheer.
Not long now!
5:50pm: Conditions
A beautiful, sunny afternoon in Penrith for some finals footy. 20 degrees with some light winds around. Great conditions for rugby league!
5:40pm: 'Team has never been about one person'
Shaun Johnson. (Source: Photosport)
One of the big talking points heading into tonight's contest is the late withdrawal of Shaun Johnson from the Warriors' lineup.
Johnson has been pivotal for the Warriors this season and has delivered some of the best performances of his career for the club but in their return to the NRL Finals, he won't be out there tonight with a calf complaint.
The 32-year-old played down the impact it will have though, saying, "our team has never been about one person. It's no different now. We'll be right".
You can read more from Johnson here.
5:30pm: Preview
Ivan Cleary. (Source: Getty)
If Ivan Cleary needed any reminder of the momentum around the Warriors' first finals series in five years, it was staring him in the face at Penrith on Friday morning.
Driving into the club's base at the foot of the mountains ahead of Saturday's qualifying final, Cleary was greeted by around 50 Warriors fans outside their team's hotel opposite the Panthers Leagues Club.
With music already booming before 8am, several Warriors players came out to meet fans. Even the Penrith coach couldn't help but wave hello.
Cleary knows as well as anyone what this finals series means to the Warriors.
He was the club's fullback in their first grand-final appearance in 2002, and their coach when they last made the decider in 2011.
"I definitely have very fond memories from my time over there," Cleary said.
"They have this way about them as a club where once you've been there you are sort of always part of them, which I think is pretty cool.
"I just saw those guys all out there (in the car park), and I thought that's exciting for them. I know the whole country's pretty pumped about it. Which is amazing.
"Great for the game of rugby league and great for the club. They have been through a lot over the last few years. And it's just great to see him doing well."
The Warriors are the feel good story of this year's finals.
The club and their players spent the best part of 854 days stuck in Australia during COVID-19, with only brief breaks home in between.
"Up the Wahs" has become the unofficial slogan of September in New Zealand, plastered across the front pages of newspapers and read out in parliament.
The run to the 2011 grand final is to this point the most emotive month of rugby league in New Zealand, but in Cleary's eyes this has easily topped it.
"I think this year is probably a little different," Cleary said.
"What's happened the last few years, I think it's really probably galvanised the support base over there. They haven't been able to watch them play for three years.
"And the footy they've been playing has been awesome.
"I don't think we ever had a year like this when I was there. They're probably going better."
The only potential problem for the Warriors is the team they run into on Saturday.
The loss of Shaun Johnson (calf) has hit the visitors hard, with Dylan Walker the man most likely to move into the halves alongside Te Maire Martin given Luke Metcalf is also out.
Penrith have their own issues with Izack Tago (pectoral) ruled out on Friday, joining Jarome Luai on the sidelines with Tyrone Peachey to start at centre.
But this is a Panthers side in their prime hunting an NRL three-peat.
They have not lost to a fellow finalist since round one against Brisbane, while their record in finals in the past three years reads 8-2 while leaking 14.2 points per game.
And while the Warriors' right edge has been lethal this year, Penrith's left have only been scored on 15 times in 24 games this year.
"We've prepared all season for this," Cleary said.
"I feel like our game stands up in finals, it suits finals. It's just up to us to go out there and execute."
5:25pm: Teams
Fans cheer on the Warriors. (Source: Photosport)
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 4. Stephen Crichton 21 Luke Garner 5. Brian To'o 6. Jack Cogger 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo
Bench: 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Zac Hosking
Reserves: 18. Jaeman Salmon
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 14. Dylan Walker 6. Te Maire Martin 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris
Bench: 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Josh Curran 18. Freddy Lussick
Reserves: 20. Taine Tuaupiki
