Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the New Zealand Warriors calls out to his team during the NRL Round 5 match between the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the New Zealand Warriors at PointsBet Stadium in Sydney, Sunday, April 2, 2023. (AAP Image/Steven Markham/ www.photosport.nz
An undermanned One New Zealand Warriors side came close to another upset victory before losing 16-22 to the highly-ranked North Sydney Bears in Sunday’s 12th-round New South Wales Cup encounter at North Sydney Oval.
The Warriors were coming off a stunning 22-10 win over then-competition leader Penrith in round 11 when they prevailed despite fielding a radically reshuffled and inexperienced side.
They faced still more hardship in their preparation for their third away game in four weeks due to the impact of so many of the club’s NRL players being unavailable.
With Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Taine Tuaupiki ruled out on game day, established New South Wales Cup outside backs Edward Kosi and Moala Graham-Taufa were called up for the first-grade side taking on the Dolphins.
They were both named in the New South Wales Cup side on Tuesday as was rookie NRL prop Zyon Maiu’u but all three of them remained in Auckland.
With SG Ball Cup back rower Kayliss Fatialofa already named in the centres, coach David Tangata-Toa called in Quinnlan Tupou to replace Graham-Taufa with NSW Cup rookie Compton Fuatimau, initially selected as 18th man, coming onto the wing.
Toni Tupouniua replaced Maiu’u in the front row and Jersey Flegg captain Harry Durbin was added to the bench.
The disruptions mattered not as the Warriors made the hottest of starts with second rower Maia Sands scoring in the third minute and fullback Ben Farr in the 10th minute to give their side a 10-0 lead.
The Bears levelled up at 10-10 at halftime but five minutes into the second half back rower Leka Halasima had the Warriors’ third try to help open up a 16-10 edge.
They couldn’t hold onto it as the Bears evened it up and then went 22-16 ahead with two tries in the space of three minutes.
There was still ample time left as the Warriors set about biting back.
Inside the last two minutes the Warriors hit their right edge to put Fuatimau over only for the try to be ruled out for an obstruction call while Tanner Stowers-Smith was held up over the line.
