Wests Tigers vs New Zealand Warriors, Shaun Johnson, Hamilton sell out, Tigers

The Warriors have scraped a 30-22 victory over the Tigers, who took their Round 24 home game across the Tasman to FMG Stadium in Hamilton.

The merger club repaid the New Zealand side for their efforts during the Covid period which resulted in a sell-out crowd at the stadium which hasn’t hosted an NRL game in six years.

The Warriors got off to a flyer, with front rower Mitch Barnett slicing straight through the defensive line to find Luke Metcalf, who scored untouched.

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Next, halfback Shaun Johnson injected himself in to the game with a smart play, cutting out Barnett to find Adam Pompey who charged over the line.

Holding a 12-0 lead, the Warriors were expected to kick on but the Tigers fought back bravely through Daine Laurie.

The gun five-eighth orchestrated two tries in only two minutes, with the first coming for centre Starford To’a.

Moments later Laurie skipped through New Zealand’s defence before finding a charging Luke Brooks who burnt the cover defenders to score.

On the stroke of halftime, winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak stunned commentators with an impressive acrobatic effort labelled outstanding” to hold a 16-12 lead at the break.

To start the second half, the Warriors held the bulk of possession before Tohu Harris burst over from metres out.

Bayley Sironen, standing in for Wayde Egan who was sent to hospital for a neck injury, delivered a perfect short pass to spark the try.

Laurie then scored the Tigers first of the second half, breaking down the right side of the field with young gun Jahream Bula in tow.

The final Warriors of the game came from a Shaun Johnson short ball, finding Addin Fonua-Blake to score under the goal posts.

With only 120 seconds on the clock, the Tigers also scored through To’a who finished off a smart break from Shawn Blore.

Read below for the big talking points out of the game!

DWZ FLIES HIGH… AGAIN

Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has continued his try-scoring ways with an effort labelled “outstanding” by commentators on the stroke of halftime.

Off the back of a smart backline play, Watene-Zelezniak threw himself over the sideline, angling his arm back in the field to score acrobatically.

Recording his 18th try of the season in only 15 games, the gun winger handed his side a 16-12 lead which proved the difference in Hamilton.

Watene-Zelezniak’s effort left Fox League’s Yvonne Sampson stunned and league legend Cooper Cronk labelled the winger’s effort “the difference”.

“He just makes it look good… just defying gravity,” Sampson said.

“What a DWZ special, what a fantastic try. He missed one earlier but he just keeps scoring these fantastic tries,” Meninga said.

“It’s the difference, it was 12-all at that time and the crowd loved it, well done Dallin. He turns it on…