Shaun Johnson has scored the matchwinner as the Warriors made it three wins from four matches.
Result
New Zealand Warriors 16
Tries: Viliami Vailea 27th; Marcelo Montoya 55th; Shaun Johnson 66th
Goals: Shaun Johnson 28th, 67th
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 14
Tries: Jacob Kiraz 2nd; Josh Addo-Carr 44th
Goals: Matt Burton 3rd, 8th, 45th
Report
New Zealand Warriors ground their way to a defensive-minded 16-14 win over the Bulldogs in what was a real slog-fest at Mt Smart Stadium.
Both teams ran out 1-17 as named on Tuesday, with a bumper New Zealand crowd on hand.
The Bulldogs muscled up in their first defensive set and backed it up with a try in their first attacking raid, with Dally M leader Jacob Kiraz crossing in the corner from a Jake Averillo flick pass.
Matt Burton converted the try and added two more points from a penalty goal not long after to make it 8-0.
An arm wrestle ensued until Reed Mahoney kicked a pinpoint 40/20 to put the Bulldogs on attack, but it came to nothing.
Down the other end of the field a hard running Viliami Vailea crossed from a scrum to put the Warriors on the board. Shaun Johnson’s conversion made it 8-6.
A game mostly played in the middle, neither side had many chances as the clock rolled down to half time.
In their first set of the second half Bulldogs interchange Nu Brown seemingly broke his arm in a sickening fall.
The Warriors had a try disallowed before Josh Addo-Carr raced 95 metres to score from the scrum. Burton’s conversion extended the score to 14-6.
The news got worse for the Warriors who lost Tohu Harris shortly after to a knee injury.
Five sets in a row on their line took its toll eventually, with Vailea offloading to send Marcelo Montoya over in the corner. Johnson missed from the sideline to keep the gap at four points.
A real arm wrestle in the middle, it took some Shaun Johnson magic to break through, touching down under the posts and converting for a 16-14 lead.
Brilliant goal lone defence form the Warriors spoiled a Bulldogs comeback, who tried desperately to crash over but couldn’t crack the line.
An entertaining end saw the Bulldogs push for points without luck, as the home side hang on for a nail-biting win.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Jackson Ford (Warriors)
2 – Viliami Vailea (Warriors)
1 – Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs)
