It means they now face an elimination final next weekend against the Newcastle Knights simply to stay alive, before a possible preliminary final in Australia the following week.
Tonight they tried to build a lead but needed to bank more points and simply didn’t take their chances when on offer.
The Australian team deserved their victory, with their much-vaunted backline making the difference, in their four tries to one victory. Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa was the outstanding figure – much more influential than his Warriors opposites, though he was perhaps fortunate to avoid the sin bin on two occasions.
But quite simply, not enough Warriors performed like they needed to. The pack fronted but the backline couldn’t say the same.
Fullback Taine Tuaupiki was brilliant – scoring all of the home team’s points but needed more spark from others. The Auckland club also desperately missed Leka Halasima – their most effective attacking weapon – who was scratched before kickoff with a hamstring injury.
It was a chaotic first half – with three players sin-binned (two from the Warriors) and an incredible atmosphere. But that was never going to be enough.
The start was pure blood and thunder. Mitch Barnett smashed into the defensive line before a big tackle by Ali Leiataua to set the tone. There was an early flashpoint, as Dolphins prop Thomas Flegler was rubbed out in attempting to make a tackle on Barnett. It was cruel – but the crowd didn’t care, seemingly whipped into more of a frenzy. The teams traded early penalties but the Warriors were on top. James Fisher-Harris and Erin Clark were inspirational, carrying defenders on their back as the home side won restarts.
That led to the first try, which was pure individual brilliance from Tuaupiki – who beat four defenders on his way to the line. Everything was going to plan, before the Warriors fell into a bit of a self-inflicted hole. Chanel Harris-Tavita and Wayde Egan both made decisions they will regret, to give the Dolphins impetus and territory. There was strong goal-line defence but the visitors didn’t need a second invitation, working the space well for Selwyn Cobbo to score, as the right edge got caught out again.
The hole deepened from the kickoff, as Adam Pompey – full of adrenalin – was sin-binned after a blatant shoulder charge on Ray Stone. More penalties followed, as the Warriors lost their way. That was shown by the reaction to a dangerous tackle on Jackson Ford, as he was flipped by Katoa, who was lucky to escape sanction. Kurt Capewell and Cobbo were both binned, to the crowd’s disbelief. But the Warriors held firm, then finished the half on a high. Tuaupiki went close – again – stopped in a brilliant tackle before converting a penalty, that Egan cleverly won.
The nervous feeling continued into the second half, as Capewell passed acres forward from dummy half. The Warriors banked another penalty goal – after Jackson Ford was hit high, while Katoa again escaped sanction despite a hip drop on Leiataua. The home side were accumulating – with Tuaupiki slotting coolly but there was a feeling they needed more, with Jacob Laban held up over the line, after Tuaupiki had gone close earlier.
There were turning points everywhere but an ineffectual fifth tackle kick by Martin felt like another.
That was accentuated after the Dolphins’ second try – a product of pressure and momentum, as Herbie Farnworth skipped inside three defenders to score with 20 minutes to play, though the opportunity had come from a booming kick by Katoa. There was more pain – almost shock – just six minutes later – with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s incredible 90m try, sparked and finished by the mercurial fullback.
That left the 26,131 crowd in silence, with an eerie feeling that there was no road back, despite plenty of time left. That proved the case, with the soft try to Jack Bostock – after Alofiana Khan-Pereira misjudged his jump and Harris-Tavita got burgled – summing up a flat final quarter.
Warriors 16 (Taine Tuaupiki try, con, 5 pens)
Dolphins 26 (Selwyn Cobbo, Herbie Farnworth, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jack Bostock tries; Jamayne Isaako 4 con, pen)
Halftime 12-8
