It was an electrifying Friday night showdown at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.
The Warriors, led by standout performances from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, secured a crucial 18-10 victory against the Canberra Raiders. The win marks a significant turnaround for the Warriors, who were seeking redemption after suffering two consecutive narrow defeats, including a heart-breaking last-minute loss to the Melbourne Storm last previous week.
The match was a tight contest throughout, with the Raiders, aiming for a perfect start to their 2024 season with three consecutive wins, pushed the Warriors to the limit. But the Warriors, buoyed by a passionate home crowd emerged victorious.
The game’s momentum shifted early in favour of the Warriors following a critical error by the Raiders, leading to Shaun Johnson setting up Addin Fonua-Blake for a breakthrough try. Despite a disallowed try for the Raiders due to a handling error and continuous pressure, Canberra’s Matt Timoko managed to breach the Warriors’ defense to narrow the scoreline.
In a pivoral moment just before halftime, Watene-Zelezniak executed a defensive play which stopped a potential Raiders score and preserving the Warriors’ slender lead at the break.
The Raiders briefly took the lead in the second half through a well-orchestrated play finishing with Nick Cotric’s try, only for the Warriors to respond with their own one. Watene-Zelezniak and Luke Metcalf combined to reclaim the lead for the Warriors. Tuivasa-Sheck then capitalised on a Raiders’ error to extend the lead and secure the win.
