A New Zealand Warriors player has been called out for an act that may have cost his side victory against the Dolphins last Friday.
The Warriors are fighting to hang on to a spot in the top four but are just one point ahead of the red hot Penrith Panthers after going down 20-18 in a last gasp defeat to the Dolphins in Auckland.
The Warriors looked to be headed for victory late in the game when Dolphins forward Felise Kaufusi was sent to the sin bin in the 73rd minute.
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But the Dolphins rallied with 12 players on the field when halfback Isaiya Katoa opted to go for the try, and the Phins went across field to set up Jamayne Isaako for the matchwinning try.
Speaking on Fox League’s Matty & Cronk show, Cooper Cronk said: “To be down to 12 players, having to score a try with a minute on a clock, I’m like, ‘What are you thinking?””
Matty Johns replied: “I think it shows a lot of belief and the ability to operate under extreme pressure and get it done.
Cronk added: “I think they also got lucky a bit.”
He was referencing the passage of play that led up to Isaako’s try, when Warriors forward Leka Halasima lay down on the turf after chasing across field, allowing the Dolphins to get an overlap in attack.
Lying on the turf, Halasima lifts his head up and appears to consider getting to his feet, before remaining slumped face-first on the ground.
“Down to 12 (players), the probability of them scoring … I like that they just threw the ball around because that’s your best opportunity,” Cronk said.
“But there was a moment, Halasima. He goes down and he lay down on the ground.
“Here he is, the game is on the line, the Dolphins are down to 12 players.
“He puts in a really good effort to chase a player across the field and he’s down there on the ground. You’ve got to get up. Unless you’ve got a broken leg, you’ve got to get up.
“Just a body in the (defensive) line might have stopped this (the matchwinning try).
“(It’s a) learning from the young kid. He might have copped a boot, I’m not sure what happened. But he’s just got to get in the line.”
Halasima scored a try earlier in the second half but the review session wouldn’t have been too enjoyable for the 19-year-old.
The Warriors are limping to the end of the home and away season, with injuries to halfback Luke Metcalf (ACL), James Fisher-Harris (calf), Wayde Egan (concussion), Chanel Harris-Tavita (calf) and Mitch Barnett (ACL).
“It’s such a shame but the injuries at the moment have put the brakes on their season,” Johns said.
The Dolphins are also battling their own injury woes after gun centre Herbie Farnworth went down with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for around a month.
Cronk added: “They’ve done a tremendous job, the Dolphins. To cover some of those forward injuries at different stages.
“Even when Herbie goes down, to keep fighting and get that victory.
“But they can’t lose gifted athletes like that. That’s their point of difference in attack. All of a sudden, there’s a couple of tackle busts you’re not going to get each game.
“Once you start coming up against better teams in the finals … For them, Herbie probably needs to come back for them to be a chance.”
The Warriors take on the Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday night at Accor Stadium, while the Dolphins host the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a crucial clash between two teams on the cusp of the top eight.
“We assume the Sharks get seventh because of their run,” Cronk said.
“There’s three teams vying for eighth spot and they’re all playing each other (Manly, Roosters, Dolphins).”
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