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Shaun Johnson has kicked two field goals in the last three minutes to allow the Warriors to snatch an incredible 20-19 victory over Canberra at GIO Stadium.
The Warriors trailed for the entire match and were down 19-12 when Isaac Luke scored with four minutes to go to make it 19-18. Johnson then stepped up as the hero, calmly potting one pointers at the end of two restart sets.
For the first time in the Warriors’ 24-year history, they’ve won three games in a row to start the season.
For the Raiders, it’s their third heartbreaking loss in a row. Amazingly, in the first three rounds of the competition, they have lost their three matches by a combined total of just five points.
Canberra capitalised on a glut of early possession today to head into the sheds leading 13-6 at half-time.
They received the first six penalties of the match and scored both their tries early in the first half, after Warriors’ prop Adam Blair was sin binned for a late shot on Raiders’ five-eighth Aidan Sezer.
Hooker Siliva Havili barged his way over from dummy half in the 9th minute for the Raiders’ first try.
They scored again in the restart set after Joey Leilua laid the groundwork by busting the Warriors’ defence early in the count. Second-rower Elliot Whitehead scored on the next play with the Raiders spinning the ball to exploit the scrambling Warriors’ defence.
The Warriors hit back though five minutes later in their first real attacking opportunity for the half. They put the ball through the hands on the right edge before centre Peta Hiku broke through the line to score.
At 12-6 after 16 minutes, it looked like it was going to become a high-scoring first half, but both sides scrambled in defence to keep their lines intact for the rest of the half.
Raiders’ halfback Sam Williams potted a field goal just before half-time to give the Raiders a 7-point lead.
Canberra extended that lead early in the second half when they ran the short side and winger Nick Cotric barged his way over in the corner, despite the attention of several Warriors’ defenders.
Croker missed the conversion from out wide but added a penalty soon after to give the Raiders a 13-point buffer at 19-6.
Tohu Harris helped the Warriors get back in the match in the 59th minute with an individual effort to score on the right edge. Johnson’s conversion made it 19-12.
The game then settled into an end-to-end arm wrestle, before Luke’s late try and Johnson’s double field goal heroics snatched the win for the Warriors.
New Zealand Warriors 20
Canberra Raiders 19
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