Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n
The New Zealand Warriors are the best story of the NRL this year \u2013 and the fairytale will continue for another week at least.<\/p>\n
The Warriors belted Newcastle 40-10 to book a spot in next Saturday\u2019s preliminary final against Brisbane.<\/p>\n
Suncorp Stadium will be rocking. And so was Go Media Stadium on Saturday, from the moment the Warriors took the field.<\/p>\n
They were up 16-0 after just 12 minutes, with tries to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Addin Fonua-Blake and Marcelo Montoya.<\/p>\n
How amazing would it have been to be inside the venue when the crowd went into overdrive, waving signs and singing after Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored to all-but seal the win just after the hour.<\/p>\n
The final 20 minutes will stay with the players forever.<\/p>\n
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Addin Fonua-Blake celebrates after scoring an early try.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n The Warriors have given up so much over the past few years because of COVID. They were shown a little leniency in 2020, when they bunkered down on the Central Coast and were allowed to fish and swim, but the locals back home were still starved of live football.<\/p>\n Saturday was basically an emotional homecoming three years in the making.<\/p>\n The side\u2019s brightest star, Shaun Johnson, came into the game with a calf injury but looked the goods. He is odds-on to win the Dally M Medal.<\/p>\n Johnson told the Matty Johns Show<\/em> after the game that even the Knights were backing them to go all the way.<\/p>\n Andrew Webster and Shaun Johnson.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cA couple of the Knights boys, they\u2019re good fellas, and they were coming up to us and saying on the quiet, \u2018Up the Wahs\u2019,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo get this last home game here, and to say \u2018thank you\u2019 to our fans and the way we played tonight, it\u2019s really special.\u201d<\/p>\n First-year head coach Andrew Webster is favourite for coach of the year honours.<\/p>\n Imagine Webster leading the Warriors to victory next week and then going up against former club Penrith in the big dance.<\/p>\n Few will give the Warriors any hope of downing the red-hot Broncos next weekend. The Queensland heavyweights have an unbelievable forward pack, powerful speedy backs, and little general Adam Reynolds calling the shots. They\u2019ve also had a week off.<\/p>\n And what about Reece Walsh? The livewire fullback was with the Warriors, but they allowed him to return home so long as it was not with NRL newcomers the Dolphins. At some stage this week, the Warriors will regret that one.<\/p>\n A proud Webster said his team would be more than ready for the Broncos, and \u201cyou want to go to their backyard and try and win\u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking after the game, he said: \u201cIn big moments in big games, you just want the boys to be themselves, and to just remember what got them there.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won 16 games this season, we deserved a top-four finish, we deserved a home semi-final.<\/p>\n Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad takes the ball at pace.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cMy biggest fear is we weren\u2019t going to be ourselves, and we were going to try and make something up, or think we had to do something different.<\/p>\n \u201cThe calm in the group, particularly the back end of the week, was amazing.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd on a big stage like that, and being at home with a crowd like that who help you, can sometimes add pressure because you feel like you\u2019ve got to repay everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I thought the boys were so calm and smart under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n Addin Fonua-Blake crosses the line.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Webster said Johnson was a big chance of dropping out, and the only time he was nervous during the game was with 10 minutes to go when, \u201che was double right-foot stepping and carrying on like he was 18\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was frustrating, and I was like, \u2018calm down\u2019 … he was carrying on like a lunatic.\u201d<\/p>\n The best thing about the Warriors is they have belief and nothing to lose, which is a dangerous combination.<\/p>\n Johnson, who was given an early mark, is experienced, Fonua-Blake is among the top three props in the game, and Tohu Harris has become New Zealand\u2019s answer to Isaah Yeo, no doubt thanks to Webster\u2019s Penrith background.<\/p>\n The Knights will lose no admirers. Kalyn Ponga and coach Adam O\u2019Brien will head into the summer knowing they have what it takes to go all the way in the next year or two, rather than facing questions about commitment and contracts.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s funny, we didn\u2019t deserve to end like that, but we deserved to end like that,\u201d O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard at the moment because we\u2019ve set high standards, and for us to be just OK with that performance given what we\u2019ve done for the last 11 weeks, that wouldn\u2019t mean progress for the club.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad it\u2019s hurting all of us. We can\u2019t start games like that … we were running on empty at the end with some busted troops.\u201d<\/p>\n The Broncos got home 26-22 without their Origin stars when they met the Warriors in Napier midway through the season. September, however, can make men do strange things.<\/p>\n Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on <\/b>9Now<\/b>. <\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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