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Watch: 5-0! The Warriors dominate Thurston and the Cowboys with brutal, brilliant display

April 7, 2018

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live coverage of tonight's NRL matches between the Tigers and Storm and the Warriors v Cowboys at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

FULLTIME - WARRIORS 22 COWBOYS 12

The Warriors have kept their unbeaten streak alive in 2018 with a 22-12 win over the Cowboys. The Cowboys looked threatening on attack in the final minute but Gavin Cooper couldn't hold onto the ball. David Fusitu'a scored two tries with Ken Maumalo scoring one in the first half for the Warriors. 

76 mins - WARRIORS 22 COWBOYS 12

TWO! Shaun Johnson slots an easy penalty kick from in front of the uprights.

75 mins - WARRIORS 20 COWBOYS 12

The Warriors with a solid set after David Fusitu'a made a great catch deep inside his own half after a kick from Johnathan Thurston. Shaun Johnson is happy to just boot the ball into touch. The Cowboys are in real trouble now with five minutes left in the match.

71 mins - WARRIORS 20 COWBOYS 12

PENALTY! The ref rules that the Cowboys pushed David Fusitu'a while he chased a towering bomb from Shaun Johnson, a bit of a harsh call going against the Cowboys. 

65 mins - WARRIORS 20 COWBOYS 12

MISTAKE! A big moment in the match as Cowboys' fullback Ben Hampton flirts with the touch line. David Fusitu'a drags him into to touch and he is forced to pass the ball. Hampton's Cowboys teammate Antonio Winterstein fumbles the ball and the Warriors have an attacking scrum in the Cowboys' half.

61 mins - WARRIORS 20 COWBOYS 12

TRY! Johnathan Thurston doubles around and receives the ball back from Gavin Cooper and passes it to his Cowboys fullback Ben Hampton who dummies before diving over to score.

Thurston curves the ball over the uprights and the Cowboys now trail by eight-points with 18 minutes remaining in the match.

53 mins - WARRIORS 20 COWBOYS 6

TWO! Shaun Johnson bangs over a penalty kick from over 30m out in front to give the Warriors a 14-point lead.

50 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

40/20  - It's a beauty from Shaun Johnson as he pulls off a 40/20 kick to put his side into excellent attacking position. 

49 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

HANDS! Great hands from Blake Green after the Cowboys were starting get on top Green gets his side out of trouble just as it looked like the Cowboys were going to score.

45 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

MISTAKE! The Cowboys off to good start and the Warriors hand the ball back to the visitors after Pita Hiku fumbles the ball. The Cowboys have an attacking scrum on the Warriors' 20m line.

40 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt gets things started with a long and high kick off to the Warriors.

HALFTIME - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

It's all about the Warriors in the first half. David Fusitu'a has a double already for the Warriors. The home side should really be leading 18-0 at the break, a penalty from Issac Luke just before the break handed the ball over to the Cowboys and Kyle Feldt dived over to score down the right edge to get his side back into the NRL match.

39 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

TWO! Johnathan Thurston curves it through the uprights and the Warriors lead 18-6.

38 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 4

TRY! Finally the Cowboys break the Warriors' defensive line. Kyle Feldt dives over in the corner after a perfect pass from Michael Morgan. Warriors winger Ken Maumalo can't get there in time to stop him.

35 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 0

TRY! The Warriors shift it down the right edge and Pita Hiku delivers the money ball to David Fusitu'a who scores his second try of the match. The Cowboys are in all sorts of trouble right now. 

Shaun Johnson bangs over his conversion at goal with ease.

33 mins - WARRIORS 12 COWBOYS 0

Johnathan Thurston shuts down a potential try scoring opportunity as Simon Mannering throws an inside ball to Shaun Johnson. Thurston gets a hand to the ball, but can't hold onto it. The Warriors have scrum inside the Cowboys' half.

31 mins - WARRIORS 12 COWBOYS 0

The crowd get vocal again after Warriors centre Pita Hiku lines up Cowboys star Johnathan Thurston and runs him over.

28 mins - WARRIORS 12 COWBOYS 0

TRY! Shaun Johnson creates the space taking the ball to the line before firing a skip ball to David Fusitu'a who goes over down the right edge to score the Warriors' second try of the match.

Shaun Johnson lands his kick from out wide and the Warriors lead 12-0.

David Fusitu'a scores a try during the New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys NRL game at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on April 7th 2018. 

Copyright photo; Peter Meecham/ www.photosport.nz

25 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

RESTART! Blake Green puts in a clever grubber and the Warriors will get another attacking set with the Cowboys stuck and unable to get the ball out of their own in-goal.

23 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

PENALTY! The Cowboys looked dangerous on attack but the Warriors show great heart on defence to keep the home side out. The Cowboys are penalised for being offside and the Warriors finally get their hands on the ball.

Simon Mannering has entered the game for his first run in the 2018 season for the Warriors.

18 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

Ken Maumalo scores the Warriors first try during the New Zealand Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys NRL Rugby League Telstra Premiership game played at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on April 7th 2018. 

Copyright photo; Peter Meecham/ www.photosport.nz

MISTAKE! Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo is five metres out of the Warriors' goal line and he tries to play the ball quickly but loses control of the ball. The Warriors were lucky to not get penalised with Agnatius Paasi in an offside position.

14 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

PENALTY! Just as it looked like the Warriors were getting on top of the Cowboys after a great kick from Shaun Johnson and a chase from his teammates. The ref blows his whistle and rules that Warriors' second rower Tohu Harris is offside.

11 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

PENALTY! The Cowboys are penalised for being offside. A much needed penalty for the Warriors as they were struggling to get out of their own half.

9 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

It's all the Warriors in the first 10 minutes with their big forwards Agnatius Paasi and Leivaha Pulu making excellent metres with their charging runs for the home team.

6 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

TRY! Solomone Kata makes a break down the left edge and he sucks in the last Cowboys defender Ben Hampton before passing the ball to Ken Maumalo who opens the scoring account for the Warriors.

Shaun Johnson lands the conversion from out wide, straight and in between the uprights.

2 mins - WARRIORS 0 COWBOYS 0

Both teams complete their first sets and the home crowd are getting very noisey early with every run from the Warriors players.

WARRIORS 0 COWBOYS 0

And we are underway! The Warriors kick off to the Cowboys.

WARRIORS v COWBOYS 

It is a sell out at Mount Smart, the Warriors are about to attempt a first for the club. Chasing five straight wins at the start of their NRL season against the Cowboys.

FULLTIME - TIGERS 11 STORM 10

The Tigers have stolen the win from the Storm after Melbourne capitulated in the final quarter of the match. Benji Marshall sealed the deal for the Tigers with a clever drop goal in the 72nd minute. Melbourne's mistakes cost them the win and the Tigers spoiled Storm's coach Craig Bellamy's 400th NRL game coaching Melbourne.  

72 mins - TIGERS 11 STORM 10

DROP GOAL! Benji Marshall gives the Tigers the lead with a clever kick at goal. It all started with a superb play from Tui Lolohea getting his side a seven tackle set, putting one foot in the in-goal while making a catch after a bomb from the Storm.

69 mins - TIGERS 10 STORM 10

NO TRY! Tigers' Luke Brooks makes a sensational break and he offloads the ball to Benji Marshall. Marshall looks to stretch to score but then looks to pass, but he fumbles the ball just before the try-line. Some great defence from the Storm.

66 mins - TIGERS 10 STORM 10

GOAL LINE DROP-OUT!  Tigers' Luke Brooks has the ball on the last and he steps off his right and grubbers the ball towards Storm's second rower Felise Kaufusi who knocks the ball back into the in-goal. The Tigers jump on him and the Tigers get another set.

61 mins - TIGERS 10 STORM 10

TRY! After a shocker from the Melbourne Storm at kick off, with the ball bouncing dead the Tigers take advantage of their mistake. It a great play from Luke Brooks that gets the Tigers their second try. He looks like he's about to throw a back door pass but he hits the front runner Chris Lawrence who crashes over to score a crucial try for the Tigers.

Tuimoala Lolohea nails his kick at goal and the scores are level 10-10.

59 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 10

TWO! Cameron Smith extends Melbourne's lead with a successful penalty kick at goal. Storm hit double figures.

53 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

Storm's Young Tonumaipea butchers a chance for the Melbourne Storm to score, they had numbers down the right edge and he decides to go himself. He definitely would have liked to have that again, Josh Addo-Carr would have scored had Tonumaipea simply shifted the ball.

47 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

The Storm are getting the better of the exchanges against the Wests Tigers. Looks like the Tigers are just holding as the passes are starting to stick for the Storm. Sam Kasiano and his Melbourne forwards are causing some trouble for the Tigers' defence.

42 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

Another great set from the Storm after Cameron Munster made an early break with a charging run on the third tackle. The Storm grubber the ball into the in-goal and the Tigers' winger Corey Thompson is forced to play at the ball. The Tigers now have a goal-line drop out.

40 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

And we are back underway! Storm kick off deep to the Tigers.

HALFTIME - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

39 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 8

TRY! The Storm kick the ball on the first tackle off a set move from a scrum. There is no one at the back for the Tigers and Billy Slater gets to the ball first, pouncing on the boncing ball over the try-line. The Storm are now in front.

Cameron Smith lands the kick from out wide.

35 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 2

TRY!  A great kick chase from the Tigers after a good kick from Benji Marshall on the last. Storm's winger Josh Addo-Carr has a brain explosion and throws the ball back in field to nobody. Esan Marsters re-gathers the ball and offloads the pill to Tigers reserve forward Josh Aloiai. Aloiai shows great body position going in low and diving over the try-line to score the first try of the match.

Tui Lolohea misses the shot at goal from out wide.

32 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 2

DEFENCE! The Tigers opt to run it on the last, Benji Marshall passes it to his centre Esan Marsters who tucks the ball and tries to go himself. He's tackled over the try-line but he is held up by the Melbourne Storm's defence.

27 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 2

NO TRY! Benji Marshall puts up a wonky kick on the last and his Tigers teammate Malakai Watene-Zelezniak re-gathers the ball. Looks like he's got there over the try-line but Suliasi Vunivalu and Young Tonumaipea stop him from reaching out and grounding the ball.

24 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 2

Wests Tigers Benji Marshall.

BIG HIT! Melbourne's winger Josh Addo-Carr hits Tigers winger Corey Thompson with a huge tackle and the crowd roars in appreciation for the shot. Thompson does well to hold onto the bouncing ball after a grubber kick from Cameron Smith. A scrappy game so far with the wet weather playing its part in the game.

20 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 2

FUMBLE! The Storm are awarded a penalty and Billy Slater goes for a quick tap and go. He reaches out to try and ground the ball over the try-line but he loses control of the ball. A costly mistake from the Melbourne veteran.

17 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 2

TWO!  Brodie Croft bangs over an easy penalty kick after the Tigers were penalised for pushing a Melbourne player while they attempted to recover the ball. 

15 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

NO TRY! A solid set from the Storm as they march their way down field. Brodie Croft puts in a huge cross field bomb on the last but his Storm teammate Curtis Scott can't hold onto it.

10 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

KICK! Melbourne's skipper Cameron Smith tries kicking early in the set gunning for a 40/20 but the ball bounces out just before the 20m line.

9 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

MISTAKE! Storm's prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona spills the ball inside the Tigers' 20m line and the Wests Tigers get out of a jam. Cameron Smith does not look happy after a lacklustre start from his side.

5 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

DEFENCE! Stom's winger Suliasi Vunivalu comes up with a spot tackle on Kevin Naiqama and the Wests Tigers centre spills the ball. A much needed turnover for the Storm after a solid attacking period for the Tigers in the opening five minutes.

2 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

A mistake from Storm's big man Nelson Asofa-Solomona hands the ball over to the Tigers. The Tigers are hot on attack inside the Storm's half and they get another set with Suliasi Vunivalu forced to play at the ball after a smart grubber kick from Corey Thompson

TIGERS 0 STORM 0

KICK-OFF! And we are underway! Tigers half Benji Marshall with a big kick off towards the Storm.

Pre Match:

It's a New Zealand first blockbuster NRL doubleheader at Mt Smart, with Benji Marshall's Wests Tigers the 'home' team, taking on the Melbourne Storm, followed by the unbeaten Warriors trying to win five straight to start a season for the first time against last season's beaten grand finalists the North Queensland Cowboys.

Astonishingly, over 22,000 tickets have been sold for the doubleheader with the occasion close to a sellout.

Quick facts - Tigers v Storm

The Tigers are flying high at 3-1 on the season, despite the fact they've scored more than 10 points only once in four games.

They are trying to do the double over the Storm for the first time, after beating them 10-8 in week two.

Wests Tigers: 1 Tuimoala Lolohea, 2 Corey Thompson, 3 Esan Marsters, 4 Kevin Naiqama, 5 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Russell Packer (c), 9 Pita Godinet, 10 Ben Matulino, 11 Chris Lawrence, 12 Robbie Rochow, 13 Matthew Eisenhuth.

Interchange: 14 Jacob Liddle, 15 Alex Twal, 16 Michael Chee Kam, 17 Josh Aloiai.

Storm: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Young Tonumaipea, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 21 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 15 Tim Glasby.

Interchange: 11 Joe Stimson, 13 Kenny Bromwich, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Sam Kasiano.

Quick facts - Warriors v Cowboys

The Warriors are looking to join the Dragons as the only teams not to have lost this season, and tonight is just their second home game of 2018, in week five. They welcome back from injury Shaun Johnson and Simon Mannering.

The Cowboys have won the last three between the two teams and haven't lost a round five fixture in seven years. They need a win tonight, they've started the year slowly at 1-4.

Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 2 David Fusitua, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 Bunty Afoa, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Leivaha Pulu, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Adam Blair.

Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Sam Lisone, 16 Simon Mannering, 17 Anthony Gelling.

Cowboys: 1 Ben Hampton, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Justin O'Neill, 4 Javid Bowen, 5 Antonio Winterstein, 6 Michael Morgan, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 Matthew Scott (c), 9 Jake Granville, 10 Scott Bolton, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo

Interchange: 14 Te Maire Martin, 15 John Asiata, 16 Corey Jensen, 17 Ethan Lowe.

2 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

10 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

10 mins - TIGERS 0 STORM 0

59 mins - TIGERS 4 STORM 10

61 mins - TIGERS 10 STORM 10

2 mins - WARRIORS 0 COWBOYS 0

11 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

18 mins - WARRIORS 6 COWBOYS 0

50 mins - WARRIORS 18 COWBOYS 6

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