NSW Cup Finals: It’s win or bust in sudden-death playoff
It’s all on the line for the One New Zealand Warriors when they face a formidable Penrith Panthers side in today’s sudden-death week one New South Wales Cup playoff at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney (1.00pm kick-off local time; 3.00pm NZT).
A fast finish against Newtown last week came up just short as they went down 36-39 and missed the chance of a second life with a top three finish.
As the fourth placed side they take on fifth-ranked Penrith in a clash which takes the winner into week two of the playoffs while the loser is eliminated.
Since the Warriors took over the running of the New South Wales Cup squad in 2014, the club has reached the finals every season outside the Covid-affected years in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The competition was cancelled in 2020 while the Warriors were unable to run a team the next two seasons.
In their comeback campaign last year they finished third in the regular season, lost in week one of the finals, won in week two and were edged out 28-24 by North Sydney in the preliminary final.
They had an identical record this season – 14 wins, a draw and nine losses – but it wasn’t enough to earn the comfort of a top three position.
The Warriors face a Penrith side stacked with quality led by seasoned NRL veteran Tyrone Peachey while they have also named exciting outside backs Casey and Jesse McLean, Daine Laurie, Asu Kepaoa and Mavrik Geyer with former Warrior Preston Riki on the bench.
Experienced NRL props Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale lead a contingent of 11 players with NRL experience in the lineup named by the One New Zealand Warriors on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old Afoa, boasting 138 NRL games over nine seasons, has been a regular in the New South Wales Cup recently with a total of eight appearances.
He and 41-game NRL front rower Ale head a starting pack which includes three NRL rookies in the back row. Captain Kalani Going, who made his only NRL appearance last year, maintains his record of playing every game this year while exciting 2024 NRL debutants Jacob Laban and Leka Halasima are in the second row.
Starting at halfback is four-game NRL utility Paul Roache while the centres are Ali Leiataua and Moala Graham-Taufa, Leiataua making a huge impact in the Warriors’ dramatic NRL win over Cronulla Sutherland last Saturday night.
Another star of the victory Taine Tuaupiki returns at fullback while Edward Kosi with 32 first-grade appearances to his name is on the wing.
The 11th player with first-grade experience is 2024 rookie prop Zyon Maiu’u, who’s on the bench.
Missing from the squad are first-choice players Ben Farr (concussion) and prop-second rower Demitric Vaimauga (formerly Sifakula).
The side is built around a core of regulars. Going and 19-year-old bench forward Eddie Ieremia played all 24 regular season games, prop Tanner Stowers Smith has made 22 appearances, winger Edward Kosi 19, fellow winger Setu Tu 18, Graham-Taufa and standoff Luke Hanson 17, hooker Makaia Tafua 16, Maiu’u 15 and Roache and Laban 14.
The regular season matches between the two sides finished in a 22-22 draw at North Harbour Stadium and a 22-10 win to the Warriors at North Sydney Oval.
