Warriors Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad during the Telstra NRL Premiership - NZ Warriors v Roosters at Go Media Stadium, Mt Smart Friday 21 March. Photo: Brett Phibbs / Photosport
Centre Ali Leiataua has scored two tries to power NZ Warriors home 14-6 over Sydney Roosters, breaking an eight-year drought against their rivals at Go Media Stadium.
As they did seven days early, when they came from behind against Manly Sea Eagles on the same ground, the Auckland side trailled for much of the contest, after Kiwis international prop Naufahu Whyte put the visitors ahead in the 22nd minute.
Leiatuau answered, but the Roosters lead 6-4 at halftime and into the final quarter, before Warriors five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita rose high to take a kick on the Roosters goal-line and plunge over.
The result still hung in the balance with 10 minutes remaining, but Leiataua loomed large on the right to shrug off a couple of tackles to score his second.
Halfback Luke Metcalf converted to put the margin beyond a converted try, with time running out on their rivals.
Victory may have come at a cost, with star winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck limping off with a hamstring injury, suffered in a despairing trysaving tackle in the second half.
The win sees the Warriors improve to 2-1 for the NRL season, with a trip across the Tasman to face resurgent Wests Tigers looming next Sunday.
Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
Team lists
Warriors: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Taine Tuaupiki, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris (cc), 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett (cc), 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Marata Niukore, 13 Erin Clark
Interchange: 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Jackson Ford, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Leka Halasima
Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3, Mark Nawaqanitawase, 4 Robert Tola, 5 Dominic Young, 6 Sandon Smith, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Spencer Leniu, 9 Connor Watson, 10 Naufahu Whyte, 11 Angus Crichton, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Victory Radley
Interchange: 14 Zach Dockar-Clay, 16 Blake Steep, 18 Hugo Savala, 21 Makahesi Makatoa
