TRIES to Herbie Farnworth, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Jack Bostock in the final quarter secured the Dolphins a place on the penultimate weekend of the NRL season.
In a game that had been dominated by penalty goals in front of a full house at Go Media Stadium, England centre Farnworth flashed over on the hour.
And then it was sublime handling in the build-up to “the Hammer” putting Kristian Woolf’s side in front.
Then centre Bostock flew high to claim a bomb with five minutes left, stealing the ball from Chanel Harris-Tevita when both were back on the ground. At 26-16, the Warriors were consigned to a repechage against Newcastle.
It was a wild first half, at the end of which the Warriors led 12-8, with three players sent to the sin bin by referee Adam Gee.
Warriors centre Adam Pompey was first to go in the 28th minute with a shoulder charge from a kick-off.
Then Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins) and Kurt Capewell (Warriors) got their marching orders for their roles in a melee.
Earlier, the Warriors lost second rower Leka Halasima to hamstring injury in the warm-up.
After the sides traded penalty goals early, Warriors fullback Taine Tauapiki scored a twinkle-toed try in the 16th minute.
Winger Cobbo finished off a well-executed shift to the left for the Dolphins’ first-ever finals try after 25 minutes.
All of the Warriors points were scored by fullback Taine Tauapiki.
DOLPHINS 26 (Cobbo Farnworth Tabuai-Fidow Bostock tries Isaako 4 goals) beat WARRIORS 16 (Tauapiki try 6 goals) at Go Media Stadium
Teams:
WARRIORS: Taine Tauapiki; Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad; Ali Leiataua, Adam Pompey, Alo Khan-Pereira; Chanel Harris-Tevita, Te Maire Martin; James Fisher-Harris (c), Wayde Egan, Mitch Barnett. Kurt Capewll, Jacob Laban, Erin Clarke. Res: Sam Healey, Sam Towers-Smith, Demetric Vaumaga, Jackson Ford, Eddie Ieremia, Jet Cleary.
DOLPHINS:Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow; Jamayne Isaako, Jack Bostock, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo; Kodi Nikorima, Isaiah Katoa; Tom Flegler, Jeremy Marshall-King, Tom Gilbert, Max Plath, Kuli Finefeuiaki, Morgan Knowles. Res: Kurt Donaghue, Ray Stone, Francis Molo, Connelly Lemuelu, Brad Schneider, Tevita Naufahue.
Referee: Adam Gee.
