This article first appeared on Stuff and has been redistributed with permission.
“Welcome home” really.
Dave Dobbyn sang his classic songs before the start and the Warriors offered the result their loyal fans had longed for when they returned to Mt Smart Stadium for the first time in almost three years.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has left Kiwi league fans a chance to see their team in person, but they had a lot to cheer for when the Warriors beat the Wests Tigers 22-2 on Sunday afternoon to stop a streak of seven consecutive defeats.
An exhausted crowd of 26,009 showed up for the round of 16 round of the NRL, which was the first of the Warriors at home since August 30, 2019, when they were well defeated by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Warriors only had three starters who were there that night, 1038 days ago: Tevaga Jazz props, center Adam Pompey and winger Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Jesse Arthars of the Warriors celebrates it after scoring a try. (Getty)
But there were many others on his team with Mt Smart experience, including striker Bunty Afoa, who made his 100th appearance from the exchange bench, and migback Shaun Johnson, playing on the ground for the first time since left for the Cronulla Sharks in late 2018.
The Warriors made their way through the tunnel from No. 2 field, as they did in their first NRL game, in 1995, and immediately heard the vocal support of their patient followers.
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They had to continue to be patient, as they twice thought their team had scored, only for replays in the NRL Bunker to say otherwise.
Having achieved nothing in the 24th minute despite dominating the territory and possession, the Warriors took the opportunity to put themselves on the board with a Johnson penalty.
He soon followed the rehearsal that the shrill crowd expected, and it was opportune for Captain Tohu Harris to be the man to do the honors, scoring on the back of a half-run by Wayde Egan to give the Warriors the reward they they deserved his dominion. .
NRL Highlights: Warriors v Tigers – Round 16
A second try was added just four minutes later, after a Johnson chip in the right corner hit Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the back and sat down for Harris-Tavita to score.
Johnson continued his perfect start from the tee to put it up 14-0, while the Tigers were able to get on the board thanks to a Adam Doueihi penalty while the half-time siren sounded.
The Tigers got more into the competition when the second half began, but a strong Warriors defense kept them at bay, and when the clock passed 60 minutes, it looked like the goalless 40 minutes could be on the cards.
A second penalty from Johnson at 65 changed that and put the Warriors on three tries, while Jesse Arthars put the icing on the cake at the end, scoring a shot in the right corner.
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