Laishon Albert-Jones scores a try for Warriors against Wests Tigers.
Photo: David Neilson/Photosport
NZ Warriors have completed their NRLW comeback season on a high, with a record 44-6 victory over bottom-of-the-table Wests Tigers in Sydney.
After a five-year hiatus, and a campaign derailed by suspensions and injuries, the wāhine unleashed their biggest-ever win to show they will be a force to be reckoned with next season.
Lock Laishon Albert-Jones and centre Payton Takimoana each had try doubles, as their team collectively ran in eight to overwhelm their rivals.
Within seconds, the Warriors were on the backfoot, when prop Lavinia Kitai was put on report for a dangerous tackle, as they tried to impose themselves from the start.
The visitors scored first, when Albert-Jones ran from dummy half and spun through a tackle close to the tryline.
Albert-Jones had her double soon afterwards, when a 40-30 kick from halfback Lydia Turua-Quedley and linebreak from full back Apii Nicholls put them in prime field position.
Quick hands put rookie winger Tyra Wetere into the right corner, while five-eighth Emmanita Paki found second-rower Shakira Baker with a short pass near the line, and two defenders could not stop her momentum.
With regular goalkicker Patricia Maliepo sidelined by injury, Nicholls took over those duties and slotted a penalty to extend the advantage, but Wests finally responded on the stroke of halftime, with halfback Faythe Manera scoring.
With her team ahead 24-6 at the break, skipper Nicholls set up her own try after the restart, when she kicked behind the defence and won the chase.
With or without the ball in hand, teenager Ivana Lauitiiti proved a destructive force, colliding heavily with opponents on attack and defence. On the wing, Lavinia Tauhalaliku denied Tigers fullback Evie McGrath a try in the corner, dragging her into touch, before she could force the ball.
Takimoana scored her 14th try of the season, when she loomed outside Baker near the line.
Lauitiiti almost scored, but four Tigers defenders held her up over the line, but Takimoana grabbed a double, after Wetere intercepted and ran 60 metres, before she was dragged down. The Warriors went left and Paki fired a long pass for her centre to score.
From the kickoff, they found another gear, with second-rower Kaiyah Atai taking a short pass from Turua-Quedley for her first NRLW try.
Despite missing out on the NRLW playoffs, the Warriors broke a four-game losing streak with their fourth win of the season, providing plenty for coach Ron Griffiths to build on next season.
See how the match unfolded below: