This will not be the NZ Warriors’ year after all, as their NRL dream crumbled in defeat to Newcastle Knights at soldout Eden Park.
Referee Ashley Klein and his officials were booed off the park, after two contentious late decisions went against the home side, as they desperately chased the points to save their playoff hopes.
Instead, the Knights held on for a 12-10 win that will now propel them to a preliminary final meeting with Penrith Panthers next weekend.
Centre Leka Halasima returned from a hamstring injury to score a try double for the Warriors, but that was not enough to carry them forward and they must now spend another summer wondering what might have been.
Ali Leiataua of the Warriors.
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Warriors were fortunate not to trail early. Knights wing Dom Young had a try ruled out for a final forward pass from centre Dane Gagai, while five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe had another disallowed for a knock-on in a kick contest.
Eventually, the home side scored first, when Halasima cut back against the grain to cross for a try.
The Warriors enjoyed statistical dominance through the opening half, but could not quite find the tryline again before the break.
Instead, against the run of play, Knights centre Bradman Best broke out of his own half and found Sharpe running support. He was not to be denied a second time and Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki compounded the mistake by putting his kickoff dead on the full.
Dane Gagai of the Knights tackled by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the Warriors.
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The contest was deadlocked 6-6 at the break, with the Warriors enjoying a 54/46 possession split, breaking almost twice as many tackles as their opponents (36-19) and running almost 300 metres more.
Six points seemed inadequate reward for their efforts and they had to hope the pressure would eventually toll on the Knights.
Newcastle were next to score, after wing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak – another returning from injury for the Warriors – spilt the ball in his own half and the Knights moved it quickly to Young.
The speedster ran away from a despairing tackle to put his team ahead for the first time. The Warriors lost Charnze Nicoll-Kolkstad in the process and now had to chase the game.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in action for the Warriors.
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
They conjured up several chances. Centre Ali Leiataua appeared to have scored, but had his try disallowed for interference in the build-up.
Halasima had his second, when the ball came shortside and he switched hands in midair to force the ball, before he was pushed out at the corner.
Tuaupiki hooked his sideline conversion attempt and was then lead off the field for a concussion check from a high tackle moments earlier.
The Warriors seemed to have forced a crucial mistake, when the Knights lost the ball in their own half, but the visitors challenged and officials ruled Leiataua got a finger to the pass, although replays seemed inconclusive.
Warrior Leka Halasima scores his try in the corner.
PhotoSport / Brett Phibbs
Moments later, the Knights again lost the ball in a tackle and challenged again, with the bunker ruling a Warriors strip, although that also seemed questionable.
Their final chance to snatch victory came in the dying seconds, when Halasima chased a high kick near the Knights goalposts and appeared to be obstructed in his pursuit.
The crowd sat with bated breath for Klein’s ruling, hoping for a penalty that would send the contest to Golden Point, but he called play on and the Knights were allowed to survive.
Ultimately, the Warriors had plenty of chances to finish their rivals, but could not find the killer blow, collapsing to the hallowed turf in despair, as the final siren sounded and the Knights celebrated.
Co-captain Mitch Barnett played his final game for the club, before departing for Brisbane Broncos next season, but most of his teammates will be back, hoping to build on a campaign that realized a record number of wins and points scored, while attracting record crowds wherever they played.
To cap those achievements, the Warriors brought 48,511 to the rugby stronghold – the biggest home crowd of their history.
See how the game unfolded with RNZ’s live blog: