Best ever victory?

[LeagueNut]

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 48 (Meli 5, Webb 2, Tony, Faumuina tries, Webb 5, Faumuina goals) defeated CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 22 (Vagana, El Masri, O'Meley, Utai tries, El Masri 3 goals)

As you can tell from my sig, I have pretty much made up my mind on this - but what do you all think?

Have we witnessed the best ever performance by the Warriors last night? Personally I can't think of any games that even come close, but my judgement may be clouded by euphoria from the victory!!

 

[southern warrior]

nah i think the 13 -12 win of the broncos in 2001 was our best it wasn't the same quality as this one , but it was one we needed .

 

[Master Vitaly]

I'd enjoyed the 42-0 thrashing we gave to the Knights a few years back.. Also the 2 wins against the Broncos this year but yeah, lastnights final was right up there! Nice one Warriors! 8)

 

[Anonymous]

DEFINITELY.

That's the only time the Warriors have genuinely turned in a sublime performance in a really important match.

The 42-0 was at the arse end of a poor season so it didn't mean much really. The win over Brisbane wasn't anywhere near as good a performance, nor was the match as important. The semi against the Sharks last year was more important, but nowhere near as good a performance.

 

[JoeD]

It was by no means a faultless display BUT I believe it was their best ever. A close second would have to be the 13-12 win over the broncos. We look back on that game as a landmark game for the club. I think in future years we'll look back on last nights game as a landmark also. 5 tries to Meli cement him as one of the players of the season for the whole NRL. Faumuina and Webb also had blinders. When they took Stacey off when the game was in the bag I thought they should have brought Webb off as well. At the moment he is way more important to us than Stacey is. Doesn't O'Meley feel a dork now. Villa doesn't contribute on attack? What an idiot. Couldn't take the smile off my face all day - bring on the Raiders, they look ripe for the taking

 

[LeagueNut]

Spot on Thierry - the 42-0 and 13-12 will always rate right up there for me, but as far as I am concerned we have a new champion.

The two things that stick out are the importance of the result - forget what the other results of the weekend were, it was a must-win for us in terms of keeping the momentum and confidence levels up. And it showed, especially when the Dogs clawed back to 16-16. We stepped up another two or three gears after that!

Secondly, I have never seen the entire team play so well!! Sure Meli was fantastic, but we had superstars right across the field last night - every single one of them stood up to be counted and ensured their position in the team for the next few weeks.

I am going to be smiling all week dammit ... and I'll be taking my jersey and flag into work tomorrow to show all those doubters just who will win the 2003 premiership!!!

 

[ANTiLAG]

The sharks victory last eyar for the gf, or the 30-0 over sharks in 2001. That first win over the broncos are all ahead of this weekend for me. But I still loved it, and it is right up there

 

[guten_targ]

Last years semi victory over the sharks was the best game for me and it meant that we were into our first Final but the other day was something special also and something I'll never forget either.

 

[Anonymous]

or the 30-0 over sharks in 2001

I don't see how that can compare, the Dogs game was better in every way. But each to his own I guess.

 

[AliN]

There's been so many highs from the team, it's real hard to nail it to just one.

The Dogs came back at us early in the 2nd half and for a fleeting moment looked dangerous.

But hey if it takes a guy to be sin binned for us to take off, as has happened before, then that's great...

So yea, at the moment, this is their best game all week

 

[guten_targ]

I am going to be smiling all week dammit ... and I'll be taking my jersey and flag into work tomorrow to show all those doubters just who will win the 2003 premiership!!!

You and me both cuz..I'm planning on wearing mine to the next management meeting as I did a fortnight ago when all the rah rah boys in management wore theirs..well now I'll join em to shut a few critics up and add one more to the league mantle..lol

 

[ANTiLAG]

the 30-0 was up there for a few reasons. The first half was the best our attack had ever been upto that point. And the 2nd half was the best our Defence had/has ever been.

Not the significance of the individual game. But the way we played it. It did however roll us toour first finals series. And some could argue was teh catalyst for the team/way we have/play now.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I think last weekend gets my vote, it was our most complete win in that it combined everything: Great attack, individual and team brilliance, some great defence and the fact that we did it away from home in a final when it really mattered.
Other great games:
13-12 over Brisbane in '01, for sheer guts, desperation and self belief, the game where we turned the corner.
42-0 ov Newcastle in '99, for sheer dominance over quality opposition, however it was at Ericcson and we were out of finals contention so there was no pressure.
Beating the Sharks to make the GF last year: Just for the sheer occaision of it.
30-0 over the Sharks at Ericcson: Close to the perfect half in the first half, and great D in the second, but not in the same league as the above.

 

[carlnz]

For sure it was there best game ever, they were expected to get thrashed and they hammered the bulldogs...even with 12 men!!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

For sure it was there best game ever, they were expected to get thrashed

Expected by who, hopeful Dogs fans? The Dogs were favourites but nobody was predicting a threashing as I recall. We were on a roll at that point and most were predicting a tough one.

 

[robb.g]

nah i think the 13 -12 win of the broncos in 2001 was our best it wasn't the same quality as this one , but it was one we needed .

i agree they where the team we had never beaten and we were never confident of beating but as soon as we did we have no problems whoooping they ass!

i also like the storm vs warriors game when we won in the last seconds i think it was 98 or 99?peace!

 

[ozbash]

nah i think the 13 -12 win of the broncos in 2001 was our best it wasn't the same quality as this one , but it was one we needed .

i agree they where the team we had never beaten and we were never confident of beating but as soon as we did we have no problems whoooping they ass!

i also like the storm vs warriors game when we won in the last seconds i think it was 98 or 99?peace!

thats the game i remember best,, it was the warriors coming of age,, it was when there was no looking back and it was PAYBACK for 1995 !!!

 

[LeagueNut]

i also like the storm vs warriors game when we won in the last seconds i think it was 98 or 99?peace!

Round 16, 1998: Auckland 24 beat Melbourne 21. We were trailing 18-21 when the full-time siren went off, but Stacey Jones put up a 'desperation' bomb which was batted back into the arms of Tony Tatupu who managed to scramble across the line. The Video Ref took four minutes to give the green light!

Ahhh, memories ...

 

[AliN]

Memories all righ Leaguenut!!

The good and the bad have paved the way to where the Warriors are today.

The best thing of all is the respect the other sides now have for us. I know a lot of Aussies enjoy the adlib style that the guys use, and I'm sure there are a lot of closet Aussie Warriors fans

 

[Anonymous]

thats the game i remember best,, it was the warriors coming of age,, it was when there was no looking back and it was PAYBACK for 1995 !!!

I've got it on tape, you should watch it. It was a lacklustre game against a weakened Broncos side, there was no crowd and hardly any atmosphere.