Memorable Playoff games

[Big Marn]

Starting off with a rugged affair and the NZ Warriors' first chance to make a grand final in 2002.
Would be interesting to see what the No Try/Try decisions in this game would be in 2024 with the diabolical bunker boys.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I went ot the playoff against the tigers in 2011 where ol mate Inu got the try in the last minute. Still get goosebumps thinking about it. Awesum train ride back to Campbelltown afterward lol

 

[Blair]

I went ot the playoff against the tigers in 2011 where ol mate Inu got the try in the last minute. Still get goosebumps thinking about it. Awesum train ride back to Campbelltown afterward lol.

Same. It's my favourite Warriors game. When Inu scored I didn't watch the last minute when the Tigers had the ball. They went nowhere but still.

Awesome walk to Central with the fans.

 

[Big Marn]

The Wests Tigers first visit to finals since the merger. A up and down season which improved dramatically in the 2nd half off the back of an 8 game winning streak, gave the team a top 4 finish.
After defeating the Cowboys and the Broncos in Week 1 and Week 2, the Tigers took on the Dragons at the SFS for a place in the Grand final, with controversy surrounding the choice of stadium. The Dragons had qualified a week earlier and as a consequence the supporters had snapped up most of the tickets which meant the Dragons had most of the crowd behind them.... Efforts to move the game to the much larger Telstra stadium were unsuccessful.

 

[Big Marn]

and by popular request. a wee bonus. video quality not outstanding.

 

[Blair]

Our win over the Tigers was so sweet on so many levels. First being that they had really rubbed our noses in it at Mt Smart in the regular season.

We were about 22-4 up, then Maloney gave away a dumb penalty, which proved a fatal one. The game ended with a melee in our in-goal with the Tigers laughing at us.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I went ot the playoff against the tigers in 2011 where ol mate Inu got the try in the last minute. Still get goosebumps thinking about it. Awesum train ride back to Campbelltown afterward lol

Same. It's my favourite Warriors game. When Inu scored I didn't watch the last minute when the Tigers had the ball. They went nowhere but still.

Awesome walk to Central with the fans.

I was living in Melbourne at the time, and that win meant we got a visit to Melbourne to play the Storm in a semi, which I attended, and of course we won putting us into the 2011 Grand Final. That one is up there as one of my memorable, in particular we played a near perfect first half, our pack just marched upfield relentlessly all night.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Wrong thread

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Our win over the Tigers was so sweet on so many levels. First being that they had really rubbed our noses in it at Mt Smart in the regular season.

We were about 22-4 up, then Maloney gave away a dumb penalty, which proved a fatal one. The game ended with a melee in our in-goal with the Tigers laughing at us.

The karma has played out strong in this one....

In terms of memorable finals matches, I can't go past the 2008 home semi against the Roosters. I was working in the media, and I'd thrown my Mt Smart media pass out when we had the away final against the Storm. The Warriors media man wasn't overly chuffed to be producing a new one. The ground was HUMMING from the start, really that 'I didn't think we'd be here' buzz. I remember a few things - it was an arm wrestle until the second half, the crucial penalty try when Hohaia was taken out, then Aidan Kirk's epic runaway. Oh, and certainly can't forget Ruben's CHAAAARGE into Sia Soliola, wowee that was felt 100m across field. And Josh Massoud, the slippery little f**k climbing all over me in the press box, cheering on the Roosters, crying foul for the penalty try then sooking it up deluxe at fulltime. I took a fair bit of schaudenfraude out of his eventual demise - what a shit person.

The 2008 Storm final before that, I'd said to the guys I was watching with that I'd run home nude if we won. Witt scores, I end up running home and Mum was not expecting to see that at the front door.

2011, Tigers game I was at the Cloud in the CBD for the Rugby World Cup...not many people cared a lot until the end, then it was an absolute raucous celebration. And I still remember being drunk for the Storm game, watching SJ lay on that try and thinking it was the closest to God I'd ever be, scoring from a try where he actually dummied the whole Storm team, me, and the cameraman. I should have gone to that GF, but was probably flat broke.

2007, I was at the Eels game and all I remember is Logan Swann. I learned yesterday from one of LeagueNut's epic quizzes that Swann has played the most finals for the Warriors. Explains a lot, I guess.

2023, my daughter ruptured her appendix in the days before the Penrith final. Really didn't get to enjoy that one too well, but I have wonderful memories of watching the Knights game with her and the Broncos one - she is sweet now, and an absolute Warriors tragic (she's 7). She threw a wobbly last night because she couldn't stay up to watch the Dogs game. Brainwashing, complete.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The karma has played out strong in this one....

In terms of memorable finals matches, I can't go past the 2008 home semi against the Roosters. I was working in the media, and I'd thrown my Mt Smart media pass out when we had the away final against the Storm. The Warriors media man wasn't overly chuffed to be producing a new one. The ground was HUMMING from the start, really that 'I didn't think we'd be here' buzz. I remember a few things - it was an arm wrestle until the second half, the crucial penalty try when Hohaia was taken out, then Aidan Kirk's epic runaway. Oh, and certainly can't forget Ruben's CHAAAARGE into Sia Soliola, wowee that was felt 100m across field. And Josh Massoud, the slippery little f**k climbing all over me in the press box, cheering on the Roosters, crying foul for the penalty try then sooking it up deluxe at fulltime. I took a fair bit of schaudenfraude out of his eventual demise - what a shit person.

The 2008 Storm final before that, I'd said to the guys I was watching with that I'd run home nude if we won. Witt scores, I end up running home and Mum was not expecting to see that at the front door.

2011, Tigers game I was at the Cloud in the CBD for the Rugby World Cup...not many people cared a lot until the end, then it was an absolute raucous celebration. And I still remember being drunk for the Storm game, watching SJ lay on that try and thinking it was the closest to God I'd ever be, scoring from a try where he actually dummied the whole Storm team, me, and the cameraman. I should have gone to that GF, but was probably flat broke.

2007, I was at the Eels game and all I remember is Logan Swann. I learned yesterday from one of LeagueNut's epic quizzes that Swann has played the most finals for the Warriors. Explains a lot, I guess.

2023, my daughter ruptured her appendix in the days before the Penrith final. Really didn't get to enjoy that one too well, but I have wonderful memories of watching the Knights game with her and the Broncos one - she is sweet now, and an absolute Warriors tragic (she's 7). She threw a wobbly last night because she couldn't stay up to watch the Dogs game. Brainwashing, complete.

Haha that’s awesome with your daughter. My lad is 6, and he has been coming to the local park down the road with me to watch club footy this year (more like watch 2mins then find some kids to play with) , and I got him a magnetic premiership ladder which we have on the fridge which he has loved updating every week over the season. He can identify some players now like Tom and Cherry, and my favourite one “sheep head” (Kikau). We were out for dinner last night, and I sat with my back to the TV which had it on with strict instructions for nobody to mention it, and he was dying to tell me about it haha. Taking him to the Kiwis v Kangaroos next month so he will fizz for that

 

[Big Marn]

Haha that’s awesome with your daughter. My lad is 6, and he has been coming to the local park down the road with me to watch club footy this year (more like watch 2mins then find some kids to play with) , and I got him a magnetic premiership ladder which we have on the fridge which he has loved updating every week over the season. He can identify some players now like Tom and Cherry, and my favourite one “sheep head” (Kikau). We were out for dinner last night, and I sat with my back to the TV which had it on with strict instructions for nobody to mention it, and he was dying to tell me about it haha. Taking him to the Kiwis v Kangaroos next month so he will fizz for that

sheephead huh.. I keep thinking of SNL Beavis if Kikau was a white fella.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I got him a magnetic premiership ladder which we have on the fridge which he has loved updating every week over the season.

This is about the coolest thing I've ever heard

 

[JJ]

d I got him a magnetic premiership ladder which we have on the fridge which he has loved updating every week over the season.

Yeah, that's brilliant- I remember doing similar with the English football leagues as a kid, "Shoot" magazine provided a carboard ladder with tabs - Liverpool rarely shifted from #1 - had all teh divisions

 

[Beavers Headgear]

This is about the coolest thing I've ever heard

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Yeah, that's brilliant- I remember doing similar with the English football leagues as a kid, "Shoot" magazine provided a carboard ladder with tabs - Liverpool rarely shifted from #1 - had all teh divisions

I had the 1992 NSWRL hologram cards that came with a special ladder you’d insert them into, the Top 5 had their own special place at the top and those cards would curl up because they were there so often

 

[Blair]

Yeah, that's brilliant- I remember doing similar with the English football leagues as a kid, "Shoot" magazine provided a carboard ladder with tabs - Liverpool rarely shifted from #1 - had all teh divisions

And for the first 22 seasons of my life Man U never won a league title! I laughed at anyone who called me a 'glory boy' from 1993 onwards.

Btw, I only bought Shoot! at World Cup times, not sure why but maybe the week in, week out grind of the English club season didn't do it for me. There was also a British weekly called 'Match'.

My bible was the monthly 'World Soccer', and I can remember checking the newsagency at the beginning of every month in anticipation.

Simpler days.

 

[Blair]

I had the 1992 NSWRL hologram cards that came with a special ladder you’d insert them into, the Top 5 had their own special place at the top and those cards would curl up because they were there so often

I kept every magazine, sticker album, bubble-gum card set, book, and scrapbook from my childhood, adolescence and early-twenties in two suitcases at my parents' place in Christchurch. They even got moved when they moved down from the HB.

It was my treasure and I wasn't even concerned when the old man said they'd been moved out to the garden shed. Every visit to Ch.Ch was a time of joyous youthful memory. Like youth I thought it would last forever.

It all came crashng down when they rang me and said they're selling up and moving into a retirememt village. Dad was blunt, my treasure was heading for the tip. I had to give it the OK.

A part of me died that day! I should've brought it home with me but the Tasman Sea is a bitch.

 

[Big Marn]

2 of the most stacked sides you are ever likely to see in a preliminary final. Could Souths make their first final in 43 years?

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Prelim weekend, no research so year and details might not be 100%, but a few that stick in my mind

1995 Manly v Newcastle, tight all the way, Cliff Lyons scores late to seal the victory by I’ll say 8 points

1998 Eels v Dogs, Eels absolutely butcher the game in the last 10mins, Talau scores late in the piece and Halligan nails his 2nd sideline conversion to send it into extra time where the Dogs finish over the top of them

2005 Tigers v Dragons and Cowboys v Eels, Dragons and Eels favourites in both, and Tigers win 29-0 and Cowboys by something similar

2006 - Dogs all over Brisbane at HT, something like 24-6, Brisbane beat them by 10 points

2008 Manly v Warriors, mainly because I was there, but some of the tries Manly scored were unreal. In the other, Brisbane have the game sewn up before an error from Sims on the final minute sees Inglis score the winner

2011 Warriors v Storm, Brown in the corner late

2013 - Manly v Rabbits, Rabbits fly away to a 14-0 lead early before Manly fight back and Wolfman Williams scores a ridiculous try in the corner to seal it

 

[Big Marn]

Not so much memorable for the game but more for the players. If you want to roll back 30 years and strap yourself in, this is a full game preliminary final between the Canberra Raiders and the North Sydney Bears from the 1994 Winfield Cup season (including 4 future Warriors - RIP Quentin ).