Alofiana Khan-Pereira’s double helps Warriors secure win over Wests Tigers
Alofiana Khan-Pereira scored two tries, propelling the NZ Warriors to a 32-6 victory over the Wests Tigers at Sydney’s Campbelltown Stadium. The winger, returning from a quad injury that had kept him out for two games, contributed to an early lead for the visitors.
The Warriors capitalised on a numerical advantage after former fan favourite Bunty Afoa, now with the Tigers, was sin-binned for a late tackle on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Following Khan-Pereira’s first try, centre Ali Leiataua also crossed the try line, helping the Warriors establish a 14-6 lead at halftime.
Despite the Tigers finishing the first half strongly and threatening to narrow the margin after the Warriors spilled the ball from the second-half kickoff, the Warriors maintained their composure. Khan-Pereira extended their lead with his second try, and hooker Wayde Egan then scored from the restart, solidifying the Warriors’ control of the match.
Key Player Returns and Team Lineup
The match saw the return of several key players for the Warriors. James Fisher-Harris led the team, making his comeback from a calf injury. Second rower Leka Halasima also returned from a hamstring injury, alongside Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who was recovering from a thigh injury.
Fisher-Harris and Halasima had been sidelined since the 18-20 loss to Penrith on May 31. This period included two byes, a tight 8-10 loss to the Sharks, a 38-20 win against the Cowboys, and a 24-26 defeat by the Dolphins. Khan-Pereira’s thigh injury, sustained in the home loss to the Sharks, had kept him out of games against the Cowboys and Dolphins.
The Warriors’ lineup for the match against the Tigers included Taine Tuaupiki at fullback, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Alofiana Khan-Pereira on the wings, and Ali Leiataua and Adam Pompey in the centres. Chanel Harris-Tavita played five-eighth, with Te Maire Martin at halfback. The forward pack featured James Fisher-Harris and Tanner Stowers-Smith as props, Wayde Egan at hooker, Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban in the second row, and Erin Clark at lock.
The interchange bench consisted of Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Demitric Vaimauga, and Marata Niukore. Reserves included Luke Metcalf and former Wests Tigers player Luke Laulilii, who was signed on a short-term deal. Notably, Mitchell Barnett and Kurt Capewell were not part of the squad, having played in State of Origin duty earlier in the week, where New South Wales secured a 30-12 victory over Queensland.
Match Statistics and Upcoming Fixture
While the Tigers had an advantage in possession and set completion, the Warriors dominated in linebreaks with an 11-2 count. The two linebreaks for the Tigers occurred in the final moments of the game and did not impact the score. This win marks a positive turn for the Warriors, who had lost three of their last four outings.
The Warriors remain second on the ladder with 26 points, alongside the Roosters and Knights, after their third bye. The Tigers, on the other hand, entered the match in 12th position following three consecutive losses to the Dolphins, Knights, and Dragons. In their previous encounter in round four at Go Media Stadium, the Tigers had secured a 32-14 victory over the Warriors.
The Warriors will now face the St George Illawarra Dragons, who are currently at the bottom of the table, next Saturday.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, the Warriors’ leading try scorer with 16 tries in 15 appearances, was absent from the match due to a hamstring injury sustained against the Dolphins. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, despite his recent injury, has nine tries in eight appearances.
The match officials for the game were referee Wyatt Raymond, touch judge Kasey Badger, and senior review official Chris Butler. The local kick-off time for the match was 8:00 PM.
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Source: rnz.co.nz
