Return of the Beast

It is time that all Warriors fans accept that we are a completely different team when Manu Vatuvei is on the paddock. This is a player that Warriors management must ensure stays with the team for as long as possible and doesn't get lured into a lucrative Northern Hemisphere contract or a high paying acting career. Even hobbling on one leg, the Beast helped spur the Warriors to a 20 - 0 half time lead. However, for the second time this season, Manu did not return after half time. Team sources say that this was not a reoccurrence of the hamstring injury that he has been struggling with over the past four weeks. "It's something between the ankle and the knee," Cleary said. "We've just got to cross our fingers and hope it's not too bad." Let's cross our fingers, because if Manu spends more time on the sideline, Zace Nation may react like this guy.


The Warriors opened the scoring with Zace Nation's second favourite Warrior, Ukuma Ta'ai ('Kuma' as he is fondly known to us), who surged through "three would be tacklers" (Ray Warren voice) to score under the posts. Kuma's try was followed with typically 'ugly' looking tries to Lewis "The Wrestler" Brown and Ian Henderson. The Warriors rounded out the half with penalty to superboot James Maloney to make it 20-0. "Shut the Gates"?! Not just yet...

With a 20-0 half time lead, Zace Nation believed victory was secured and proceeded to leave for their 21st party. Fortunately the HQ bar had the second half on. Needless to say the Warriors found ways to let the Cowboys back into the game. Two quick tries in the second half brought the Cowboys within 8. They almost closed the gap to two but for Ashley Graham putting his lilly white knee over the chalk before grounding the ball in the corner (Zace Nation wondered why he was still playing in Australia, considering him a good candidate to be playing in England - no sound reasoning was provided). The Cowboys' comeback provided good ammunition for Zace Nation's weekly lampooning of Lance Hohia (that little bastard) and Kevin Locke (that little brown bastard). The Warriors managed to hold on for victory, sealing the win when the little brown bastard caught a Seymour cross kick after last week's stand in captain Brent Tate pulled a nifty 'catch fake' to put off the Cowboys defender.

Overall the Warriors will be pleased with their performance. Any time you can beat a side which fields Jonathan Thurston you have played well. The Warriors welcomed the return of their best drinker, and biggest offensive weapon in Brett Seymour and Michael Luck respectively. Both turned in good outings, especially Seymour who was responsible for 3 of the Warriors tries. Needless to say he would have enjoyed a few quiet ones after the game.

For match highlights see here.

- Matt H