Katoa injured as Dolphins pip Warriors for eighth straight win
Joel Gould
Dolphins sharpshooter Jamayne Isaako made a sideline conversion in the 78th minute to beat the Warriors 26-24 after star halfback Isaiya Katoa suffered an ankle injury.
Scoring genius Isaako scored 14 points from two tries to become the first player in 118 years to score 12 or more points in nine consecutive games.
The previous five matches between the two sides had resulted in four points or less and on Saturday they produced another classic in front of 40,465 fans at Suncorp Stadium.
Warriors assistant Samuel Healey crashed in the 75th minute to give the visitors a 24-20 lead after a mistake from winger Selwyn Cobbo.
But Cobbo responded to the storm in true style three minutes later, equalizing with his second try of the match. Isaako converted from distance to secure an eighth straight win for the Kristian Woolf-coached Dolphins.
Dolphins’ key man Katoa left the field in the 13th minute after medical staff replaced his dislocated ankle. He was sitting on the bench with his left arm in a sling.
Bench utility Brad Schneider entered the game but out-of-contract five-eighth Kodi Nikorima took over.
The Dolphins lost Cobbo to a HIA pass in the 20th minute. Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak died in the second half due to a hamstring injury due to tremendous courage from both sides.
The Warriors, who are without outgunned forwards James Fisher-Harris, Jackson Ford and Leka Halasima, showed off their depth with second-rower Jacob Laban’s blindside delivery.
Tremendous defensive play from Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on Queensland teammate Kurt Capewell denied the Warriors an early try.
At the other end Cobbo scored again in the corner with a superb finish.
Laban jumped over Cobbo to grab the Chanel Harris-Tavita bombshell and respond with a flourish.
Laban rose again to catch a Harris-Tavita bomb and Watene-Zelezniak scored in the corner.
Nikorima brought on Herbie Farnworth to claim his highest assist in the NRL this season, his 23rd outstanding assist.
Later, at halftime, the Warriors took the ball away from Adam Pompey and Isaako scored to take the lead 16-12.
Isaako’s brilliance was highlighted when his magic hands lifted the Jack Bostock spinner at full tilt to score a classic try.
The Warriors responded by giving the visitors the lead through winger Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Healey.
