NZ Warriors 42

North Queensland Cowboys 12

Everything’s coming up Warriors.

It hasn’t been the ideal start to their NRL campaign, with injuries disrupting things and a few games getting away from them. But after stringing together back-to-back wins over the Penrith Panthers and Redcliffe Dolphins before last week’s bye, the Warriors have picked up where they left off.

In a 42-12 win over the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday night, the Warriors looked every bit a top-eight side.

Controlling most of the possession throughout the contest and keeping a high completion rate, the Warriors put pressure on the Cowboys – who welcomed back all four of their State of Origin stars – early and often, while they defended their own line well.

They were playing well, and some of the stranger moments in the game seemed to suggest it was simply the Warriors’ night. In particular, Rocco Berry scored a try as the ball fell kindly for him after initially hitting his shoulder, and Dallin Watene-Zeleziak avoided going touch-in-goal by the smallest of margins to bat the ball back for a Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad try.

On another night, those were two plays that might have gone another way, but on this night the Warriors were humming.

Nicoll-Klokstad played a fine hand in the performance, carrying the ball back with intent and inserting himself into the attack well.

Addin Fonua-Blake, who was stood down for their last outing against the Dolphins, returned at his bruising best, running for about 200m in his 57-minute stint, while Jackson Ford, Mitchell Barnett and Tohu Harris all got through plenty of work as well.

In the halves, Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita ran the ship well and were on the money with their kicking game for most of the contest.

It was the sort of performance the club can build on after a disappointing start, and with Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck expected to return in the coming weeks as well, one that fans can take plenty of confidence from.

The only real blip in their performance was Chanel Harris-Tavita being sent to the sin bin for throwing the ball at Cowboys half Chad Townsend after a coming together of the two sides. Townsend was also sent for a spell.

It all started to look promising for the Warriors in the opening minute when a Viliami Vailea knock-on gave them terrific field position. While Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s try soon after was ruled out, the Warriors had set the tone and Nicoll-Klokstad wouldn’t be denied in the corner in the eighth minute.

When Fonua-Blake muscled his way through a few defenders to score and Barnett waltzed over for one of his own, the Warriors held a deserved 16-0 lead inside 20 minutes.

Berry’s unusual try pushed that lead out to 22 just after the 30-minute mark, and it took a sneaky run from Tom Dearden at dummy half to send Scott Drinkwater away for a long-range try on the counterattack.

While the Cowboys had their chances, the Warriors always looked assured in their defence.

They extended the lead after halftime with tries to Watene-Zelezniak and Nicoll-Klokstad, before Braidon Burns bagged a consolation try for the hosts.

The Warriors had the last say, Berry bagging a brace of his own as the Warriors claimed a dominant win.

NZ Warriors 42 (Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2, Rocco Berry 2, Addin Fonua-Blake, Mitchell Barnett, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak tries; Adam Pompey 6 cons, pen)

North Queensland Cowboys 12 (Scott Drinkwater, Braidon Burns try; Valentine Holmes 2 cons)

HT: 22-6

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.