The New Zealand Warriors have ended their National Rugby League season with a disappointing 40-18 loss to the Parramatta Eels at a wet Mount Smart Stadium.
New Zealand Warriors end disappointing 2016 season with a loss Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Chastened by last week's loss to Wests Tigers, the Warriors began the match full of gusto and intent and took a 12-0 lead inside the opening minutes of the game.
A well-constructed set finished with the play going to the left, Thomas Leuluai - in his farewell match - slipped through a grubber for wing Manu Vatuvei to swoop in for his 152nd career try and his sixth of the season.
Issac Luke's conversion from the touchline made it 6-0 after only three minutes.
A second try followed two minutes later, with Luke passing to Jacob Lillyman, Luke doubling around on Lillyman and serving it up for Simon Mannering to snare his 57th career try.
Then the jitters set in.
Tuimoala Lolohea lost possession bringing a kick back and Isaac de Gois swooped on the loose ball to cruise to the line.
Evidence suggested a hand was involved and a knock-on by Clint Gutherson should have been ruled but the try was awarded.
And by the 19th minute it was 12-12 after another error.
The Warriors had a defensive scrum but the Eels put the shove on and at the back of the scrum the ball squirted out of Luke's grasp and de Gois went over for a second try.
It was advantage Parramatta when the prolific Semi Radradra had a try in the 27th minute - not converted - but the Warriors were back level when Luke skipped out and put Mannering through a big hole for his second try of the night.
Luke's conversion gave his side an 18-16 lead at 32 minutes.
No sooner did they have the lead than they had conceded it again when the Eels created space easily for Radradra and he put Bevan French over for his first of three, a try Michael Gordon converted for a 22-18 halftime lead.
Within five minutes of the second half starting the Warriors were under the hammer as French struck twice to complete a hat-trick to take the Eels 34-18 clear.
Vatuvei drove at the line for what was awarded as a try on the field but was then negated by the bunker when it was found the ball had been planted just short of the line.
Thereafter the Eels were calling the tune, building and sustaining pressure and eating up the clock while the Warriors couldn't rediscover the fluency they'd shown in the opening minutes.
Try as they did they couldn't add to their 18 first half points.
Their luck was summed up when Vatuvei made a clean break upfield, found Nathaniel Roache in support and beat the defence to go over between the posts.
But the bunker ruled Roache was ruled to be in an offside position and the try was disallowed
Parramatta's response was to cash in on the Warriors' misfortune by laying on a try for left centre Michael Jennings with Radradra converting from wide out.
Neither side will progress to the playoffs, with the Warriors finishing 10th on the ladder and the Eels 14th.
