‘Didn’t need to do that’: Warriors denied last-gasp try over jersey pull

The New Zealand Warriors have been denied an incredible comeback win after a moment of utter madness in Napier.

The Warriors went within a hand of a win. Photo: Getty Images and Fox Sports

The New Zealand Warriors have fallen brutally short of one of the great comebacks, losing 26-22 to an understrength Brisbane Broncos.

Playing at Napier’s McLean Stadium for the first time, the Warriors fell just short after being denied following a brain snap by centre Adam Pompey.

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In the first NRL match at the ground a since the Storm played the Dragons in 2015, the Broncos opened up a 26-10 lead with just nine minutes remaining, much to the chagrin of the home fans.

While the final 10 minutes was extended due to several pitch invaders, the Warriors flipped the game on its head, scoring twice in three minutes to cut the score to four points with three minutes remaining.

With no room for a mistake, the Warriors shifted the ball wide on the fifth tackle from 20m out.

Instead of a Hail Mary kick, New Zealand halfback Shaun Johnson put it through the hands.

As it came out to Pompey, he threw a flick pass to winger Marcelo Montoya, who streaked down the sideline and slammed the ball down.

But Broncos winger Deine Mariner immediately appealed to referee Gerard Sutton.

The Bunker had a look and found Pompey had grabbed the jersey of Mariner after he passed the ball, denying the winger a chance to get to Montoya.

Pompey would want that again. Photo: Fox Sports

When the Fox commentators saw the replay, they knew the Warriors hearts would be broken.

“Oh yeah, no try,” Steve Roach said.

“This will be no try,” Warren Smith added. “Can you believe that?”

Roach replied: “I can’t.”

Smith continued: “The crazy part is that Adam Pompey probably didn’t need to do that. I think they were going to score anyway. I don’t know that Mariner was going to be able to recover and stop Montoya.”

He added it was “an absolute no brainer”, while Roach said: “It’s a fair call, he didn’t need to do it.”

The Warriors fans were fuming at the decision and fans piled on Pompey on social media.

Mancave Sports Australia tweeted: “Congrats to Adam Pompey for the dumbest play in 2023 and costing his team the game with a brain dead decision.”

Freelancer Curtis Woodward posted: “Pompey doesn’t need a rocket from the coach. He’ll cop plenty of s**t from teammates during the week.”

The dumbest thing I’ve ever seen on a footy field. Don’t ever want to see Pompey in FG again. Lost us the game #NRLWarriorsBroncos

— Chris Gavin (@chrisgavinn) May 27, 2023

Can’t imagine Adam Pompey is going to be very popular in the dressing rooms 🫣
Stoked to get the W but not sure we deserved it. Very wild game. #NRLWarriorsBroncos

— Arin Ozdemir (@arinozdemir) May 27, 2023

Pompey shouldn’t have pulled the jersey. The refs shouldn’t have awarded Riki’s try off the forward pass that was so intentional it could have been a penalty against them 🤦🏻‍♂️ #nrlwarriorsbroncos

— Matt (@MattyJared) May 27, 2023

In the post-match press conference, coach Andrew Webster said it was one of many moments that cost the Warriors the game.

“It sums us up tonight I think,” Webster said.

“I’m not throwing it all on that moment but we had a million of those moments that we didn’t own and that just summed us up.”

That’s the one that got away. Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images

Webster added that the Warriors went away from what had become their DNA of making their tackles and not allowing soft tries.

Warriors fans were also fuming over decisions in the game, including the “touch and go” pass from Billy Walters to Jordan Riki to give the Broncos a 12-6 lead at halftime.

The referees cleared the try but a shot pass was more than a little controversial.

“Geez, that’s a forward pass there,” Steve Roach said, as the Warriors raged over the call.

But with the NRL not utilising forward pass technology, it was confirmed as a try.

It’s bad timing for the Warriors after the CEO of club major sponsor One NZ raging over unconscious bias of referees.

Originally published as ‘Didn’t need to do that’: Warriors denied last-gasp try over jersey pull