NRL 2020, Round 11 | Sydney Roosters defeat New Zealand Warriors

The New Zealand Warriors may be homesick but they have showed they’re not going to back down, taking the defending champs all the way.

JWH wanted more from Jack Hethington.

The New Zealand Warriors have given the Sydney Roosters a scare but the back-to-back defending premiers have come away with a hard fought 18-10 win at Central Coast Stadium.

Anyone who expected the Roosters to bully the homesick Warriors though were pleasantly surprised, particularly with the Warriors taking it to the Roosters even in the physicality stakes.

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But with 12 minutes to go and the score at 12-10, Roosters hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Warriors loan player Jack Hetherington had a scrap after a play the ball disagreement.

Fox League commentator Braith Anasta said of Hetherington: “He doesn’t back down Jack, he’s a tough customer and he can throw punches.

“I coached him in the under-20s and he’s a machine Jack Hetherington, not sure if Jared knows that.”

While the Roosters got a repeat set just before they scored the match winning try, Waerea-Hargraves and Hetherington had words with the Warrior pushing the Rooster before the pair pushed and shoved at close quarters.

After Joseph Manu’s match-sealing try, the pair came together again as Waerea-Hargraves went looking for Hetherington with the referee intervening.

Waerea-Hargraves wasn’t happy with Jack Hetherington.

But just two days after the Eels’ Nathan Brown and Tigers rookie Dean Blore had a run in on the field which ended with hugs and some nice words, the experienced Waerea-Hargraves wanted nothing to do with it after the game ended.

As Hetherington went to drape an arm around Waerea-Hargraves’ shoulder, the Rooster ducked out and walked away from Panthers player on loan to New Zealand.

The Wests Tigers media boss Dan Talintyre took note about the bad blood after the Warriors and Roosters clash.

The best part about Brown and Blore is that the two shook hands and smiled at the end of full time.

Not sure what happened with JWH and Hetherington but shame they couldn’t smile about it afterwards as that’s the best bit. #NRLWarriorsRoosters

— Dan Talintyre (@dantalintyre) July 25, 2020

Speaking post-match, Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary didn’t want any part of the battle.

“I’m not quite sure, I was trying to stay away from both of them,” Keary joked. “I was looking for Nikorima.”

It was a tough match for both teams with the understrength Warriors shocking the Roosters by going to the halftime break 10-6 up.

The Roosters didn’t take the lead until the 52nd minute when Keary scored off his own grubber ricochet to score from close range.

JWH wanted nothing to do with Hetherington post-match.

The Warriors scored early after a Kodi Nikorima bomb was knocked back and passed to the unmarked Ken Maumalo, in the player’s last game before he and three other players return to Auckland.

A bomb worked to get the Roosters over the line through Sitili Tupouniua, before Eliiesa Katoa crashed over just before halftime to make it 10-6 at the break.

But mountains of defence finally wore the Warriors down with two second half tries all it took for the Roosters to claim the victory.