Warriors hold out Eels in 29-16 NRL win

Rookie centre Solomone Kata nabbed a double as the Warriors held off Parramatta’s second-half resurgence on Saturday to mark their first home match of the NRL season with a 29-16 win.

Four tries in 17 first-half minutes set up the victory as the Warriors dominated possession in the opening stages in Auckland.

But after Kata completed his double early in the second half, the Warriors had to withstand a spirited comeback by the Eels.

With the Warriors reshuffling their backline after fullback Sam Tomkins went off with knee bruising, the Eels scored twice in quick succession.

A big break led to centre Brad Takairangi dotting down, before prop David Gower scored his first NRL try in his 45th appearance after a Warriors mistake on their own line.

Robinson then produced a superb finish after a sprint down the sideline, crossing in the corner despite the attention of Tuimoala Lolohea.

That made it a 12-point game with a quarter-hour left, but halfback Shaun Johnson sealed the Warriors’ second success of the season with a field goal five minutes from time.

The opening spell of an encounter before 14,112 fans at Mt Smart Stadium belonged to the Warriors.

Ryan Hoffman’s fifth-minute dab from dummy-half gave the former Melbourne second-rower his third try in as many matches for his new club.

The Warriors’ two rookie centres, Kata and Lolohea, then decided to get in the act.

Kata crossed from a deft kick by five-eighth Chad Townsend, before Lolohea finished off a huge break by hooker Thomas Leuluai.

When a break by Townsend ended in a converted try to winger Manu Vatuvei, the Warriors had pulled away 22-0.

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