FULLTIME: WARRIORS 0 - 32 ROOSTERS: Well, that was awful. The Warriors did themselves no favours with the amount of errors and penalities. While it's been a great season for them, when the do lose, they get hammered, so that's got to be concerning. It's also their first loss at Mt Smart since 2009. Ouch. Thanks for joining us.
80mins: Roosters not finished yet and are hot on attack once again. Cronk's kick is well covered by RTS however and the Warriors have it. Oh wow, it's that man Napa again. Another huge hit forces the error and bit of scrap ensues. Warea-Hargreaves gets 10 in the bin for carrying on a bit too long with the niggle.
78mins: ROOSTERS TRY - LIU: Roosters get the bounce of the ball and Matterson just has Kata to beat but he hangs on to force the offload to go to ground. Roosters still have it, Mitchell sees Liu to his right and gives him the ball and he spins out of the tackle to score under the sticks. A thrashing.
76mins: Lawton has a crack and he's over the try line, but he's held up. The Warriors go wide through Harris and he's well contained on the last and it's a handover.
74mins: Napa again puts in a HUGE shot on Papali'l. Wow, he's an absolute monster. It's gone on report however and it's a Warriors penalty.
72mins: Green's cross kick is a good one and Ferguson bobbles it, but holds on and he's away down the right wing before being tackled just before halfway. Roosters playing for time now and just calmly kick it into touch.
70mins: ROOSTERS PENALTY GOAL: Napa takes it up and he wins another penalty for the Roosters. Afoa the guilty party there. Mitchell will line up the easy penalty goal and he makes no mistake. Lino's injury looks to be quite serious. He's limped off.
68mins: Mitchell again proving a hand-off as he fends Hiku before finally being dragged down 10 or so metres out. Cordner gets it at pace and he's just short. Warriors struggling to cope and Lino's down, forcing time to be stopped.
66mins: Tedesco tries to pass in the tackle but it's a good defence and coughs it up for the Warriors to counter. Tevaga now looks to offload in the tackle but he knocks it on yet again. Really poor.
64mins: Lino takes the line on and steps one and they're just 10 metres out from the try line. It's an average kick on the last however and the Roosters take it comfortably before Mitchell finds space down the left wing after beating one. The pressure mounts and they win the penalty.
61mins: Ferguson earns a penalty for his side and they start around halfway. Tedesco's turn now to drop it with nobody around him but the Warriors almost immediately knock it on themselves. We'll have a scrum for the first error.
59mins: A rare mistake but Cronk as he drops it cold with no pressure at all on him. That's their first unforced error. Fusitu'a's in a bit of space down the right wing, but it's Keary again who makes the cover tackle and his boot grazes the sideline.
57mins: Fusitu'a almost charges his way through the Roosters defence but Keary hangs on for dear life. Warriors up over halfway but you guessed it, another loose play of the ball and Tevaga knocks on.
55mins: Warriors win another penalty and they tap. Keary dumps Mannering but a late shot on Green from the pass earlier earns them another penalty. They tap again and ANOTHER penalty is called. Mannering's cut out ball finds nobody but the grass and Ferguson dives on it for the turnover.
53mins: Green's kick on the last is charged down by a boot once again and Keary is in a bit of space. Mitchell then fends Harris before finding his man on the inside, but an attempted quick ball to Tedesco is forward.
51mins: Roosters well up over halfway and they still got two tackles. Cronk puts the cross kick up but Maumalo takes it comfortably once again. He's been a rock under the high ball. Warriors then win the penalty.
49mins: ROOSTERS TRY - TEDESCO: Keary splits Hiku and Lisone to go right through and he's in a ton of space! He's got Tedesco on his inside, draws in the final defender and the fullback goes in untouched for the try. Not looking good for the Warriors...Storm flashbacks?
47mins: Warriors go wide and there's a bit of space, Hiku does well to pull in two tacklers but his offload is too hard to handle for Fusitu'a and it's knocked on into touch.
45mins: Roosters look have bit of jump in their step now and Cronk's kick is a good, low driving one. Warriors do well to contain it and they win the penalty.
43mins: ROOSTERS TRY - FERGUSON: Roosters hot on attack now. They put it quickly through the hands down the right wing and Aubusson finds Ferguson who's only got Green to beat and it's a poor, way too high of a tackle and the winger's in for the try.
41mins: We're back underway and it's Paasi with the first hit up as he makes heavy contact with Waerea-Hargreaves. Paasi's rocking a well-bandaged head. More of the same from the first half as Lisone knocks on after a shoulder from Napa.
HALFTIME: WARRIORS 0 - 14 ROOSTERS: Roosters looked a class above in the first half. It started off fairly evenly, with some huge hits from both sides, but Sydney showed the greater finishing touch to take a handy lead into the break. Warriors guilty of just too many unforced errors.
40mins: ROOSTERS TRY - MANU: Roosters go left, Cronk cuts out two players to find Mitchell and he draws in the last defender as he gives it to Manu who dives over in the corner to score the try. Roosters looking good.
38mins: Mitchell does well to stand up in the tackle and offload and Cordner is tackled just a few metres out. Cronk's kick through is perfect and the Warriors are forced to take it dead for the line drop out.
36mins: Another penalty for the Warriors after Tetevano is pinged. Warriors tap but Napa stops them dead in their tracks, he's put in some real big shots tonight. Warriors still have it, Green puts the grubber through for Kata but he's JUST beaten by Ferguson who taps it back dead. Interesting, they rule Kata actually got there first, but he knocked on.
34mins: Waerea-Hargreaves lays out Green with a very late hit, but there's no call. Roosters instead look to attack but a couple of great spot tackles forces them to kick through Cronk. RTS almost slices through on the return, but instead wins the penalty.
32mins: Roosters up over halfway with out much resistance from the Warriors defence and Cronk's bomb is well taken in by Maumalo. Was a great grab for a tricky kick.
30mins: ROOSTERS TRY - MATTERSON: Lawton concedes the penalty right in front of the goal posts but the Roosters decide to tap this time. Roosters shift right after a couple of hit-ups and Cronk finds Matterson with a well-timed ball and he goes in untouched to score the game's opening try. Too easy that.
28mins: Roosters look to be in for the try on the right edge but the final pass is adjudged forward. They tried to go quickly through the hands but the last pat-on was forward. Oh wow, another Warriors mistake. This time, Hiku drops it.
26mins: There's space for Kata down the left wing and they're just up over halfway. Warriors kick on the last but the Roosters deal with it easily. Cronk's kick along the ground is timed well but Maumalo does well to contain it. RTS knocks on in the tackle and it's a scrum.
24mins: Fusitu'a goes from hero to villain in the first next play as he drops the ball in contact on the very first play. Roosters just 10 out but Tedesco's offload is adjudged forward. Phew.
22mins: Tedesco almost goes through but Mannering hangs onto the drag the fullback down around halfway. Keary's kick is a good one, Tedesco goes up and gets it, offloads to Keary but Fusitu'a makes a potentially try-saving tackle to force the knock on.
20mins: ROOSTERS PENALTY GOAL: Keary's kick is a good one and confusion at the back gifts the Roosters the ball back and then the penalty. It actually hit the crossbar after Green's pat back. It's right in front and Mitchell kicks the easy penalty goal.
18mins: Blair somehow finds Mannering with an offload and Hiku steps inside and they're just a few metres out. Lino tries a grubber for himself but it travels dead.
17mins: Paasi takes the first hit up and AGAIN, huge collision with Napa but the Roosters hitman didn't use his arms and it's a penalty. Paasi now be treated for blood. Mannering replaces him.
15mins: Tedesco tries a short ball but the Warriors defence are up fast and force the knock on. Paasi somehow offloads after copping a heavy shot and again, is hit hard, but passes to free up Hiku. Green's kick pins Ferguson in goal and it'll be a drop out.
13mins: Green's kick has little depth and Kata is forced to gather it in and just take the tackles. Taukeiaho sends Harris backwards with a forceful run and then wins the penalty.
11mins: Taukeiaho concedes the penalty at the play of the ball and the Warriors look to attack from halfway.
9mins: Lino's kick causes confusion among the Sydney back three but Aubusson takes it eventually. Looked as if it was going to find open field.
7mins: Warriors are just 10 out but Mitchell makes a great spot tackle on Lino. Green's grubber is charged, but they still have it, Maumalo gets it and it takes three Roosters players to stop him from getting the ball down.
5mins: Tonight's centurion, James Tedesco takes a tough Green kick easy and the Warriors are penalised. Cronk finds the sideline around halfway.
3mins: Oh my, Afoa drops it absolutely cold with no pressure on him at all. Roosters go wide on the first and are up over the 30m. Keary kicks on the only the third tackle and it goes into touch. Poor.
1mins: Lino gets us underway and it's Taukeiaho with the first hit up. Roosters up over halfway and Cronk puts the bomb up on the last play and Maumalo takes it comfortably.
5:03pm: Luke and Latrell Mitchell exchange cultural items. Very nice touch. Just about ready for kickoff.
4:58pm: Boyd Cordner now takes his Roosters side onto the paddock to a Maori welcoming.
4:56pm: A barefoot Isaac Luke is leading out the team to honour the NRL's indigenous round. Gutted he's not playing.
4:54pm: Despite a horrid weather forecast, it's actually held up pretty well. The players are about to make their way out now.
4:50pm: Welcome, welcome, welcome! Thanks for joining us for what should be a great game of footy. The Warriors are a chance to already eclipse last season's total number of wins with victory tonight.
Kia ora, good evening...
Welcome to our coverage of the Warriors' home game against the Sydney Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium.
We bring you live streaming written commentary, (BE SURE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER), and all the action. Video will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.
Commentary will start at 4:50pm (NZT)
The Warriors are hoping to continue their encouraging start to the NRL season, which currently sees them third on the table with seven wins from nine games.
If they win tonight, they will better the win total from their 2017 campaign, with more than half the season still to come.
- Hooker Issac Luke ruled out for Warriors against Roosters
- Blake Green warns Warriors still need improvement
- Warriors half Shaun Johnson sidelined for clash with Sydney Roosters
The Auckland-bases side are coming off a resounding 26-4 home win over the fourth-placed Wests Tigers, a result that has come at a cost, with half Shaun Johnson and hooker Issac Luke suffering injuries that will keep them out of tonight's contest.
Those two absences have forced changes from that starting line-up, with Mason Lino and Karl Lawton promoted into their vacant spots. Lino has deputised for Johnson three times already this season, helping the Warriors home 30-6 over the Roosters in Round Four.
Lawton replaced Luke during the second half last week and never missed a beat, scoring two tries in his Warriors debut.
The only other change comes in the second row, where veteran Simon Mannering was initially named to run on against Wests, but came off the bench, replaced by Isaiah Papli'i in the starting line-up. Mannering has again been named to start this week.
The Roosters have started the season slowly with five wins from nine games and arrive in Auckland off the back of a 22-20 win over the struggling Manly Sea Eagles.
Lineups
Warriors: 1-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2-David Fusitu'a, 3-Peta Hiku, 4-Solomone Kata, 5-Ken Maumalo, 6-Blake Green, 7-Mason Lino, 8-Bunty Afoa, 14-Karl Lawton, 10-Agnatius Paasi, 11-Simon Mannering, 12-Tohu Harris, 13-Adam Blair
Interchange: 15-Sam Lisone, 16-Isaiah Papali'I, 17-James Gavet, 20-Jazz Tevaga
Roosters: 1-James Tedesco, 2-Joseph Manu, 3-Latrell Mitchell, 4-Mitchell Aubusson, 5-Blake Ferguson, 6-Luke Keary, 7-Cooper Cronk, 8-Siosiua Taukeiaho, 9-Jake Friend, 10-Dylan Napa, 11-Boyd Cordner, 12-Ryan Matterson, 13-Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 15-Zane Tetevano, 16-Kurt Baptiste, 18-Nat Butcher
Head-to-head
Played 39; Warriors 22 wins, Roosters 16 wins, 1 draw
Matches at venue
Played 18; Warriors 12 wins, Roosters 6 wins
2017 result
Warriors won 14-13 at Mt Smart Stadium in round 9
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