Live updates: NRL - NZ Warriors v West Tigers at Central Coast Stadium

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Warriors 30 West Tigers 26

Warriors - 2 Montoya, Murchie, Tuivasa-Sheck, Egan, Walsh tries; Nikorima 3 conversions

West Tigers - 2 Garner, Nofoaluma, Tamou tries; 3 Doueihi conversions, 2 penalty goals

Full time

80 mins 

The Tigers will have one set to steal the result. On the final play, the Tigers are throwing the ball around with the Warriors defence shot to bits. The Tigers come back to the right as the siren goes. All Nofoaluma needs to do is draw the final defender but his pass is poor and goes into touch and the Warriors hang on for a critical victory.  

79 mins - Try Tigers to James Tamou

On the kick return, Laurie breaks clear down to halfway and Walsh makes another try saving tackle. Joseph Leilua breaks down the right and is just dragged in by Montoya. On tackle four, Tamou storms over to set up a grandstand finish. 

Adam Doueihi converts the try with 1 minute and 11 seconds remaining. (WAR 30-26)

78 mins 

The Tigers are throwing everything at the Warriors as Garner storms towards the line but Walsh puts his body on the line to stop a certain try. The Tigers get fast ball with the Warriors defence in big trouble and sees Brooks steps inside before offloading to Garner who puts the pass down. 

76 mins 

On tackle three, Tuivasa-Sheck makes a strong run but knocks on in contact. 

The Warriors will challenge again but replays show it a loose carry and the review is unsuccessful. The Tigers will start their set 40-metres out. 

75 mins 

On the final tackle, Brooks puts a crossfield kick in which Pompey can't handle it and the Tigers will have another set on the Warriors line. 

But the Warriors will challenge and the replay shows Pompey doesn't get a hand on it as Doueihi knocks it back. The Warriors will start their set 10-metres from their own line. 

74 mins 

The Tigers goes short and Pompey can't handle it and will have a set inside the Warriors half. 

73 mins - Try Warriors to Marcelo Montoya

The New Zealand side have gone back to back. Warriors get a set-restart and will build their attack deep inside the Tigers half. On tackle four, Walsh comes up with a moment of brilliance as he offloads in contact to Montoya who crashes over. 

Nikorima converts the try. (WAR 30-20)

71 mins - Try Warriors to Wayde Egan

On the final tackle, the Warriors come down the short side before Nikorima steps back inside and put a grubber in behind and Wayde Egan storms through and beats Daine Laurie to the ball to score. 

Nikorima converts the try. (WAR 24-20)

69 mins 

The Tigers give away a penalty for a crusher tackle on Tohu Harris by James Tamou and the Warriors will start their set on halfway. 

68 mins 

A huge let-off for the Warriors as the Tigers loo dangerous on attack. Mbye delivers a short ball on tackle three on the Warriors 20-meter line and it's called to let the New Zealand side off the hook. 

66 mins - Sin Bin Warriors to Eliesa Katoa

Just as Ben Murdoch-Masila is about to return from the bin, Katoa produces a terrible spare tackle Luciano Leilua and he is sent to the bin.

65 mins 

The Warriors storm downfield with great runs from Walsh and Tuivasa-Sheck. On the final play, Walsh takes the ball to the line before dishing it off to Pompey who looks certain to score before a try saving from David Doueihi.

63 mins - Penalty goal Tigers to Adam Doueihi 

The Tigers again choose to take the easy two points and Doueihi has put the Tigers in front. (WST 20-18)

62 mins 

The tigers get a set-restart in great field position and will start the set just 10-metres out. On tackle two, Brooks steps inside Murchie and he leaves his arm hanging and catches the Tigers halfback high. 

The referee has decided to put him on report and not send him to the sin bin. 

60 mins 

The Warriors have made a costly error with Jack Murchie making a meal of the play the ball to turn possession over on the Tigers 40-meter line. 

58 mins - Penalty goal Tigers to Adam Doueihi

The Tigers choose to take the easy two points to level the score and Doueihi makes no mistake. (18-18)

57 mins - Sin Bin Warriors to Ben Murdoch-Masila

The Warriors look set to score as Katoa goes for the long pass to put Montoya in a gap but Nofoaluma grabs the intercept and sprints clear. 

The Warriors scramble back in defence and Murdoch-Masila holds the Tigers wing down to long and the referee has sent him to the bin.

54 mins 

Egan kicks early in the set as he looks for a 40-20 but it doesn't go out and the Warriors are looking to trap the Tigers in their own half. 

53 mins 

Walsh delivers a beautiful ball to Montoya who breaks down to the Tigers 30 before kicking in behind where Michael Chee Kam cleans up and just escapes his own in-goal area. 

On tackle two, Tevaga is called for a high tackle and he is on report. 

51 mins 

Brooks puts up a midfield bomb just short of the Warriors line, which sees Doueihi come down with before Walsh makes a try saving tackle. 

49 mins 

The sides are getting into the arm-wrestle as they trade sets looking for field position. On the final tackle, Brooks puts a high kick up for Walsh who takes it comfortably and he immediately shifts it wide to Montoya who storms down to the 30-metre line.  

On tackle four, Murchie goes for a risky offload and it doesn't come off and the Tigers have the ball back on halfway.

45 mins - Try West Tigers to David Nofoaluma

Montoya has had a nightmare moment to hand the Tigers the first try of the second half. Brooks puts a grubber in behind and it looks like a simple ball to clean up for the Warriors winger but he can't handle it and David Nofoaluma pounces to score. 

 Doueihi converts the try. (WAR 18-16)

42 mins 

The Warriors march downfield impressively in their first set of the half, which sees Nikorima put a midfield bomb up on the final tackle but Talau takes it comfortably and the Tigers start from 10-metres out. 

Kickoff - West Tigers get us back underway. 

40 mins - Try Warriors to Reece Walsh 

The Warriors have been lethal down the righthand side and they have got their second down that side. On tackle three, Nikroima takes the ball to the line before passing to Walsh who is in a huge hole and sprints over in the corner with a massive dive. 

Nikorima can't convert the try. (WAR 18-10)

That will be halftime. 

38 mins

On the Tigers final tackle, Mbye puts a nice kick across field, which sees Tuivasa-Sheck mistime his jump and the ball ends up with Brooks but he puts it down with the line at his mercy. 

The Warriors brings the ball back up-field and on the final tackle, Harris-Tavita puts a high kick to Talau and the Warriors force him into touch. 

36 mins

The Warriors are playing with so much confidence as they march downfield. The New Zealand side are throwing the ball around causing the Tigers problems as Harris-Tavita delivers a short ball to Murchie who burst into a hole before offloading to Nikorima who fires a cut out pass to Tuivasa-Sheck. 

On the final tackle, Nikroima puts a pin-point kick, which finds Harris-Tavita but he puts id won in the Tigers in-goal area. 

34 mins - Try Warriors to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Walsh is on fire. The Warriors come to the lefthand side and the young fullback fires a high cut out pass over Talau who jams in to find Tuivasa-Sheck who is unmarked and he crashes over to give the Warriors the lead. 

Nikorima can't convert the try. (WAR 14-10)

32 mins 

The Tigers make another error this time from Laurie just 10-metres from his own line. On tackle-two, Walsh fires a cut-out pass looking for Tuivasa-Sheck but Talau goes for an intercept but puts it down.  

Warriors will have a scrum centre of the field just 10-metres out.

29 mins - Try Warriors to Jack Murchie

What try from the Warriors and it's their first from their own half this season. The Warriors fling the ball wide where Nikroima shows great hands to catch and pass to put Tuivasa-Sheck in a huge hole. 

He sprints down to the Warriors 20 where he draws and passes to Murchie who goes over. 

Nikorima converts the try. (10-10)

27 mins 

Early in the tackle count, Joseph Leilua puts down a simple pass and Tuivasa-Sheck picks up  and sprints clear down to the Tigers 40-metre line. 

On the final tackle, Harris-Tavita puts a grubber in behind for Nikroima. The Warriors five-eighth is running shoulder-to-shoulder and slightly nudges Nikorima off the ball and it rolls dead. 

Seven tackle set for the Tigers. 

24 mins 

Tevaga gives away a penalty for a high tackle and is on report. The Tigers will start the set 30-metres out. 

22 mins 

A big let-off for the Warriors as the Tigers throw the ball around on the final tackle. Nofoaluma goes close but is just brought down but he offloads and they come back to the centre of the field where Daine Laurie burst through a hole but is brought down to end the set. 

19 mins 

Mbye has dropped a simple pass on tackle four in their set after points and the Warriors will start their set on their 40-metre line.

On the final tackle, the Warriors halves have made a meal of it. Harris-Tavita takes it to the line but easily get tackled to end the set.

17 mins - Try Warriors to Luke Garner

Garner has stormed his way over for a double. Mbye takes the ball to the line before laying it on a plater for Garner, who runs into a huge hole and crashes over for the Tigers second try of the evening. 

Doueihi converts the try. (WST 10-4)

15 mins 

What a set from the Tigers as they marched downfield. On the final tackle, Brooks puts another perfect kick in and forces Pompey into his own in-goal area. 

The Warriors will have their second goal-line dropout. 

13 mins 

The Warriors get a set-restart on their first set after points as they look to march downfield. On tackle three, Murdoch-Masila drops the ball to hand possession back. 

11 mins - Try Warriors to Marcelo Montoya

The Tiger have made the first mistake of this contest to hand the Warriors field position. On the first tackle, Tommy Talau makes a cheap error bringing the ball back. 

On the third tackle, Walsh takes the ball to the line before delivering a beautiful cut-out pass to Montoya who smashes his way over in the corner.

Nikorima conversion also comes off the post and misses. (4-4)

8 mins 

The Tigers complete their set after points and force the Warriors back to their own line with a deep kick from Brooks. Walsh looks to bring it back but is smashed and driven back. 

The Warriors get through their set and the Tigers start their set on the 40-metre line. 

6 mins - Try West Tigers to Luke Garner

The Tigers have the first points in this contest. On the final tackle, the Tigers go down the short side, where Luciano Leilua puts a grubber in behind. Walsh is leaving it and hoping it goes dead but Luke Garner has sprinted through and grounded it. 

Adam Doueihi conversion hits the posts and misses, so the try is unconverted. (WST 4-0)

4 mins 

Great scrambling defence from the Warriors to stop a promoising Tigers attack. Aitken jams in on the right but Brooks cuts him out and forces Walsh to come across to stop Talau just short of the line. 

2 mins 

The Warriors give away a set restart to let the Tigers march downfield. On the final tackle, Brooks puts in a pin-point kick, which sees Pompey gather but he is forced back into his in-goal area. Goalline dropout.

Kickoff 

Reece Walsh gets the contest underway.

7:58pm

Both sides are out on the field in Gosford. It's grey and raining at Central Coast Stadium but its a cool 14 degrees. 

Matt Noyen is the man in the middle for this contest. 

7:47pm - We are just 12 minutes from kickoff. Warriors forward is a player in form having scored three tries in his past four matches. 

7:10pm - Coach Nathan Brown has made a late change for the Warriors with Bunty Afoa moving from the bench to start at prop with Kane Evans shifting to the bench.

Eliesa Katoa also moves from the intchange bench to start in the second row with Jack Murchie dropping back to the bench. 

Edward Kosi will be the 18th man for the New Zealand side.

*****

Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NZ Warriors' round 11, clash with West Tigers at Central Coast Stadium.

The Warriors need a victory to keep them in touch with the top eight after coming off back-to-back defeats to the Manly Sea Eagles and the Parramatta Eels.

Coach Nathan Brown will be looking for a much improved defensive performance against the Tigers after his side conceded 38 points to Manly and 34 to the Eels.

Consistency has been the worst nightmare for the New Zealand side this season, as they have failed to string together consecutive wins in the campaign.

The New Zealand side confirmed on Thursday that youngster Reece Walsh will start at fullback with captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck shifting to the wing.

This has seen Ken Maumalo drop out of the matchday squad.

West Tigers are looking for just their fourth victory of the season and are coming off an impressive win against the Newcastle Knights last time out.

Kiwis and West Tigers coach Michael Maguire has the luxury of naming an unchanged side and come into the clash full of confidence. The West Tigers have the wood over the Warriors, winning five of their past seven games.

TAB odds:

Warriors $1.47 West Tigers $2.60

NZ Warriors: 17-Reece Walsh, 1-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 3-Adam Pompey, 4-Euan Aitken, 2-Marcelo Montoya, 6-Kodi Nikorima, 7-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 8-Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, 9- Wayde Egan, 10-Kane Evans, 11-Jack Murchie, 12-Ben Murdoch-Masila, 13-Tohu Harris.

Interchange: 14-Jazz Tevaga, 15-Leeson Ah Mau, 16-Bunty Afoa, 18-Eliesa Katoa, 20-Taniela Otukolo 21-Edward Kosi

West Tigers: 1-Daine Laurie, 2-David Nofoaluma, 3-Adam Doueihi, 4-Joseph Leilua, 5-Tommy Talau, 6-Moses Mbye, 7-Luke Brooks, 8-James Tamou (c), 9-Jacob Liddle, 10-Alex Twal, 11-Luke Garner, 12-Luciano Leilua, 13-Joe Ofahengaue

Interchange: 14-Jock Madden, 15-Shawn Blore, 16-Michael Chee Kam, 17-Tomas Mikaele, 18-Michael Chee Kam, 14-Jake Simpkin  

Live updates: NRL - NZ Warriors v West Tigers at Central Coast Stadium
Photo credit: Getty/Newshub

Folau teams with billionaire backer in hope of comeback 

Sacked Wallabies star Israel Folau is reportedly on the verge of resurrecting his sporting career, targeting a return to rugby league on the Gold Coast.

Folau, 32, hasn't played in Australia since 2019, after a series of homophobic outbursts on social media saw Rugby Australia terminate his contract.

The crosscode star most recently plied his trade with French Super League side Catalans Dragons, where remains contracted until the end of 2021. 

Israel Folau
Israel Folau Photo credit: Photosport

But Folau seems to have partnered with outspoken Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, with the two to front media on Friday.

Palmer has reportedly purchased an advertisement in the Brisbane Courier-Mail, which will read "Let Israel play football”.

Australian Associated Press reports Folau wants to play for Southport Tigers in the Gold Coast A-Grade competition.

Earlier this year, Folau's hopes of returning to the NRL were quashed, when public backlash saw St George Illawarra Dragons abandon their bid to sign him. 

Australia's Christian Lobby also launched an online petition to see Folau allowed back in the NRL, gaining more than 12,000 signatures.