In 2011, the sixth-placed Warriors benefitted from the last instalment of the fickle McIntyre Finals System that had foiled them 12 months earlier – getting another life after crashing 40-10 to third-placed Brisbane in week one.
The Warriors were bundled out at the same stage in 2010 despite finishing fifth, eliminated following a tough loss to Gold Coast as one of the two lowest-ranked qualifying final losers.
Nevertheless, the insipid nature of their loss to the Broncos meant the Warriors were rank outsiders in their semi against fourth-placed Wests Tigers – who had carved out a Benji Marshall-inspired 21-12 qualifying final victory over defending premier St George Illawarra – in week two at Allianz Stadium.
Retired legend Andrew Johns would have a crucial role to play in rebuilding the Warriors’ flimsy confidence, providing encouragement for wing enigma Manu Vatuvei after his shocker at Suncorp Stadium and advice for rookie halfback sensation Shaun Johnson.
“‘Joey’s’ been great – he texts me, he calls me,” Johnson revealed after the Warriors’ 22-20 victory over the Tigers.
“He’s been an idol of mine since I was four years old.
“He’s not one of those who, if we play bad, he goes off us. He talked to Manu during the week and helped him out and did the same with me, [about] how to deal with everything that was going on after last week’s game.”
Marshall and Robbie Farah had steered the Tigers, on a nine-match winning streak, to an 18-6 halftime lead. The Warriors’ only riposte coming through James Maloney’s try from a sizzling Kevin Locke break and flick pass.
But Feleti Mateo came off the bench to stroll over in the 49th minute from Johnson’s short ball, before Lance Hohaia’s dummy-half dart trimmed the deficit to two.
With three minutes on the clock, Krisnan Inu – who only came into the side after Joel Moon suffered a dislocated ankle in Brisbane – batted back a Johnson cross-field kick. Tigers winger Lote Tuqiri fumbled the ball into the prostrate Inu’s hands; the centre lunged for the try-line, came up short and reached out again to score.
The video referee ruled Inu had not committed a double-movement as the Tigers had not placed a hand on him. A remarkable match-winner – as well as an unlikely preliminary final berth – was given the green light.
Amid the collective euphoria, no individual storyline shone brighter than Vatuvei’s stellar bounce-back. ‘The Beast’ claimed a decisive points decision in his absorbing, at-times fiery duel with opposing winger Beau Ryan.
“The way Manu played, I guess every that was bagging him can get lost,” fired Johnson, who was making just his 14th NRL appearance.
“I’m so stoked with how he played. He’s such a great bloke and deserves everything that happened.”
Meanwhile, indefatigable skipper Simon Mannering – who revealed he was playing through the pain of a medial ligament injury – and lock workhorse Micheal Luck had provided the backbone for the boilover with more than 80 tackles between them.
On the shellshocked Tigers’ side of the dressing room tunnel, second-rower Liam Fulton was unfortunate to finish on a losing team after making 23 runs and 38 tackles.
The Broncos’ semi-final elimination of the Dragons the following day meant that for the first time since 1992, there was only one Sydney-based team remaining in the last four.
The Warriors pulled off an even more iconic upset in Melbourne in the following weekend’s prelim. After subduing the Darren Lockyer-less Broncos, Manly extinguished the Warriors’ run with a 24-10 grand final triumph.
The finals format still in use today – and initially utilised in 1995-96 – was reinstated in 2012.
