However, the real drama unfolded with the Warriors, who, despite being a man down for a staggering 60 minutes, left Christchurch with their heads held high.
The game took a turn for the explosive when Warriors’ powerhouse Zyon Maiu’u was shown the red card for a brutal shoulder charge, knocking Declan Casey out cold and halting the game as medics rushed in. With the Warriors reduced to 12 men early on, the stage was set for a battle of wills.
Despite leading 12-6 thanks to rapid-fire tries from Alex Seyfarth and Aidan Sezer, with Jacob Laban sneaking one in for the Warriors, the Tigers seemed to lose their roar, taking a grueling 38 minutes to find the try line again.
Enter Benji Marshall, the rookie coach with a magic touch, who must be thrilled with the debut of dynamic duo Sezer and Jayden Sullivan. The two off-season signings were a spectacle, dazzling fans with their slick moves and strategic playmaking.
On the flip side, the Warriors, led by stalwart Roger Tuivasa-Sheck making his grand return to rugby league after a 31-month hiatus, showed a defensive masterclass.
RTS put in an excellent 58-minute performance – a fortress in defense, thwarting two certain tries with his last-ditch efforts and impressing with his ball-carrying prowess.
Just when the Tigers thought they had it in the bag after Sione Latoa-Vaihu’s try put them ahead, the Warriors hit back, courtesy of Paul Roache and Setu Tu. A missed conversion was all that separated the two sides, leaving the Tigers to cling to their slender lead and claim victory before a captivated crowd of 13,760 at Apollo Projects Stadium.
