The champion New Zealand Junior Warriors beat the Sydney Roosters 32-22 in their Under-20 elimination playoff at Sydney's Allianz Stadium to continue their impressive record in finals football.
Centre Marata Niukore bagged a hat-trick as the Junior Warriors out-scored the Roosters by six tries to four.
Marata Niukore bagged a hat-trick for the Junior Warriors Photo: Photosport
It's the Auckland side's eighth consecutive finals campaign, but they only scraped into the post-season this year by beating the Junior Bulldogs last week.
The defending Premiers were up against the Roosters in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. They led 20-12 at half-time.
Next week the Junior Warriors will play the loser of Saturday night's qualifying final between the second-placed North Queensland Cowboys and the third-placed Brisbane Broncos, for the chance to move into week three of the finals.
Meanwhile, the Warriors New South Wales Cup team, coached by Stacey Jones, line up against the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sunday's sudden-death clash at Jubilee Oval.
