Corey Norman kicks the winning field goal.Credit:NRL Photos
It was not lost on Warriors coach Nathan Brown his side had lost three games by a field goal following similar heartache against Manly and North Queensland.
Chad Townsend played his first game back at the club in six years but was injured in just the second minute. Townsend,who returned to the Warriors last week for the rest of the season before he moves on to the Cowboys in 2022,was belted by Tariq Sims after he had kicked.
He stayed on the ground and spent the remainder of the night with his right arm dangling by his side.
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Townsend was brave,much like Nathan Cleary was when he battled his way through a similar shoulder injury for NSW six nights earlier,but a field-goal attempt in the 73rd minute to give the Warriors a possible nine-point lead backfired.
The ball barely got off the ground and the Dragons scored up the other end of the field from the ensuing seven-tackle set. It was a big turning point in the game.
Time will tell if he is fit to take on the club who cut him loose just last week,Cronulla,next Sunday. Tohu Harris (shoulder) and Eli Katoa (ankle) could also be missing as Brown sweats on Reece Walsh overcoming a hamstring injury for the Sharks game.
The Dragons could be without Jack de Belin,who was placed on report twice early in the second half. Griffin did not think there was much in the cannonball tackle on Edward Kosi and lifting tackle on Sean O’Sullivan.
There was one disappointing scene in golden point when Kosi stayed down to milk a penalty,only to be ordered to his feet by the referee to play the ball.
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