Warriors kick off NRLW season with solid win over Roosters

Warriors halfback Charntay Poko was at her creative best to help her team open the 2019 NRLW Holden Women's Premiership with a 16-12 win over the Roosters at AAMI Park on Saturday.

A try-scoring double for Roosters skipper Simaima Taufa to book-end the match was not enough to claw back the good work done by the Kiwis Ferns half.

Poko's kicking game shone, while her work with the ball at the line also caused headaches all afternoon for Rick Stone's women.

Now the trick is for the Warriors to continue on with the momentum they've created.

They won the corresponding round one game last year (10-4) over the Roosters but then conceded more than 50 points in their next two games against the Dragons and Broncos to surrender any chance of playing in the NRLW grand final.

Scores were locked up 6-6 at the break.

The Warriors were nearly the first to score for the new season when Poko sent a sublime cut-out pass in the sixth minute to unmarked winger Hilda Mariu. But officials called it forward.

Poko made up for the error with a 40-30 kick in the 25th minute, which led to a try to skipper Georgia Hale off the next set. She received a flat pass from hooker Krystal Rota to put her into a small hole.

In between, Roosters captain - and newly-crowned NSW Women’s Origin player of the year - Taufa completed almost the exact same play to score in the ninth minute. She ran hard and low onto a pass from her No.9 Nita Maynard to burrow through defenders.