League: Brown resilient after shocking start to day

Bone-jarring tackles are part of the game, but New Zealand Warrior Lewis Brown absorbed a different type of body blow before last night's National Rugby League (NRL) clash at Parramatta.

The only Christchurch-born member of the Warriors squad, Brown was initially apprehensive yesterday when he could not make contact with his family after an earthquake shook the city and surrounds.

After the Warriors 26-12 victory at Parramatta Stadium, the second rower recounted his fear after a phone call to his mum Trish in Belfast failed to connect because the lines were down.

"I got a text at 8am (Sydney time) from a friend about what had happened.

"I got to the phone to me Mum and it didn't go through. The phones were down so that worried me a bit more.'"

Later in the morning Mrs Brown finally made contact to confirm family members - including a set of grandparents -- were safe.

"All they were worried about was the power being out and they wouldn't be able to watch the game.'"

Brown traditionally has a final pre-game pep talk with his grandfather Bill, who was a voice of reassurance in trying circumstances.

"My Pop's the last person I speak to before every game. He just told me not to worry and do my job out there. His words made me feel a lot better,'" said Brown, who was impressive on the left edge of the Warriors attack.

He was glued to the television in the team hotel before the team headed to Parramatta Stadium.

"I kept the news on all day. It's sad to see, the devastation.

"It's pretty upsetting, Christchurch is a big part of me. But it's good Canterbury is a strong province, it'll recover well."

Brown was also impressed with the resilience the Warriors showed when they were a man down with the game in the balance at 8-6.

Despite losing James Maloney to the sinbin after the halftime hooter, the Warriors muscled up defensively to hold the Eels scoreless during his absence.

"We held in there and it was a good win," Brown said.

"It's a good roll into the finals."

Warriors head coach Ivan Cleary lauded a continuation of his side's unstinting defensive display.

Having conceded just 43 points over the past month, the Warriors guarded their line with intent again last night, limiting the Eels to two contentious tries.

"Over the last month we've got a lot of confidence out of defence," Cleary said.

"And going into a finals series, when the boys are confident in each other you work a little harder to make up for your teammates."

The Warriors were on the receiving end of a 9-3 penalty count while captain Simon Mannering and Cleary questioned touchdowns to Timana Tahu and Nathan Cayless, who scored a consolation try in his farewell performance.

Mannering believed the referees were not in position when Tahu took a quick tap and dived over in the first half; there was also doubt about whether Cayless grounded the ball before he was given the benefit of the doubt by video referee Russell Smith.

"I don't think either of them were tries," Cleary said.

"Both had that sort of look about them that they were getting looked after a bit."

Cayless acknowledged he was unsure whether his score was legitimate after he admitted his hands did not force the ball.

"I was just hoping they give it to me, there was a bit of sentiment there and thankfully they did."