Round 20: Warriors vs Sea Eagles

[Tamwelg]

	vs
Warriors		Sea Eagles

Sun 27 Jul, 4:00PM Mt Smart Stadium

Sam Tomkins Ngani Laumape Konrad Hurrell Dane Nielsen Manu Vatuvei Chad Townsend Shaun Johnson Jacob Lillyman Nathan Friend Suaia Matagi Ben Henry Simon Mannering Sebastine Ikahihifo   Feleti Mateo Ben Matulino Jayson Bukuya Thomas Leuluai Sam Rapira Andrew McFadden

Fullback Wing Centre Centre Wing Five-eighth Halfback Prop Hooker Prop Second Row Second Row Lock   Interchange Interchange Interchange Interchange Interchange Coach

Brett Stewart Jorge Taufua Jamie Lyon Steve Matai Peta Hiku Kieran Foran Daly Cherry-Evans Josh Starling Matt Ballin Brenton Lawrence Anthony Watmough Jamie Buhrer Tom Symonds   Jesse Sene-Lefao Dunamis Lui James Hasson Jason King   Geoff Toovey

[TITAN PETE]

Warriors v Sea Eagles preview
By Corey Rosser, NZ Correspondent
NRL.com
12:20pm Wed 23rd July, 2014


Warriors v Sea Eagles
Mount Smart Stadium
Sunday 4pm (NZT)

Two of the competition’s form teams over the past two months clash on Sunday in a rivalry which has plenty of bitter undertones.

While Manly is probably the second-most supported NRL team in New Zealand, there are plenty who enjoy jeering them, given they have denied the Warriors a shot at glory twice in the past 10 years, including a defeat of the New Zealanders in the 2011 decider.

Manly lead the competition and are looking to secure their first minor premiership in 17 years, while the Warriors are seventh just trying to stay ahead in a pack of finals-crazed teams who trail closely behind.

After winning four straight games over the past month the Kiwi side was found wanting in the effort department in last Saturday’s 28-22 loss to the Broncos.

With only three losses to their name since way back in Round 7, the Warriors remain one of the competition’s most impressive forces and coach Andrew McFadden will have been working hard this week to make sure complacency stays out of their game for the final six regular season games.

With Ngani Laumape returning from suspension to replace rookie David Fusitu’a on the right wing, and veteran prop Sam Rapira returning from injury, the Warriors are at full strength.

Uncertainty remains around the availability of Feleti Mateo however, after the interchange forward left training with a lower leg injury on Tuesday.

The Sea Eagles confirmed their spot at the top of the table with a 21-12 win over the Dragons on Monday night, and continue to set the standard for the other 15 NRL clubs, despite missing one of their biggest stars in Glenn Stewart.
This week’s only change is James Hasson being included on the bench, but Manly will monitor Steve Matai, Dunamis Lui and Jorge Taufua who are all carrying knocks.

Watch Out Warriors: The New Zealand club got beaten last week despite dominating almost all of the critical statistics. Poor execution in attack and short concentration lapses in defence were the main culprits, as the Warriors failed to take advantage of having more possession, more sets and over 50 minutes inside the opposition’s half.

Manly are in fine form on the defensive front of late, and in their past six games have held teams to 16 points or less on all but one occasion [23 against the Bulldogs in Round 17], and across 2014 leak an average of only three tries per match. Daunting news for a Warriors side that couldn’t break down the Broncos when it counted last week.

Watch Out Sea Eagles: It is hard to argue with 100 per cent. The Warriors are 4/4 at Mount Smart Stadium this year and statistics show they are a much better team when they play there. Across 13 games away from their traditional home this season they have conceded an average of 23 points per match, compared with 12 while playing at Mount Smart. On the other side of the ball the effect of home advantage is just as obvious, with 33 points their average tally at the stadium in 2014.

They may have beaten the Dragons convincingly in the end, but the Sea Eagles were far from perfect last Monday. Had it not been for a dreadful Dragons’ right-edge defence, where the Sea Eagles earned 14 of their 21 points, St George-Illawarra might well have tasted victory given their dominance in several areas of the game. Manly were outrun by 1114 metres to 1086 and spent 25 minutes less in the opposition half than the Dragons did. Nine penalties conceded and 27 missed tackles are other stats which probably caused coach Toovey to lose some sleep this week.

Plays To Watch: The running games of both halfbacks mean attacking raids can start from anywhere on the park. From distance Daly Cherry-Evans and Shaun Johnson are dangerous, with the vision and speed to do damage when they get free.

Watch too for the impact of back-rowers Ben Henry and Tom Symonds, who make a habit of getting over the line with powerful running and intelligent lines. Both scored tries last week and love to sniff around the shoulders of their talented playmakers.

Where It Will Be Won: The key to winning will more than likely sit somewhere around the Warriors’ frail right-edge defence. A weak point all year, it has also been a favourite target for almost every side they have faced throughout the season. Johnson, Laumape and Konrad Hurrell will need to be at their best to contain a Sea Eagles’ left edge responsible for scoring three tries last week.

The History: Played 25; Eagles 17, Warriors 8. With just three wins from their past 15 meetings, the Warriors’ record against Manly is among their worst for any current NRL side. Although they experienced joy against the Sea Eagles just last year, prior to that the New Zealanders hadn’t beaten them since 2010. Having won on eight out of eleven occasions in Auckland, travelling to Mount Smart Stadium won’t hold much fear for Manly either.

What Are The Odds: According to Sportsbet, Manly are all the rage despite having to travel to New Zealand. More than twice the hold is with the Sea Eagles in the head to head market in what looks to be a contender for match of the round. Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au.

Match Officials: Referees – Ben Cummins & Chris James; Touch Judges – Brett Suttor & Nick Beashel; Video Referees – Bernard Sutton & Steve Folkes.

The Way We See It: The Warriors experienced a speed bump in their push towards the finals last week, going down to a Brisbane side who they conceded simply wanted it more. With an eight-day turnaround compared to Manly’s six, plus the travel factor for the Sea Eagles, the New Zealanders should be more refreshed and healthy come Sunday. If this game was played anywhere in the world except Mount Smart Stadium it would be tough to look past Manly, who sit atop the table with eight wins from their past 10 games. But the Warriors have proven there is no place like home and are sure to be determined to make up for a frustrating last-up performance. Warriors by four.

[TITAN PETE]

Warriors look to shut down Manly trio
By Corey Rosser, NZ Correspondent
NRL.com
7:30am Sun 27th July, 2014


The Sea Eagles have arguably the most complete side running around in the NRL right now, but in the eyes of the Warriors can be taken down by removing the influence of three key players.

In Brett Stewart, Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans, the Sea Eagles have a one, six and seven who are proven match winners. This week the Warriors were plotting a plan around containing and exploiting them, believing the Manly machine will begin to splutter if the star trio is pressured enough.

Between them the three have been responsible for 36 of Manly’s 61 try assists in 2014, which means 59 per cent of the time Manly score it is one of them who created the scoring play.

On top of that they have also scored a combined 13 tries and broken the line on 17 occasions heading into round 20.

“It is going to be a real team performance this weekend, [and] that’s certainly going to be a big focus of our attention, pressuring their halves,” Warriors coach Andrew McFadden said.

“It starts with that mindset and attitude going into the game and then it’s going to be a real challenge with our decision making.

“They are one of best attacking teams in the competition and they will definitely test us.”

Not surprisingly, given he leads the competition in try assists with 18 and handles the ball an average of 28 times per match, it was Stewart who commanded the most attention during Warriors video sessions this week, with McFadden full of admiration for the 29-year-old fullback.

“He is the key to their whole attack,” McFadden said.

“Most of the quality stuff that happens around the ball revolves around him; he is a very good player.”

Opposite number Sam Tomkins echoed those thoughts, believing Stewart to be among the NRL’s elite, despite not grabbing the headlines of positional counterparts such as Jarryd Hayne and Billy Slater.

“Everyone has personal battles on the field [and] we will certainly look at Brett’s game and see where we need to be good,” Tomkins said.

“We can’t go missing when he has got the ball in hand - he is definitely dangerous.

“That’s the modern fullback these days, someone who can come into the line and play.”

Tasked with containing Foran on Sunday, Warriors playmaker Shaun Johnson was relishing the opportunity to test himself against his halves partner at international level for New Zealand.

“It’s going to be a big challenge, I know he [Foran] will be excited for it like I am.

“I expect him to be coming at me all day and I have to be able to push back and go at him as well.

“I’ll leave [Cherry-Evans] for Chad Townsend…Chad can deal with him. Obviously he has been playing really good footy too.”

Meanwhile the Warriors continue to sweat on the fitness of star players Konrad Hurrell and Feleti Mateo, for what is a crucial test against a top-eight side before three matches in a row against the cellar-dwelling Raiders, Sharks and Knights.

[TITAN PETE]

Warriors' execution missing without Johnson
By Corey Rosser, New Zealand Correspondent
NRL.com
9:28am Mon 28th July, 2014



A frustrated Warriors side have conceded that poor execution in attack is threatening to derail their 2014 finals hopes.

Following a second-consecutive week where opportunities in the attacking 20 were rarely transformed into points, five-eighth Chad Townsend said their options late in tackle counts were undoing the good work being done in other areas of the game.

“The effort was there, but some of our execution just wasn’t on,” Townsend said after Sunday’s 22-12 loss to the Sea Eagles at Mount Smart Stadium.

“It was a tough game, Manly obviously made a couple of plays more than us and I think we shot ourselves in the foot a few times there when we had momentum and we let them off the hook.

“Being close to a couple of tries… it was touch and go.”

Admittedly over the past two weeks the New Zealanders have gone down to Broncos and Sea Eagles sides who defended with a desperation few teams could break.

It could be said that on any other day the Warriors’ performances probably would have been enough to win, but that excuse has a limited life in a competition as close as the NRL.

Already the latest loss has booted them out of the top eight, with the Kiwi side now back in ninth position, tied on 22 points with five other clubs.

Spluttering attack is also a disturbing issue for a Warriors team who have made a living off being prolific in that area through 2014, and heading into Round 20 had scored 74 tries, more than any other team.

Despite enjoying sustained periods of dominance in the match – most noticeably in the first 15 minutes of both halves – the Warriors failed to take advantage of their chances, clearly missing the composure and class of halfback Shaun Johnson, who missed the clash due to a groin injury.

“It was always going to be tough with the quality of player Shaun is taken out of our side,” said Townsend, who assumed the primary playmaking duties at the scrum base in Johnson’s place.

“I thought I went alright but there are always areas I can improve. I am used to making the calls and plays with Shaun anyway, [so] my role didn’t change too much.”

The most noticeable area of difference between Manly and the Warriors on last tackles was the quality of the kicking game.

Where Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran controlled Sam Tomkins with clever kicks to the corners, and built pressure with an accurate short game, the Warriors kicked dead on several occasions and also found Brett Stewart on the full.

“Shaun is a major part of our team in the kicking department too, there were a couple of areas there where I could have been better,” Townsend conceded.

“There were some times when we built a bit of pressure with a repeat set but were a bit unlucky.”

Meanwhile despite staring down the barrel of three-straight losses for the first time since rounds 5-7, utility Thomas Leuluai said nothing would change this week for the Warriors, who now head to a traditional bogy venue in Canberra to face the 15th-placed Raiders.


“I don’t think [anything will change for us], Manly are a good team mate,” Leuluai said.

“We haven’t played two great teams like that in a row before this, so I don’t know how you can compare it [to earlier in the season].”