By PETER JESSUP
The St George Dragons will be without their inspirational skipper, Kiwi Craig Smith, when they play the Warriors in Auckland on Friday night.
Smith was suspended yesterday for a dangerous approach into tacklers. The big prop has a habit of raising his knee as he goes into a hit, and after the Dragons game against the Sharks at the weekend was cited for two incidents of conduct contrary to the game.
He yesterday pleaded guilty to the National Rugby League's charge, copping an automatic two-week suspension.
Dragons co-captain Nathan Brown remains sidelined with a serious neck injury, after he was stretchered from the field pre-season. With back rowers Darren Treacey (broken thumb) and Lance Thompson (knee) out, and prop Daniel Heckenberg struggling with a cruciate ligament strain, the visitors are in worse repair than the home team.
Veteran centre/wing Jamie Ainscough, the major buy-in target for the Warriors at the end of the 1999 season, takes the leadership. The depletion of the Dragons' pack will give the Warriors hope they can dominate up front.
The two home captains, Stacey Jones and Kevin Campion, were called to a meeting with management yesterday, the club having set a pre-season goal of two wins from the first four games.
Ironically, the targets were Canberra and Wests Tigers, the club brains believing they were the easier-beats and that the Northern Eagles, with Brett Kimmorley running the show, were toughest. Instead, the Warriors comprehensively beat the Eagles and lost the other two.
"We told them they've taken the long road, but that we still expect two wins from four when we next go to Sydney for Parramatta," said chief executive Mick Watson.
That match is followed by Brisbane at home and Newcastle away, so there is no relaxing of the pressure.
Centre David Myles has a groin injury, but is expected to play. Mark Tookey comes back to the bench, and Jason Temu drops out.
Jones was still wary of the impact of the big Dragons pack, and more so of playmaking half/five-eighths Trent Barrett behind it.
"Their fullback Amos Roberts and Barrett look like they've got a good combination going," Jones said.
The team are not depressed with one win from three games.
The players feel they are working out their roles and options on the field.
Jones believes the combinations will come because of the back row talent, with captaincy partner Campion, Kiwi Logan Swann, schoolboy teammate Awen Guttenbeil and the damaging Ali Lauiti'iti, and behind with Richie Blackmore and Ivan Cleary.
His wish is for a vocal crowd on Friday night - "we have to make Ericsson a graveyard."
The Warriors not playing on Friday and left out of the squad in future weeks will be divided among the 12 national Bartercard Cup teams. Those coming from an Auckland or regional club will be reattached to it.
Coach Daniel Anderson has won favour by being freer in the allocation than previous management.
He has called for expressions of interest in the Australians, and they will go to clubs weak in their position.
The cup starts with a Glenora-Northcote curtainraiser to the Warriors game at 5.15 pm on Friday.
NRL chief executive David Moffett and legal adviser David Gallop will discuss a number of issues with NZRugby League on Friday, including NZRL chairman Gerald Ryan's bid for use of local referees, touch judges and video officials at Ericsson Stadium games.
Ryan will also push the issue of development fees, the NZRL claiming between $250,000 and $500,000 for players talent-spotted and brought through youth rep teams before signing with Australian clubs.
New Zealand Warriors: Ivan Cleary, Henry Fa'afili, Richie Blackmore, David Myles, Francis Meli, Cliff Beverley, Stacey Jones (c), Jerry SeuSeu, Jason Death, Ali Lauiti'iti, Logan Swann, Awen Guttenbeil, Kevin Campion (c); interchange Clinton Toopi, Mark Tookey, Monty Betham, Justin Morgan.
St George Illawarra Dragons: Amos Roberts, Nathan Blacklock, Mark Gasnier, Paul McGregor, Jamie Ainscough (c), Trent Barrett, Willie Peters, Luke Bailey, Jason Hooper, Chris Leikvoll, Andrew Hart, Colin Ward, Wayne Bartrim; interchange Jason Ryles, Jamie Fitzgerald, Mark Riddell, Lee Hookey.
Rugby League: Dragons lose savvy skipper
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