Rugby League: Injuries mean Dragons ripe for a slaying

By PETER JESSUP

Skipper Trent Barrett is one of four Dragons stars out of today's game against the Warriors at Ericsson Stadium after turning up at the airport but being ruled out because of a knee injury.

He turned the knee at training on Thursday night and team medics sent Barrett for MRI scans to determine what was wrong.

It was not a recurrence of an old injury, the club said.

That left the visitors struggling to put together a team and identify a captain when they arrived in Auckland yesterday afternoon, confusion that could spread to their work on the field tonight.

Halfback Brett Firman has been dropped to reserve grade and replaced by that team's half Matthew Head.

Their best centre and skilled secondrower Henry Perenara is out with a shoulder injury.

And line-breaking centre Mark Gasnier, 22, who was named on Tuesday, later approached team officials to say he was frustrated after a run of injuries and uncertain about his future in the game.

Though fit to play, Gasnier had been stood down until Monday because his preparation for the Warriors game had been "severely affected", said club CEO Peter Doust.

The nephew of Dragons' legend Reg Gasnier, Mark made his NRL debut in 2000 but has struggled with leg and shoulder injuries and has played only 63 games in four seasons.

Injuries have also prevented him from adding to the one test he played in 2001.

Former Warriors' centre John Carlaw has been overlooked as a replacement, beaten by rookie David Howell.

Barrett's replacement is Shaun Timmins, who filled in at five-eighth for most of last year when the captain was out injured

There are more changes in the pack, with hooker mark Riddell shifted to lock and rookie Ryan Powell in as rake.

There is speculation the omission of Barrett and Firman and other subsequent changes were influenced by Gasnier's situation, after the two halves and other players met management and coach Nathan Brown to discuss that issue.

Who will be given the captaincy is a lottery given last year's preferred stand-in Lance Thompson is returning from injury and has had time off for personal problems.

So any weakness the Dragons may have been looking to exploit because of the Warriors' problems at hooker have been well overtaken. Without their regular halfback and field kicker, chief playmaker and captain and their best centre, the home team should give them a caning.

Warriors coach Daniel Anderson is looking to his new boys to make the most of the opportunity they've been given because of injuries to some of his first choice players.

Epalahame Lauaki and Evarn Tuimavave will have to fight hard to hold a spot when Jerry Seuseu and Richard Villasanti return to the selection frame for next weekend's match against Penrith, also at home. Thomas Leuluai has to watch over his shoulder for Lance Hohaia.

"There's an opportunity now for some of the younger boys to push on - they've been doing good things in the Bartercard Cup and in training for a while now and it's time I recognised some of them," Anderson said.

Jerome Ropati and Marcus Perenara both suffered leg injuries in the trial against Penrith but return to opposed training next week and will also be challenging for places.

But it doesn't signal the start of a rotation policy. "Obviously we want the best team out there. If Villa and Jerry are both available [for Penrith] at least one of them will play. Those other boys have to make the most of their opportunity," said Anderson.

The coach had no worries about inexperience or captain Monty Betham's absence. "Awen [Guttenbeil] is a natural leader. And I think he'll get tremendous support from others, the internationals in the team. They should all anti-up a bit in terms of leadership."

He expected the Dragons to be "a bit dirty and desperate, as we will be", after both lost their opening games.

With Tony Martin again likely to start to ease Leuluai into five-eighth and Stacey Jones fitter for the run last weekend, the Warriors' combination with the second rowers should improve and that's where they could do most damage.

Anderson assessed Jones' first-up effort as good, then added, "He ran when he should have passed, he passed when he should have run and he was still good so if he's going to improve that's great".

* Former Otahuhu back George Carmont will make his NRL debut on Sunday after being called into the Knights team to play the Storm. He replaces injured wing Anthony Quinn.

Carmont, 25, scored 17 tries at centre for the Knights' feeder club Raymond Terrace last season and earned a spot in their world sevens team, then premier league.

* The NRL will again time all goal-kicks this weekend after fining Canberra's Clinton Schifcofske for breaking it's 90-second shot-clock against St George last weekend. The 66 kicks at goal in seven games last weekend took an average 64 seconds with Schifcofske's the longest at 95 seconds.

* WARRIORS vs DRAGONS, Ericsson Stadium, 7.30 tonight

* Visit nzherald.co.nz throughout the weekend for Warriors updates.

Warriors draw and results - 2004 NRL

Other NRL fixtures and points table