Graham Lowe: Counter-attack the key for Warriors

Sam Rapira of the Warriors is tackled by Ben Roberts of the Bulldogs. Photo / Getty Images

There is no doubt about it; the Warriors dodged a bullet last Sunday afternoon against the Roosters.

But I liked the way they gave themselves every chance of doing it.

They didn't sit back and wait as they have been guilty of doing on too many occasions this season.

And by winning they have also jumped away from the race for the wooden spoon.

To have any chance against the Dragons on Sunday the Warriors have to again use the width of the field. That is where they gained success last week.

Hard-running Sam Rapira was a standout down the middle for his team and that needs to be kept up. But against the front-runners in the NRL, a little more variation is needed.

Dragons coach Wayne Bennett knows more than most that the ball will always beat the man. That is where he will see the danger coming from the Warriors - a draw-and-pass game. But he will welcome any game from the Warriors that has their forwards keeping the ball tight off the ruck.

What will concern him is the seldom-seen counter-attack game of the Warriors.

Playing to a set pattern will be a mistake for the Warriors against the best-performing team in the NRL.

The Dragons have spent the season so far fending off all manner of set attacks against them and have only looked vulnerable in broken-play recovery mode.

Bennett has nurtured a confidence in his team that needs the unpredictable to challenge it.

A team playing with confidence develops anticipation both in attack and defence and the only way to overcome it is to come up with the unexpected plays.

Against the bottom-placed Roosters it was the unexpected long pass from rookie No 6 Isaac John to winger Patrick Ah Van that typifies what is required by the Warriors this weekend.

The Roosters defence were not expecting that pass. And although they are at the bottom of the table it shows clearly what a player with confidence and vision can do.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Bennett has plenty of confidence around for him in Dragons jerseys, so they will be producing their own special vision.