KEY POINTS:
There'll be Fiens and Lucks in the stands at Townsville tomorrow when the Cowboys host the Warriors but like the rest of the crowd they won't be wearing black.
Warriors Nathan Fien and Micheal Luck know their families will be hoping they have good games and will be wishing their team well while having torn loyalties to the Queensland club. The pair each had five years at the Cowboys before signing for the Warriors.
In both cases, they came as young men well versed in the work environment of the NRL who were behind others in their positions at the North Queensland club and seeking more game time.
They've found that, both playing all 25 Warriors matches this season and sure to be fixtures as far as the side goes in finals play and again next year.
Fien has provided a tough start from dummy-half, taking a big responsibility for getting the Warriors forwards on a roll early in a game before being replaced by another North Queenslander in George Gatis.
The pair play contrasting styles and some have wondered why the club didn't re-sign Gatis. Age is the short answer - Fien is 28, Gatis 29 and the club didn't want to lose its two hookers to retirement or Super League at the same time, preferring to bring in 24-year-old Ian Henderson and ensure some continuity.
Luck has been their tackling machine, average 37 a game and often more than 40 when the team has made too many errors. It's the second best in the NRL, behind Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon. He's given up alcohol, learned to eat better and rehab better so as to keep his body together. He's feeling better now than he was mid-season when carrying a lot of strains and bruising. "There's plenty of motivation for these games, it's easy to get up," he said, dismissing any talk of physical or mental fatigue.
Luck was pleased with the Warriors and his own defence against Parramatta last week. "The Eels only made three line breaks and they have some big men who can play a bit. Our attack could have been better but the defence was great."
He played with Cowboys fullback superstar Matt Bowen from 15.
"I know how much he likes to see a staggered defensive line and big forwards that are getting tired."
The Warriors had to maintain defensive structure and put some attitude into it. There was no need to change much, Luck felt, just up the attack marginally.
"We need to get back to where we were a few weeks ago, maybe just one more pass. It's running a better line, better support. It's more an attitude thing than anything skill-based. We have to be prepared to do both parts of the game rather than just defend well."
Fien takes some responsibility for that and hopes for a better game than the 18-12 loss in Townsville in June.
