League: Hardened Warriors pack a promising sign

Lewis Brown (centre) is hoisted into the air by the Manly defence. Photo / Sarah Ivey

There are certain songs sports fans dread hearing drift over the PA system.

Late in the Premier League soccer season, for instance, the theme music to the Great Escape conveys a message most fans would rather not be receiving.

D-Ream's Things Can Only Get Better is another ditty which, had it not been for crappy sports teams, would have been mercifully long forgotten by now.

And then, of course, there's the classic 1988 Yazz and The Plastic Population remake that greeted Warriors fans who arrived in encouraging numbers at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday: The Only Way Is Up.

Not quite accurate for a team that finished 14 out of 16 last season, but the sentiment was probably fair enough.

With the Warriors closing out an undefeated trials campaign with a rugged 16-16 draw against Manly, there is even a little substance to go with the sentiment.

Sure, some familiar frailties were exposed by Manly, most notably a right-edge defence that dropped off alarmingly once starters Brent Tate and Kevin Locke departed the scene.

The club had already identified the need to recruit another experienced winger and the sight of Locke hobbling off after copping a knee in the back from opposite Michael Robertson underlined just how pressing that need is.

Of the two potential replacements for first-choice wingers Locke and Manu Vatuvei, Patrick Ah Van did little to press his case, twice coughing up possession, while youngster Bill Tupou looks promising, but is extremely green.

Locke was quickly cleared of serious injury and was moving well enough when signing autographs after the match.

He isn't considered doubtful for the round 1 trip to Gold Coast but is to undergo a precautionary x-ray today.



Coach Ivan Cleary conceded the scare had crystallised the need for more depth on the flanks.

"We haven't stopped looking, we just haven't found anyone," Cleary said.

"But that [the injury to Locke] sort of highlights the situation."

Brent Tate's successful return after an 11-month lay-off at least gives Cleary more options. Tate has played on the wing for both Queensland and Australia.

Tate shifting out to the wing would solve what appears to be Cleary's most pressing dilemma - what to do with Joel Moon if James Maloney gets the nod to start outside of Brett Seymour at five-eighth?

Moon scored a fine try from a jinking run through the heart of the Manly defence shortly after coming off the bench but, on the evidence of Saturday, Maloney appears to have the inside running on the No 6 jersey.

With Kiwis duo Vatuvei and Jerome Ropati looking a lock for the left flank combination, Cleary potentially faces a tough call on the right. It is a problem he will be delighted to have.

While the late Jeremy Latimore try that preserved the team's undefeated pre-season record would have helped maintain the Warriors' feeling of cautious optimism, there were plenty of positives beyond the locked-up scoreboard.

Rookie playmaker Shaun Johnson did enough to suggest Cleary has genuine options in the halves.

While Maloney was steady and efficient, Johnson's ability to get to the edges and tease defenders added an extra dimension to an attack that badly needs to rediscover a cutting edge following last season's stilted efforts.

If the team struggles to post points, Johnson could be sighted in first grade sooner rather than later.

The pack appears tough and resilient - an impression reinforced by Russell Packer coming off by far the better in a nasty head clash with Joe Galuvao.

The spiky Tate's return added a hard-nosed element that appeared lacking at times last year, while Seymour looks entirely home as the team's tactical leader and guiding force.

It's probably overly optimistic to suggest this Warriors team might be soaking up a certain Queen anthem when the confetti comes down on October 3 but, with the likes of captain Simon Mannering and veteran prop Steve Price still to be added to the mix, there's at least reason to believe spectators could be spared a repeat of Yazz this time next year.

That would qualify as progress.