League: Warriors in good shape to tackle Bulldogs

Michael Luck (left) and Ruben Wiki have plenty to smile about after the Warriors' solid performance against South Sydney. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Warriors 46 South Sydney 14

The Warriors should gain much-needed confidence from their drubbing of South Sydney and will need it because their next home game against the Bulldogs will be much tougher.

They came out fired up against Souths and when Ruben Wiki hit top form and twice hit the try-line inside the first 18 minutes, the result was not in doubt.

Those two tries came about through attacking skill and horrible defensive lapses and the Warriors will not be offered such gaping holes against the Dogs.

But it was a solid, all-round performance and there were signs that the game plan was developing and becoming more threatening offensively.

Up front, Wiki's 94m gain was bettered by bench prop Evarn Tuimavave with 104, second rower Michael Luck, who continues to be good value, with 108m, Awen Guttenbeil with 141m and captain Steve Price with 165m, just on his remarkable average for the year.

With that sort of ground-gain, any team will win.

Late call-up Jerome Ropati was good despite a heavily bandaged hamstring and despite becoming a target for the Souths runners, his 22 tackles topped only by Guttenbeil and Louis Anderson with 25 each.

Price snatched his first try as a Warrior and admitted it was a relief to know he wouldn't have to do the traditional naked sprint around the field for those still pointless at season's end.

Tony Martin scored the third try that took the Warriors out to 18-0, a kick from Souths rebounding off his leg then Wairangi Koopu's face before he regathered it and crossed untouched. He kicked nine from nine goals for a personal tally of 22 points.

Souths rallied for one period of the second half, scoring two tries to close to 28-14 but then the Warriors composed themselves and replied.

The visitors spilled their last possession in a knock-on which was symptomatic of their night. The Warriors took the ball and put Todd Byrne in at the corner. Martin's conversion hit the post and slid over, proving it was indeed their night.

The win gives the Warriors their first two points after the salary cap deduction. They are level with Souths on the last rung of the ladder but the Rabbitohs got their two from a bye and the Warriors will overtake them when they get their bye in a fortnight.

"The scoreline was reflective of how we played," Souths coach Shaun McRae admitted. "I just felt we were caught up a bit in the way they wanted to play, speculative passes and off-loads."

The early points forced them to play catch-up and they suffered a snowball effect.

"We were more competitive in the second half but we were beaten by a side that were well up on us. Our defence in the middle of the ruck was very, very poor. They scored four tries in the second half and three of them were right down the middle."

Souths had most of their first grade squad in Auckland for the game, taking advantage of the injection of finance from millionaire businessman Peter Holmes a Court and actor Russell Crowe to hold a seminar at which former New Zealand cricketer Martin Crowe gave a motivational talk about playing against the odds.