League: Winning Warriors aim for the treble

The Warriors have retained their winning team for their game with South Sydney this weekend, and have kept the same backline for the third game running.

They have won 12 of their 15 clashes with South Sydney and, although there are no easy games in the NRL, they will fancy their chances at Stadium Australia on Sunday.

The last-placed Souths and 13th-placed Warriors are sure to be playing in front of a vast emptiness at the 85,000-capacity Olympic Stadium - Souths crowds have been averaging just over 12,000 and the Warriors around 9000.

The teams are similar, as both have several young players learning their way in the NRL.

The Warriors have the advantage of veterans Steve Price and Ruben Wiki and should win.

If they do, it will be the first time they have won three in a row since their run to the finals in 2003.

"We have been concentrating on putting together a series of consistent efforts and we've achieved that in our last three matches against Brisbane, the Roosters and now the Knights," said coach Ivan Cleary.

"While the performance against the Broncos didn't give us a win, we were really pleased with the effort. That consistency was translated into wins against the Roosters and the Knights but now we have to maintain that level and keep improving if it's to continue."

Cleary said his team would not take Souths lightly.

"We have to aim to be at our best if we're to be in with a chance against them. It's the same every week no matter who you're playing."

Souths have Kiwis forward Joe Galuvao back from an Achilles tendon injury and Shane Rigon has recovered from a virus.

But they will use much the same side as the one beaten 30-10 by the Eels last weekend and victorious 34-14 over the Broncos the weekend before. That was their first victory this season and first over Brisbane in 17 seasons.

* The NRL yesterday indicated that the anti-tampering system will come to an end.

The league will ask club chief executives for their views at a meeting next month but manager David Gallop said yesterday that the June 30 deadline had been adopted at a time when the salary cap was not effectively policed. That had since changed.

"I think it would take a compelling argument from the clubs for us to recommend to the board the retention of any sort of anti-tampering system, but they will have the opportunity to present that case."

* Telstra Stadium, 5pm Sunday

NZ WARRIORS

Brent Webb
Patrick Ah Van
Tony Martin
Simon Mannering
Manu Vatuvei
Jerome Ropati
Grant Rovelli
Ruben Wiki
Nathan Fien
Steve Price
Awen Guttenbeil
Louis Anderson
Sione Faumuina

RABBITOHS

David Peachey
Nathan Merritt
Todd Polglase
Luke MacDougall
Paul Mellor
John Sutton
Ben Walker
Peter Cusack (c)
Shane Walker
M. Manukuafoa
David Fa'alogo
Mark Minichiello
Shane Rigon

Interchange:

Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Evarn Tuimavave, Wairangi Koopu, Micheal Luck.

Rabbitohs: Jaiman Lowe, Stuart Webb, Ben Rogers, Joe Galuvao.